Explore student competitions.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Expert, A US research competition in which final-year secondary students submit substantial original individual work and a holistic scientific application. Eligible students apply directly online and must meet strict residence or citizenship, school-status, independence and research-ethics rules. The main challenge is sustaining rigorous research, documentation and scientific judgement, then explaining the work convincingly if selected for national finals.

QUICK SUMMARY

Difficulty varies by division from Intermediate to Advanced, A team STEM project competition in which students investigate or solve a problem in their own community through scientific inquiry or engineering design. Students in grades six to nine work with an adult advisor and meet the programme’s eligibility rules. The main challenge is documenting credible evidence and explaining the team’s decisions, with presentations at later stages.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, A U.S. school-team quiz competition covering science, energy and mathematics. Middle- and high-school teams register through an approved coach for the regional assigned to their school. Success requires broad subject coverage, rapid recall, precise team coordination and sustained preparation for a regional-to-national pathway.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, A US school-team STEM tournament system combining scientific knowledge, laboratory work, engineering builds and collaborative problem solving. Division B and C teams enter through registered schools and state programmes, with advancement from regional or state competition to Nationals. The main challenge is coordinating a fifteen-student team across a wide event slate while developing both specialist depth and dependable teamwork.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, A United States regional-to-national research programme in which high-school students present and defend original STEM investigations. Eligible students in grades 9-12 begin with their assigned regional symposium, whose schedule and submission process vary by location. Competitive work requires a sustained original investigation, a rigorous paper or abstract, clear oral or poster communication and confident responses to specialist questions.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, A U.S. student research competition for biotechnology experiments designed for the International Space Station. Students in grades 7 to 12 enter individually or in pairs with an adult sponsor; no laboratory access is required to apply. A competitive proposal needs a meaningful space-biology question, credible molecular methods, a workable experiment and clear scientific communication.

QUICK SUMMARY

A US national STEM research competition where students present original science or engineering projects developed through affiliated science fairs. Open to nominated Grade 6–8 students who competed at an affiliated fair in the United States or a US territory. Rated Expert Level, with difficulty mainly coming from original research, selective nomination and highly competitive national judging.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Expert, this international pre-college science and engineering fair is not open through direct public entry. Students in Years 9–12 or equivalent must first qualify through an affiliated fair that can nominate supported projects. The main challenge is completing rigorous original research, documenting methods and evidence, and defending the project clearly before specialist judges.