The Male Undergraduate of the Year Award

Could you be the Male Undergraduate of the Year?

We're searching UK universities to find the Male Undergraduate of the Year! In partnership with L'Oréal Groupe, we're looking for ambitious students who are ready to challenge themselves, embrace new opportunities and make their mark. We're interested in more than academic achievements. We want to discover your individual strengths, the experiences that have shaped you and the qualities that will help you succeed in the future. Whether you're setting ambitious goals, learning from challenges, bringing people together or finding new ways to solve problems, this is your opportunity to showcase what makes you stand out.

If you're curious, driven and ready to show us what you're capable of, this could be your chance to be recognised as the Male Undergraduate of the Year.

‍Enter if you are:‍

A current undergraduate student at a university in the UK
A male identifying student
First year of a three-year degree or second year of a four-year degree.
Are on course to achieve a 2:1
Eligible to work in the UK following graduation.

Prizes

What could you win?

The opportunity to kick-start your career with L'Oréal Groupe!

The winner will be offered a permanent role with L'Oréal Groupe, ready to start after completing their studies. Depending on your individual circumstances and stage of study, this could also include:

A summer internship or year-long placement, giving you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop your skills.
OR a place on L'Oréal's 2028 Graduate Programme, for students graduating in 2027.

And there's more! All successful applicants invited to the assessment day will receive a L'Oréal Groupe goodie bag.

Apply now

what it takes

What makes an award winner?

We're looking for someone with the ambition, mindset and personal qualities to make a difference. At L'Oréal Groupe, we believe success is about more than what you know or what you've achieved so far. It's about how you approach challenges, learn from experience and work with others.

Our Male Undergraduate of the Year will demonstrate a combination of seven key qualities:

Ambition – You set yourself goals, think big and are motivated to achieve more. You're willing to push yourself, take opportunities and turn your aspirations into action.
Learning agility – You're curious, open-minded and keen to learn. You embrace new experiences, welcome feedback and enjoy finding different ways to approach challenges.
Resilience – You take responsibility, adapt when things don't go to plan and learn from setbacks. You understand that challenges are part of growing and developing.
Empathy – You listen to others, respect different perspectives and understand the importance of building positive relationships. You value inclusion and enjoy working with people from different backgrounds.
Judgement – You think critically, consider different viewpoints and make thoughtful decisions. You're able to weigh up information, ask the right questions and take responsibility for your choices.
Humility – You're self-aware, recognise the contributions of others and are comfortable admitting when you don't know something. You're willing to listen, learn and take feedback on board.
Excellence – You take pride in what you do, set high standards for yourself and continually look for ways to improve. You're motivated to do your best and make a positive contribution.

You don't need to be exceptional in every area or have everything figured out. We're interested in understanding who you are, what drives you and how you've developed these qualities through your studies, work, interests and experiences.

We want to hear your story and discover the individual strengths, mindset and ambition that make you a future leader.

Apply now

FROM OUR PARTNER

L'Oréal and the Male Undergraduate of the Year Award

L'Oréal Groupe is much more than a beauty company. We're a global leader in beauty, science and technology, constantly exploring new ideas and finding innovative ways to shape the future of the industry.

From creating the first hair dye in 1909 to developing cutting-edge Beauty Tech products and services today, innovation has been at the heart of our business for more than a century. Our science-led approach drives our commitment to quality, safety and creating products and experiences for an incredible diversity of consumers.

We believe in the power of beauty to bring people together, build confidence and support self-expression. Our mission is to offer the best of beauty to everyone, everywhere, while making responsibility and sustainability central to everything we do.

Recognised by TIME magazine as one of the most influential companies of 2025 and named Europe's most innovative company by Fortune in the same year, we're proud to be pushing boundaries across beauty, technology and science. With around 88,000 employees worldwide, there's an incredible range of expertise, ideas and opportunities within our business.

Building the next generation of talent

At L'Oréal Groupe, we know that fresh perspectives and diverse experiences are essential to driving innovation. That's why we're proud to partner with the Undergraduate of the Year Awards, helping us connect with talented students, support their development and celebrate their achievements.

Our sponsorship of the Male Undergraduate of the Year award is particularly important to us. We want to challenge outdated perceptions of the beauty industry and highlight the exciting opportunities available across our business, from science and technology to marketing, finance and commercial roles.

By welcoming talent from different backgrounds and perspectives, we can better reflect the diversity of the consumers we serve and continue to find new ways to shape the future of beauty.

Start your career with L'Oréal Groupe

We're passionate about developing future talent and recruit more than 150 university students and recent graduates every year through a range of early careers opportunities.

These include 10-week, project-based summer internships and year-long internships, giving students the chance to gain hands-on experience, develop their skills and work on real business challenges.

For recent graduates, our flagship SeedZ Management Trainee Programme offers an 18-month rotational experience, with opportunities to specialise in Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing or Commercial Sales. The programme is designed for graduates who have completed their studies within the previous two years.

We're proud to be recognised as one of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, as well as The Times Marketing Employer of Choice for five consecutive years and its Sales Employer of Choice in 2025.

Find out more

Want to discover more about L'Oréal Groupe and the opportunities available?

Explore our careers website to find out more about our teams, early careers programmes and what it's like to work with us.

Discover careers at L'Oréal Groupe

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going all the way

How do I win?

Register

To apply, you’ll need to:

Register for the Undergraduate of the Year Awards
Complete three SHL assessments: a personality questionnaire, situational judgement test and reasoning test

Deadline: 12pm (midday), Monday 25 January 2027.

Extended Deadline:

January

2027

Online tests

Deadline:

January

2027

Submit by

25 January

2027

Remember, please make sure you allow enough time to complete all three assessments before the deadline.

If you’re successful in progressing to the next stage, we’ll be in touch by 26 February 2027 with details of what happens next.

Assessment

If you successfully pass the initial application and screening stage, your application will be reviewed by L'Oreal.

From there, you could be invited to take part in networking, interviews, an assessment centre or other activities designed to help you showcase your skills and get to know L'Oreal.

Full details will be given to successful students.

Grand final

Made it to the final? Congratulations!

The final shortlisted students will be invited to join us at the Undergraduate of the Year Awards ceremony on 16 April 2027, where we’ll celebrate their achievements and reveal the winner of each award.

Could you be taking home the trophy? Good luck!

Apply now

How do I win?

Register

To apply, you’ll need to:

Register for the Undergraduate of the Year Awards
Complete three SHL assessments: a personality questionnaire, situational judgement test and reasoning test

Deadline: 12pm (midday), Monday 25 January 2027.

Online tests

Deadline:

January

2027

Submit by

25 January

2027

Remember, please make sure you allow enough time to complete all three assessments before the deadline.

If you’re successful in progressing to the next stage, we’ll be in touch by 26 February 2027 with details of what happens next.

Assessment

If you successfully pass the initial application and screening stage, your application will be reviewed by L'Oreal.

From there, you could be invited to take part in networking, interviews, an assessment centre or other activities designed to help you showcase your skills and get to know L'Oreal.

Full details will be given to successful students.

Grand final

Made it to the final? Congratulations!

Could you be taking home the trophy? Good luck!

Apply now