UAE's Dalia among top 10 finalists for $100,000 Chego.org Global Student Prize 2025

UAE student Dalia Zidan, studying at Al Mawakeb Al Garhoud in Dubai, has been named among a top 10 finalists for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2025, an annual $100,000 award to be given to one exceptional student who has made a real impact on learning, their peers, and society at large.

Dalia was selected from almost 11,000 nominations and applications from 148 countries.

Chegg.org partnered with the Varkey Foundation to launch the annual Chegg.org Global Student Prize in 2021, a sister award to its $1 million Global Teacher Prize.

The intention was to create a powerful new platform to shine a spotlight on extraordinary students who are reshaping communities and the world through innovation, leadership, and service.

The prize is open to all students who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in an academic institution or training and skills programme.

Part-time students as well as students enrolled in online courses are also eligible for the prize.

Dalia is a Palestinian first-generation high school student and aspiring electrical engineer breaking barriers in STEM.

Dalia developed an AI-powered web app supporting the mental health of first-gen students, winning Empower Hacks out of more than 300 participants.

She is also Executive Director of the International Youth Science Journal, impacting over 72,000 global readers with accessible science content and leading operations across more than 12 countries.

As founder of AMTech, her school’s first tech club, she created custom AP/SAT resources, coding guides, and a platform to support underserved students.

The club has earned over $9,000 in STEM competition prizes and partnered with the UAE government to host Dubai AI Week, engaging kids and teachers in tech education.

Her children’s book, Catching Infinity, introduces maths to young readers and was recognised by RISE and Run The Future as a global innovation finalist.

If awarded the Global Student Prize, Dalia will fund tech kits for students, run international STEM contests, and continue making STEM inclusive for all.

Nathan Schultz, President and CEO of Chegg, Inc., said: "Huge congratulations to Dalia on being named a top 10 finalist. Your work is bold, thoughtful, and deeply needed. You’re not just solving problems; you’re lifting up communities and showing the world what’s possible when passion meets purpose.

"At Chegg, we believe students are among the most powerful change agents in the world. This prize is about celebrating that - elevating student voices, spotlighting their ideas, and reminding all of us what can happen when young people lead with vision, courage, and heart.”

Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation, said: "Congratulations, Dalia, on being a top 10 finalist for the Global Student Prize. Your story is an urgent reminder that education is a powerful catalyst to solve some of the greatest challenges in history - from inequality and climate change to devastating diseases. By investing in learning, technology, and human potential, we can build a future of opportunity, resilience, and compassion.”

The winner will be chosen by the Global Student Prize Academy, a panel of distinguished educators, innovators, and leaders, and is expected to be announced next month.

Applications and nominations for this year’s Global Student Prize opened on Feb.19 and closed on April  27, 2025.

Students are being assessed on their academic achievement, impact on their peers, how they make a difference in their communities and beyond, overcome odds to achieve, demonstrate creativity and innovation, and operate as global citizens.

Last year’s winner was 18-year-old Ángela Elena Olazarán Laureano, who helped create Ixtlilton, an AI-powered virtual medical assistant that can diagnose 21 diseases based on a series of questions.

Designed with local medics during COVID-19, Ixtlilton helps people living in remote areas or far from medical centres determine if they need medical care.