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With the entry deadline for the 2026 ICA Teacher Awards coming on 2 October, it’s time to get to work on your nomination! Every day, educators around the world do outstanding work, but this work too often goes unnoticed and unpraised. Whether your nominee is successful in their category or not, a nomination alone is a wonderful accomplishment and a great way to reaffirm the importance of your peers’ work.
As Arlene Adolfo, last year’s People’s Choice winner, said:
“Winning the People’s Choice Award was truly heart-warming. It gave me a deep sense of pride in what my school community and I have built together to make our children’s learning journey meaningful and joyful”.
We have received your most asked questions for submitting your nominations and have answered them below to ensure you have the best chance of success.
Check your eligible
Entries must be submitted by a third party, such as a school leader or colleague; self-nominations entries are not permitted. The awards are open to any educator working in an ICA Subscriber School, regardless of country, school size, or setting. Schools may submit multiple entries, but only one per category is allowed.
Structure your entry
Each entry should answer the three questions outlined in the entry kit in a maximum of 200 words per answer. You should also include a maximum of three pieces of supporting evidence per entry; photos of classroom work or displays, video snippets, lesson plans, testimonials, and letters of support are all accepted. The nominee’s name, school, location, role, and contact information should also be included.
Choose the right category
For the best chance of success, it’s crucial to pick the right category for your nomination. Information on each category can be found in the entry kit. Read through it carefully to ensure you can select the best category for your entry.
This year’s award categories are:
- Best Newcomer
- Community Engagement
- IEYC Teacher of the Year
- IPC Teacher of the Year
- IMYC Teacher of the Year
- Leader of the Year
- Team of the Year
- NEW FOR 2026: Student Project of the Year
- People’s choice: Most Inspiring Teacher
Make your entry stand out
The strongest entries tend to provide clear, specific examples of work, rather than generic praise. Rather than saying that your nominee has engaged their students well, tell us about the different methods they have used to do so, and the impact it has had on learning. It’s also good to take a personal approach to answering the questions; you know what makes your nominee so great, now show us!
Entries are welcome in any language
Entries are accepted in any language. However, please note that languages other than English will be translated using digital tools, which can affect clarity slightly.
Submit your entry
Further information and our application portal. With entries due by 2 October, it’s time to get to work on your application now. We are looking forward to seeing all the nominees’ great work!