The Bath Award recognises and celebrates students’ achievements beyond their academic studies, supporting the development of essential skills, experiences, and personal growth. It is designed to help students showcase their employability, recognise their contributions, and take an active role in developing skills that will support their future success.

The 2025-26 academic year marked an exciting milestone as the first full pilot of the refreshed Bath Award offer.

Award structure 2025-26

The Bath Award is open to all students currently studying at the university. Students can be an undergrad or postgrad, studying on campus or remotely, and be full- or part-time. It doesn't matter which course they're studying, or which year they're in, the award is open to everyone.

To achieve the award for 2025-26, students had to:

1. Complete the registration form between 22 September 2025 and 1 November 2025.
2. Log 50 hours of extra-curricular activity (volunteering, student leadership, or paid employment).
3. Complete three pieces of professional development for each of their four chosen capabilities (students picked four from six available capabilities).
4. Submit a final reflection of up to 500 words, or a 5-minute video.

Everyone who completed all four stages achieved the award; there is no limitation on the number of awards given. Students who did not complete all four stages are welcome to re-register for the award in 2026-27.

All entries were reviewed in full by a member of staff. No awards were confirmed without a staff member's review, and no award submissions were rejected.

Headline results

The 2025-26 pilot year saw strong engagement from across the University.

Our goal was to have 100 registrants for the pilot year. By the time the registration window closed in November, 772 students were registered for the Bath Award.

218 (28%) went on to successfully complete the programme.

Students engaged with a wide range of capabilities, with particularly high interest in communication (81%), collaboration (71%), and leadership (69%), highlighting a clear focus on developing skills that are highly valued by employers.

Encouragingly, 78% of students who completed the award reported increased confidence across all four of their chosen capabilities, demonstrating the tangible impact of the award on their personal and professional development.

Highlights from this year include:

• strong student engagement across faculties
• a diverse range of activities and experiences completed
• high levels of student satisfaction and completion

Formal and informal feedback from the project team and students has identified potential improvements, primarily relating to communications requirements, clarity of the different elements comprising the award, and striking the balance between rigour and ease of completion.

Key learning from the pilot

We have identified successful elements that should remain alongside potential improvements. Changes we will make in 2026-27 are:

Communications

Schedule regular communications to ensure registrants are engaged and making progress from Day 1. The website ‘guide’ has been replaced with a full campaign page, enabling a richer experience of discovery, and facilitating links to blog posts, FAQs, and opportunities for work experience.

Registration

We have moved the registration deadline so that students can register until the end of week 2 of Semester 2. The submission deadline date of 1 May remains, to ensure submissions are reviewed before the end of the academic year. This deadline facilitates an in-person celebration event, which pilot year students really valued.

Professional development

This element will become one Bath Award-endorsed workshop plus one piece of online training or other resource, reducing the need to complete 12 pieces of professional development to eight.

Extra-curricular activities

Students requested that we publish a list of activities that count towards the 50-hours of extra-curricular activity, to make this element clearer. This list is now published on the website.

We will reframe the three categories of extra-curricular activity (volunteering, student leadership, and paid employment) to eliminate doubt and make the spirit of the award clear. In 2026-27, the categories for extra-curricular activity will be:

• developing employability (an internship, part-time employment, or working on campus as a Student Ambassador or other casual paid role)
• supporting the university (acting as a Student Leader, Academic Rep, or any other non-credit-bearing role that contributes to the university community)
• contributing to the local community (volunteering in any capacity at any organisation that you don’t already work for)
• climate advocacy (activity that supports sustainability, such as participating in sustainability initiatives, campaigning, or working with organisations focused on climate action)

Workshop availability

Students identified that more workshop dates and online options would help them complete the award. In 2026-27, we will publish all Semester 1 Bath Award-endorsed workshops by 1 October 2026, and all Semester 2 workshops will be available to book before the end of Semester 1.

Capabilities

Sustainability will be added as a seventh available capability. This was requested by students taking part in the pilot year, and aligns with university strategic priorities.

Reflective writing

Students were unsure how to complete their final reflective submission. In response, we have published guidance on and good examples of reflective writing.