Apply for the Blues Awards -
Find out if you are eligible for the Blues Awards, start your application, find all award categories and understand the process.
The Blues Awards are open to all current student-athletes at Massey who have achieved outstanding results in their sport and academic studies. To be considered, student-athletes must meet the sport and academic criteria. Sport criteria are set by their National Sporting Organisations (NSO) and differ slightly for each sport.
Blues Award application form
If you are an athlete, complete this form to be considered for a Blues Award.
Sporting Excellence Award application form
If you are a non-athlete (for example a coach, official or umpire), complete this form to be considered for a Sporting Excellence Award.
Eligibility criteria for athletes
Sport criteria
We assess your sporting achievements from 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025 (the qualifying period).
You also need to meet the standards outlined by the NSO for your sport, including:
- excellence in play and sportsmanship
- exceptional merit or honour in your sport.
The exceptional merit or honour should be displayed at regional, national or international events during the qualifying period. NSOs define what exceptional merit or honour means for your sport.
Academic criteria
We assess your academic history from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025. This period covers Semester 2, Summer School and Semester 1. To qualify for an award, you:
- must be enrolled at Massey and pursuing or completing a qualification over this period, and
- have passed a minimum of 45 credits or be completing your qualification over this period.
Award categories
The Blues Awards recognise high-level sporting achievers through various sports awards.
Massey University Blues Award
Presented to students in recognition of their outstanding achievements in both sport and academic studies.
Massey University Sporting Excellence Award
Introduced in 2018 (previously known as the Sport Achievement Award) to recognise Massey students who have performed exceptionally but are not eligible for a Blues Award as an individual athlete.
Eligible applicants include coaches and officials who meet the same academic and sporting criteria when applied to their circumstances (for example, an official who has represented New Zealand umpiring internationally).
To be considered for this award, complete the relevant online form to apply for yourself or someone else.
Distance Sportsman and Distance Sportswoman of the Year Award
These awards go to the Blues Awards recipients who, in the opinion of the committee, have performed most outstandingly in their sport and met the academic criteria. Any athlete who applies or is nominated for a Blues Award and studies by distance is eligible – you do not need to apply for this award. The committee selects the winner of this award.
Campus Sportsman and Campus Sportswoman of the Year
These awards go to the Blues Awards recipients who, in the opinion of the committee, have performed most outstandingly in their sport and met the academic criteria. Any athlete who applies or is nominated for a Blues Award and studies on campus is eligible for selection – you do not need to apply for this award. The committee selects the winner of this award.
Supreme Award
This award is presented to the student-athlete who, in the opinion of the committee, has performed most outstandingly in their sport and met the academic criteria during the relevant year. Only the 4 winners of the distance and campus sportspeople awards are considered for the Supreme Award. The committee selects the winner of this award.
Application and nomination process
Applications and nominations for the Blues Awards open in June each year and close in late July. You can apply for yourself or nominate someone else through our online application form. We strongly encourage athletes to put themselves forward for the awards.
How to craft your application
A great application showcases your achievements in an understandable way. This is the perfect place to detail your success at different levels. To craft an excellent application, follow these 4 recommendations:
- Explain your achievements in a way that makes sense to people who don’t have first hand knowledge of your sport.
- Include the level you competed in for each of your achievements. For example, include (international) for competitions on the world stage.
- If it is relevant, include the grade or division that you have competed in.
- Mention details about any leadership roles you have and your playing positions in team sports. For example leadership positions like captain and vice-captain, or positions like forward and defender. Add in the teams that you have played against as well.
This is your time to celebrate your success. The more information you provide, the easier it is for the Blues Awards committee to evaluate your application.
Selection process
The Blues Awards are selected by a committee of between 7 and 10 Massey staff members. The committee members show a passion for sport and understand what sporting excellence is.
Applications close in late July. Late applications are not accepted. Sportspeople who have applied or been nominated for a Blues Award are evaluated by the selection committee and informed of the outcome by the end of September.
Once all applicants are informed, award recipients and finalists are announced publicly. A celebration of recipients and winners is held in October.
Related pages
About the Blues Awards
The Blues Awards are part of a long-standing international tradition where New Zealand universities recognise sporting excellence.
Past Blues Awards winners
Find the most recent Blues Award winners as well as previous winners.