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Entering at the state or territory level is the only path into the Australian Export Awards national program. An application can only be submitted once, in the state or territory program where your organisation’s head office is located, or where the majority of operations are established.
Find your State or territory contacts here
Step 1: Businesses apply in their home state or territory export awards program via the online application portal, in one or more of the 14 national award categories.
Step 2: Applicants are judged in their home state or territory export awards program.
Step 3: State and Territory winners of each of the national award categories are announced at State or Territory award ceremonies. Eligible winners progress as national finalists in the Australian Export Awards.
Step 4: National finalists go through further judging to determine a national winner in each category. Winners are announced at a national awards ceremony in Canberra.
In addition to receiving recognition within your state or territory export awards program, national finalists will be recognised across social media and online. National winners receive significant media and social media coverage in Australia and overseas.
Celebrate your export success! Discover why the Australian Export Awards is a great move for your business.
The Australian Export Awards are open to all exporting businesses that meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants should ensure they meet the specific eligibility requirements for the categories they wish to apply in.
Foreign income must be earned from goods or services that are exported, even if that foreign income earned by the business is received in AUD.
Reach out to your state or territory program contact with any questions related to eligibility.
Applications open on Tuesday 29 April 2025.
Applications can be submitted over the application period (approximately 6 weeks). Stay up to date with the application timeline by checking key dates.
There are various eligibility criteria related to business, products or services and financials. Some awards also have category-specific eligibility criteria.
Preview the application questions and gather the information you require to complete all questions.
Applicants will need submit their total revenue from domestic and international sales and foreign revenue from export sales from each key export market (up to 10 countries) over the past three (3) financial years.
If you export to one country but your product is distributed to another country, only include information based on the country you export directly to.
There are 14 national categories in the Australian Export Awards.
Some states or territories may also have additional award categories that are not considered part of the Australian Export Awards national program.
Reach out to your state or territory program contact for more information on state or territory categories.
You can apply for more than one category in your state or territory program. However, you can only progress as a national finalist in one category.
Read the category descriptors to determine which categories best relate to your business. Be sure to check category-specific eligibility criteria also.
State and territory program contacts reserve the right to determine the most suitable category or categories for your business.
Questions and judging guidance change from year to year, so be sure to read the judging criteria and application questions before getting started.
Past applicants are encouraged to re-enter the Australian Export Awards.
A business that wins three times in the same national category will be inducted into the Australian Export Awards Hall of Fame.
Australian Export Awards Hall of Fame members are not eligible to apply.
All information supplied in your application will be treated as commercial-in-confidence.
State and territory and national export awards coordinators use the information solely for the purpose of judging the 2025 Australian Export Awards.
All judges sign a confidentiality agreement and conflict-of-interest declaration.
During the application process you will be requested to submit foreign revenue/export sales from each of your key export markets (up to 10 countries) over the past three (3) financial years.
You can log in to the online application portal any time to amend or add to your application until the application closing date.
Reach out to your state or territory program contact for relevant closing dates.
Step 1: Applicants are judged in their home state or territory Export Awards program.
Step 2: State and Territory winners of each of the national award categories are announced at State or Territory award ceremonies. Eligible winners progress as national finalists in the Australian Export Awards.
Step 3: National finalists go through further category judging including assessment of soundness of financial strategy and planning by finance experts.
Step 4: The national judging panel meets to consider the scoring and financial insight and determine a winner in each category. They also make recommendations for the Australian Exporter of the Year.
Step 5: The Minister for Trade and Tourism endorses the National Judging Panel recommendations and selects the Australian Exporter of the Year.
All applications are assessed against the judging criteria.
Ensure the information you provide is relevant to each question. Make your responses compelling. Use the available word count to give examples and include data to support your claims.
Check your spelling and grammar before you submit.
Judges need this data to assess soundness of financial strategy and planning to support international growth in the coming year. This includes assessing whether you have a sound financial base (cash, assets and other revenue sources) to support export activity.
Actual data should be supplied, with the exception of the current Financial Year, where estimates can be used. You should explain any losses or significant changes.
At any time following submission of an entry in the Awards, but prior to the presentation ceremony, should a business become insolvent, or placed under administration, the applicant is no longer eligible to receive an award.
In this case no alternative business will be elevated to the status of national finalist.
If, following the presentation ceremony, the business returns to solvency, then the award cannot be reclaimed.
No! Many past winners have written their own submission. You know your business inside and out, and that passion cannot be replicated. However, you are permitted to use a professional writer.
Contact your State or Territory Export Awards program contact with any questions related to your application.
All national finalists are able to receive judges feedback on their completed submission at the end of the program.
If you are a national finalist or national winner, you will receive an email from the Australian Export Awards team in December regarding this.
Read about our sponsorship opportunites.
For more information contact: export.awards@austrade.gov.au