Nominations are now open!
Submit your nomination through the online nominations portal by 23 October 2026.
The awards are open to current Victorian international school students, and their homestay families and school teams.
Filming of finalists
Please note: due to the growing popularity of the awards and increasing number of finalists, the department may only be able to feature a selection of finalists in the film project. While we’d like to include everyone, we’re unable to guarantee that all finalists and nominating schools will be featured.
Award categories
There are 11 award categories. Seven awards are open to international students in Years 11 and 12, and one award is open to international students in all secondary school year levels. The International Student of the Year – Ambassador Award is open only to Year 12 international students.
The homestay family award is open to all current homestay families. The school global learning award is open to non-government school teams.
School and Homestay Awards
Key dates
The awards program allows you to recognise your outstanding international students and homestay families, and showcase your school's educational offering by highlighting global learning achievements.
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Nominations
open | Week commencing 31 August 2026 |
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Nominations close
| 23 October 2026 (except Academic Excellence which closes 18 December 2026) |
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Judging commences
| November 2026 |
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Notification of finalists
| From mid-November 2026 (except Academic Excellence which occurs from early-March 2027) |
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Filming of select* finalists | February - March 2027 |
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Presentation ceremony
| May or June 2027 |
Please note, these dates are subject to review.
* Due to the growing popularity of the awards and increasing number of finalists, the department will only be able to feature a selection of finalists in the film project. While we’d like to include everyone, we’re unable to guarantee that all finalists and nominating schools will be featured.
Why enter?
The awards program allows you to recognise your outstanding international students and homestay families, and showcase your school's educational offering by highlighting global learning and engagement achievements. The benefits of being involved include:
- rewarding your top international students
- recognising and driving quality amongst your homestay families
- demonstrating the quality of your school in equipping students with a global education
- marketing and awareness raising of your school through inclusion in the broader awards program.
Who can be nominated?
International students
International students (standard, full-fee dependant and study abroad students) in Years 11 and 12 in Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools can be nominated for the seven student awards. International students (standard, full-fee dependant and study abroad students) in Years 7 - 10 in Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools can be nominated for the Junior and Middle School Student Leadership Awards.
The following students are not eligible for nomination:
- dependants of permanent residents
- students under specialist entrance visas whose status confers a tuition fee exemption (i.e. children of post-graduate research students and visiting academics)
- students holding a visitor visa
- local students.
Homestay families
Formally accredited / registered households hosting standard or study abroad international students currently enrolled directly in a Victorian government, Catholic or independent school can be nominated for the Homestay Family of the Year Award.
Schools
Non-government schools may nominate themselves for the Excellence in Global Learning Award.
Schools can be nominated for any number of global learning and engagement programs, including welcoming international students, sister schools, overseas learning programs, teacher and principal professional development, and incorporating the intercultural capability of the Victorian Curriculum.
Please note that the Excellence in Global Learning Award (government school) is now part of the Victorian Education Excellence Awards as the Dr Lawrie Shears Outstanding Global Teaching and Learning Award. For more information, see: Victorian Education Excellence Awards.
Conditions of entry
To be considered valid, entries must be completed in full using the online nomination form.
School principals are responsible for ensuring that they nominate in the correct category. Judges do not have the discretion to re-assign applications to another category.
Nomination materials become the property of the department and will not be returned at the conclusion of the judging process.
Photographs or video materials presented as a part of nominations should be of high resolution or of broadcast standard.
School principals are responsible for ensuring that nominated students, school staff and homestay families (depending on award category) sign the consent form in relation to privacy, release of information and media requirements, prior to submitting nomination forms.
How to enter?
Only school principals or their delegate can submit nominations via the Online Nominations Portal (when available) following the steps outlined below. Nomination for the International Student of the Year – Ambassador Award category is not required, as all Year 12 student nominees for the other seven student awards automatically become nominees for this award. Schools may submit one application per student.
Visit the Online Nominations Portal to lodge your application and follow the below steps:
Step 1: Follow the instructions to create a school account.
Step 2: Select the category to which you wish to nominate your student, school or homestay family.
Step 3: Read the nomination conditions, selection criteria and note the supporting documentation required.
Step 4: Complete the online nomination form.
Step 5: Upload material to support nominations. All categories require the following depending on the award category nomination:
- Student Awards:
- student statement, written by the student
- principal’s supporting statement.
- Excellence in Global Learning Award (Non-government schools):
- teacher's supporting statement, outlining internationalising education and global learning and engagement activities undertaken by the school
- principal’s supporting statement, highlighting the links between internationalising activities and overarching school plans.
- Homestay Family of the Year Award:
- supporting statement from current and former international students accommodated in the homestay family
- principal's and international student coordinator's supporting statements.
Refer to above selection criteria for additional requirements for each award category.
There will be an electronic acknowledgement of all nominations. Once all nominations have been received and the judging process has been completed by the judging panel all applicants will be notified of their application's outcome. Only finalists will be invited to attend the presentation ceremony.
The judging panel will not consider nominations or material submitted after the close of the nomination period.
