The Earth Prize

Eligibility

• Age: The Earth Prize is open to all students worldwide born between the years 2006 and 2012.
• Education Level: The Earth Prize is open to all students in the secondary education level and is not open to tertiary education students. Eligible institutions are schools or educational programs.
• Location: Participants are accepted from anywhere in the world. There are no geographic restrictions.
• Language: Starting with The Earth Prize 2026, registrations and submissions can be made in any language, and an integrated Al tool will be available to support participants throughout the process.
• Teams: Each Participant can be an individual student or a team of up to five (5) students collaborating on a submission. Participants from different classes and grades are welcome to form a team. Teams can also consist of students from different institutions.
• Educator: Participants are strongly encouraged to have an assigned adult Educator for their team. Valid Educator include, but are not limited to, teachers or school administrators. If Participants have been signed up through an educational program, valid Educator can include program coordinators or educators. For individual participants or groups of homeschooled students, a parent may serve as the Educator. In either case, an official document certifying the Educator status or the student’s authorised homeschooling status will be requested during registration.
• Participation: Past Participants are welcome to register for The Earth Prize again, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria. Projects submitted to The Earth Prize in a prior year which have been selected as The Earth Prize Winners or Runners-up will not be accepted.
• Scope of Submissions: Submissions to The Earth Prize are expected to propose solutions aimed at accelerating positive change towards environmental sustainability. The Earth Prize will consider a wide range of solutions: local, national as well as global ones; new ideas with implementation potential as well as existing student projects; products, organisations, enterprises, as well as campaigns.

Prizes and Recognition

1. At the end of the Registration Phase

All teams that have successfully registered for the competition are invited to participate in the Submissions Phase of The Earth Prize. They will be recognized as “The Earth Prize Participants”.

2. The Earth Prize Scholars Announcement

All Participants whose Fresh Ideas have reached outstanding standards as determined by the final score ranking, will be recognized as “The Earth Prize Scholars”. Each Participant will receive a special certificate from The Earth Prize.

2.1 The Earth Prize Scholar Fresh Ideas’ Development Opportunities

With the goal of further increasing the impact of The Earth Prize Scholars’ projects and ideas, The Earth Foundation will seek out opportunities within and beyond its ecosystem to help students further develop their Fresh Ideas and bring them to life. At the discretion of The Earth Foundation team, selected Scholar ideas may be shared with individuals and organisations outside The Earth Foundation which could offer said opportunities to the Scholar students.

3. The Regional Winners Phase

• Regional Winners: Seven teams will be recognized as “The Earth Prize Regional Winners” and awarded a USD 12,500 prize. The prize money will be awarded to the students for their idea implementation. The regional winners are the following:
  • The Earth Prize African Winner
  • The Earth Prize Asian Winner
  • The Earth Prize Central and South American Winner
  • The Earth Prize European Winner
  • The Earth Prize Middle Eastern Winner
  • The Earth Prize North American Winner
  • The Earth Prize Oceania and Southeast Asia Winner
• The Earth Prize Mentor of the Year: Three (3) Mentors will be recognised as “The Earth Prize Mentor of the Year” and will be awarded with a USD 2,500 prize each.
• Additional Distinctions: The Earth Foundation reserves the right to introduce additional distinctions (it could be either with a cash prize or without it) to recognize and highlight particularly outstanding qualities of the Final Ideas presented, as well as the Participants themselves, such as the “Best Presentation”, “The Adjudicating Panel’s Award”, etc. Information about additional distinctions will be provided at The Earth Prize Awards Ceremony.
• The Adjudicating Panel reserves the right not to grant The Earth Prize if it considers that there are no qualified Final Ideas.

4. Payment of Prizes

The prize money may only be used by the Team for actions and activities that have the objective of implementing or scaling the Team’s project. Any use of the funds must align with these guidelines and may require prior approval from The Earth Foundation. The prize money shall be disbursed in two (2) separate installments, payable directly to the Team or to the legal guardian(s) of any minor member(s) of the Team, as applicable. In the event that this method of disbursement is not suitable or feasible, The Earth Foundation, in consultation with the Team, shall determine an alternative arrangement to ensure the secure and appropriate transfer of the prize funds. The first installment shall be transferred as soon as practicable following the execution of this Agreement. The second installment shall be disbursed three (3) months after The Earth Foundation receives confirmation of the project’s initial implementation results, as reported by the Team.

The Team acknowledges and agrees that The Earth Foundation reserves the right to conduct quarterly reviews of the project, both during and after the full disbursement of the prize money. The Team further commits to providing regular updates on the development, progress, and outcomes of the project, including any significant achievements or changes, in a timely and transparent manner.

5. Contingency clause for the Regional Winners

Participants recognized with The Earth Prize Regional Winner award must comply with these Official Rules, The Earth Prize Terms and Conditions and The Earth Prize Code of Conduct. Winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements.