FAO elearning Academy Global Youth Contest 2026: Eligibility, Prize and How to Apply

The FAO elearning Academy Global Youth Contest: From learning to impact is for young people who completed FAO elearning Academy courses, earned verifiable certified digital badges, and can show how that learning changed their studies, work or community activity.

Applications close on 31 July 2026 at 23:59 CEST. FAO will select three winners and cover their travel and participation costs for a trip to Rome to attend the World Food Forum from 12 to 15 October 2026.

Key facts

Item	Official detail
Organiser	FAO elearning Academy, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Age	18–35 inclusive
Nationality	Open to all countries and regions
Deadline	31 July 2026 at 23:59 CEST
Winners	Three
Prize	Travel and participation costs for Rome are covered
Event dates	12–15 October 2026
Application language	English only

Source: the official FAO elearning Academy contest page.

Who is eligible?

You can apply if all of the following are true:

You are between 18 and 35 years old.
You are registered with the FAO elearning Academy.
You completed one or more Academy courses and received verifiable certified digital badges.
You can explain how the learning affected your knowledge, skills, academic path or professional work.
You hold a passport that remains valid until at least April 2027.
You are available to travel to Rome and participate from 12 to 15 October 2026.
You can submit your story and application in English.
You will submit only one entry.

The contest is global. Applicants from Arab countries, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and other regions are eligible under the same published rules.

What does the application form ask for?

This is not a scholarship application with a long document pack. The current official form does not ask applicants to upload a CV, recommendation letter, motivation letter or PDF portfolio. It asks for:

Your name, country, region and current role.
The same email address used for your Academy account.
Your age group and other basic demographic details.
The number of Academy courses completed with verifiable badges.
An impact story in English, limited to 4,000 characters.
Confirmation that your passport is valid and that you can travel.
Acceptance of the contest declarations and the one-entry rule.

FAO verifies course completion and badges through its systems. It may later request supporting evidence or a clarification interview if necessary.

Writing the impact story without violating the AI rule

The contest terms prohibit using artificial-intelligence tools to generate application answers and state that doing so can lead to disqualification. Write the story yourself in your own voice. A clear structure is:

Before the course: identify the practical knowledge gap or problem you faced.
What you learned: name a specific skill, method or concept.
What you did with it: describe an action, project or decision that followed.
What changed: give honest evidence, such as people reached, time saved, a process improved or a new practice adopted.
What comes next: explain how you intend to extend the impact.

Avoid invented numbers and generic praise. Reviewers need a credible line from learning to action, not a promotional description of the Academy.

How to apply

Create an account or sign in to the FAO elearning Academy.
Check the course catalogue and confirm which completed courses gave you verifiable badges.
Draft your English impact story separately and keep it below 4,000 characters.
Open the official application form and use the email linked to your Academy account.
List your badges accurately and confirm passport validity and travel availability.
Review every declaration, submit one entry before the deadline and keep the confirmation message.

Read the Academy's official digital-badge explanation.

How winners are selected

The published criteria include:

Availability and ability to travel for the Rome programme.
The number of certified digital badges earned.
The quality and clarity of the impact story.
Clear evidence that learning was applied.
Verification that the applicant completed Academy courses.
Diversity; belonging to an underrepresented or marginalised group may be viewed positively, although it is not an exclusive eligibility condition.

The application form says winners are expected to be notified by September 2026. Winners will also be featured in a video interview published through the Academy, the FAO Education Hub and social channels.

Common mistakes

Using AI to generate the story.
Exceeding the 4,000-character limit.
Applying with an email that does not match the Academy account.
Claiming badges that cannot be verified.
Describing course content without showing real application.
Submitting more than one entry.
Ignoring passport validity or the October travel dates.
Treating 31 July as a local-time deadline without checking CEST.

Frequently asked questions

Is the contest open to every nationality?

Yes. The official rules accept applicants from all countries and regions.

Is the Rome trip fully funded?

The official contest page says all travel and participation costs for the three winners will be covered. Selected applicants should still follow the detailed travel instructions issued by FAO.

Is there a minimum number of courses?

The published page does not state a fixed numerical minimum beyond completing Academy learning and earning certified badges. However, the number of badges is one of the selection considerations.

Do I need a CV or recommendation letter?

The current form does not request those uploads. Focus on badge verification, the impact story, passport validity and accurate form details.

Where can I ask an official question?

Contact [email protected] if the contest page and form do not answer your question.