Science Competitions in the UK for Secondary School Students
Why Science Competitions Matter
Science competitions give students the opportunity to explore ideas beyond the classroom. They encourage curiosity, independent thinking, and practical problem-solving — skills that are essential in scientific research and innovation.
In the UK, a number of well-established competitions allow students to engage with science through experiments, research projects, and challenging problem-solving tasks. Some are organised nationally through schools, while others involve multi-stage competitions that can lead to international events.
Below are several of the most well-known science competitions available to secondary school students in the UK.
The Big Bang Competition
The Big Bang Competition is one of the UK's best-known STEM competitions for young people.
Students submit projects related to science, engineering, or technology. These projects may involve experiments, prototypes, or research investigations.
https://competemap.com/competitions/cmlpk74rj0000j7jazxy9gmuu
Key features:
- Open to students aged 11–18
- Individual or group projects
- National judging panel
- Finalists may present their work at the Big Bang Fair
The competition aims to encourage creativity and innovation in science and engineering.
Official website:
https://www.thebigbang.org.uk
CREST Awards
The CREST Awards programme supports project-based STEM learning and research.
Students complete investigations or research projects that demonstrate scientific thinking and problem solving.
CREST offers several award levels, including:
- Bronze https://competemap.com/competitions/cmm3j7cwj0008j7j69rq4lhqh
- Silver https://competemap.com/competitions/cmm3j7d660009j7j6faxs6k2t
- Gold https://competemap.com/competitions/cmm3j7dfd000aj7j6w40h0dbd
Gold Awards often involve extended research projects that may take several months to complete.
CREST projects are widely used by schools and are recognised by many universities and STEM organisations.
Official website:
https://www.crestawards.org
British Physics Olympiad (BPhO)
The British Physics Olympiad offers challenging physics competitions for secondary school students.
These competitions test deep understanding of physics concepts through difficult problem-solving questions.
https://competemap.com/competitions/cmlr3l8xh0000vn2lp1fba22m
Competitions include:
- Physics Challenge (for younger students)
- Senior Physics Challenge
- British Physics Olympiad Round 1 and Round 2
High-performing students may be invited to training activities related to international physics competitions.
Official website:
https://www.bpho.org.uk
UK Chemistry Olympiad
The UK Chemistry Olympiad, organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, is one of the most challenging chemistry competitions for secondary school students.
https://competemap.com/competitions/cmls2ffpg0000vn0qwhahjupm
Features include:
- Advanced chemistry problems
- Analytical reasoning questions
- Multi-stage competition structure
Students typically enter through their schools.
The competition helps identify students with strong chemistry problem-solving ability.
Official website:
https://edu.rsc.org/olympiad
British Biology Olympiad
The British Biology Olympiad (BBO) is a national competition testing biological knowledge and reasoning.
https://competemap.com/competitions/cmls3orkd0000vnshn1qct4x1
The competition includes questions across many areas of biology, such as:
- Ecology
- Genetics
- Physiology
- Evolution
Students compete individually, and high-performing students may be invited to further rounds or selection processes connected to international biology competitions.
Official website:
https://www.ukbiologycompetitions.org
Why Students Enter Science Competitions
Science competitions allow students to:
- Explore scientific ideas outside the school curriculum
- Develop research and experimental skills
- Build confidence presenting scientific work
- Experience real scientific problem solving
Participation can also help students discover areas of science that interest them for future study.
Choosing the Right Science Competition
Students should consider several factors when selecting competitions:
- Their subject interests (biology, chemistry, physics, engineering)
- Whether they prefer exams or research projects
- Time commitment required
- School participation availability
Some competitions emphasise theoretical knowledge, while others focus on research or project work.
Important Note
Competition formats, eligibility requirements, and schedules may change each year. Students should always confirm the latest information on the official organiser websites.
Explore More Competitions
To discover verified science, maths, coding, and essay competitions for UK and Ireland students, visit:
CompeteMap helps students and parents explore academic competitions and understand how they fit into long-term learning pathways.
Insights
Related posts
Articles connected to this topic.