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Many schools in Germany are doing great work — despite facing a number of challenges. With limited resources and fresh approaches, they are succeeding in inspiring children and young people to learn. For 20 of these dedicated schools, their efforts could now pay off in a big way: they have made it to the second round of the 2025 German School Award and can hope to win prize money totaling over €300,000! A jury of 50 experts from the fields of education, school practice, and administration selected these promising candidates from over 100 applications.

In the coming weeks, the jury teams will visit the 20 schools. They want to see for themselves what makes these schools so special. During their visits, the experts will talk to everyone who contributes to school life: teachers, students, parents, and partners outside the school. They will take a look at lessons and ongoing projects. At the end of June, they will make their decision—and up to 15 finalists for the 2025 German School Award will be announced.

There is something new this year: for the first time, a jury of experts will select five additional schools for the “Democracy Education” theme prize, which is endowed with 30,000 euros. The award recognizes particularly successful concepts that promote democratic action, enable participation, and strengthen personal responsibility—both in the classroom and throughout school life.

All nominated schools can look forward to a special day: On September 30, 2025, the festive award ceremony will take place in Berlin—with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in person. The jury will then reveal who will receive the coveted awards. The main prize is worth 100,000 euros, and five other prizes are worth 30,000 euros each. The winner of the “Democracy Education” theme prize will also receive 30,000 euros. And to ensure that no school goes home empty-handed, all other nominated schools will receive a recognition prize of 5,000 euros.

Since the award was first announced in 2006, more than 2,700 schools have applied for the coveted prize. The jury bases its decision on six quality criteria: “teaching quality,” “performance,” “dealing with diversity,” “responsibility,” “school climate, school life, and extracurricular partners,” and “learning school.” These criteria are now generally recognized as indicators of good school quality.

However, the competition is only the beginning: the successful concepts are prepared and made available to other schools through training courses, publications, and the on the Internet. All schools that have applied can also work intensively on their teaching and improve their skills for 15 months in the . In the shadowing program, teachers can observe lessons at the award-winning schools. This creates a productive cycle through which good ideas and methods continue to spread.