The European Student Film Festival has its own film competition in which films from participating schools can compete for two awards: the main ESFF Jury Award and the Audience Award.

For the Audience award a special screening evening will take place after which all the audience members present will be asked to vote for the films.

The directors of the films in competition do not have to be present at the festival. Students of participating schools who are unable to attend the festival can still send in their films and will receive a detailed feedback jury report that will support them in their future film projects.

The awards consist of certificates and equipment generously donated by professional companies from the film industry.

In 2009, Sony Creative Software donated two boxed versions of the professional non‐linear editing software Vegas Pro 9; professional film light manufacturer Kobold donated a real HMI light for the school which won the special ESFF award. In addition to winning one of the awards, equally important is that the winning directors will be able to add the winning of either an ESFF Jury or Audience award to his or her curriculum vitae.