The Diana Award 2027 is open for nominations until 8 January 2027 at 17:00 UK time (GMT). A person aged 18 or over can nominate a young person aged 16-24 who has led social action for at least 12 months. There is no cash prize; recipients are honoured at a virtual ceremony. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the organiser's official page and set out the rules below.
Not an Erasmus+ or ESC Programme: Please Read First
⚠️ Different scheme: the Diana Award is run by The Diana Award, a registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is not an Erasmus+ project and not a European Solidarity Corps activity
🙋 Nomination only: you cannot apply for yourself. A nominator submits the entry for the young person
💳 Fees: the organiser's page does not mention any fee for nominating
🔎 Check before you submit: read how we review listings in how Youth Works Hub checks opportunities and confirm every detail on the organiser's own page
What the Diana Award 2027 Is
🏅 Format: a global honour for young people who create positive social change in their communities and beyond
🌍 Reach: the organiser welcomes nominations from around the world
👥 Recipients: up to 200 young people are recognised every year
📍 Ceremony: a virtual ceremony, so recipients do not need to travel
⏳ Nominations close: Friday 8 January 2027 at 17:00 UK time (GMT)
Inspired by the legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Award celebrates young people who show outstanding leadership, commitment and impact through their social action. The organiser stresses that social action takes many forms and operates at different scales, and that the size or geographic reach of a project does not decide how significant its impact is.
Who Can Be Nominated
To be eligible, the young person must:
🎂 Be aged 16-24 at the time of nomination; they may be 25 when the Award is received
📆 Have been actively involved in their social action for a minimum of 12 months
🎯 Work in at least one of the four Sustainable Development Goal areas: Quality Education (SDG 4), Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) or Climate Action (SDG 13)
🚫 Not have previously received the Diana Award
Young people who were nominated in earlier years but did not receive the Award can be nominated again. Previous recipients cannot receive the Award again. Groups, teams and organisations cannot be nominated: the Award recognises individuals, although several young people from the same project can each be nominated separately, and each nomination must show that person's own contribution.
Who Can Submit a Nomination
A nominator must:
🔞 Be aged 18 or over
🤝 Know the young person in a professional or formal capacity, such as a teacher, youth worker, employer, mentor, coach or community leader
👪 Not be a family member of the young person
✉️ Be able to name two additional independent supporters who will give supporting statements
Self-nominations are not accepted. You can nominate more than one young person, as long as each one meets the criteria and has a separate, complete nomination; only one nomination per individual is considered.
What Social Action Counts
The organiser recognises a wide range of social action, including volunteering, campaigning, advocacy, fundraising and community initiatives. The work must fit one of the four SDG areas above and show meaningful positive change.
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The Five Assessment Criteria
All eligible nominations are judged against five criteria, and each one needs a written response of 150-300 words with specific examples and evidence wherever possible:
🧭 Leadership: a strong sense of purpose, initiative and the drive to create positive social change
📈 Tangible Impact: the measurable, visible or meaningful change the young person has created
🌱 Peer Empowerment: how they have inspired, supported or enabled other young people to get involved in social action
🛡️ Resilience and Integrity: how they responded to challenges, adapted their approach and showed ethical leadership
♻️ Sustainability and Legacy: how they have worked to make the change last
What to Prepare Before You Start
📋 Nominee details: date of birth, email address and country of residence. The nominee must know about the nomination and agree to their information being shared with The Diana Award
🏷️ Social action details: the name of the main project or initiative, a description of up to 200 words, how long they have been involved, the primary SDG it supports, and information about its reach and impact
✍️ Criteria responses: 150-300 words for each of the five criteria, showing the nominee's individual contribution
📎 Three pieces of supporting evidence: photographs, videos, reports, testimonials, press coverage or other material, uploaded as files or given as links. English is preferred, but other languages are accepted; a short English translation or explanation is requested where possible
👥 Two independent supporters: names and email addresses of two people aged 18 or over who know the nominee in a professional or formal capacity, are not family members or friends, and are different from the nominator
Each supporter receives an email invitation to complete a statement online, so both should agree before you add their details. A nomination is not complete until both supporters have submitted their statements. You can save your progress and return to the nomination before submitting it.
How Nominations Are Assessed
🔍 The Diana Award team first checks every nomination against the eligibility requirements
⚖️ Eligible nominations are then assessed against the five criteria by an external panel of volunteer judges
🛂 Successful nominations go through additional verification, safeguarding and risk checks before final decisions are confirmed
✉️ Nominators are notified of the outcome by email, and successful nominees are contacted directly; the organiser had not yet confirmed the month of 2027 when this was written
🤫 If a nomination succeeds, the Award stays under embargo until the official announcement
📭 The organiser cannot give individual feedback on unsuccessful nominations, but eligible young people can be nominated again in future years
What a Diana Award Recipient Receives
🎥 Recognition at the Virtual Diana Award Ceremony, on an international platform
📜 Publication on the Roll of Honour, a lasting record of their contribution
🏆 A Certificate of Recognition
🌐 A global network of young leaders for inspiration and shared learning
💬 Invitations to Conversations for Change, peer-led sessions where recipients explore key social issues, build community and inspire collective action
The organiser's page lists no cash prize. Find more award and recognition opportunities like this one in the Others category on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I nominate myself for the Diana Award 2027?
No. Self-nominations are not accepted. The nominator must be 18 or over, know the young person in a professional or formal capacity and not be related to them.
Is the Diana Award open to young people outside the UK?
Yes. The Diana Award is a global honour and nominations are welcome from around the world.
How old must the nominee be?
The nominee must be 16-24 at the time of nomination. They may turn 25 before the Award is received.
Is there a prize or a fee?
The organiser lists no cash prize: recipients receive recognition at the virtual ceremony, a place on the Roll of Honour, a Certificate of Recognition and access to a global network. The page mentions no nomination fee.
Can a group or team be nominated?
No. Only individuals can be nominated. Several young people from the same project can be nominated separately, each with their own complete nomination.
Can someone nominated in a previous year be nominated again?
Yes, if they did not receive the Award before and still meet the criteria. Previous recipients cannot receive it again.
Is this an Erasmus+ or ESC programme?
No. The Diana Award is not part of Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps.
Deadline
⏳ 08 January 2027
Links
🌐 Nomination centre: https://diana-award.org.uk/award/nomination-centre/
📖 Nomination guide: https://diana-award.org.uk/nomination-guide-2027
