Make your nomination stand out

Harris Bokhari and his guests on stage pointing to his award

Here are our top tips for writing a stand-out Alumni Awards nomination

We know that you have some amazing stories to tell and we can’t wait to be inspired by the achievements of our nominees for the 2024 Awards. We receive an average of around 100 nominations. That’s a lot of stories to read, covering many backgrounds, fields and disciplines, so we’ve put together some top tips for making your nomination stand out.

Top tips to make your nomination stand out

Your answers need to hit a balance – not so long that we get lost in the detail, but long enough to address all parts of the questions.  

We’re not expecting a full CV or a list of every step you’ve taken since leaving Imperial – please just share relevant highlights or feel free to summarise your achievements. 

Please note though, it’s not enough to just say you meet the criteria, you need to give us examples and put them in context. Feel free to include links to websites or articles in your nomination when relevant. 

We've set word counts on the nomination form to give you an idea of the maximum length your answers should be. These are generous so don't feel you have to use the full word count if you don't need or want to. Don't forget, you can upload two short supporting documents - more on those further down this page.

Although our judging panel will bring together alumni, staff and students from a broad range of disciplines, please assume that we’re not experts in your field. Be sure to give us context and benchmark your achievements. Don’t use acronyms or technical jargon without explaining them. Don’t assume a level of scientific, medical or engineering knowledge. 

Write your nomination as though you’re talking to us. It’s fine to write in the first person, and we enjoy getting a sense of your voice.  You might find it helpful to read your answers out loud once you’ve written them.  

You’ll have the option to attach up to two supporting documents. These should both be a maximum of one page each - please note, we will only share two pages of attachments in total with the judges, so make sure you stick to this limit. We’ve deliberately only asked for two as we want you to include key points and evidence in the main text of your nomination form.  

Your supporting documents might include a letter of support, press clippings or any other documents relevant to your nomination. There's no need to include digital content such as screen grabs of websites or links to online articles in your supporting documents - you can include links to digital content in your nomination.

If you’re submitting a self-nomination, you will need to upload a reference letter in addition to the two supporting documents. It’s really helpful if your referee can put your achievements in context and give examples of how you meet the main criteria for the award.