top student award

BALI Chalk Fund’s Top Student Award 2025/2026

Applications window opens on 23 February 2026

The Top Student Award has two categories, honouring students from both practical landscape courses, and those studying garden design.

The Student Of The Year competition is a two-tiered process.

The Colleges encourage Students of land-based courses (Landscape, Horticulture, Garden Design) to apply. Then at College level, each tutor at each college/training provider nominates the student - one from each of the Landscape and Garden Design categories - that they believe stands out in their year group, above all others; one that they believe will make a positive impact on the industry in the years to come. The Top Student from each region wins a cash prize of £100 and a certificate. This can be presented by one of the BALI Trustees at a College Award Event.

The second stage involves the assessment of all Regional Winners by the BALI Trustees to decide who will be the BALI Chalk Fund National Student Of The Year in both categories.

These National Student winners not only win a further cash prize of £500 but are also invited to attend the prestigious BALI National Landscape Awards to collect their prize. They will be invited on stage to accept, and will be in a rich arena of the UK landscape industry's leading players -  and who knows, there may even be job offers on the table!!

The winning college or training provider also receive a £500 cash prize and an invitation to the awards.

The 2025/2026 Top Student of the Year Awards (Landscaping and Garden Design) application process opens on 23 February 2026 and runs until 27 March 2026.

To explore the Application and Entry Process (for students and college tutors), you can view the latest Guidance Notes here for 2026, when available.