Are You an Alumni of a UK Institution? Enter for the British Council Alumni Awards 2025

Apply/nominate anyone for British Council Alumni Awards that you know attended a university in the UK and is taking great strides in their profession or community as of today.

Application Deadline: 21st October 2024

Eligible Countries: All countries except the UK

Eligible Field of Study: All

About the British Council Alumni Awards: The British Council Alumni Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of alumni and showcase the impact and value of a UK higher education. Award winners and finalists are leaders in their fields who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions and countries.

If you, or someone you know, studied in the UK and have gone on to achieve exceptional success, apply yourself or nominate someone today for the British Council Alumni Awards.

There are four award categories:

Science and Sustainability Award – Recognising alumni who have distinguished themselves through their career and achievements in the world of science and sustainability, and who can demonstrate the impact and scale of their achievements in their profession, and beyond.

• Areas of work could include, but are not limited to: climate action, clean energy, medicine, sustainable cities and communities, engineering, industry and construction. 

Culture and Creativity Award – Recognising alumni who have carved a career for themselves in arts and culture. We are looking for individuals who can demonstrate their artistic ingenuity, influence and creativity.

• Areas of work could include, but are not limited to: arts, design, humanities, traditional media, music, video, TV, sports and online content and audiovisual media creation (e.g blogging, vlogging including for YouTube and social media). 

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

• Areas of work could include, but are not limited to: education, peace and justice and reducing inequality, poverty and hunger and broader humanitarian work or work for social good.

Business and Innovation Award – Recognising alumni who are active in initiating and contributing to innovative or creative new ideas, solutions or business opportunities, that have the potential for growth.

• Areas of work could include, but are not limited to: entrepreneurship, business, technology and finance.

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

Type: Award

Who Can Apply for British Council Alumni Awards: Alumni must have studied:

• within the last 15 years (i.e. 2009 – 2024)
• enrolled at an officially recognised  (178 institutions) or listed  (679 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.

Selection Criteria: All eligible applications will be assessed on the extent to which they meet the following four 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

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of British Council Alumni Awards: Finalists and winners at all levels (national, regional and global) will benefit from their global profile being made more visible through press and publicity opportunities, and building their professional networks. The three Global Alumni Award winners will be invited to the UK for a professional networking opportunity in Summer 2024.

How to Apply:  How to prepare to apply yourself, or nominate someone, for the British Council Alumni Awards 2024:

• Check the eligibility criteria and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Choose the award category
• Prepare a statement
• Gather supporting documents
• Apply or nominate here

Visit British Council Alumni Awards Webpage for Details