iGEM High School Competition 2026

Verified

Science

International

Quick Summary

A global synthetic biology competition where high school teams design, build and present a research-based biological engineering project. Open to secondary-school teams worldwide with appropriate adult supervision and institutional support. Rated Expert, with difficulty mainly coming from the long project cycle, laboratory requirements and multidisciplinary judging.

Competition Overview

Eligible ages: 16 - 18

School level: High school-level students enrolled at high schools or other secondary education institutions

Competition stages: Team registration by Primary PI; Stage I registration/payment; Stage II finalization for judging/medals; roster freeze; final deliverables and Grand Jamboree participation.

Registration method: School Only

Fee: Required iGEM team program fees in EUR. Stage I and Stage II program fees are required for competing; in-person teams also buy Jamboree tickets. Check official fee table for current amounts.

Online / in-person: Hybrid

Official Links

Official website Rules / PDF

Dates

Registration deadline: 4 Jun 2026

Registration closed

Competition date end: 30 Jul 2026

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Our Take

CompeteMap's editorial perspective, based on our research and competition guide.

Synthetic biology project competition. The 2026 High School Competition is for high-school-level teams. Primary PI must register; students cannot register the team themselves. As of 2026-07-22, regular registration appears past; the official calendar still lists Stage II finalization on 2026-07-30 and roster freeze on 2026-09-16, so this record needs manual review before presenting as open to new teams.