The Bath Award is an annual programme that encourages you to get involved in activities beyond your studies and supports your professional development along the way. Whether you're already getting involved or looking for the push to get started, the Award gives you a framework to reflect on your experiences and build evidence of your skills for employers.
In 2025-26, over 770 students registered for the award's pilot year - and more than one in four of them completed a genuinely rigorous award and earned their certificate. Now it's your turn!
What does the award involve?
Getting started is simple. Here is how the award works:
- Register - choose four capabilities to focus on and set your personal goals
- Log 50 hours of extra-curricular activity - developing your employability, supporting the university, contributing to your community, or climate advocacy
- Attend four workshops - one for each of your four chosen capabilities
- Complete one piece of professional development - for each of your four chosen capabilities
- Submit your final reflection - a short written or video reflection, by 1 May 2027
Every step is designed to fit around what you are already doing - so if you are already busy beyond your studies, the award is your chance to get that recognised. Everyone who successfully completes the award receives a certificate signed by the University Vice-Chancellor and the SU President.
At registration, my confidence was based on potential. Today, it is based on evidence. I no longer just claim to be a leader - I can explain how I led.
-Postgraduate taught student
Who can take part?
The Bath Award is open to all students currently studying at the university. You can be an undergraduate or postgraduate student, studying on campus or remotely, and full- or part-time. It doesn't matter which course you're studying or which year you're in - the award is open to everyone.
Why should I register?
Whether you're heading into the graduate job market soon or are still years away from it, employers consistently say they want more than just a good degree, they want evidence of the skills you have built alongside it. The Bath Award gives you exactly that: a structured way to reflect on your experiences, articulate your strengths with confidence, and walk away with a certificate you can put straight on your CV or LinkedIn profile.
It's also a chance to get formal recognition for things you might already be doing, whether that's a part-time job, a student leadership role, volunteering, or getting involved in sustainability initiatives. If you're not doing much yet, the Aaward gives you the structure and motivation to start.
I feel like an entirely new person. I pushed through all of it, and it only made me stronger.
-Final year undergraduate student
A note for international students
We know that starting at a new university in a new country comes with a lot to navigate, and the Bath Award is designed with this in mind. Registration is open right through until February, giving you plenty of time to settle in before you need to commit. Workshops are available both in-person and online, so you can take part in a way that works around your timetable. And the skills you build, from communication to adaptability, are exactly the kind of experience that will help you stand out to employers, wherever your career takes you next.
As an international postgraduate student, I was not part of any society or community when I first entered the university... The Bath Award structure helped me focus on the 4 capabilities I selected and made me enrol for workshops that taught me essential transferable skills.
-International postgraduate student
Key dates
- Registrations open: 3 September 2026
- Registration deadline: 12 February 2027
- Submission deadline: 1 May 2027
- Celebration event: 28 May 2027
How to register
Ready to get started? Head to your Bath Award page to register now. The sooner you sign up, the more time you will have to complete the award - and the better your chances of getting a place on the workshops you want!
Find out everything you need to know on our Bath Award webpage.