RFE objection "No award criteria": how it was answered
Key answer
The materials do not include information on the criteria used to award the prize. Add the contest rules, evaluation criteria, panel of judges, and a description of the selection process.
The objection belongs to the "Awards" criterion. Below is what the community did to close it: the order of steps, the documents that were attached and the wording that went into the answer.
Steps that closed it
- Show that the award was granted based on pre-established criteria, not merely for participation
- Request official rules, competition regulations, or a letter from the organizer describing the selection process
- Add information about the jury, committee members, evaluation stages, and number of participants
- Emphasize competitiveness: nominations, scores, rankings, and final selection
- Connect the award criteria to the applicant's professional achievements
What was attached
- official award regulations
- organizer's page with selection rules
- organizer's letter with evaluation criteria
- list of jury or expert committee members
- protocol, ranking, shortlist, or competition results
- publication about the winners describing the significance of the award
How the answer was worded
The award was granted following a competitive selection process based on previously published criteria: professional achievements, quality of the work performed, contribution to the field, and evaluation by an expert committee. The applicant was selected among participants based on a comparative assessment, confirming the existence of award criteria.
A pattern, not a template to copy: the wording only works with your own facts behind it.
Where to check this
Other objections on this criterion
Reference information and community experience, not legal advice. The AAO figures are lessons from appeals, not approval odds; fees and timelines change - verify on uscis.gov.