Explore student competitions.

QUICK SUMMARY

An international STEM award where students complete a hands-on research or engineering project over around 10 hours. Typically aimed at students aged 11–14, working individually or in groups. Rated Intermediate Level, with difficulty mainly coming from planning an investigation, carrying out practical work and explaining results clearly.

QUICK SUMMARY

An international STEM award where students complete a short, team-based project focused on investigation, problem-solving and communication. Typically aimed at students aged 10–14 and completed over one day or around five hours. Rated Beginner Level, with difficulty mainly coming from teamwork, practical problem-solving and presenting a clear project outcome.

QUICK SUMMARY

A global STEM award framework where students complete practical activities or independent research and engineering projects at different levels. Open to young people worldwide, with award levels ranging from Star to Gold. Rated Beginner to Expert Level, with difficulty depending on the chosen award level, project depth and degree of independent work.

QUICK SUMMARY

An international STEM award where students complete an extended research or engineering project over around 30 hours. Typically aimed at students aged 14–16, working individually or in groups. Rated Intermediate Level, with difficulty mainly coming from independent project planning, sustained investigation and evaluating results against clear scientific or engineering goals.

QUICK SUMMARY

An international introductory STEM award where young children complete a series of hands-on science and problem-solving activities. Typically aimed at ages 3–7 and available through schools, organisations or at home. Rated Beginner Level, with difficulty mainly coming from completing six practical challenges and explaining simple observations.

QUICK SUMMARY

An international STEM award where primary-age students complete a series of hands-on science and engineering challenges. Typically aimed at ages 7–11 and available through schools, organisations or at home. Rated Beginner Level, with difficulty mainly coming from practical investigation, teamwork and explaining observations.

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 Intermediate, this school-organised science fair enables Irish second-level students to develop and present projects within their own school, with possible progression to wider SciFest opportunities. Schools register and manage the event. The main challenge is turning a workable question into a fair investigation, keeping reliable records and communicating results through a clear display and explanation.

QUICK SUMMARY

A global sustainability competition where students develop an innovative solution to an environmental problem. Open to individuals or teams of up to five students aged 13–19 worldwide. Rated Advanced, with difficulty mainly coming from demonstrating environmental impact, originality and a credible implementation plan.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, this online creative-physics competition is open to students aged 11–16 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Entrants respond individually to the published theme with a physics-based idea or explanation for judging. The main challenge is connecting sound scientific reasoning to an imaginative real-world proposal and communicating it clearly without relying on an elaborate laboratory project.

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

An international science writing competition where students explain a specific scientific or technological solution related to sustainable and resilient tourism. Open to students aged 14–19 worldwide. Rated Advanced Level, with difficulty mainly coming from scientific research, accurate explanation and clear communication for a general audience.