Eligibility

If you are a current student or recent graduate (graduated within the last 3 years, on or after 1st December 2020) from The University of Manchester, you may enter as an individual or a team. External individuals can enter as part of your team, but they cannot enter individually.

Yes, you are eligible to participate in the competition but you must ensure that you do not breach any visa restrictions surrounding engaging in business activity.

Yes. If you are a current student or recent graduate from The University of Manchester, you may enter VFA with a registered business. However, the business must not have been trading for more than 2 years.

1. If you did not win a prize previously, you can submit the same proposal again but utilise feedback on your previous entry to strengthen your application to this year’s competition. Alternatively, you can submit an entirely new proposal.
2. If you have won any level of funding previously, you may not apply.

Your team may contain up to four people, but at least 50% of the team must be current students and/or recent graduates.

You do not have to start a business if you enter VFA. In fact, there may be situations in which visa restrictions prevent you from registering a business. However, we do encourage you to commit to pursuing your venture (where possible) as a business, demonstrating this through a credible implementation plan and engagement in support workshops.