Global Schools Prize: A $1 Million Award Redefining the Future of Education

Application Deadline: November 30, 2025

The Global Schools Prize is a groundbreaking new education award that celebrates and empowers schools transforming the future of learning. With a grand prize of US $1 million, this prestigious award seeks to recognize exceptional institutions across the world that are reimagining what’s possible in education—those pioneering new models of teaching, learning, and community impact.

Founded in 2025 by Sunny Varkey, the visionary UAE education pioneer and philanthropist behind the Global Teacher Prize and the Global Student Prize, the Global Schools Prize completes a powerful trilogy. Together, these three awards honor educators, learners, and now schools as the collective forces shaping education for the next generation.

Through this initiative, the Varkey Foundation aims to ignite a global conversation about the future of education—exploring how schools can inspire innovation, nurture resilience, and equip students to face tomorrow’s challenges with confidence and creativity.

Recognizing Schools That Shape the Future

The Global Schools Prize honors schools that are breaking boundaries and driving measurable change in the way education is delivered. It celebrates schools that use creativity, technology, and inclusivity to redefine how learning happens—from integrating AI and sustainability into classrooms to rethinking teacher development and student well-being.

Ten outstanding institutions will be selected as category winners, each receiving $50,000 in recognition of their achievements. From this remarkable group, one school will receive the ultimate honor—the Global Schools Prize and $500,000 to scale its impact and inspire others globally.

All longlisted schools will earn the Global Schools Prize Badge, a symbol of world-class excellence in education. These institutions will also join the Global Schools Network, gaining access to international partnerships, professional development opportunities, and collaborative platforms that connect education innovators across continents.

A Movement for Global Collaboration and Impact

The Global Schools Prize is more than an award—it’s a global movement to accelerate educational innovation and collaboration. By showcasing the world’s most inspiring schools, the initiative creates opportunities for knowledge exchange, mentorship, and growth that transcend borders.

Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education and Co-Chair of the Global Schools Prize Council, describes the initiative as a celebration of “ideas and innovations that are transforming education.” She emphasizes that schools worldwide are finding new ways to “inspire curiosity, strengthen resilience, and unlock the potential of every learner,” proving that education’s true power lies in creativity and collaboration.

Olivier Brechard, Director of International Relations at the Learning Planet Institute, highlights the partnership between LPI and the Varkey Foundation as a shared commitment to global citizenship and peace-building. By co-designing learning solutions with young people, they aim to build civic competencies, counter polarization, and strengthen intergenerational trust—key pillars of sustainable and inclusive education.

According to Dame Christine Ryan, former Chair of Ofsted, “Schools are at the very heart of communities, shaping not only the future of individual learners but the future of societies.” She notes that the Global Schools Prize shines a spotlight on schools that lead “with courage, creativity, and purpose,” encouraging global collaboration and amplifying innovation to inspire thousands of others.

Founder Sunny Varkey envisions the prize as a catalyst for global transformation:

“The Global Schools Prize is more than an award – it’s a movement to scale the best ideas in education. By shining a light on institutions that are redefining what education can be, we can spark a global conversation about the future of learning and inspire action far beyond the classroom.”

How to Apply

Applications for the Global Schools Prize 2025 are open from 10 September to 30 November 2025. The finalists and grand prize winner will be announced in May 2026.

Schools are encouraged to showcase their most impactful innovations in categories such as digital transformation, inclusion, sustainability, teacher development, and student wellbeing.

For more information and to apply, CLICK HERE 

Be one of the first to see new opportunities, Follow Us on social media: Facebook, Whatsapp Channel, LinkedIn