Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge 2026 in UK | Fully Funded

The Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge 2026 is a global competition for high school students and teachers to develop innovative technology solutions for climate change. Finalists receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Oxford to present their ideas at the global finals. The competition is free to enter and no language test is required.

Saïd Business School, University of Oxford hosts this challenge to encourage young people and educators to use creativity and technology to address urgent environmental issues like air pollution, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. The previous edition attracted over 1,600 entries from 75 countries, making it one of the largest climate innovation competitions for students and teachers.

Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge Benefits

• No application fee. Free to enter.
• Opportunity to present ideas at the University of Oxford.
• All-expenses-paid trip to Oxford for finalists.
• Global exposure and international recognition.
• Networking opportunities with students, teachers, academics, and climate experts.
• Certificate of Participation for approved submissions.
• Winning student team: Full scholarship to the Future Climate Innovators Summer School 2027 in Oxford, all expenses covered.
• Winning teacher: Fully funded place in an Oxford Saïd Executive Education Programme in 2027, all expenses covered.
• Finalists: All-expenses-paid trip to Oxford and opportunity to present at the global finals.

Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge Eligibility Criteria

• For Student Teams
• Applicants must be between 15 and 18 years old.
• Applications must be submitted by a team of 3 to 5 students.
• Team members may come from the same school, different schools, the same country, or different countries.
• Individual applications are not accepted.
• Teams must submit a climate-focused technology solution in response to one of the official challenge categories.
• For Teachers
• Open to high school teachers worldwide.
• Applications must be submitted by an individual teacher.
• Team submissions are not accepted.
• Applicants must submit a series of climate-related lesson plans intended for their school’s curriculum.

Required Documents

Student Teams

• Ten-page PowerPoint presentation (submitted as PDF)
• Video presentation of up to three minutes
• Completed consent form for each student signed by a parent or guardian

Teachers

• A series of climate-related lesson plans
• PDF submission file

Judging Criteria of the Competition

Student Teams: Judges will evaluate:

• Identifying the problem
• Research and analysis of the issue
• Innovation and creativity
• Feasibility and practicality of the solution
• Impact and scalability of the solution
• Clarity of presentation
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Ethical considerations and wider impact
• Sustainability and long-term impact
• Overall professionalism, passion, and commitment

Teachers: Judges will evaluate:

• Educational impact
• Alignment with curriculum
• Innovation and creativity
• Clarity and structure
• Engagement and student participation
• Assessment and evaluation
• Integration of technology
• Ethical considerations and stakeholder impact
• Practicality and replicability
• Overall impression

How to Apply for Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge

• Visit the official Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge website.
• Choose one of the five climate challenge topics that interests you the most.
• Students should form a team of 3–5 members and start working on their idea.
• Create a solution that uses technology to help address a climate-related problem.
• Prepare a 10-page presentation and a short video explaining your project.
• Make sure each student has a signed parent or guardian consent form.
• Teachers should prepare a series of lesson plans related to climate change.
• Complete the online application form and upload all required documents.
• Before submitting, review the competition guidelines and ensure all required documents are included.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Oxford Saïd Global Climate Tech Challenge. These answers cover eligibility, benefits, deadlines, and how to apply.