Deadline: December 16, 2026
Applications are open for the Global Schools Prize 2027. The Varkey Foundation (VF) is launching a US$1million Global Schools Prize to recognise and celebrate exceptional schools from around the world – institutions that are reimagining what’s possible in education.
The Global Schools Prize will identify ten outstanding category winners, from a longlist, who will each be awarded $50,000. One extraordinary school will receive the Global Schools Prize of $500,000. The Prize money can only be used for purposes or activities that further the charitable objects of VF and will be subject to further terms and conditions of grant issued by VF.
Categories
- AI Transformation: Acknowledges schools that have effectively and inclusively integrated AI into teaching and learning, improving learning outcomes and teaching students how to use the technology responsibly.
- Arts, Culture and Creativity: Celebrates schools that nurture creative expression through the arts and integrate cultural heritage into the educational experience.
- Character and Values-driven Education: Recognises schools that instil values such as empathy, integrity, service, and respect, preparing students to be ethical, compassionate global citizens. This will include schools that foster student leadership and governance.
- Global Citizenship and Peacebuilding: Honours schools that foster intercultural understanding, peace education, and global awareness to help build a more tolerant, inclusive world. It will recognise schools that promote critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability.
- Health and Wellbeing: Highlights schools that prioritise students’ and staff’s health through support services, emotional education, and a nurturing environment, including both physical and mental health.
- Overcoming Adversity: Honours schools that have succeeded despite significant barriers, such as conflict, refugee integration, poverty, natural disasters, or limited resources.
- SEND/Inclusive Education: Recognises schools that have made exceptional achievements in providing access to high quality education for children with special educational needs.
- STEM Education: Recognises schools that have made exceptional achievements in the sciences, economics and mathematics, including building transversal/“21st Century Skills”.
- Sustainability: Recognises schools that are champions of environmental education, climate action, and sustainability practices both inside and outside the classroom.
- Teacher Development: Celebrates schools that invest deeply in the professional growth, training, and wellbeing of their teachers, recognising them as central to education transformation.
Prize
The prize provides both direct awards and additional recognition and development opportunities:
- Ten outstanding category winners will be identified from a longlist, and each will receive US$50,000.
- From the category winners, one overall school will receive the Global Schools Prize and US$500,000 to scale its impact.
- Longlisted schools will receive:
- a Global Schools Prize Badge symbolizing world-class impact and achievement across areas ranging from AI transformation to teacher development (as stated in the source), and
- access to the Global Schools Network, including partnerships, professional development, and global collaboration opportunities with other leading institutions.
Eligibility
- Open to all types of schools in every country in the world, subject to any restrictions under the laws of England and Wales on VF sending funds to the country in which the school is based. A “school” under these Terms and Conditions means an educational institution that students of compulsory school age (or between the ages of 4 – 18) are required to attend under local laws. This is not intended to include for example pre-schools or nurseries, or further or higher education institutions such as higher education colleges or universities.
- A school is eligible regardless of whether it is a state/local authority maintained school, or a fee-paying school (sometimes known as a private or independent school), and regardless of whether there is an admissions criteria for students, or a specialist focus such as a faith school or a special school.
- The Applicant must not be prohibited from participating in the Contest or receiving the Prize under the applicable law of their country.
- The Applicant must not under its local laws be insolvent, bankrupt, placed into receivership, administration or liquidation, have a petition presented for its winding up, have entered into any arrangement or composition for the benefit of its creditors, or be unable to pay its debts as they fall due.
- The Applicant, including any connected person of an Applicant as defined below, must not have conducted itself (by act or omission) in such a way as to bring the educational profession, VF, its affiliates, any GEMS Education group company, or their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, and subsidiaries (“VF Parties”) into disrepute or to have been adversely prejudicial to the interests of any of them (as may be determined at the sole discretion of VF). This includes (without limitation) a school being placed under special measures (or the equivalent under local laws), being under investigation by a regulator in its jurisdiction, or material safeguarding related investigations or incidents involving the Applicant or a connected person of an Applicant (such as a school teacher being in post despite being disqualified or barred from working with children).
Application
For more information, visit Global Schools Prize.
