At 99designs, we’re dedicated to building the world’s largest community of talented, professional designers. That’s why all new designers are required to apply to 99designs prior to participating on our site.
Our Designer Curation team reviews all applications based on a strict set of quality standards and the acceptance rate is highly competitive. A designer has two chances to apply before their application is permanently declined.
Submitting your application
Designers should complete the entire application and double-check their work before submitting to 99designs.
Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. While it is possible to make edits, the application may be reviewed at any time once it’s submitted. We cannot disclose your place in the queue and we do not expedite application reviews upon request.
Designers should hear a response within 7 business days after submitting their application, but it could take longer depending on the volume of applications in the queue.
What happens if my application is approved?
When an application is approved, the designer is granted a designer level based on the amount of experience demonstrated in their application.
The three designer levels are:
As levels increase, designers are rewarded with additional benefits including access to higher prize contests, more visibility across the platform, faster payouts, and lower platform fees. Our Curation Team regularly reviews active designers’ profiles to determine when they’re ready to level up.
Learn more about designer level benefits →
What should I do if my application is declined?
Each designer has two chances to submit an application until it’s permanently declined. Designers are welcome to apply for the second and final time 365 days after the first attempt. You can check the account settings page to see your current status.
Unfortunately, we do not currently reconsider declined applications. If you are interested in improving your design knowledge and skills, we offer plenty of great advice, design tips and tutorials on the 99designs blog.
* This application process was established in December 2019. Designers who had created accounts prior to this date maintained their Designer Level.