Kathleen Lonsdale Medal

Benefit

You get an honorary medal from University College London's Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MAPS). It goes each year to the student judged to have produced the best work across their whole degree. The award is named after Dame Kathleen Lonsdale, UCL's first female professor and a pioneer in crystallography. In some years the faculty awards two medals rather than one. There is no cash attached; it is an academic honour that recognises outstanding results.

Eligibility

• University: You study at UCL, in the Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MAPS).
• Level: You are an undergraduate finishing a BSc, MSci or similar degree.
• Subject: Any MAPS subject counts, including physics, mathematics, chemistry, astrophysics, statistics, geoscience, natural sciences, science communication, and history and philosophy of science.
• Grades: Your work stands out across the whole degree. The medal is decided purely on academic excellence.
• Nationality: Any nationality can be considered, as long as you study in MAPS at UCL.

How to apply

You cannot apply yourself. Your department nominates its best students in June, once all exam results are in. Winners are contacted directly, and the names are published each year on the faculty website and in the departmental newsletter.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a single top honour per department each year, chosen from your final results. It goes only to the strongest student in a year group. You do not compete through an application; you earn it by finishing at the top of your programme. In practice, only exam-topping students see their name on the list.