How to apply for 30 Under 30
Applications for the ReelWorld Radio Academy 30 Under 30 list are now closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will nominations open and close?
The Reelworld Radio Academy 30 Under 30 will open for nominations on 26 June 2023 and close at 23:59 on 31 August 2023.
How do I enter?
All entries must be submitted via our online awards platform
Who can enter?
Any individual who has been working in UK radio or UK based audio business for at least 12 months. All nominees have to be 29 years old or under on 31st August 2023.
You can put yourself forward, or Radio Academy Members can nominate somebody else - you should not do both. There is no advantage to being both nominated and entering yourself; in fact, it can confuse and complicate the judging process.
Do I need to be a member of the Academy?
If you are being nominated by somebody else, they need to be a Member. If you aren't a member yet, that's fine - we will give you a year's free membership as part of your prize.
Can I nominate myself?
Yes, we encourage people to put themselves forward. Just make sure you can provide details of a referee so we can confirm details of your entry if needed.
Can I nominate someone else?
Of course, and sometimes it's easier to write great things about other people! We encourage people to nominate others. Just make sure your Radio Academy membership registration is up to date.
Can I still enter if I am already a 30 Under 30 alumni?
A few years ago, we introduced the "one time only" rule, to make sure there's a fair opportunity for new nominees. So, if you're lucky enough to have already made our list previously then we cannot accept another entry from you.
Please don't enter more than once
There is no advantage to doing this, and it can confuse and complicate the process.
What Information will I need to provide?
- Your date of birth
- Your current job title
- Your current place of work
- Your contact phone number
- Your main social media handles
- A recent demonstration of outstanding performance - 250 words demonstrating your recent outstanding performance, focusing on the last 12 months.
- An outstanding career moment - 250 words telling us about an outstanding moment in your entire career to date - something that demonstrates creativity, tenacity, perseverance, responsibility, and the impact you've personally made
- A headshot, suitable for publication
- The nominee's CV, max 2 sides of A4, ideally in PDF format
- One supporting document, no bigger than one side of A4, such as a screenshot, an article, an award citation etc - not to be used for an additional statement
- One URL that provides supporting information or evidence, such as a piece of media (no longer than 5mins)
- If you are self-nominating, you will also be required to provide a professional reference who will be able to verify the experience you've set out in your application.
- If you are nominating someone else, you will need to provide your name and contact details, and confirm that you have their permission to enter them.
What is the judging process - what are the judges looking for?
The ReelWorld Radio Academy 30 Under 30 is judged by dozens of senior leaders from across the sector, including the BBC, commercial radio, independent production and podcasting. As with all Radio Academy initiatives, we ensure the judges are representative of the industry and the wider UK population.
The judges will be scoring your application in three areas:
- Impact - has your work made a significant difference to your audience, your colleagues, or your community? Tell us how your work has helped people or changed lives. Take the opportunity to give us quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of your work.
- Scale - have you done something really big and impressive in your short career to date? Maybe your audience figures took a huge leap with action you took or led? Whether it's at a community, town or national level, tell us something that will make us go wow!
- Quality - how is your work of an industry-leading standard, raising the bar for the rest of your sector? Show us that you're second to none in what you do. Maybe you were recognised by your boss, your station or team for some amazing output? Show us the evidence for what was said or measured.
The collected judges scores are then passed to the Chair's Committee for final adjudication and selection of the final 30 names.