A Keele University PhD candidate has been shortlisted as a Top 10 Finalist for a prestigious global student award.

Elliott Lancaster, who is studying for a PhD in Management, has seen off thousands of competitors from around the world to secure a place as a finalist in the Chegg.org Global Student Prize.

The prize is presented to students who make an impact on learning, as well as the lives of their peers, society, and beyond. The winner will also receive $100,000 as part of the prize.

The finalists have been selected from over 3,500 nominations and applications from 94 countries around the world.

Elliott was nominated thanks to his work campaigning for mental health, social enterprise, sustainability, and a solution to homelessness alongside his PhD studies.

Elliott also supports a number of charities both locally and nationally, including his work as a volunteer and Trustee of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, I Have a Voice CIC, Spirit of Peace, and the Wolfpack Project, a charity dedicated to reducing loneliness and social isolation amongst young adults.

Elliott said: “I feel incredibly honoured to be recognised in the Top 10 for such a prestigious award. Being a student can be tough - thank you so much to Chegg, The Varkey Foundation, Keele University, my friends and family for their ongoing support. It is humbling to be recognised for my continued community work.

“I look forward to using this platform to support other young people. When we work together so much can be achieved.”

Elliott added that he would set up a “Sustainable Student Network to address global issues such as Coronavirus, climate change, hunger and digital poverty” if he were to receive the award.

Chegg.org is the impact, advocacy, and research arm of Chegg, which works to address the issues facing modern students.

The finalists will be assessed on criteria such as their academic achievement, impact on their peers, how they make a difference in their community and beyond, how they overcome the odds to achieve, how they demonstrate creativity and innovation, and how they operate as global citizens.

The winners are due to be announced at an awards ceremony in Paris in November.