Application deadline: 2026 University of Toronto Student Leadership Awards

The University of Toronto Student Leadership Awards annually recognize students in their final year of study who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, volunteerism, and commitment to the university.

Nomination eligibility

Candidates may only be nominated by a member of staff, faculty or alumni. A current student cannot act as a Nominator on a submission. Current U of T students may be nominated for this award. Nominees must meet all of the following eligibility criteria.

Nominee must:

• Be nominated by a member of U of T staff, faculty, librarian or alumni. The divisional Nomination Coordinator may serve as the Nominator. A student cannot nominate another student.
• Students nominated for a 2026 award must expect to convocate from their current program in June or November 2026.
• Have not received this award or the Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award previously during their academic career either as an undergraduate or graduate student.
• Be in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 2.70 (B-) at the end of the previous academic session prior to the opening of the current nomination period.
  • The Nomination Coordinator must verify the nominee’s CGPA in ACORN prior to approving the nomination.
  • Exceptions to this academic requirement may be considered only under extraordinary circumstances. Any exceptions must be assessed and granted by the student’s nominating division. DUA-Alumni Relations does not grant exceptions.

Students who confirm they meet the minimum CGPA of 2.70 (via checking the appropriate box in the nomination form) cannot subsequently apply for an academic exemption should their CGPA not actually meet the minimum threshold when it is verified in ACORN. In these cases, the nomination will automatically become ineligible.

Nominees' Volunteer Leadership and Service Requirements and Criteria

• All nominees must have at least ONE YEAR of U of T volunteer leadership and service in the year immediately prior to the current nomination period. Exceptions to this requirement are at the discretion of the division in cases where students were unable to engage in volunteer opportunities due an absence from campus required by an academic program, for example the PEY program, experiential learning abroad, etc. In these cases, the nominating division is encouraged to look broadly at the nominee’s broader volunteerism and leadership when assessing their candidacy.
• Leadership and volunteerism may be exclusively to a division, or to the university more broadly, or to a combination of both. This breadth ensures that students whose university-wide contributions go beyond their divisions are also appropriately recognized.
• Contributions must be in one or more of the following areas and must directly impact the U of T community. The Nominator must demonstrate concrete examples of these in order to clearly convey the impact of the nominee’s leadership and volunteer contributions.
  • Actively promoting equity, diversity and inclusivity in student life and within the U of T community broadly;
  • Leadership on committees or demonstrated influence on student or university affairs;
  • Sustained and/or high-impact volunteer service directly resulting in improved quality of life of students on campus;
  • Inspiring and facilitating the personal and/or professional development of others within the U of T community;
  • Contributions to the co-curricular experience and to student life more broadly;
  • Leadership and/or service directly facilitating the engagement of fellow students in U of T’s extra-curricular activities; and
  • A clearly demonstrated commitment to fostering a sense of community at U of T.
• Important points to consider when nominating a candidate:
  • Leadership and impact in relation to the student’s academic achievement at U of T.
  • The value and impact of the student’s contributions rather than the office or title of positions held.
  • Contributions made as part of a paid position are not eligible.
  • Only U of T-related volunteer roles will be considered. Volunteer leadership and service outside the University community will not be considered and should not be included on the nomination form.

Nomination Procedure

• Candidates may be nominated by staff, faculty or alumni.
• A current student cannot nominate another student.
• Completed Nomination Forms (available on the UTSLA website) must be submitted to divisional Nomination Coordinators for mandatory validation. Alumni Relations will not accept nominations directly from nominees.
• A complete list of Nomination Coordinators can be found on the UTSLA website. Recipients will be selected by their nominating division from among the pool of nominees they receive.
• All nominations must be received by the divisional Nomination Coordinator by Friday, November 14, 2025.
• Nominators must ensure that the nomination package submitted is complete and accurate. Late or incomplete nominations will not be considered.
• If you have questions, contact studentleadership.awards@utoronto.ca

Nomination Package

• Each nomination package must consist of the following:
  • An award Nomination Form completed in full;
  • Student authorization, via check box on the form, that their CPGA meets the minimum requirement of 2.70. The Nomination Coordinator must confirm that the CGPA has been checked and meets the minimum threshold.
• Do not attach resumes or any other supplementary material as these will not be considered.
• Each nomination package must be submitted electronically as one single pdf document with no additional attachments. Complete packages must be sent to the relevant Nomination Coordinator; hard copies will not be accepted.