What does it mean to be a Winner?
Being a Global Undergraduate Award winner means joining an elite group of students recognised for their outstanding academic achievements on an international scale.
The awards celebrate excellence across a range of disciplines and recognise entrants at three distinct levels:
Highly Commended: This level acknowledges exceptional work within the top 10% of submissions in each category. These students have demonstrated significant potential, originality, and academic rigour in their work, earning them a place among the best undergraduate scholars globally.
Regional Winner: This recognition is awarded to the highest-performing submission from each region within each category. Regional Winners represent the very best of their geographic area, showcasing their ability to address complex issues with clarity, creativity, and intellectual rigour.
Global Winner: This prestigious title is given to the highest-ranked submission in each category worldwide. Global Winners stand out for their exceptional scholarship, innovation, and the potential impact of their work. They are celebrated as the leading undergraduate thinkers in their field, setting a benchmark for academic excellence.
All submissions are assessed anonymously by panels of judges who are experts in their respective fields. The rigorous judging process, which spans from June to September, involves four detailed stages to ensure fairness and impartiality. Judges evaluate each piece of work for its originality, focus, and rigour, ultimately selecting the most outstanding entries from thousands of submissions around the globe. Being a Global Undergraduate Award winner is not just an honour; it is a recognition of a student’s ability to contribute meaningfully to their field of study and the world.
To learn more about the prizes and opportunities awarded to winners, explore the details below!
The Global Undergraduate Awards was an indescribable once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that recognises and celebrates the integral hard work that we do while no one was watching. The GUA community was very supportive, encouraging, and kind. I felt understood by both the staff and other winners.
Connecting with amazing people from all over the world inspired me to think outside of myself and taught me to see the global picture.
Connecting with amazing people from all over the world inspired me to think outside of myself and taught me to see the global picture.
We do our best work at the edges of our fields, and at the intersections of different fields, and the different angle that they bring to the same problems. It’s tremendously interesting.
It’s really amazing. It’s a spectacular experience to be able to listen to such great people present what they’re passionate about and how they’ve dedicated their careers to making a change in the world. It really makes me feel like I have to live up to the standard, go out there and make a difference.
I submitted to the Global Undergraduate Awards not having any expectations, just taking a chance and putting my best work forward. To be considered within the top 10%, and to attend the conference was the greatest gift.
One decision catalysed into a defining moment in my life!
One decision catalysed into a defining moment in my life!
The submission process was so easy – I just uploaded my dissertation and took out my name. I never thought I’d be here in Ireland at the GUA Global Summit accepting a medal for my work!
Receiving the award was an incredibly valuable experience, but nothing compared to all the wonderful people I had the chance of meeting, befriending, and listening to at the Summit!
Attending the Global Summit was a transformative experience for me.
I highly encourage all undergraduate students to seize the opportunity to enter. It is not only a chance to showcase your academic achievements but also a gateway to personal growth, global connections, and a deeper understanding of the world we live in.
I highly encourage all undergraduate students to seize the opportunity to enter. It is not only a chance to showcase your academic achievements but also a gateway to personal growth, global connections, and a deeper understanding of the world we live in.
For me it feels really great having my research recognised because I worked really hard for it, but also having people appreciate it is wonderful too.
The process of entering is fast, very straight forward and requires very little effort. You have nothing to lose by entering and, as I have experienced, everything to gain.
Previous
Next
Highly Commended
Entrants whose paper or project ranked in the top 10% of submissions in their category, are shortlisted as Highly Commended Entrants.
Highly Commended Entrants are recognised with:
- A Certificate of Recognition.
- Digital Accreditation.
- Publication of their submission(s) on The Library.
- Access to the GUA Alumni Network.
- Opportunity to attend the GUA Global Summit.
Regional Winners
The highest performing Highly Commended Entrant in each Region is named a Regional Winner of their category.
Since 2016 the Global Undergraduate Awards programme has recognised seven regions: Africa & the Middle East; Asia; Europe; Island of Ireland; Latin America; Oceania; and USA & Canada. 2024 sees a slight shift again to split Europe into UK and Europe as distinct regions and brings together USA & Canada and Latin America to form The Americas.
Regional Winners are recognised with:
- A Certificate of Recognition.
- Digital Accreditation.
- Publication of their submission(s) on The Library.
- Access to the GUA Alumni Network.
- Opportunity to attend the GUA Global Summit.
Global Winners
Entrants whose submission is selected as the best in their category are named Global Winners and represent the top 1% of all submissions.
Before 2016, Global Winners were called Overall Winners.
Global Winners are recognised with:
- A FREE TICKET to the GUA Global Summit.
- FULLY FUNDED TRAVEL and ACCOMODATION to attend the GUA Global Summit in Dublin, Ireland in November!
- The Thomas Clarkson Gold Medal
- A Certificate of Recognition.
- Digital Accreditation.
- Publication of their submission(s) on The Library.
- Access to the GUA Alumni Network.
