About the awards
The Undergraduate of the Year Awards were set up to identify and celebrate the UK’s best undergraduates. Being the best means combining academic excellence and the ability to pass a series of challenging online assessments with good written communication skills and the interpersonal skills to stand out among their peers in assessment centres. The final shortlist of ten students for each award are invited to a glitzy ceremony in April, during which the winners are announced.
Each award is partnered by a prominent employer who provides a fantastic prize for the winner, which could include a paid internship, a trip abroad or other exclusive opportunities.
Each award has clearly stated entry criteria, such as year of study and a minimum educational requirement. Students who don't meet the entry criteria will not be considered.
Undergraduates from all UK universities are eligible – if you meet the entry criteria – and past winners have come from over 50 different universities.
You may well be eligible to enter more than one award but the rules of the competition mean that you can only enter for ONE award, so choose wisely. Read each entry page carefully to see which award you're best suited for before you start the application process.
The entry process
The process starts online with the collection of basic personal information, up to 3 online assessments from our partner SHL, a leading global provider of talent intelligence solutions, and up to four questions posed by the award partner (specific details can be found under the heading ‘How do I win?’ for each award). This phase can take around two hours but you don't need to complete everything in one visit; you can save and come back at any time before the closing date in January.
The SHL assessments are designed to provide insights into your preferred ways of working, and your potential to demonstrate the skills and abilities that are valued by employers for Graduate roles. This information will be used alongside other information gathered by the partner from your application, to support decision making on who moves to the next stage of the process; typically an interview and a partner led assessment centre which often involves meeting other finalists. From there, the best ten students are then invited to the awards ceremony in April, where the winner is announced.
The targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards are the only undergraduate awards in the UK and are widely recognised by graduate recruiters. Winning a targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Award – or being a finalist – often leads to a job offer. Those shortlisted have a recognised accolade to add to their CV and benefit from a networking day with top graduate employers. Not only that but, they will gain experience of undergoing a typical assessment process by top graduate employers, whilst receiving feedback to support on-going learning and development.
Find out more about how to make yourself a top candidate for leading employers
- Read our guide to online application forms
- Familiarise yourself with the STAR technique for answering application and interview questions
- Get advice on psychometric tests
- Attend one of our exclusive events or webinars
- Research top employers using our organisation hubs
