Global Student Prize

Recognising exceptional students, making a real impact on learning, the lives of their peers and on society beyond.

The Global Student Prize, presented by the Varkey Foundation in partnership with Chegg.org, is an annual $100,000 award recognising exceptional students worldwide who make a significant impact on learning, their peers, and society.

Established in 2021 as a sister award to the $1 million Global Teacher Prize, it aims to highlight the achievements of students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, creativity, and commitment to global citizenship.

Applications and nominations for the 2026 prize will open next year.

Eligibility for the prize includes being at least 16 years old and currently enrolled in an academic institution or training program. Part-time and online students are also eligible. Applicants are assessed based on their academic achievements, impact on peers, community contributions, resilience in overcoming adversity, creativity, and innovation.

For more details and information on applications and nominations, visit the official Global Student Prize website.

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2025 Global Student Prize Winner

Adarsh Kumar

Adarsh Kumar, an 18-year-old innovator from Bihar, India, who grew up in poverty and left home at 14 to pursue a better education, has been named the winner of the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2025, a $100,000 award given to one exceptional student that has made a real impact on learning, the lives of their peers and on society beyond. He was selected from almost 11,000 nominations and applications from 148 countries around the world.

Adarsh, a student at Jayshree Periwal International School, accepted the award in London, UK.

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Previous Winners

Ángela Elena Olazarán Laureano - 2024: A 17 year-old Mexican student who developed an AI-powered virtual medical assistant and advocates for girls to pursue STEM careers has been named the winner of the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2024.
Nhial Deng - 2023: South Sudanese refugee Nhial Deng, empowered over 20,000 refugees in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya through peacebuilding, education, and entrepreneurship programmes, as well as creating a safe space for young people to heal from their trauma.
Igor Klymenko - 2022: A student from Ukraine, passionate about raising awareness of and solving the global landmine problem, he developed the ‘Quadcopter Mines Detector’. Igor has been named the winner of the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2022.
Jeremiah Thoronka - 2021: a student from Sierra Leone, who invented a device that uses kinetic energy from traffic and pedestrians to generate clean power, has been named the winner of the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2021.