If you’re a student who loves to draw, paint, or create digital art. Google just made things a lot more interesting. The company announced some pretty exciting changes to its annual Doodle for Google competition. And honestly, your chances of winning just got way better.
Instead of picking just one winner like they’ve done for years. Google is now choosing five finalists. That means five students will see their artwork on Google’s homepage and walk away with serious scholarship money. Let’s break down what this means for you.
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What is Doodle for Google ?
Here’s the big news. Five finalists will each get $10,000 for college, a brand new Chromebook, and their doodle featured on Google’s main page where millions of people will see it. Then from those five one national winner gets picked to receive an extra $45,000. Yes, that brings their total scholarship to $55,000. Plus. Their school gets $50,000 worth of tech equipment.
Google also moved the contest from spring to fall. Which actually makes way more sense. You can work on your entry during the school year. And if you win, you’ll get to celebrate with your classmates instead of during summer break. The deadline is December 10, 2025, so you’ve got some time but not forever.
This Year’s Theme Is Personal
The theme for 2025 is “My superpower is…” and before you start drawing yourself flying or shooting lasers from your eyes, think deeper. Google wants to know what makes YOU special. Maybe you’re really good at making people laugh when they’re sad. Maybe you never give up even when things get tough. Maybe you can look at a broken bike and figure out how to fix it.
Your superpower doesn’t have to be flashy. Some of the most powerful things about people are quiet strengths like patience, creativity, or the way you bring friends together. Think about what you do naturally that others struggle with. That’s your superpower.
Who Can Enter
If you’re in kindergarten through 12th grade at any school in the United States, you can enter. That includes homeschool students, kids at private or public schools. Students living in Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, or military families overseas. Each person gets one entry, so make it count.
How to Actually Submit Your Doodle
Head to the Doodle for Google website and download the entry form. You’ll need three things: your artwork, all the info at the bottom of the form filled out with a parent’s signature, and a 50-word explanation of what your doodle means.
You can either scan or photograph your finished piece and upload it online, or you can mail everything to Google’s office in San Francisco. If you’re mailing it, make sure it’s postmarked by December 10 and gets there within a week.
Creating Something That Stands Out
Your doodle needs to be flat, meaning no sculptures or 3D projects. But you can use whatever you want to create it: markers, paint, colored pencils, or digital design programs on your computer or tablet. It just needs to be your own original work, not copied from somewhere else.
Here’s something important about AI tools. You can use them to help brainstorm ideas, but you can’t use them to actually create your design. The artwork has to come from you. If you want to use Google’s Gemini AI even just for ideas, you need to be at least 13 years old.
Your design has to include all the letters from Google’s logo: G, o, o, g, l, e. But here’s where you can get creative. Past winners have turned those letters into tree branches, piano keys, telescope parts, and all kinds of imaginative stuff. Don’t just stick the letters somewhere random. Make them part of your story.
What Judges Actually Care About
Three things matter equally. First, they look at your artistic skill for your age. A kindergartner isn’t expected to draw like a high schooler, so don’t stress about being perfect. Just show your best work.
Second, they want to see creativity. Did you think of something unique? Did you use the Google letters in a cool way? Is your whole approach different from what everyone else might do?
Third, they want your theme to be crystal clear. Both your artwork and your 50-word statement need to show what your superpower is and why it matters to you.
This year’s judges include NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo and the National Teacher of the Year, Ashley Crosson. They’ll be looking at thousands of entries, so yours needs to grab attention.
What Happens After You Submit
Google picks the best doodle from every state and territory, which gives you 54 winners right there. Then the public gets to vote on their favorites. Google’s professional Doodlers help narrow it down to five national finalists. Finally, judges pick one overall winner from those five.
Previous winners have shared some cool stories. Rebecca Wu from Washington won in 2023 with a drawing about her sisters, showing them drinking hot chocolate together. Maisie Derlega won in 2024 with a piece about family dinners that she said helped her decide to pursue art school at the University of Michigan.
Make Your Entry Strong in Doodle for Google 2025
Look at past winning doodles online to see what worked. You’ll notice they tell clear stories and use the Google letters in smart ways. Don’t overcomplicate things. Sometimes a simple idea executed really well beats a complicated mess.
Start working on your entry now instead of waiting until December. Give yourself time to try different ideas, ask your art teacher or parents for feedback and revise your work. The 50-word artist statement matters more than you might think, so spend real time explaining your concept clearly.
Most importantly, make it personal. The judges can tell when someone is being genuine versus when they’re just trying to create something they think will win. Your real story your actual superpower told in your unique style. that’s what stands out.
The deadline is December 10, 2025. Don’t wait until the last minute and risk technical problems or missed deadlines. Thousands of students will enter, but only the ones who combine genuine creativity with solid execution will make it to the top. Your superpower might just be what Google’s homepage needs.
