Student Leadership Awards

The Victoria University Student Leadership Awards recognise and celebrate our students for their leadership roles and outstanding achievements in co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

Applications open
Now

Nominations close
Sunday 21 September

Awards ceremony
Thursday 20 November

Applications

Apply for an award

You should apply if you:

have participated in extracurricular activities including (but not limited to) volunteering, Clubs & Societies, the LEAD Program, Student Consultative Group or the VU Student Union
have a leadership role within or beyond Victoria University, such as participating in a reference group, working group or other network, for example the VU Cultural Inclusion Network or Gender Equity Student Advisory and Action Group.
are involved in a project or initiative that aims to improve the quality of the VU student experience.

Apply now

Nominate someone else

If you know a student who plays a significant leadership role within or beyond VU, or works to improve the quality of the student experience at VU, you can refer a nominee.

The nomination form will then be sent to your chosen nominee; however, they will be able to choose whether they complete it or not.

Nominate a student

*Please note that multiple nominations do not guarantee selection as a finalist or award recipient. All nominees must meet the eligibility criteria and complete an application. Awards are based on merit, not the number of nominations received.

Application guidance

Who is eligible?

All students enrolled in any unit of study during the 2025 calendar year at Victoria University and our TAFE division are eligible to apply for a Student Leadership Award.

The Student Leadership Awards do not cover sporting or academic achievements, please refer to the VU Sport Awards, or contact your discipline college for information about college academic awards.

Applicants must be prepared to give evidence that:

they are enrolled or have been enrolled in the current year
they have not been the subject of any substantiated misconduct claims.

Previous award recipients cannot apply for the same award in the subsequent year.

Application writing assistance

Drop-in sessions with the Student Leadership team will be available via Zoom if you have any questions about the process or would like some assistance with your application.

: You must submit 2 references and/or testimonials as part of your application. You may also submit one A4 page of supporting evidence (e.g. testimonials, references, photographs, press cuttings etc).
Links to external sources (Dropbox, Google Docs etc.) will not be considered.
: When answering the Selection Criteria it is recommended that you apply the STAR technique.
The STAR technique provides a framework for presenting information in response to Selection Criteria. It’s a way of providing clear examples or evidence of your skills, knowledge and approach to work. For each criterion, use the following elements to structure your answers.
Situation
Describe the situation/environment you were in.
Task
What goal were you working toward?
Action
What did you do? Set out the steps you took to achieve the result. Be detailed.
Result
What was the outcome? What did you accomplish? Did you achieve the goal you set out to achieve? What did you learn? Promote yourself and your achievements.

Individual awards

: This award recognises a current Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander VU student for their contribution to Victoria University and to the wider Aboriginal community.
The recipient of the Moondani Balluk Aboriginal Student Award will be selected by Moondani Balluk.
The recipient will receive a $500 prize.
: This award recognises a current Victoria University student who has made an outstanding contribution to the university and/or the broader community through volunteering.
The recipient of this award will receive a $500 prize.
Additional eligibility criteria
You must have completed a unit of study during the 2025 calendar year at an Australian VU campus. 
The applicant must have completed a volunteer activity either through VU or in the community during the current year.
Selection criteria
Describe the volunteering activities you undertook.
Describe how you found and engaged in the volunteer activities.
Provide examples of how your involvement as a volunteer benefited the VU and/or broader community and tell us what the positive impact was.
Tell us about the skills you have developed through participating in volunteering activities.

VU Spirit awards

The VU Spirit awards recognise students who have gone above and beyond in their leadership and engagement activities at Victoria University. There are four student categories for the VU Spirit Award:

International student
Undergraduate student
Postgraduate student
VU TAFE student

: This award recognises the outstanding contribution of a current VU international student to the VU community; this student embraces what it means to be an international student at Victoria University: the University of opportunity and success.
The recipient of this award will receive a $500 prize.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be an international student enrolled during the 2025 calendar year at an Australian VU campus.
Previous award recipients cannot apply for the same award in the subsequent year.
Selection criteria
Describe what you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader international student community and tell us what the impact was.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your critical thinking/problem solving and/or creativity skills.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your communication and/or collaboration skills.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your persistence, adaptability and/or social and cultural awareness.
: This award recognises a current VU undergraduate student who has made an outstanding contribution to the VU community; this student embraces what it means to be an undergraduate student at Victoria University: the University of Opportunity and Success.
The recipient of this award will receive a $500 prize.
Additional eligibility criteria
You must have completed a unit of undergraduate study during the 2025 calendar year at an Australian VU campus. 
Previous award recipients cannot apply for the same award in the subsequent year.
Selection criteria
Describe what you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader undergraduate student community and tell us what the impact was.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your critical thinking / problem solving and/or creativity skills.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your communication and/or collaboration skills.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your persistence, adaptability and/or social and cultural awareness.
: This award recognises a current VU postgraduate coursework or research student who has made an outstanding contribution to the VU community; this student embraces what it means to be a postgraduate student at Victoria University: the University of Opportunity and Success.
The recipient of this award will receive a $500 prize.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be either a coursework or research postgraduate student enrolled during the 2025 calendar year at an Australian VU campus.
Previous award recipients cannot apply for the same award in the subsequent year.
Selection criteria
Describe what you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader postgraduate student community and tell us what the impact was.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your critical thinking / problem solving and/or creativity skills.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your communication and/or collaboration skills.
Tell us about how participating in these activities helped you develop your persistence, adaptability and/or social and cultural awareness.
: This award recognises a TAFE student who has demonstrated an ability to assist and lead within the classroom and practical environment or displays leadership and involvement in co-curricular and/or extracurricular activities.
The recipient of this award will receive a $500 prize.
Selection criteria
Must be a current TAFE student.
Tell us what you are studying.
Tell us how your actions have displayed persistence, adaptability and/or social and cultural awareness, and improved the experience of other VU TAFE students.

Team awards

: This award recognises the outstanding achievements of a Student Group that was established in 2025 and has benefited its members and the wider VU community.
The recipients of this award will receive a $500 team prize.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be a VU Student Club, Society or Student Association that newly affiliated in 2025.
Must have had no breaches of the VU Student Leadership & Representation Policy.
Must have hosted at least one event (including online events) in the current year.
Selection criteria
Describe the mission/purpose of your Student Group.
Tell us about the activities you have organised this year and how they have served this mission
Provide examples of how your executive committee has worked well as a team this year.
: This award recognises an outstanding Student Group for their achievements and success in meeting their mission in 2025.
The recipients of this award will receive a $500 team prize.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be an affiliated VU Student Club, Society or Student Association.
Must have been an affiliated student group for at least 1 year.
Must have had no breaches of the VU Student Leadership & Representation Policy.
Must have attended an O-Fest activity in the current year.
Must have hosted 2+ events (including online events) in the current year.
Previous award recipients cannot apply for the same award in the subsequent year.
Selection criteria
Describe the mission/purpose of your Student Group and how your activities this year have served this mission.
Provide examples of how your executive committee has worked well as a team this year.
Provide examples of how your activities have benefited your members this year.
Describe how your Student Group has benefited the VU and/or broader community in 2025.
: This Award recognises a student group that has delivered an outstanding event which significantly contributed to the student experience at Victoria University. The winning event will demonstrate strong planning, meaningful student engagement, positive impact, and alignment with the values of the Clubs Program and the broader university community.
The recipients of this award will receive a $500 team prize.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be an affiliated VU Student Club, Society or Student Association.
Must have had no breaches of the VU Student Leadership & Representation Policy.
The event must have occurred this year (2025).
There must be a registered attendance for the event. 
Selection Criteria
Describe the event including the event name, date, location and description of what occurred at the event.
Describe why you think this event was your most successful event this year. 
Describe your promotional activity.
How did the event support club goals or VU values such as inclusion, community or student wellbeing?

Special awards

: This award is sponsored by Alumni Relations. The recipient of this award will receive a $500 prize.
The Victoria University Alumni community includes 301,000 graduates living and working in over 136 countries. If you are a graduate from VU, our TAFE division (formerly VU Polytechnic) or any of our predecessor or off shore institutions you automatically become a lifelong member of our alumni community.
Our alumni live the VU values of Always WEST: Welcoming, Ethical, Shaping the future, being Together. This award, proudly supported by the Alumni Relations team, has been designed to help the recipient receive the best chance of achieving their goals as they transition from student to employee.
This peak award includes a 12-month mentorship from an alumni leader in your chosen area and a cash prize to help you kick start your professional wardrobe or invest in some tech.
Eligibility criteria
Must be a student at Victoria University completing or just completed their final year of study in 2025.
Must have participated in at least one VU Leadership Activity (e.g. LEAD Program, Student Consultative Group, Clubs Executive, VU Career Mentoring Program, VU Vollies etc.).
Selection criteria
Outline how you have made strong progress with your academic pursuits during your time at VU.
Describe how you have made clear and positive voluntary contributions to their community; which may be the student community and/or the broader community. Please differentiate as clearly as possible between voluntary and paid work.
Please give examples of how you operate in a way that encourages and supports inclusion, diversity, excellence and respect.
Outline how you plan to interact with, and get the most from, your mentor experience if you are the recipient of the award.
Provide any further information to support your nomination which has not already been provided in the Award criteria responses. This may include, for example, any particular challenges you have overcome in your journey to success and any information not covered by the Award criteria that may support the overall nomination.
Optional additional information
Provide supporting testimonials from lecturers, colleagues, community leaders or peers to demonstrate why you are deserving of this award.
: Mr Raj Kannan is one of Victoria University’s distinguished 90 Legends.
He graduated from Footscray Institute of Technology (FIT) in 1988 with a Bachelor of Engineering. He is currently Partner and Executive Director, Deloitte Consulting South East Asia. He was President of the Overseas Student Association and Co-President of the Student Representative Council and involved in other student leadership activities.
Mr Kannan believes that the leadership experience he gained at FIT was invaluable to his later career and as such he is passionate about giving back to the University.
As a result Mr Kannan has established a scholarship that will support and encourage students to undertake leadership activities at VU. This prestigious award comes with a prize in the form of a $5,000 scholarship.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be an undergraduate student enrolled at an Australian Victoria University campus and not in your final year of study.
Must have participated in at least one VU Leadership Activity (e.g. LEAD Program, Clubs Executive, Student Ambassador Program, VU Student Union Board Member, VU Student Mentor, VU Vollies etc.).
Previous award recipients cannot apply for the same award in the subsequent year.
Selection criteria
High-level leadership experience: give examples of how you have demonstrated leadership that has benefited your fellow students and the VU community.
Championing social inclusion: give examples of participation in causes or activities that champion social inclusion, cultural diversity, and equity.
Leadership skills: describe how you are taking responsibility for developing your leadership skills. Please give examples.
Using your scholarship: give examples of how you would use this scholarship to further your leadership and professional development or to further your education.
Support from the VU community: provide 2 supporting testimonials from mentors or peers to demonstrate why you are deserving of this award.
Recipient obligations
The recipient will be required to provide a report to the Scholarships office for VU and the donor showcasing their activities and impact of receiving the award.
The recipient will be required to sit on the Selection Panel to determine the Raj Kannan Leadership Scholarship recipient for the following year.
The recipient will also have the opportunity to participate in the Student Leadership Awards ceremony as a presenter or student host.

Awards ceremony

The 2025 Student Leadership Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 20 November.

Awards finalists are invited to attend the Student Leadership Awards ceremony to enjoy an evening celebrating our amazing student leaders with delicious food, drinks, networking, music and of course, the presentation of the Student Leadership Awards!