Deadline: November 30, 2025
Applications are open for the Varkey Foundation Global Schools Prize 2025. The US $1 million Global Schools Prize seeks to recognise and celebrate exceptional schools from around the world – institutions that are re-imagining what’s possible in education.
Founded in 2025 by renowned UAE education pioneer and philanthropist Sunny Varkey, the Global Schools Prize joins the Global Teacher Prize and Global Student Prize, which he also founded, completing a powerful trilogy that celebrates educators, learners, and now schools as institutions of innovation and change.
Together, the three prizes will spark a 360-degree conversation about what it takes to deliver the best possible education, equipping children to face the future with confidence – while rethinking the future of learning for generations to come.
Categories
- AI Transformation
- Art and Culture
- Character and Values
- Global Citizenship
- Health and Well being
- Overcoming Adversity
- Inclusive Education
- STEM Education
- Sustainability
- Teacher Development
Benefits
- The Global Schools Prize will identify ten outstanding category winners from a longlist, who will each be awarded $50,000. Of those, one extraordinary school will receive the Global Schools Prize and $500,000 to scale its impact.
- The longlisted schools will also be awarded a Global Schools Prize Badge, symbolising world-class impact and achievement in areas ranging from AI transformation to teacher development. These schools will also be welcomed into the Global Schools Network, gaining access to partnerships, professional development, and global collaboration opportunities with other leading institutions.
Eligibility
- Open to all government-run and privately funded schools that teach students;
- Students should be up to the age of 18, in every country in the world, subject to local laws, and that are going above and beyond to deliver quality education.
Schools can apply to multiple categories. Entrants in each category would be judged against rigorous criteria.
Application
The application process will remain open until 30 November 2025. The finalists and winner will be announced in May 2026.
For more information, visit Global Schools Prize.
