✅ Nominations Open — Closes 15th September
Applications are now being accepted at www.yesawards.org. Submit your nomination before 15th September to be considered for the current cycle.
What Is the YES (Youth Empowerment & Service) Awards?
The YES (Youth Empowerment & Service) Awards is a recognition programme run by YES Events FZE LLC in partnership with KCS Foundation. It honours students aged 14–22 who demonstrate both academic excellence and meaningful community service — a combination that top universities increasingly look for in applicants.
Unlike many global awards that recognise either academic achievement or service alone, the YES Award specifically rewards students who excel in both. It is particularly valued by students in the UAE, India, and international schools, where the dual emphasis on scholarship and service aligns with the values of leading universities worldwide.
What Recipients Receive
- Official certificate recognising academic excellence and community service
- Public recognition through KCS Foundation and YES Events channels
- University recommendation letter — reserved exclusively for students who have completed community projects with KCS Foundation
- Quarterly cycles — multiple opportunities to apply each year
- A credential recognised by international schools and universities
The university recommendation letter is reserved exclusively for students who have completed community projects with KCS Foundation. For these students applying to universities in the UAE, India, the UK, the US, and Canada, a formal letter recognising both academic and service excellence — from an established organisation — adds credible third-party validation to an application.
Eligibility
- Age: 14–22 years old.
- Location: Open to students worldwide, with a strong presence in the UAE, India, and international school communities.
- Academic excellence: Demonstrated through grades, academic achievements, or scholastic recognition.
- Community service: Sustained, meaningful involvement in community service or social impact work.
- Application: Submitted through KCS Foundation's contact and application process.
Why the Dual Focus Matters
Top universities have moved beyond evaluating applicants on grades alone. Admissions officers at Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and leading universities in the UAE and India increasingly look for students who combine academic strength with genuine, sustained service. The YES Award is designed to recognise exactly this combination.
For students who are strong academically but haven't yet built a service record — or students with deep service experience who want formal academic recognition — the YES Award provides a structured path to earning a credential that captures both dimensions.
The Quarterly Cycle
Unlike many awards with a single annual deadline, the YES Award runs on a quarterly cycle — meaning there are multiple opportunities to apply each year. This makes it far more accessible than awards with one annual window, and allows students to apply when their academic and service records are strongest.
- Q1: Applications reviewed in winter
- Q2: Applications reviewed in spring
- Q3: Applications reviewed in summer
- Q4: Applications reviewed in fall
What Evaluators Look For
- Academic record: Strong grades, academic honours, or scholastic achievements.
- Service depth: Sustained, meaningful community service — not just one-off events.
- Leadership: Evidence of initiative, organising, or leading within your service work.
- Impact: Specific, measurable outcomes from your service.
- Personal character: A genuine commitment to both learning and giving back.
How a KCS Foundation Partnership Strengthens Your YES Award Application
Because the YES Award is run in partnership with KCS Foundation, a KCS Foundation project gives you a direct, documented foundation for your application:
- Documented service: Monthly reports, beneficiary data, and field evidence provide the measurable service impact evaluators want.
- Sustained commitment: A 12-month partnership demonstrates the depth of service that strengthens any application.
- Leadership evidence: You design and lead the project — giving you clear, documented leadership to cite.
- A formal recommendation: Students who complete a community project with KCS Foundation receive a university recommendation letter — exclusively available to KCS Foundation project students, based on your documented project work.
- Academic + service integration: A KCS Foundation project can be connected to your academic interests — STEM, public health, economics, education — making the dual excellence narrative natural and compelling.
Building a Winning Application
Document Both Dimensions
Gather evidence of both your academic record (transcripts, honour roll, academic awards) and your service record (hours, beneficiaries, outcomes, letters from supervisors). The YES Award evaluates both — so present both clearly.
Show Sustained Service
A KCS Foundation partnership over 6–12 months gives you the sustained, documented service record that stands out. One-off volunteering, while valuable, is less compelling than ongoing commitment.
Connect Academics to Service
If your service connects to your academic interests — a STEM student running a coding lab, a pre-med student leading a health initiative — make that connection explicit. It shows coherence and purpose.
Apply at the Right Quarter
Because the YES Award runs quarterly, apply in the cycle when your record is strongest — after a full year of service, after a strong academic term, or after a documented project milestone.
Final Advice
The YES (Youth Empowerment & Service) Awards is one of the most accessible and practical recognitions for students who excel in both academics and service. Because it runs quarterly and is partnered with KCS Foundation, you can build your record through a real, documented project and apply when you're strongest. If you're a student aged 14–22 building a university application, the combination of a KCS Foundation project and a YES Award gives you a powerful, credible narrative of dual excellence. Start your project, keep your grades strong, and apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the YES (Youth Empowerment & Service) Awards?
The YES (Youth Empowerment & Service) Awards is a recognition programme run by YES Events FZE LLC in partnership with KCS Foundation, honouring students aged 14–22 who demonstrate both academic excellence and meaningful community service. Awardees receive a certificate and public recognition. A university recommendation letter is reserved exclusively for students who have completed community projects with KCS Foundation.
Who is eligible for the YES Award?
Students aged 14–22 from any country who can demonstrate academic excellence and sustained, meaningful community service. The award is particularly valued by students in the UAE, India, and international schools for strengthening university applications.
What do YES Award recipients receive?
Recipients receive an official certificate and public recognition through KCS Foundation and YES Events channels. A university recommendation letter is provided exclusively to students who have completed community projects with KCS Foundation. The award is recognised quarterly, with multiple cycles each year.
Are YES Award nominations currently open?
Yes. Nominations are open now and close on 15th September. Students can apply directly at www.yesawards.org. Early submission is recommended as applications are reviewed on a quarterly cycle.
How is the YES Award different from other global awards?
The YES Award is one of the few awards that specifically recognises the combination of academic excellence AND community service — not just one or the other. It is also more accessible than elite awards like the Diana Award, with quarterly cycles and a focus on students who are building their service record alongside their studies.