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Who can enter?

All staff and students who are currently working or studying at The University of Manchester are eligible to enter or nominate. You can apply yourself or nominate someone else.

Individuals or teams can enter or be nominated.

Alumni entries

Alumni can enter in the Outstanding alumni contribution to social responsibility category.

External partner entries

External partners can enter the public engagement category.

Staff and students can nominate external partners in the Outstanding public engagement category (outstanding public contribution).

Further details can be found under each specific award category.

How to enter

Please note:

  • Entrants are asked to submit only one entry for a specific project or initiative per category. Submitting multiple entries into one category will not provide any advantage. Entrants are still able to submit entries for different projects or different initiatives in different categories.
  • If numerous entries for the same project or initiative are entered, only one entry per category/per initiative will be assessed. 
  • By submitting an entry form, you are agreeing for any information about your initiative to be used by the University in publicity materials.
  • To review the questions on the entry form before completing it, please see this Word template form. NB: Please do not use the Word document to submit your entry, please use the online entry form.
  • The Volunteer of the Year Awards are open to students. Entries are submitted through a separate entry process.
  • The deadline for entries was midnight on 14 January 2026.

    For more information, visit the full guidelines page.

    What happens next?

    Entries will be assessed by a judging panel in February 2026. All shortlisted entries will be informed by the end of March 2026. Shortlisted entries will be profiled on the University website and will be invited to a special awards ceremony in May 2026.

    The 2026 awards ceremony will take place on 6 May 2026 in the University’s Whitworth Hall hosted by the President and Vice-Chancellor where winners and highly commended entries were presented with their Awards.