How to enter/nominate

Country of entry

The Study UK Alumni Awards are open to alumni living outside of the UK only.

For eligibility criteria and details of the pilot Lifetime Achievement Award (by nomination only and open to alumni living in Azerbaijan or Greece only), please see the T&Cs. 

UK study

Alumni must have studied:

• within the last 15 years (i.e. 2004 - 2019)
• enrolled at an officially recognised (160 institutions) or listed (650 institutions) UK higher education institution
• at degree level* or above
• either at a UK university in the UK, for a minimum of one term or semester, OR awarded a full UK degree level qualification (or higher), by a recognised or listed UK HEI, outside the UK.

*Degree level is defined as band 9 and above on the UK NARIC band framework. 

Professional short courses: alumni are only eligible if the course they studied was at degree level (or above), offered by a recognised UK institution in the UK (and they fulfil the rest of the criteria). Post-doc researchers are ineligible.

All applicants, except global award winners, from the Alumni Awards in previous years may re-apply if they meet this year’s eligibility criteria. Winners from previous national level awards will be considered for global awards only. 

Applicants must not be currently employed by the British Council or Gradcore. Applicant must disclose if they are an immediate family member of a British Council or Gradcore employee. (In this case immediate family member is defined as one's spouse, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings and immediate in-laws (mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law). Adopted children and stepchildren are also counted as immediate family members.

There are three award categories:

Professional Achievement Award – recognising alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership and achievements in their professional industry, and who can demonstrate the impact and scale of their achievements in their profession, and beyond.

Entrepreneurial Award – recognising alumni who are active in initiating or contributing to innovative or creative new ideas, solutions or business opportunities, that have the potential for strong growth.

Social Impact Award – recognising alumni who have made an exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others.

For an understanding of the kinds of stories in each category, see last year’s global winners’ stories.

All eligible applications will be assessed on the extent to which they meet the following five criteria:

1. IMPACT: evidence of tangible impact, and scale of impact, of your work (inspired by your UK education) in your profession/community/society.
2. UK INFLUENCE: evidence of how your UK education has played a key influence in your success and impact.
3. MEDIA TRACTION: Extent to which your success story is likely to resonate with local/regional/national media in your country of entry, or beyond (global media).
4. POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE AND INSPIRE: Extent to which (including capacity and willingness) you and your story are likely to influence and inspire the next generation of prospective internationally mobile students in your country of entry to choose the UK as their study destination.
5. QUALITY OF APPLICATION