Frequently asked questions

The team run 'Discover York Award' sessions across the year. This is a chance to find out more about what the York Award involves and tips on how to write a good application. More information on booking a place at a Discover York Award session is available through Handshake.

We provide detailed guidance on the York Award application process on our webpages (login required). All of this guidance is also contained within the York Award application form.

The York Award team can answer any questions you have via email, however we won't be able to offer feedback on individual applications. Please note Careers drop in and advice appointments should not be booked for this purpose. Please get in touch with us if you have any queries while making your application by emailing us at award@york.ac.uk. 

Once you have completed and submitted your application and this has been marked, you will receive personalised feedback from your assessor alongside your application result.

In the application we will ask you to tell us about the key activities you have undertaken during your time at the University of York (or the last three years) that you feel have significantly contributed to your personal and professional development. You can include any activities you feel are relevant including work experience, activities as part of your course, college life, sports, hobbies and interests, societies, volunteering, additional training/courses/qualifications outside degree, anything else. 

In the final part of the application we will ask you to reflect on experiences solely based on your time as a student with the University of York. You will be asked to use examples that you would choose to talk about in a job application/interview.

For postgraduate students, you might be on a course of one year duration, studying part time or a PhD candidate at York for more than three years. Alongside the list of activities we suggest as examples of activities you could include, you want want to draw on other experience over the last three years, such as current or recent professional experience, volunteering and community involvement (this could be things like committee roles or school support activities) and additional personal or professional development activities and training. 

York Strengths Online is available to all students (undergraduate, postgraduate taught, postgraduate research and distance learners) throughout your time at the University.

If you haven’t already completed York Strengths then this would be really good preparation for making a York Award application, as well as providing you with useful insights to support your skills development and career planning.

Yes! York Award is completed online, and is open to all students of the university. The key elements required to make an application are all accessible online. We will also ensure any support materials can be accessed remotely.

For the purposes of York Award your integrated Masters is counted as part of the same degree programme. You should normally apply as a final year undergraduate in Semester 2 of the final year of your course. You would also be eligible to apply in your penultimate year (this could be at the end of your third year, if on a four-year programme). 

Yes! York Award will be open to all students of the University, including both taught and research postgraduates. The requirements and questions will be the same, but your answers will reflect your student experience.

Applications for postgraduate students are open during July each year.

Yes, all undergraduate and integrated masters students can apply for a York Futures Scholarship worth between £250 and £6,000 to access experiences and activities that support their personal and professional development. Check the deadlines and find out more about York Futures Scholarships.

York Award Certificates are stored in the 'my personal details' section on your VLE portal.