Submission Rules
In order to be included in the contest, all images must be submitted by 12 PM (PDT), Wednesday, September 20, 2023. Participants may submit as many as ten (10) photos. Photos must be assigned to one of the following categories:
| Category | Definition | Prize |
| Bobcats Without Borders | Any shot of you or your friends wearing UC Merced or UCEAP clothes | Matador Freerain Waterproof Packable Hip Pack |
| Living Like a Local | Cultural events, festivals, holidays, or local activities | 32 oz Hydroflask and Slingback Bottle Pack |
| Landmarks & Landscapes | Popular places, landmarks, architecture, or vistas | Osprey Skarab 22 Hydration Pack |
The Office of International Affairs reserves the right to exclude any submissions the office considers distasteful. Photos that were submitted for a previous UCM Study Abroad contest will be excluded.
Each eligible photo submitted will automatically be considered for the People’s Choice category. The winner of People's Choice will receive a travel pack curated by the study abroad team.
*Travel Pack includes: Osprey Ultralight Dry Stuff pack, REI Dry bag, Pacsafe Retractasafe 250 cable lock, InfinityLab Instant Charger with adaptors, Cotopaxi Nido Accessory Bag-Cada Dia.
Eligibility
Contestants must be UC Merced Study Abroad returnees or alumni. Peer advisors from the Office of International Affairs are ineligible to win prizes.
Photos should be high-resolution, colored, and unedited. We will not accept filtered photos.
How to Enter
- Submit photos, titles, categories, and descriptions on the UCM Study Abroad Returnee Photo Contest Submission Form. Photos must be received by 12 PM (PDT) on Wednesday, September 20 to qualify. Submit up to 10 photos taken during your study abroad period.
- Photos without titles, categories, and descriptions are ineligible for prizes.
- Every eligible photo submitted will be entered into the People's Choice category. Voting for People's Choice will take place on Instagram.
- The photo details provided in the upload will be used to identify your photo and to specify the category. See example below. If you provide your Instagram handle we will also tag you in our posts.
- Share the contest and your photos with your friends. More likes = more votes for the Peoples's Choice category!
Example of photo details:
Title: Waiting for Pompeii
Category: Living Like a Local
Photographer: Sally Bobcat @SallyBobcat
Description: I was doing some solo traveling to Pompeii this summer and I took this shot while waiting in the train station in Naples.
Voting, Winning, and Prizes
A panel of judges will determine the first place winner for Bobcats Without Borders, Living Like a Local, and Landmarks & Landscapes categories.
All eligible photos submitted are automatically entered into the People's Choice category. Voting will be open to the public on the International Affairs Instagram page. The photo with the most likes will win the People's Choice award. Be sure to share your favorite photos with your friends and family!
Voting for the People’s Choice category will end Wednesday, October 11 at 12 PM (PST).
Only photos that were received by the Office of International Affairs through the UCM Study Abroad Returnee Photo Contest Submission Form will be considered for any category. In the case of a tie, the Office of International Affairs will randomly draw the contestants for ranking.
Prizes are as follows:
- First prize for Bobcats Without Borders is a Matador Freerain Waterproof Packable Hip Pack valued at $60.
- First prize for Landmarks and Landscapes is an Osprey Skarab 22 Hydration Pack valued at $130.
- First prize for Living Like a Local includes a 32 oz Hydroflask and a Slingback Bottle Pack valued at $105
- First prize for People's Choice is a curated travel pack valued at $192 and includes:
Winners will be notified by email by Thursday, October 12, 2023. An announcement will also be made on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Disclaimer and Consent
By uploading photos:
- You certify that any photos are yours and that you own the rights to distribute them as you see fit. You certify that these are not photos that do not belong to someone else and are not protected by any copyright.
- You grant permission to the University of California (including the UC Merced Office of International Affairs, the UC Merced Office of Communications, the University of California Education Abroad Program, and other University of California units) to reproduce any submitted images for the purposes of publicity, marketing, and communications. The images may appear in University catalogs, brochures, news releases, websites, general study abroad promotion and preparation materials, social media, and other communications or study abroad-related materials.
