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| 16 Sep 2026 | |
| Written by Sonal Patel | |
| Global Schools Prize |
Outstanding schools across the world were today encouraged to apply for the $1 million Global Schools Prize, as applications open today for the second annual edition.
Applications open: 16 September 2026
Applications close: 16 December 2026
Top 50 Finalists: announced March 2027
The winner will be announced in May 2027.
Organised by the Varkey Foundation, the $1 million Global Schools Prize is the largest prize of its kind, celebrating schools that are reimagining education for the future. Founded by renowned 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.
The inaugural winner of the Global Schools Prize was Lebanon's Alsama Project, selected from nearly 3,000 applications and nominations across 113 countries. The news was announced by celebrated film writer, director, charity fundraiser and campaigner, Richard Curtis in a special ceremony during the Education World Forum in London.
The Alsama Project has dedicated itself to providing life-changing education to displaced Syrian and Palestinian teenagers excluded from traditional schooling. Founded in 2020 to support just 40 young people in Beirut's Shatila refugee camp, the refugee-led education organisation has since grown to serve more than 1,100 students, using innovative education to create opportunity and hope for some of the world's most vulnerable young people.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Global Schools Prize, the Varkey Foundation, and GEMS Education, said:
"I encourage trailblazing schools across the world to put themselves forward for this year's Prize and show the world the impact they are making every day.
"The Global Schools Prize is more than an award – it's a movement to reimagine learning in a world of constant change. By recognising multiple winners, we shine a light on the many ways schools are driving progress – from innovation and teacher development to sustainability and student wellbeing. By celebrating these institutions, we can spark a global conversation about scaling the best ideas in education and inspire action that resonates far beyond the classroom."
The Global Schools Prize recognises schools across 10 categories:
Those longlisted will 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.
The ten category winners will each receive $50,000. From these, one school will be selected as the overall Global Schools Prize winner and awarded a further $500,000 to expand its impact and accelerate its work.
A Global Schools Prize Council, made up of some of the most respected and influential figures in global education, technology, and philanthropy, will guide the prize and provide strategic insight. It will be co-chaired by Stefania Giannini, former Assistant Director General for Education at UNESCO, and Dame Christine Ryan, former Chair of the Ofsted Board. The Council will be part of a wider Global Schools Prize Academy, which will choose the winner.
The Global Schools Prize is open to government-run and privately funded schools worldwide that are going above and beyond to deliver quality education.
Applications are now open. Schools interested in applying can submit their entry here. Those wishing to nominate a school can submit a nomination here. For more information visit www.globalschoolsprize.org.
