The Gold Coast is once again searching for its standout students, with nominations now open for the 2026 Gold Coast Student Excellence Awards and international students firmly included in the hunt.
Now in their seventh year, the awards have expanded to eight categories, with Research and Global Citizenship & International Impact added for the first time.
The move broadens the definition of what student excellence looks like, recognising not just academic achievement but the contribution students are making through research, business, community leadership, sustainability and international engagement.
Experience Gold Coast Head of Education Matt Boyd said the awards reflected the depth and diversity of talent emerging across the city’s education sector.
“These awards celebrate outstanding students whose achievements reflect the culture of excellence, innovation and ambition that defines our city,” Mr Boyd said.
“What makes them so exciting is seeing what students are already achieving at such an early stage in their careers. They’re conducting research, creating businesses, championing their communities and taking Gold Coast ideas and talent onto the world stage.”
The Gold Coast is also making a point of looking beyond the traditional university cohort.
Students eligible for the awards include domestic and international students across high school, ELICOS, vocational education and training and tertiary education.
That is worth noting.
International students are often discussed in terms of enrolment numbers, economic contribution and workforce outcomes. Recognising them alongside domestic students for their contribution to the community presents a rather different picture of their role in the city.
It also fits neatly with the Gold Coast’s broader ambitions as an international education destination. If students are being encouraged to contribute to their communities while studying, recognising that contribution becomes more than an awards exercise. It is part of building a stronger connection between education and the place in which students live.
The awards have previously identified students who have gone on to develop careers, pursue international opportunities and make an impact in their chosen fields.
Natalia Drazek, who won the 2025 Excellence in Protecting Our Environment award, said her experience provided a useful launchpad as she moved from university into her career.
She said many of the opportunities she pursued outside the classroom ultimately influenced her career direction.
“Many of the experiences I took on during university ultimately influenced the direction of my career,” Ms Drazek said.
Her advice to current students is straightforward: pursue opportunities where there is responsibility and a chance to make a meaningful contribution.
For institutions, there is another opportunity here too. The awards give schools, colleges, VET providers, universities and English language providers a reason to look beyond the usual high achievers and identify students whose impact might otherwise go unnoticed.
And with Global Citizenship & International Impact now sitting alongside categories such as Entrepreneurship, Community Leadership and Environmental Sustainability, there is considerably more room for students to tell that story.
The 2026 categories
The eight categories are:
- Entrepreneurship
- Research
- Community Leadership
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Health & Wellness
- Arts & Culture
- Environmental Sustainability
- Global Citizenship & International Impact
Nominations are open to domestic and international students enrolled in high school, ELICOS, VET and tertiary education.
Nominations close at 9am on Monday 12 October 2026.
Winners will be announced at the Gold Coast Student Excellence Awards Gala at HOTA, Home of the Arts, on Thursday 12 November.
Each category winner will receive a $1,000 prize.
For a city that regularly talks about the value of international education, giving students a platform to demonstrate what they contribute to the Gold Coast is a useful way of making that value visible.
For more information and to register, see here.
