Shine! International Student Awards for study in the UK (British Council Awards)

The Shine! International Student Awards

Course(s) Offered: Any course of study
Course Level: Undergraduate, Postgraduate
Provider: The British Council
Country to Study in: UK

Scholarship Description
The International Student Awards is an exciting competition that celebrates the achievements of international students and their contributions to life in the UK. The Awards are run by the British Council, the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.

This is not simply about academic achievements. We want to hear about your life outside your studies – your volunteer work; projects that you have been involved in within your local community; or experiences that have led to personal development.

• What have you found rewarding?
• What challenges have you overcome?
• How has studying in the UK changed you and your outlook for the better?

By telling us about the things that make your time in the UK so exciting and rewarding, you can earn some well-deserved public recognition and prestige for your extra-curricular achievements.

NOTE: The International Student Awards is a competition, and NOT a scholarship.

Eligibility
To enter the International Student Awards 2011, entrants must fulfil all of the following requirements:

• they must be studying at an eligible UK institution
• they must be following a full-time course of study and be on a course lasting a minimum of six months
• they must be aged 15 years or over by the competition closing date of 19 January 2011
• they must be nationals and citizens of a country outside the UK, and ordinarily live outside the UK
• boarding school students must be full-time boarders aged 15 years or over.

Shine! is not open to members of the British Council or their families, expatriate UK citizens and their children, including dependants of the British Armed Forces.

Eligible groups
The competition is open to all international students aged 15 or over, studying at an eligible institution on a full-time course of study lasting for a minimum of six months.

Participating Institutions
Entrants should be currently enrolled on a course of study at one of the following:

• A publicly funded UK higher and further education institution, or a private institution that has been appropriately quality assured.
• A UK independent secondary boarding school that is accredited through the Independent Schools Council (ISC) or the Scottish Council for Independent Schools (SCIS) and STABIS (State Boarding Schools Information Service) schools.
• An Independent UK college of further education that is accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC) and offering courses with UK quality assurance.
• A UK institution with Open University validation (all courses).
• An English language and teaching institution that is accredited by the British Council through the English in Britain Accreditation Scheme.

Fields of Study supported
Any full-time course of study lasting for a minimum of six months

Number of awards
Several (see 'Sponsorship benefits' below)

Scholarship benefits
The prizes are to be spread throughout the UK:

• each of the 12 regional finalists will be treated to a fantastic, all-expenses paid trip to London for a two-day celebration that will include two nights accommodation in the capital and the chance to celebrate at a prestigious awards presentation ceremony
• the overall winner – the International Student of the Year – will receive £2,000 and a commemorative award
• the 11 other regional finalists will receive £1,000 and a commemorative award
• 24 runners-up – two from each of 12 UK regional areas – will receive a £100 cash prize and a commemorative certificate.
• 36 highly commended entrants will receive a certificate and the title of ‘Shine! finalist’

If your entry impresses the judges, you could be given the opportunity to take part in some promotional activities to help let other students know about the benefits of studying in the UK. For example, you may be asked to speak to a journalist, attend an event involving other students or representatives of academic institutions, or let us feature your story in a press release.

Method of Application
How will the entries be judged?
The entries will go through a number of rounds of judging. After initial judging at national level, entrants will be grouped into the following regions:

• North West
• Yorkshire
• North East
• West Midlands
• East Midlands
• East of England
• South West
• London
• South East
• Northern Ireland
• Scotland
• Wales

Short-listed entries will go forward to a regional judging panel, from which a regional winner and two runners-up will be selected.

• Each of the 24 regional runners-up will receive a cash prize and a commemorative certificate
• Each regional winner will be invited to the national final in London. Here, a judging panel will interview each regional winner and select the overall International Student of the Year.

To submit your letter and enter the competition, click on the 'More Scholarship Information and Application' link below.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The competition starts on 27 October 2010 and finishes on 19 January 2011. We cannot accept any entries which reach us after that date. It is your responsibility to ensure that these deadlines are met, and we cannot be responsible if, for any reason, an entry fails to reach us on time.

A list of regional finalists will be announced in mid-March 2011.

In early April 2011, the 12 regional winners will be named and invited to the final judging and awards’ ceremony, to be held in London in Mid-April 2011.

Contact
If you have any queries that have not been covered on this site please contact the Shine! team at shine@britishcouncil.org.

Application deadline: 19 January 2011
Open to International students: Yes

More Scholarship Information and Application

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