2026 Charlemagne Youth Prize: get recognition for your project
The European Charlemagne Youth Prize gives you the chance to gain support for your youth-led EU project. Apply now in the 2026 edition.
The European Charlemagne Youth Prize aims to award projects run by young people that foster democracy, promote active citizenship and bring communities together. It celebrates the powerful work that young people do every day to shape a shared European identity and make a lasting impact on Europe’s future.
How to apply for the prize
If you are aged 16–30, you live in the EU and you run a project that is making a difference in your community or beyond, you can apply for the European Charlemagne Youth Prize by 2 February at 23:59 CET. You can submit a project either as an individual applicant or on behalf of an organisation or a group of young people.
The selection process
All submitted projects will be first evaluated by national juries, which will select a single nomination for each country. Representatives of all national winners will be invited to Aachen, Germany, on 12 May where the best three projects at the EU level will be announced.
The projects winning first, second and third prize will be selected among the 27 national winners by a European jury. These laureates will get the chance to visit the European Parliament in Brussels or Strasbourg, and one representative from these projects will be offered a Schuman Traineeship.
The European Charlemagne Youth Prize
The European Parliament and the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen award the European Charlemagne Youth Prize every year to support inspiring youth-led projects with a strong EU dimension.
The first prize is €7,500, second prize €5,000 and third prize €2,500.
A total of 7,150 projects have competed for the prize since 2008.
