You’ve submitted your awards entry—now what? A guide to post-entry status and confirmation

Whether it’s a scholarship, a photography prize or a writing competition, most of us know that small rush that comes from clicking submit on a carefully prepared application. What follows immediately after is arguably the bigger challenge: the wait. And the doubts that come with it. Did everything go through correctly? Was the entry complete? Will a confirmation follow?

This is exactly where this guide comes in. It answers the questions that tend to come up in the minutes and days after you hit submit: has my entry arrived? What does the status “under review” mean? Why does my status say “incomplete” when I’ve already submitted? And when can I expect to hear back?

The challenge: uncertainty after submitting

For program managers, the flow of an award program is usually transparent. They see all entries, statuses and deadlines at a glance. Entrants, on the other hand, experience the process in a much more fragmented way. They fill in a form, upload files, click submit and then often wait without knowing what happens next.

Typical questions that come up at this stage include:

• Did my entry actually go through, or did something go wrong?
• What exactly does it mean when my status shows “under review”?
• Why does it say “incomplete” when I already clicked submit?
• When will I hear back about my entry?

If these questions go unanswered, entrants end up contacting the program team for support, submitting duplicate entries just to be safe, or in the worst case feeling frustrated in a way that reflects on the entire program.

The solution: clear communication right after submission

Has my entry arrived?

Award Force confirms a successful entry in two ways at once. A confirmation message appears on screen immediately after submitting. The system also automatically sends a confirmation email to entrants. This double confirmation offers reassurance even if the email happens to go missing, since the on-screen message always remains as the first proof.

What does the status “under review” mean?

Once an entry has been received, its status changes visibly, often from “submitted” to “under review”. This simply means the entry has reached the next step of the selection process, whether that’s an initial completeness check or already with the judges. It’s nothing to worry about and usually requires no further action.

Why does my status show “incomplete”?

This status can still appear after submitting, usually for one of two reasons. Either a required field or upload is genuinely still missing, something the system picked up after the entry was sent. Or the program has a multi-stage process in which further documents need to be provided after the initial entry, such as references or additional evidence. Award Force always shows clearly what’s missing: error messages are highlighted in a bold colour that draws the eye straight to the affected fields, so entrants can spot and fix gaps quickly instead of having to search through the whole form.

When will I hear back?

The timing depends on the individual program and is set by the award team itself. Many programs give a rough timeframe on the program page or at the point of entry. If a response takes noticeably longer than announced, it’s worth checking in with the program team. Submitting again is not recommended at this point.

Under the influential model developed by psychologist Stephen Gilliland, timely feedback is one of the central criteria applicants use to judge whether a selection process feels fair. A recent study in the European Management Review tested and confirmed this model with real applicants going through digital selection processes, an award entry being one type of such a process. Being left in the dark for too long makes the whole thing feel less fair, regardless of the outcome.

Automated communication doesn’t have to come at the expense of a personal touch, as one G2 reviewer of Award Force points out:

Another thing I appreciate is the communication features. You can automate emails—whether it’s application confirmations, status updates, or reminders—while still keeping them personalized. It’s a huge time-saver, especially when managing a large volume of applications.

Practical tips for managing your entry status

1. Check your confirmation email and spam folder. If no email arrives, check your spam or promotions folder first before contacting support.
2. Don’t mistake a status update for a rejection. Interim statuses like “under review” are part of the normal process and don’t yet say anything about the outcome.
3. Read the status details carefully if it says “incomplete”. Missing a question or document here and there is completely normal, especially with longer forms. An initial incomplete entry has no bearing whatsoever on your chances of success. The details usually specify exactly what’s missing, so you can simply follow the prompts and add whatever’s outstanding.
4. Keep announced deadlines in mind. The stated timeframe for a response gives a good sense of when it’s worth following up.

Award Force helps program managers make this process as clear as possible for entrants. Confirmation emails are sent automatically and reliably, status labels can be tailored to each program, and all entrant data is protected through encryption and compliance with recognised standards such as ISO 27001 and GDPR. This means program managers can build trust without compromising on data security.

From doubt to certainty

The wait after submitting an entry can’t be avoided entirely, but the uncertainty around it can. Knowing what each status means and when to expect a response makes that waiting period considerably easier to sit with.

For program managers, this is a clear task: clear status labels, reliable confirmations and realistic timeframes help entrants hold on to that same feeling of excitement, from the moment they submit right through to hearing back. Award Force sees its role as giving organisers of awards, prizes and recognition programs exactly the tools they need to make that happen.