Students who are eligible for an ECHO Award are talented students with a non-Western background who stand out because of their entrepreneurial spirit, organizational skills, active social involvement and constructive approach to challenges related to exclusion. To compete for the ECHO Award there are certain eligibility & selection criteria. Even if you might not meet all the criteria, we encourage you to respond.
- Social impact: making tangible contributions that lead to positive change, both within and outside the educational institution, on socially relevant issues.
- Policy and systemic change: being engaged in initiatives focused on policy-related and/or systemic issues aimed at addressing structural inequalities, and demonstrating a clear vision and strategy in doing so.
- Leadership qualities: demonstrating inspiring leadership and the ability to mobilize and motivate others in processes of social change.
- The student is part of an underrepresented group, with a specific focus on Dutch students with a non-Western background or refugee background.*
- The student has excellent study results (guideline: an average of 7.5 or higher);
- The student has an excellent proficiency of the English language;
- The student is available for the ECHO Ambassadors Academy which takes place on the September 6th, 2025;
- The student is available for an interview with the ECHO Award jury;
- The student is available to attend the ceremony of the ECHO Award on a date to be determined in December 2025.
Furthermore, ECHO is aware of the changing social context and the challenges involved in defining the target group. Even though this definition appears to be no longer tenable, nonetheless as a driver for positive societal impact EUR still encourages students to apply.