Global Public Speaking Challenge 2027 by TED Summer School [Full/Partial Scholarships]: Submit by Jan 10

Immerse Education, in partnership with TED, is inviting high-school students aged 14–18 worldwide to participate in the free “Learning to Be Heard” Global Public Speaking Challenge. Students must submit a one-minute video responding to the official prompt for an opportunity to receive a full or partial scholarship to TED Summer School 2027.

Click here to register your interest in the Global Public Speaking Challenge.

About TED Summer School

TED Summer School is an educational programme offered by Immerse Education in partnership with TED.

The programme helps young people develop ideas and communicate them with clarity and confidence. Courses are offered virtually and through in-person programmes in London, New York, Singapore and Sydney.

About the Global Public Speaking Challenge

“Learning to Be Heard” is a free international speaking challenge for high-school students who have an idea, message or question they want to share.

The competition focuses on the quality and authenticity of the student’s idea rather than professional presentation, accent, video production or previous public-speaking experience.

Selected participants will receive full or partial scholarships that can be used for TED Summer School programmes in summer 2027.

Important Clarification

This challenge is connected to TED Summer School, an educational programme delivered by Immerse Education in partnership with TED.

It is not:

• A TED speaker nomination.
• A TED Conference speaking opportunity.
• A TEDx speaker application.
• A guarantee that a participant’s video will become a TED Talk.
• A general cash-prize competition.

Students seeking nomination for a future TED Conference must use TED’s separate official speaker-nomination process.

Challenge Highlights

• Organiser: Immerse Education in partnership with TED
• Competition: Learning to Be Heard—Global Public Speaking Challenge
• Eligibility: High-school students aged 14–18
• Participation: Worldwide
• Entry fee: Free
• Submission: One-minute video
• Language: English
• Awards: Full or partial TED Summer School scholarships
• Applications open: November 2, 2026
• Submission deadline: January 10, 2027
• Results announced: January 25, 2027
• Scholarship redemption deadline: February 10, 2027

Official Prompt

Applicants must respond to the following question: “Fast forward to 100 years from now. What difference would excite you the most? Why?”

Students may interpret the prompt according to an issue, transformation or future possibility that genuinely matters to them.

Possible areas could include:

• Climate and the environment
• Education
• Equality and human rights
• Healthcare
• Peace and international cooperation
• Science and technology
• Communities and public life
• Creativity and culture
• Accessibility and inclusion
• Other meaningful changes in society

The response should communicate one clear idea rather than attempt to discuss several unrelated topics within one minute.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be high-school students.
• Be between 14 and 18 years old.
• Submit an original entry.
• Speak in English in the video.
• Respond directly to the official prompt.
• Submit only one entry.

The competition accepts students of all nationalities and backgrounds.

There is no formal English-proficiency requirement. Judges will focus on the idea rather than accent, fluency or perfect grammar.

Special Condition for 14-Year-Old Participants

Students aged 14 may enter the competition.

However, in-person TED Summer School courses are available to students aged 15–18. A successful participant who will still be 14 at the time of the programme may use the scholarship for the Virtual TED Summer School.

Eligible students aged 15–18 may indicate a preference for:

• London
• New York
• Singapore
• Sydney
• Virtual TED Summer School

Video Requirements

The entry must include:

• A video lasting no more than one minute.
• A response recorded in English.
• The student speaking directly to the camera.
• The student’s face clearly visible.
• One or two written sentences explaining the idea and why it matters personally.

The video may be recorded using a phone or laptop.

Slides, complex editing and professional production are not required. Judges will not assess entries on expensive equipment or advanced video-editing skills.

How Entries Will Be Judged

Entries will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Criterion & Weightage
• Idea clarity: 40% 
• Originality and impact: 40% 
• Reflection and connection to the student’s story: 20% 
• Total: 100%

Judges will consider:

• Whether the central idea is easy to understand.
• Whether the response offers an original or thoughtful perspective.
• Why the proposed future change matters.
• How the idea connects with the student’s experiences, concerns or aspirations.

Production quality, accent, fluency and existing confidence as a speaker are not part of the stated evaluation criteria.

Scholarship Opportunity

The strongest submissions will receive full or partial scholarships for TED Summer School 2027.

Scholarships may be used for:

• In-person courses in London
• In-person courses in New York
• In-person courses in Singapore
• In-person courses in Sydney
• Virtual TED Summer School

Applicants should read the detailed competition guide and award terms before accepting an offer. A partial scholarship may require the family to pay the remaining programme fee and any expenses not included in the award.

Click here to receive the official competition guide and application updates.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

AI tools may be used for:

• Research
• Checking spelling
• Checking grammar

AI tools must not be used to write:

• The spoken response
• The video script
• The written explanation accompanying the entry

The submitted idea and wording must belong to the student and reflect the student’s genuine thinking.

How to Prepare the Entry

Students may use the following structure for their one-minute response:

1. Identify the difference they hope to see 100 years from now.
2. Explain why that change matters.
3. Connect the idea to a personal experience, concern or observation.
4. End with one memorable message about the future they want to help create.

The student should avoid spending most of the video introducing themselves. The central idea should appear within the opening sentences.

How to Participate?

Interested students may follow these steps:

1. Visit the official challenge page.
2. Register interest to receive the competition guide.
3. Review the detailed rules when applications open on November 2, 2026.
4. Develop an original response to the official prompt.
5. Write one or two supporting sentences.
6. Record a video of no more than one minute.
7. Ensure that the student speaks directly to the camera in English.
8. Upload the video through the official entry form.
9. Review all submitted details.
10. Submit the entry before January 10, 2027 at 11:59 PM UK time.

Important Dates

• Competition opens: November 2, 2026
• Submission deadline: January 10, 2027 at 11:59 PM UK time
• Deadline in India: January 11, 2027 at 5:29 AM IST
• Results announced: January 25, 2027
• Scholarship redemption deadline: February 10, 2027
• Course dates: June and August 2027

Indian applicants should submit by the evening of January 10 rather than relying on the early-morning IST conversion.

Contact Information

For challenge or programme-related questions, applicants may contact:

Email: hello@immerse.education

Click here to register for the Learning to Be Heard Global Public Speaking Challenge.