Red Awards: FAQs
Everything you need to know about the RED Awards
We appreciate that between lectures, essays and exams there are already a lot of demands on your time. That’s why we’ve designed the RED Award to be as flexible as possible with a set of guidelines that enable you to complete the scheme in your own time.
Q- How long do I have to complete the RED Award?
A- We would recommend that you complete the award within one academic year.
Completing the award within your first year is a great time to do so, as it will then allow you to move onto other activities in later years… it's also a great time to start thinking about your employability skills! After you have completed the RED Award you may also wish to consider the Sustainable Action and/or Global Engagement Award.
Q- What happens if I don't complete the RED Award in the academic year that I sign up?
A- If you do not complete the RED Award within one academic year, your enrolment will be automatically carried over into each following academic year until you graduate. You can use the same activity previously completed and you can carry all of your hours over too. If you sign up but do not complete the RED Award before you graduate, this will not be recorded on your transcript.
Q- Can I un-enrol from the RED Award?
A- Yes, you can un-enrol at any time you wish to do so, please just email red@reading.ac.uk. You can sign up and un-enrol as many times as you like and this will not be reflected on your transcript.
Q- Is the RED Award only open to undergraduate students?
A- No, the RED Award is open to all University of Reading students. This includes part-time students, postgraduates, international students, distance learners and those studying at the University of Reading Malaysia.
Q- Can I complete the RED Award more than once?
A- No, you can only complete the RED Award once during your time here at the University of Reading. We do have two other awards for you to consider though; the Sustainable Action Award and the Global Engagement Award.
Q- How do I log and evidence my hours?
A- You need to log your hours through the RED Award Pathway on MyJobsOnline. As part of the Pathway you will need to upload evidence of completed hours, this could include an email from your manager or timesheets for a part-time job or a certificate to show completion of an internship. As long as your evidence confirms you have completed the hours stated this would be fine.
Q- Can I include activities I participated in before arriving at the University of Reading?
A- No, any hours that you count towards the RED Award must have been completed while you were enrolled as a student here at the University of Reading.
Q- Can I include activities I participated in during my time at the University of Reading but before I signed up for the RED Award?
A- Yes, you can include activities you participated in before signing up to the RED Award, provided you were a University of Reading student at the time you carried them out.
Q- Do I have to carry out the hours at the University of Reading?
A- No, your Experience hours can be completed anywhere worldwide. Training and Development hours must be run at or by the University of Reading or Reading Students' Union.
Q- Do I have to complete my hours during term time?
A- No, you can complete your RED Award hours at any stage throughout the year.
Q- Can I count my placement hours towards the RED Award?
A- No, as the RED Award only counts extra-curricular hours, you will not be able to use your placement hours. Any hours that are credit-bearing cannot be used towards the RED Award.
If you have any questions that are not answered here, please contact the Red Awards Team.