{ "name": "Compete", "description": "A free, verified directory of academic, STEM, coding, robotics, business, writing, debate and arts competitions open to students under 18, with preparation guides, deadlines, costs and official links.", "license": "Directory metadata is free to reuse with attribution. Each record links to its official source.", "generated": "2026-09-09", "count": 128, "competitions": [ { "slug": "academic-decathlon", "name": "Academic Decathlon", "full_name": "United States Academic Decathlon", "organizer": "United States Academic Decathlon", "categories": [ "academic" ], "tagline": "Ten events on one annual theme, with teams that must include students across the full range of grade point averages.", "summary": "Academic Decathlon has an unusual and deliberate design: teams of nine must include three students with high grade point averages, three with mid-range averages and three with lower averages, competing in separate divisions but scoring for the same team. Every year a single interdisciplinary theme runs through ten events covering art, economics, literature, mathematics, music, science, social science, essay, speech and interview, plus a team Super Quiz.", "how_it_works": "A theme-based ten-event team competition: art, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science and speech. The 2026-27 theme is Journeys of Transformation: An Exploration of Travel and Transportation. For 2026-27 multiple-choice questions move from five answer options to four.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school students.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.usad.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "USAD does not publish a numbered grade range. Placement is by cumulative unweighted GPA rather than grade. Home-schooled students can participate subject to conditions in the eligibility guidelines.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "USAD publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "The nine-student team must be divided across three grade point average divisions, three students in each. This structure is central to the competition.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and territories, with some international participation.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.usad.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Foreign students are eligible. A foreign student without a valid transcript may participate in the Honor category; to qualify one for Scholastic or Varsity the coach must evidence performance at that GPA level in the foreign system during the prior year. The State Academic Decathlon organisation or State Director has final authority.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usad.org/media/Home%20Page/Updates/USAD%20ELIGIBILITY%20GUIDELINES%2026-27.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "A nine-member team: three Honor, three Scholastic and three Varsity students, placed by cumulative unweighted GPA. Every team member competes in all ten events. A school may enter with fewer than nine and still be eligible for team awards provided it has at least two students in each category, because the team score counts only the top two scores in each category. A student may compete up a category but not down.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International affiliates" ], "cost": { "display": "School registration plus curriculum materials", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 1500, "note": "Set by state organisations plus USAD curriculum material costs; not published as a single figure on the pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each state organisation, not nationally." }, "event_dates": "Regional competitions in winter, state competitions in late winter and spring, national finals in spring.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Medals, scholarships and national titles", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Medals and scholarships vary by state and at nationals; not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.usad.org/", "register_steps": [ "Ask whether your school has a team. If not, a teacher can start one and register through the state organisation.", "Understand the grade point average divisions. Students with lower averages are not filling seats; they compete against their own division and their medals count identically.", "Buy the official curriculum resource materials, which define the year's theme content precisely.", "Prepare across all ten events, including the speech and interview, which students often neglect until too late." ], "skills": [ "Interdisciplinary study", "Multiple-choice test technique", "Timed essay writing", "Prepared and impromptu speaking", "Interview performance", "Team relay under audience pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "United States Academic Decathlon official site", "url": "https://www.usad.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The annual theme, curriculum materials, state organisation directory and competition rules." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past themes and practice materials", "url": "https://www.usad.org/", "note": "USAD sells official practice tests and past materials through its store." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "naqt-hsnct", "world-scholars-cup", "national-history-bee", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Why are grade point averages part of the team structure?", "a": "By design. Teams must field three students from each of three grade point average bands, and each student competes against others in their own band. It means a student with a modest academic record can win the same medals and contribute the same points as the top student in the school." }, { "q": "How much material is there?", "a": "A great deal. Ten events on one interdisciplinary theme, with official curriculum materials for each subject. Teams typically begin studying in the summer or early autumn for a winter regional competition." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.usad.org/" ], "caveats": "The ten events, nine-student team structure, grade point average divisions and Super Quiz format follow USAD's long-standing published description. The current theme, registration fees, state deadlines and scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm with your state organisation." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/academic-decathlon/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "acsl", "name": "ACSL", "full_name": "American Computer Science League", "organizer": "American Computer Science League", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "A school-based league of short written and programming contests across four ability divisions.", "summary": "ACSL runs a season of four short contests taken at school through the year. Each contest pairs a written section on computer science theory (number systems, Boolean algebra, data structures, recursion, assembly concepts) with a programming problem you solve in your own time. Divisions run from Elementary through Intermediate, Junior and Senior, which makes it one of the few programming competitions that genuinely scales down to primary and middle school.", "how_it_works": "Four contests over the academic year, administered online through the HackerRank platform. In the upper divisions each contest is a 30-minute, six-question short answer test plus a programming problem to solve in 72 hours, using Python, C++ or Java. Topics cover Number Systems, Boolean Algebra, Digital Electronics and other fundamentals. The advisor chooses when to administer each contest within its window.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "K-12 schools, organisations and local groups, across five divisions: Senior for high school students with programming experience including AP Computer Science, Intermediate for high schoolers with little or no programming experience and advanced junior high students, Junior for junior high and middle school students, plus Classroom and Elementary divisions.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.acsl.org/get-started/divisions", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "One hard rule: no student beyond grade 9 may compete in the Junior Division.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "ACSL sets divisions by school level and experience, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Divisions are by ability as much as grade. Senior is open to all high school students; Junior is aimed at grade 9 and below; Intermediate and Elementary serve middle and primary school.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Worldwide: over 7,000 students from 21 countries on 6 continents took part in the most recent season. Students in Brazil, China, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam must register through a local organiser rather than directly with ACSL.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.acsl.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Check the ACSL home page for your country's organiser before using the general registration form." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Teams are scored on either the top 5 or the top 3 scores in each contest. A 5-score team is limited to 10 students on its roster and a 3-score team to 6. A student may only be a member of a single team, and after Contest #1 a student cannot change teams.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Per team, per division. From ACSL's own registration page: the first team in a division is $175, or $125 for the Elementary Division; additional teams in a division are $150 each, or $100 each for Elementary. Separately, there is a $35 per student registration fee to take part in the Finals.", "usd_min": 125, "usd_max": 175, "note": "A third-party guide quotes lower figures of $150 and $100 for first teams; ACSL's own page is higher, so budget from ACSL. The Finals fee is charged only if a student is invited, via a payment link in the invitation email." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2026-27 dates not yet published; registration opens 1 September 2026. For reference, the previous season's registration deadline was 31 December, with four contest windows running October through mid-May and Finals on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend." }, "event_dates": "Four contests spread between roughly December and March, plus an all-star finals in May.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Certificates, trophies and an all-star finals invitation", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Individual awards at the Finals; no cash prize schedule found on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.acsl.org/", "register_steps": [ "Ask a computer science or maths teacher to register your school on acsl.org.", "Choose the division that fits your experience rather than only your grade.", "Study the published topic list for each contest, which ACSL announces in advance.", "Sit each written contest at school and submit the programming problem by its deadline." ], "skills": [ "Number systems and Boolean algebra", "Data structures", "Recursion", "Programming in any language", "Discrete mathematics" ], "resources": [ { "title": "ACSL official site", "url": "https://www.acsl.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, divisions, published topic lists and sample problems." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "ACSL sample and past problems", "url": "https://www.acsl.org/", "note": "ACSL publishes sample problems and sells past contest collections through its site." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "usaco", "bebras", "cemc-contests", "picoctf" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to be a strong programmer?", "a": "No. Half of each contest is written theory, and the Elementary and Intermediate divisions assume very little programming. ACSL is one of the few computing competitions that works as a genuine first contest." }, { "q": "Can I enter without a school?", "a": "ACSL is organised around school registrations. Contact ACSL directly about home school or club participation options." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.acsl.org/" ], "caveats": "Division structure, the written-plus-programming format and the four-contest season follow ACSL's long-standing published description. Current fees, registration deadlines and contest dates were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on acsl.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/acsl/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "adroit-prizes", "name": "Adroit Prizes", "full_name": "The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose", "organizer": "The Adroit Journal", "categories": [ "writing" ], "tagline": "A respected literary prize for secondary students, judged by working writers, with free entry available.", "summary": "The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose recognise secondary and undergraduate students, with winners and finalists published in The Adroit Journal. Judging is by established writers rather than teachers, which is unusual for a student prize and is why placement carries real weight in literary circles. Entry has historically been free or low cost with fee waivers available.", "how_it_works": "Each poetry submission may include up to five poems, maximum ten pages single-spaced. Each prose submission may include up to three works of fiction or creative nonfiction with a combined limit of 3,500 words; excerpts are acceptable. A student may make up to five separate poetry submissions and up to five separate prose submissions, ten in total. Simultaneous submissions to other contests and publications are allowed if disclosed in the cover letter, and work previously recognised by other organisations or featured in campus-wide publications is eligible. If work is accepted elsewhere, notify Adroit promptly through Submittable.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "All secondary and undergraduate students, including students who graduated a semester early.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://theadroitjournal.org/adroit-prizes/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Adroit Journal does not publish numbered grade ranges. Undergraduates compete alongside high school students for the same two prizes.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No age limits are published.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open internationally to students currently enrolled in secondary school or as undergraduates. Check the current year's exact eligibility.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International students are eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://theadroitjournal.org/adroit-prizes/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual only", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A non-refundable submission fee of $15 per submission.", "usd_min": 15, "usd_max": 15, "note": "Financial assistance is available via a downloadable form on the Adroit Prizes page. Because students may make up to ten separate submissions, the cost can multiply; budget per submission, not per student." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 dates not published. For reference, the 2026 window ran 1 April to 1 May 2026, extended to 12 May 2026. Third-party listings quoting a 15 May deadline or a $13 fee are out of date." }, "event_dates": "Spring reading period, winners announced in the summer.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Two winners, one for poetry and one for prose, each awarded $200. Winners' and runners-up's work is featured in The Adroit Journal, and runners-up and finalists receive a copy of their genre judge's latest book.", "max_usd": 500, "detail": "Winners receive publication in The Adroit Journal and a cash award. The recognition and publication are the substantive prize." }, "official_url": "https://theadroitjournal.org/", "register_steps": [ "Read recent issues of the journal, which are free online, to understand what it publishes.", "Prepare your strongest work rather than the most recent. Submissions are limited in number.", "Submit during the spring reading period through the journal's submission system.", "Request a fee waiver if cost is a barrier; the journal has offered them." ], "skills": [ "Poetry or prose craft", "Revision", "Reading contemporary literary work", "Selecting your own best work" ], "resources": [ { "title": "The Adroit Journal (also: adroit journal archive)", "url": "https://theadroitjournal.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Prize guidelines, submission windows, and the full journal archive free to read. Past winning and published work, free. Reading it is the preparation." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past prize winners and published work", "url": "https://theadroitjournal.org/", "note": "Free to read online." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "scholastic-art-writing", "foyle-young-poets", "bennington-young-writers", "write-the-world" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it free to enter?", "a": "The Adroit Journal has offered free entry and fee waivers for its student prizes. Confirm the current year's arrangement on the journal's site, and request a waiver if cost would otherwise stop you entering." }, { "q": "How do I know what they want?", "a": "Read the journal. It is free online, and its published work is the clearest possible statement of what its editors respond to. Submitting without reading it is the most common mistake." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://theadroitjournal.org/" ], "caveats": "The prize categories, student eligibility, guest judge model and publication reward follow the journal's published description. The current reading period, entry fee arrangements and award amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/adroit-prizes/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "aime", "name": "AIME", "full_name": "American Invitational Mathematics Examination", "organizer": "Mathematical Association of America", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "Fifteen problems, three hours, integer answers only. Invitation required.", "summary": "The AIME is the second round of the United States mathematical olympiad pathway. You cannot enter it directly: you qualify by scoring in roughly the top 2.5% on the AMC 10 or top 5% on the AMC 12. The paper has 15 questions in three hours, every answer is an integer from 0 to 999, and there is no multiple choice and no partial credit. Your combined AMC and AIME index determines whether you are invited to the USAJMO or USAMO.", "how_it_works": "For 2027 the AIME moved to Pearson Professional Centers across the United States and Canada and became computer-based, proctored by professional test administrators. Qualifiers select an available time at the Pearson centre of their choice. It remains 15 questions with integer answers from 000 to 999 and no partial credit.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grade 12 and below, via AMC qualification", "status": "verified", "source": "https://maa.org/maa-invitational-competitions/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "You reach AIME only by qualifying on the AMC 10 or AMC 12, so the AMC's own grade and age limits apply first.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "The MAA does not publish a separate age limit for AIME. The relevant limits are those of the AMC you qualified through: under 17.5 on AMC 10 day, under 19.5 on AMC 12 day.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Invitation only. Qualification comes from your AMC 10 or AMC 12 score in the preceding November.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Pearson testing centres across the United States and Canada. Participants in the AMC international programme follow the policies of the International Group Leader for their country or region. Homeschool and DoDEA qualifiers follow the same process as public and private school participants.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://maa.org/maa-invitational-competitions/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada" ], "cost": { "display": "$85 registration fee to participate in AIME", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 25, "note": "New for 2027 and a significant change: AIME previously carried no separate student fee. The MAA states financial assistance is available to any student who needs it, with details provided to those who qualify." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no application deadline. Qualification comes from your AMC score, after which you must schedule a slot at a Pearson centre within the 5 to 6 February 2027 window." }, "event_dates": "A single competition window of 5 to 6 February 2027. The former AIME I and AIME II two-date structure has been replaced. There are no alternate dates and no make-up administrations; the MAA states no exceptions will be made.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Selection to USAJMO or USAMO", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prize. For 2027, qualification for USAMO and USAJMO is primarily based on AIME scores; AMC scores are no longer a factor." }, "official_url": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "register_steps": [ "Sit the AMC 10 or AMC 12 in November and score above the published cutoff.", "Wait for the MAA to release cutoffs and qualification notices, usually a few weeks after the exam.", "Confirm with your competition manager that they have ordered AIME materials for you. This step is missed more often than any other.", "If your school cannot administer the AIME, contact the MAA or a nearby registered site quickly. Seats are limited and the window is short." ], "skills": [ "Advanced algebra", "Combinatorics", "Number theory", "Olympiad geometry", "Sustained concentration over three hours", "Exact arithmetic under pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "AoPS AIME problem archive", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AIME_Problems_and_Solutions", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Every AIME since 1983 with solutions." }, { "title": "AoPS Intermediate series", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/store", "kind": "Book", "free": false, "note": "Intermediate Algebra and Intermediate Counting and Probability are the standard AIME preparation texts." }, { "title": "Evan Chen's olympiad handouts", "url": "https://web.evanchen.cc/olympiad.html", "kind": "Notes", "free": true, "note": "Free notes from an IMO gold medallist. Aimed slightly above AIME but excellent for geometry technique." }, { "title": "AoPS Contest Collections", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c13_contest_collections", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Searchable and filterable by contest and difficulty." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "AIME problems and solutions, all years", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AIME_Problems_and_Solutions", "note": "Free complete archive with answer keys." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "AoPS contest walkthroughs", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProblemSolving", "channel": "Art of Problem Solving", "note": "AIME problem sets solved in full." } ], "similar": [ "amc-10-12", "math-prize-for-girls", "arml", "usaco" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I enter the AIME without taking the AMC?", "a": "No. The AIME is invitation only and the invitation comes exclusively from your AMC 10 or AMC 12 score. There is no separate application route." }, { "q": "Should I sit AIME I or AIME II?", "a": "Your competition manager decides which administration your site offers, and you sit one of the two. You may not take both. Neither is systematically easier." }, { "q": "What is a good AIME score?", "a": "Any score above zero puts you in a small national group, since you already cleared the AMC cutoff to be there. Historically a score around 8 to 10 combined with a strong AMC score has been in the range that earns USAMO or USAJMO invitations, but the index cutoffs are set each year and change." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/" ], "caveats": "2027 AIME dates had not been published by the MAA at the time of checking and are shown as historically typical rather than confirmed. Qualification percentages are the MAA's stated targets; actual cutoff scores are set after each exam." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/aime/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "all-american-film-festival", "name": "All American High School Film Festival", "full_name": "All American High School Film Festival", "organizer": "All American High School Film Festival", "categories": [ "arts" ], "tagline": "The largest high school film festival in the world, screening student work in Times Square.", "summary": "The All American High School Film Festival is a competitive festival for student filmmakers, with entries judged across categories including narrative, documentary, animation, music video, experimental and screenwriting. Selected films screen at a festival in New York, and the event includes a college fair with film school representatives, which makes it as useful for the pathway as for the prize.", "how_it_works": "A film of twenty minutes or less unless a category specifies otherwise; animation, for example, is capped at ten minutes. Films may be submitted to only ONE category, though you may submit as many separate films as you wish across as many categories. Judging runs in three rounds, ending with a celebrity panel.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "The film's director or directors must have been in high school or younger while producing the project. Middle school students are eligible. Recently graduated seniors may create and submit films AFTER graduation and before the July final deadline, and a film made by a senior who is now in college is still eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.hsfilmfest.com/rulesandcategories", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The rule attaches to when the film was made, not to your status when you submit. That flexibility for graduating seniors is easy to miss.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Eligibility is defined by school level at the time of production, not by a stated age range.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to high school students internationally. Films must have been made while the filmmaker was in high school.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. Films are accepted from anywhere in the world provided the director was in high school or of high school age when the film was made.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://filmfreeway.com/hsfilmfest", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The separate NYC Film Invitational is different: that competition is open only to US citizens and US resident aliens invited by AAHSFF as part of a school or film organisation team." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Films may have multiple directors, all of whom must be indicated on the submission form. For the NYC Film Invitational, all teams must have an adult team leader or mentor responsible for communication with AAHSFF and for chaperoning the team during production.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A per-film submission fee, with early deadlines cheaper", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 75, "note": "Tiered and rising through the season. A third-party guide reports $35 early bird, $50 regular and $75 late, with a 20% discount for schools submitting five or more entries, and the festival has previously offered a free submission tier early in the window. Not confirmed on the festival's own pages. Separately, the NYC Film Invitational charges $250 per team of five or fewer and $500 for six or more, with optional critiques at $200." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Dates shift year to year. The most recent published window ran 1 November 2025 to 3 July 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Tiered fee deadlines are reported as a free deadline around 1 March, regular around 29 April, with later tiers after. Confirm the current cycle on hsfilmfest.com before planning; entries after the deadline are void." }, "event_dates": "The festival is held each October in New York City, with Official Selections screened at AMC Empire 25 in Times Square and winners announced at the Teen Indie Awards. The 2026 Film Invitational ran team registration 13 April to 25 September, filming in New York from 14 October, submission by 16 October 2026 at 4:00 p.m. EST, and the Teen Indie Awards on 18 October 2026.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Over $600,000 in prizes and scholarships handed out at the Teen Indie Awards, with a reported top award of a $10,000 Teen Indie Filmmaker Scholarship.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Category awards, scholarship opportunities from partner film schools, and an Official Selection credit. Selected films screen at the festival in New York." }, "official_url": "https://www.hsfilmfest.com/", "register_steps": [ "Complete your film. It must have been made while you were in high school.", "Choose your category carefully, since narrative, documentary, animation and experimental are judged separately.", "Submit through the festival platform before an early deadline, which is significantly cheaper than the late one.", "If selected, plan for travel to New York for the autumn festival." ], "skills": [ "Filmmaking", "Editing", "Screenwriting", "Sound design", "Working with a crew" ], "resources": [ { "title": "All American High School Film Festival", "url": "https://www.hsfilmfest.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Categories, submission deadlines and fees, rules, and past Official Selections." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past Official Selections", "url": "https://www.hsfilmfest.com/", "note": "The festival publishes lists of past selections and award winners." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "youngarts", "scholastic-art-writing", "ocean-awareness-contest", "congressional-art-competition" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is there a submission fee?", "a": "Yes. This is one of the few competitions in this directory with a real entry cost, and the fee rises as the deadline approaches, so submitting early saves money. Attending the festival in New York is a separate cost." }, { "q": "Can international students submit?", "a": "Yes. The festival accepts submissions from high school filmmakers internationally, though attending the New York screening involves travel." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.hsfilmfest.com/" ], "caveats": "The category structure, tiered deadline pricing, New York festival and high school eligibility follow the festival's long-standing published description. Current fees, deadlines and award details were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on hsfilmfest.com." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/all-american-film-festival/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "amc-10-12", "name": "AMC 10 and AMC 12", "full_name": "American Mathematics Competitions 10 and 12", "organizer": "Mathematical Association of America", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "The 75-minute exam that opens the door to the US math olympiad ladder.", "summary": "The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice exams taken at a registered school or testing centre each November. They are the entry point to the United States olympiad pathway: score in the top few percent and you are invited to the AIME, and from there to the USAJMO or USAMO. Millions of students worldwide sit an AMC exam, and a strong score is one of the few universally recognised signals of mathematical ability on a college application.", "how_it_works": "The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice competitions. Each is offered in an A and a B version on different dates. Strong scores qualify students for the AIME.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "AMC 10: grade 10 and below. AMC 12: grade 12 and below.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "Two separate competitions with separate grade limits. A student in grade 9 or 10 is eligible for both. There is no minimum grade.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "AMC 10: under 17.5 years old on competition day. AMC 12: under 19.5 years old on competition day.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "The MAA sets an explicit maximum age for each level in addition to the grade limit, and both conditions must be satisfied. Age is assessed on the day of the competition rather than at registration.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "There is no minimum grade. Younger students regularly sit the AMC 10 early. If you are eligible for both, the AMC 12 has an easier AIME cutoff percentage but harder questions.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "Administered in the United States and Canada with approved partners elsewhere. The full list of eligible countries was not located on the official pages checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual, though schools often field an informal team score.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada" ], "cost": { "display": "$75 registration for the competition manager at the regular deadline, or $115 at the late deadline. Competition bundles cost $30 for ten student licences.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 70, "note": "These are the charges to the registering school or centre. A student sitting both AMC 12 A and 12 B needs two licences. What the school passes on to students, if anything, is set locally." }, "deadline": { "display": "Regular registration closed 15 October 2026, which was the final deadline for new competition managers. Late registration closed 28 October 2026 and was open to returning competition managers only.", "iso": "2026-10-15", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Additional bundle deadlines were 4 November 2026 for AMC 12 A and 12 November 2026 for AMC 12 B. These are the MAA's deadlines for the manager; your school may impose an earlier internal one." }, "event_dates": "AMC 10 A and AMC 12 A: 5 November 2026. AMC 10 B and AMC 12 B: 13 November 2026. A competition manager may choose either date or enter students for both.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Recognition and AIME qualification, no cash", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Recognition is by certificate, roll designation and AIME qualification rather than a published prize schedule." }, "official_url": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "register_steps": [ "Ask your maths teacher whether the school is already a registered AMC competition manager. Most that host the AMC have done so for years.", "If the school does not host it, use the MAA list of registered institutions and learning centres to find a nearby university, math circle or tutoring centre that accepts outside students.", "Create a student account on the MAA site so you can view your scores afterwards. Students do not register for the exam itself; the competition manager enrols you.", "Decide whether to sit A, B or both. Sitting both is allowed and common, and it doubles your chance of clearing the AIME cutoff.", "Confirm your seat at least a week before the date. Independent testing centres fill up." ], "skills": [ "Algebra", "Counting and probability", "Number theory", "Plane geometry", "Speed and time management", "Strategic guessing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "AoPS AMC problem archive with community solutions", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AMC_Problems_and_Solutions", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Every AMC problem since 1950 with multiple solutions per problem. This is the single most valuable free resource in competition maths." }, { "title": "MAA AMC official page", "url": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Dates, rules, eligibility and the list of registered testing sites." }, { "title": "AoPS Introduction series textbooks", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/store", "kind": "Book", "free": false, "note": "Introduction to Algebra, Counting and Probability, Number Theory and Geometry map almost exactly onto the AMC 10 syllabus." }, { "title": "Alcumus adaptive practice", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/alcumus", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free adaptive problem generator from AoPS. Set the difficulty to AMC 10 level and work by topic." }, { "title": "Khan Academy algebra and geometry", "url": "https://www.khanacademy.org/math", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Use this to fill genuine content gaps, not for contest practice. It is not pitched at competition difficulty." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "AMC 10 problems and solutions, all years", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AMC_10_Problems_and_Solutions", "note": "Published openly by AoPS with permission arrangements. Includes official answer keys." }, { "title": "AMC 12 problems and solutions, all years", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AMC_12_Problems_and_Solutions", "note": "Same archive, AMC 12 papers." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "AoPS official YouTube channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProblemSolving", "channel": "Art of Problem Solving", "note": "Walkthroughs of AMC and AIME problems by the people who write the standard textbooks." }, { "title": "3Blue1Brown", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@3blue1brown", "channel": "3Blue1Brown", "note": "Not contest prep, but the geometry and probability intuition transfers directly." } ], "similar": [ "amc-8", "aime", "mathcounts", "cemc-contests" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I register for the AMC myself?", "a": "No. In the United States and Canada the MAA only accepts registrations from schools, universities, math circles and authorised learning centres. A student or parent cannot register directly. If your school does not host it, contact a nearby university or learning centre that appears on the MAA list of registered sites." }, { "q": "Should I take the AMC 10 or the AMC 12?", "a": "If you are in grade 10 or below, take the AMC 10. The content is more limited and the AIME cutoff is reachable with less material. Grade 11 and 12 students must take the AMC 12. Some strong grade 10 students take the AMC 12 because its AIME cutoff catches the top 5% rather than the top 2.5%, but its questions assume trigonometry, logarithms and complex numbers." }, { "q": "What score do I need to qualify for the AIME?", "a": "The cutoff is set after each exam is scored and changes every year, so no fixed number exists. Historically it has landed somewhere between 100 and 120 out of 150 on the AMC 10 and slightly lower on the AMC 12. Treat 100 as a working target and check the MAA announcement after the exam." }, { "q": "Is there an age limit?", "a": "Yes. The AMC 10 requires you to be under 17.5 years old on competition day and in grade 10 or below. The AMC 12 requires you to be under 19.5 and in grade 12 or below. There is no lower limit, and younger students do sit the AMC 10." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/" ], "caveats": "Competition dates and the school-registration-only rule are published by the MAA. The student enrolment deadline and per-student cost are set by each competition manager and were not published for this cycle at the time of checking." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/amc-10-12/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "amc-8", "name": "AMC 8", "full_name": "American Mathematics Competition 8", "organizer": "Mathematical Association of America", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "A 40-minute, 25-question exam for middle schoolers and the natural first step into contest maths.", "summary": "The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute multiple-choice exam for students in grade 8 and below who are under 14.5 years old. It is deliberately accessible: no calculator, no trigonometry, no algebra beyond the basics. The paper starts with accessible questions and gets harder, which is why it is widely used as a first competition.", "how_it_works": "Your school, a math circle or an authorised testing centre administers the exam during a one-week window in January. Every correct answer is worth one point; there is no penalty for a wrong answer, so you should answer all 25 questions. Results feed into school and national honour rolls, and strong AMC 8 performers are often invited into more advanced programmes, but the AMC 8 itself does not qualify you for the AIME.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grade 8 and below", "status": "verified", "source": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "There is no minimum grade. Younger students may sit it if they meet the age rule.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Under 15.5 years old on the day of the competition", "status": "verified", "source": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "The MAA publishes an explicit age limit alongside the grade limit and both must be met; age is checked on competition day, not at registration. Sources conflict: the current cycle's official materials give under 15.5, while an older MAA student guide still circulating online gives 14.5. The current-cycle figure is used here. Where organiser documents disagree, check the newest official version rather than the first search result.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "No minimum grade. Motivated grade 5 and 6 students sit it regularly and score well.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "The MAA administers the AMC in the United States and Canada and works with approved partners elsewhere. The exact list of eligible countries was not located on the official pages checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada" ], "cost": { "display": "Usually free to the student", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 30, "note": "The MAA charges the competition manager a registration fee plus bundled student licences. What a student pays, if anything, is set by their school or testing centre and is not published by the MAA." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The binding date is set by your school or testing centre, which must register with the MAA in advance. Ask your competition manager." }, "event_dates": "AMC 8: 21 to 27 January 2027.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Certificates and honour roll recognition", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Recognition is by certificate and roll designation; no cash prize schedule is published." }, "official_url": "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/", "register_steps": [ "Ask your maths teacher or head of maths whether the school hosts the AMC 8. Many middle schools do and simply do not advertise it.", "If not, search the MAA list of registered institutions for a nearby university, math circle or learning centre.", "Register through that competition manager. Students cannot enrol themselves with the MAA.", "Book your seat early. The contest window is only one week long, so testing sites reach capacity quickly." ], "skills": [ "Arithmetic fluency", "Basic algebra", "Counting", "Plane geometry", "Logical reasoning", "Reading comprehension in word problems" ], "resources": [ { "title": "AoPS AMC 8 problem archive", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AMC_8_Problems_and_Solutions", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Complete archive with community solutions, going back to 1985 when the contest was called AJHSME." }, { "title": "Alcumus", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/alcumus", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free adaptive practice. Set topics to Prealgebra and Introduction to Counting." }, { "title": "MATHCOUNTS free handbook problems", "url": "https://www.mathcounts.org/resources", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "The MATHCOUNTS School Handbook overlaps heavily with AMC 8 difficulty and is released free each year." }, { "title": "AoPS Prealgebra and Introduction to Counting and Probability", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/store", "kind": "Book", "free": false, "note": "Covers the AMC 8 syllabus with contest-style exercises rather than school-style drill." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "AMC 8 problems and solutions, all years", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AMC_8_Problems_and_Solutions", "note": "Free, complete, with answer keys and multiple solution approaches per problem." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "AoPS AMC 8 walkthroughs", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProblemSolving", "channel": "Art of Problem Solving", "note": "Search the channel for the year you are practising." } ], "similar": [ "amc-10-12", "mathcounts", "math-kangaroo", "purple-comet" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can a fifth grader take the AMC 8?", "a": "Yes. There is no minimum grade or age. The only limits are being in grade 8 or below and under 14.5 years old on the contest day. Younger students often sit it for the experience without expecting a high score." }, { "q": "Does the AMC 8 qualify me for the AIME?", "a": "No. Only the AMC 10 and AMC 12 lead to AIME invitations. The AMC 8 is a standalone contest, though a strong score is often used by schools and enrichment programmes as a selection signal." }, { "q": "Should I guess on the AMC 8?", "a": "Yes, always. Unlike the AMC 10 and 12, the AMC 8 has no penalty for wrong answers and no partial credit for blanks. Leave nothing empty." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://maa.org/student-programs/amc/" ], "caveats": "The 21 to 27 January 2027 contest window and the grade and age limits come from the MAA. Registration deadlines and fees are set per testing site." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/amc-8/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "rocketry-challenge", "name": "American Rocketry Challenge", "full_name": "The American Rocketry Challenge", "organizer": "National Association of Rocketry and the Aerospace Industries Association", "categories": [ "engineering", "science" ], "tagline": "Design a rocket that carries eggs to an exact altitude and returns them intact, to the second.", "summary": "The American Rocketry Challenge is the world's largest student rocket contest. Each year the rules specify an exact target altitude, a flight duration window and a payload of raw eggs that must land unbroken. Scoring is a penalty system: every foot off target altitude and every second off the target duration adds points, and the lowest score wins. That objectivity makes it one of the fairest engineering competitions available to students.", "how_it_works": "The 2027 mission: design a rocket carrying two raw Grade A Large eggs of 55 to 63 grams, in any orientation, that must survive uncracked; reach 800 feet; and return within a flight time of 37 to 40 seconds. Rockets must be no less than 650 mm long, no more than 650 grams at liftoff, single-staged, and use no more than 80 N-sec of combined total impulse from approved motors. All parts must remain tethered and recover by parachute.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6 to 12, currently enrolled in a US school or homeschool programme.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.rocketrychallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/ARC2027_Parameters-.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Eligibility is by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams must have an adult mentor. US teams only for the national competition, though international student rocketry competitions run in parallel in several countries.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States schools and homeschool programmes.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.rocketrychallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/ARC2027_Parameters-.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of at least 3 and no more than 10 students, plus a supervisor and an official Rocketry Challenge mentor. Members may come from different schools, but the application must come from a single US school or a single US-incorporated nonprofit youth organisation such as Scouts, 4-H, FFA or Civil Air Patrol. The National Association of Rocketry, Tripoli and other rocketry organisations cannot sponsor a team.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "A team registration fee plus rocket materials and motors", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 1000, "note": "Team registration was $165 in an earlier cycle and $175 for 2026 per third-party guides; the 2027 figure was not confirmed on the official pages checked. Separately and importantly, attending the National Finals costs an additional $395 per team, which is confirmed by the organiser's FAQ. Budget for rocket parts, motors and travel on top." }, "deadline": { "display": "Registration closes 6 December 2026 at 11:59 PM EST, and the competition is open only to the first 1,000 teams to complete payment and submit their registration.", "iso": "2026-12-06", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The 1,000-team cap means the real deadline may come earlier than the published date. Register early rather than at the deadline." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 National Finals are 15 May 2027 at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia, about 45 to 50 miles west of Washington, D.C. The rain date is 16 May, with the decision made at 7:00 PM on 14 May.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Over $100,000 in total awards. First place receives $20,000 for the team plus $1,000 for the school, and represents the United States at the International Rocketry Challenge, held at either the Farnborough or Paris air show.", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "The national finals distribute a substantial prize pool in cash and scholarships across the top finishing teams, with the winning team historically invited to represent the US at an international fly-off. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://rocketcontest.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find an adult mentor and register the team on rocketcontest.org during the registration window.", "Read the year's rules carefully. The target altitude, duration window and payload change every season and are the entire design brief.", "Find a local National Association of Rocketry club. You need certified adults and a legal launch site, and clubs provide both.", "Fly test flights early and often. Simulation is not enough; the scoring is unforgiving of untested designs.", "Submit your two best qualification scores before the spring deadline." ], "skills": [ "Aerodynamics", "Rocket simulation software", "Precision construction", "Recovery system design", "Data analysis from altimeters", "Iterative testing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "American Rocketry Challenge official site", "url": "https://rocketcontest.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, registration, qualification procedures and grant information." }, { "title": "OpenRocket", "url": "https://openrocket.info/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free open-source rocket simulation software. The standard design tool for this competition." }, { "title": "National Association of Rocketry", "url": "https://www.nar.org/", "kind": "Community", "free": true, "note": "Find a local club with a certified launch site and experienced adults. Essential rather than optional." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past years' rules and results", "url": "https://rocketcontest.org/", "note": "Published rules from previous seasons show how the specification changes and what scores have won." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "zero-robotics", "future-city", "first-robotics-competition", "exploravision" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need a special launch site?", "a": "Yes. Model rocket launches of this size need appropriate airspace and safety supervision. Join a National Association of Rocketry club, which provides a certified launch site and experienced adults." }, { "q": "How many test flights should we plan?", "a": "As many as the budget allows, and more than you first think. Teams that place well typically fly ten or more test flights, changing one variable at a time." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://rocketcontest.org/" ], "caveats": "The format, penalty scoring, egg payload requirement, top-100 finals structure and Virginia finals location follow the competition's long-standing published description. The current season's target altitude, duration window, registration deadline, fees and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check and change every year. Read the current rules on rocketcontest.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/rocketry-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "arml", "name": "ARML", "full_name": "American Regions Mathematics League", "organizer": "American Regions Mathematics League", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "Fifteen-student regional teams competing in relays and a power round over one intense weekend.", "summary": "ARML is the premier team mathematics competition in the United States. Teams of fifteen students represent a state, region or city and travel to one of several simultaneous sites for a weekend of team, individual, relay and power rounds. The relay format, where one student's answer becomes the next student's input, is unlike anything else in competitive mathematics and produces the most memorable moments in the sport.", "how_it_works": "Several rounds: a Team Round, a proof-oriented Power Question, an Individual Round, two Relay Rounds where one contestant's answer feeds the next student's problem, and a Super Relay. Calculators have been banned since the 2009 contest.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grade 12 or below during the school year of the competition. Students may not have graduated from high school in a prior academic year. There is no lower grade limit.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://discover.atomicmind.com/opportunity/american-regions-mathematics-league", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 1, "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "ages": { "text": "18 years or younger as of 31 December of the academic year of the competition.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://discover.atomicmind.com/opportunity/american-regions-mathematics-league", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "ARML publishes both a grade condition and an age condition. One regional organiser notes there is no lower age limit, though a guardian may be required to accompany very young students on the trip. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Selection is by your regional team, not by ARML. Some regions run open tryouts, others select from state competition results.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Primarily the United States, with international teams participating: the 2024 contest drew 113 teams and over 1,600 students from the United States, Canada, China and South Korea.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://arml3.com/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Exactly 15 members plus two adult coaches. Each team must draw its students from a well-defined geographic area, and no two teams may draw from overlapping areas.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Varies by team, typically a few hundred dollars including travel", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 800, "note": "The only official figures found are from an older ARML FAQ and should not be treated as current: $400 per team plus room and board at the competition, quoted at $65 per person in 2011, with an extra night at $25. One provision is worth asking about: the FAQ states the $400 registration fee is WAIVED for a team that has not participated in the past three ARML contests, which includes teams entirely new to ARML. Coaches must pay all team fees before the competition starts." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each regional team's coach, well before the June competition. Contact your regional organiser in the winter or early spring." }, "event_dates": "Held in June, on the first Saturday after Memorial Day, simultaneously at multiple university sites. Recent sites include the University of Iowa, Penn State, the University of Nevada Reno, Western Carolina University and Saint Anselm College. A separate ARML Local competition runs in April.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and national team rankings", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Team and individual awards and certificates; no cash prize schedule was found on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.arml.com/", "register_steps": [ "Find your regional or state ARML team. The official site lists participating teams and contacts.", "Contact the team coach about tryouts. Most select in spring based on a local exam or on state competition results.", "If no team exists in your area, ask a nearby team whether they accept out-of-region students, or talk to a teacher about founding one.", "Once selected, your team handles ARML registration and travel." ], "skills": [ "Olympiad-level problem solving", "Proof writing for the Power Round", "Team coordination", "Composure in relay chains", "Speed" ], "resources": [ { "title": "ARML official site", "url": "https://www.arml.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Team listings, site information, and contest details." }, { "title": "AoPS ARML forum and archive", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/community", "kind": "Community", "free": true, "note": "Past problems and discussion from competitors." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "ARML past contests", "url": "https://www.arml.com/", "note": "ARML publishes past competitions; some years are sold as books through the organisation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "aime", "purple-comet", "amc-10-12", "math-prize-for-girls" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I enter ARML as an individual?", "a": "No. ARML is competed by fifteen-student regional teams. You must join an existing team, which normally means passing local tryouts in the spring." }, { "q": "What if there is no ARML team near me?", "a": "Contact the nearest team and ask whether they accept students from outside their core area; several do. The ARML site lists teams and contacts. Some regions also run second or third teams that are less selective." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.arml.com/" ], "caveats": "Format and team structure follow ARML's long-standing published rules. Dates, costs and the 2027 site list were not confirmed during the last check. Costs vary entirely by regional team. Confirm with arml.com and your local team." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/arml/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "battlecode", "name": "Battlecode", "full_name": "MIT Battlecode", "organizer": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "Write an AI that commands a team of virtual units against other students' AIs, with a high school bracket.", "summary": "Battlecode is a real-time strategy game where you do not play: you write the AI that plays. Your program controls a team of units competing against another team's program on a shared map, and matches are decided entirely by the code you wrote beforehand. MIT runs it each January with a high school division alongside the main tournament.", "how_it_works": "A real-time strategy game for which you write an autonomous player that manages a robot army. Teams receive the software and game specification in early January and refine their player through scrimmages and tournaments over the month.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Battlecode is 'open to anyone'. The organiser does not define eligibility by grade. A separate high school bracket has existed in past years but was not confirmed on the official pages checked for 2027, so do not assume one.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "No age limit is published. Battlecode states it is open to anyone.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "The open competition is dominated by university students. The high school bracket exists so that secondary students compete against each other.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open to anyone, worldwide", "status": "verified", "source": "https://play.battlecode.org/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Not stated on the official pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 registration dates not published on the official pages checked." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates have not been published. For reference, Battlecode 2026 ran 5 to 31 January 2026, with classes in the first two weeks and tournaments throughout the month.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Any team may compete in the Sprint Tournaments for prize money. Only student teams, including non-MIT student teams, are eligible for the remaining tournaments and their prize money.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "MIT awards cash prizes across brackets, including the high school division. Amounts vary by year and sponsor." }, "official_url": "https://battlecode.org/", "register_steps": [ "Register on battlecode.org when the season opens, usually in December or early January.", "Read the game specification the day it is released. The game changes every year and early understanding is a real advantage.", "Build a simple working bot first and get it onto the ladder, then iterate against real opponents.", "Submit for each tournament during January." ], "skills": [ "Java or Python", "Algorithm design under tight compute limits", "Pathfinding", "Game theory and strategy", "Rapid iteration" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Battlecode official site (also: battlecode tutorials and starter bots)", "url": "https://battlecode.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the game engine, specifications, tutorials and past seasons. MIT publishes starter code and lectures each season, free and aimed at newcomers." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past seasons, specifications and winning bots", "url": "https://battlecode.org/", "note": "MIT publishes past game specifications and many teams open-source their bots." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "usaco", "codeforces", "ioai", "zero-robotics" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I compete against university students?", "a": "Not in the high school bracket, which runs alongside the open tournament specifically so secondary students compete against each other. You can still play the open ladder for practice." }, { "q": "Which language should I use?", "a": "Java has historically been the primary engine language with Python support added. Check the current season's specification, since the engine changes each year." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://battlecode.org/" ], "caveats": "The January schedule, high school bracket, free entry and yearly game change follow Battlecode's long-standing description. The current season's dates, supported languages and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/battlecode/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "bebras", "name": "Bebras Challenge", "full_name": "Bebras International Challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking", "organizer": "Bebras International, run nationally by partner organisations", "categories": [ "coding", "academic" ], "tagline": "A short online computational thinking challenge with no programming required, from age 8 upward.", "summary": "Bebras is a computational thinking challenge rather than a programming contest. Questions are short logic and problem-solving puzzles that test the ideas behind computer science (algorithms, data representation, pattern recognition, abstraction) without requiring a single line of code. It runs in more than 50 countries, takes about 40 minutes, and is free or very cheap in most territories.", "how_it_works": "Students have 45 minutes to work through a set of short interactive tasks, and are not expected to finish them all. USA Bebras uses 15 multiple-choice questions with a maximum score of 180. Tasks come at three difficulty levels, A, B and C, with difficulty determining how a task is scored, and the difficulty is shown before you open a task. Tasks are marked automatically. No preparation or prior knowledge is required, though practice tasks are available.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Set nationally. USA Bebras has described participation as open to anyone from fifth through twelfth grade, while other countries run from Primary 1 upward.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "There is no single international rule; each country sets its own. USA Bebras says ages 6 to 18 across six age categories, the UK says ages 6 to 19, Singapore's organiser says ages 7 to 19, and one USA description frames it as grades 5 to 12. Check your own country's Bebras organiser rather than relying on a general figure.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Age bands vary slightly by country. No programming knowledge is required at any level.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Students cannot register individually. A teacher must sign up as a coordinator and enrol groups of students or a whole school. Teachers may manage their own student groups or ask the national organiser to manage them.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.bebras.uk/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This is the single most important practical fact: there is no route in without a participating teacher." }, "geography": { "text": "International: over 3 million students from more than 80 countries took part in a recent year. Check whether your country is a member or observer on bebras.org.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.bebras.uk/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Normally individual. Some national organisers allow the youngest categories to enter as a small team: the UK permits Kits and Castors to enter individually or in teams of up to three.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 5, "note": "Free in the US, UK and Malta among others. Not universally so: Singapore's organiser distinguishes schools that pay a full price, who receive medals and certificates, from Ministry of Education schools receiving an e-cert only. Check your national organiser." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set nationally. India's 2026 school registrations open 28 September and run to 28 November 2026. USA Bebras states teachers can still register students until the last day of the competition, which is unusually forgiving." }, "event_dates": "The second week of November is declared World-Wide Bebras Week for task solving, and some countries extend it to two weeks or longer. National windows differ substantially: India's 2026 challenge runs 16 November to 5 December 2026, Malta has run November to February, and one USA description gives a window between 1 and 12 December.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Certificates and national recognition", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Certificates and scores rather than cash prizes, with awards varying by country. Students can log in afterwards to see their scores and the correct answers." }, "official_url": "https://www.bebras.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your national Bebras organiser through bebras.org.", "Ask a teacher to register the school with that organiser during the autumn window.", "Try the free past questions, which almost every national organiser publishes.", "Take the challenge online during the November week." ], "skills": [ "Logical reasoning", "Pattern recognition", "Algorithmic thinking", "Data representation", "Careful reading" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Bebras international site", "url": "https://www.bebras.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Directory of national organisers, each of which handles registration and publishes past questions." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past Bebras questions", "url": "https://www.bebras.org/", "note": "Most national organisers publish full past papers with solutions free. Follow the link for your country." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "acsl", "math-kangaroo", "usaco", "cemc-contests" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to know how to program?", "a": "No. Bebras deliberately tests the thinking behind computer science without requiring any code, which makes it the most accessible computing competition in this directory." }, { "q": "How do I enter if my school does not participate?", "a": "Bebras is organised nationally, so options differ by country. Contact your national organiser through bebras.org and ask about individual or home school entry." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.bebras.org/" ], "caveats": "The format, age bands, no-programming design and November timing follow the Bebras international description. Registration, cost and dates are set independently by each national organiser and were not confirmed during the last check. Check your country's organiser through bebras.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/bebras/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "bennington-young-writers", "name": "Bennington Young Writers Awards", "full_name": "Bennington College Young Writers Awards", "organizer": "Bennington College", "categories": [ "writing", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "A three-category writing prize from a college known for its writing programme, with scholarship money attached.", "summary": "The Bennington Young Writers Awards recognise high school writers in three categories: poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Entry is free, submissions are made online, and winners in each category receive cash prizes plus scholarship consideration at Bennington College. It is a smaller field than Scholastic, which makes it a realistic target for a strong writer who has not yet placed nationally.", "how_it_works": "Choose one category only. Poetry: 1 to 3 poems with a combined limit of 1,500 words. Fiction: one short story or a standalone excerpt from a longer work, 1,500 words or fewer, or a one-act play under 30 minutes of playing time. Nonfiction: a personal or creative nonfiction essay or standalone excerpt, 1,500 words or fewer. Only one submission per discipline is allowed per student. All entries must be in English.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12, worldwide.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.bennington.edu/events/bennington-young-creators-awards/bennington-young-writers-awards", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Now part of the broader Bennington Young Creators Awards, though the Young Writers Awards continue as their own programme.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Bennington sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to high school students. Check the current rules for international eligibility, which has varied between cycles.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Grade 12 students must submit through the Common Application or Coalition Application process. Bennington states this requires no application fee, is non-binding, and needs no supplemental essays.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.bennington.edu/events/bennington-young-creators-awards/bennington-young-writers-awards", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This is a real difference for seniors: the submission route is not the same as for grades 9 to 11." }, "geography": { "text": "International. Open to students worldwide, with no US citizenship or residency requirement.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.bennington.edu/events/bennington-young-creators-awards/bennington-young-writers-awards", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "There is no entry fee." }, "deadline": { "display": "Submissions for the 2026-27 cycle open 1 September 2026 and close 1 November 2026.", "iso": "2026-11-01", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Bennington publishes the exact deadline each cycle. Confirm on the college's site." }, "event_dates": "Submissions in autumn, winners announced in the spring.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Cash prizes in each category: $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second, $500 for third, and $250 for distinguished submissions, which are recognised by category at each grade level. Winners and distinguished submissions also receive scholarships toward enrolment at Bennington College, and winning work is published.", "max_usd": 2000, "detail": "First, second and third place cash prizes in each of the three categories, and winners are considered for scholarships if they later apply to Bennington. Amounts are set each year." }, "official_url": "https://www.bennington.edu/events/young-writers-awards", "register_steps": [ "Read the current rules for word limits and category definitions, which differ between poetry, fiction and nonfiction.", "Prepare your submission. Poetry requires a group of poems rather than a single one.", "Submit online before the autumn deadline.", "Winners are announced in the spring." ], "skills": [ "Creative writing across genres", "Revision", "Selecting a coherent poetry group", "Working to a word limit" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Bennington Young Writers Awards", "url": "https://www.bennington.edu/events/young-writers-awards", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Categories, rules, word limits, deadlines and past winners." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning entries", "url": "https://www.bennington.edu/events/young-writers-awards", "note": "Bennington publishes information about past winners on the official page." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "scholastic-art-writing", "foyle-young-poets", "write-the-world", "youngarts" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is there an entry fee?", "a": "No. The Bennington Young Writers Awards are free to enter." }, { "q": "Can I enter more than one category?", "a": "Category rules vary by cycle. Check the current guidelines on the official page, which state how many entries are permitted per student." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.bennington.edu/events/young-writers-awards" ], "caveats": "The three categories, free entry and high school eligibility follow the award's long-standing published description. The current cycle's deadline, word limits, prize amounts and international eligibility were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/bennington-young-writers/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "blue-ocean-competition", "name": "Blue Ocean Competition", "full_name": "Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneurship Competition", "organizer": "Blue Ocean Competition", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "A fully online entrepreneurship pitch competition with no written business plan required.", "summary": "The Blue Ocean Competition is an entirely online entrepreneurship competition for high school students worldwide. It is deliberately lightweight: teams submit a short pitch video rather than a written business plan, which lowers the barrier considerably compared with other pitch competitions. Judging is based on the Blue Ocean Strategy framework, which rewards ideas that create new market space rather than competing in an existing one.", "how_it_works": "Identify a pressing problem or an untapped market space, build a business idea around it using blue ocean tools such as the Strategy Canvas, the Three Tiers of Noncustomers, the Buyer Utility Map and the Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create Grid, then record a video pitch of about 3 to 5 minutes, upload it to YouTube and submit both the link and the video file. Registration gives access to the Blue Ocean Mini-Course and pitch template.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The organisers define eligibility by age and high school status, not grade.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "High school age, 14 to 18 at the time of registration.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://blueoceancompetition.org/compete/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to high school students worldwide. Team size limits and exact age rules are set each cycle; check the official site.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Entirely virtual and open worldwide, with participants from more than 160 countries. Participation has grown steadily: more than 9,800 students in 2024, 12,700 in 2025 and 23,000 in 2026.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://blueoceancompetition.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Solo, or a team of up to five students total, described on the official site as teaming up with up to four friends. Every team member must register individually.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Participation is stated as 100% free for all students, which the organisers describe as deliberate, to level access regardless of background or nationality." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Sources give conflicting 2027 dates: the organiser's own compete page says 21 February 2027 while a third-party listing says 22 February 2027, both at midnight in your own local time zone. Treat 21 February as the safer assumption and confirm on blueoceancompetition.org before relying on the extra day." }, "event_dates": "Registration opens in the autumn with a live launch event, submissions close in February, and results including a Top 100 and Top 30 are announced in the spring.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Cash prizes for winning teams", "max_usd": 2500, "detail": "Cash prizes plus certificates. Reported but not confirmed on the organiser's own pages: regional awards of $500 each for Asia and Oceania, Europe, Africa, the Americas and the Middle East, a Popular Choice Award decided by public voting, Certificates of Participation for everyone who submits, and Outstanding Achievement certificates for the top 10. Schools can also receive monetary awards for having the most top-25 pitches or the most submissions." }, "official_url": "https://www.blueoceancompetition.org/", "register_steps": [ "Read the Blue Ocean Strategy framework material on the official site, since judging is explicitly based on it.", "Form a team, or enter alone if the current rules allow it.", "Develop a business concept that creates new market space rather than competing head-on in an existing one.", "Record and submit a short pitch video before the deadline." ], "skills": [ "Business ideation", "Strategic framing", "Video pitching", "Concise communication" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Blue Ocean Competition official site", "url": "https://www.blueoceancompetition.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, deadlines, judging framework and past winners." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning pitch videos", "url": "https://www.blueoceancompetition.org/", "note": "Published on the official site, and the fastest way to calibrate what a winning pitch looks like." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "diamond-challenge", "conrad-challenge", "technovation-girls", "deca" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need a written business plan?", "a": "No. This competition asks for a pitch video rather than a written plan, which is what makes it a low-barrier first entrepreneurship competition." }, { "q": "What is Blue Ocean Strategy?", "a": "It is a business framework about creating uncontested new market space rather than competing in a crowded existing market. Judging is explicitly based on it, so read the framework material before developing your idea." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.blueoceancompetition.org/" ], "caveats": "The fully online format, video-pitch submission, free entry and Blue Ocean Strategy judging basis follow the competition's published description. Current deadlines, team size limits and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on the official site." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/blue-ocean-competition/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "botball", "name": "Botball", "full_name": "Botball Educational Robotics Program", "organizer": "KISS Institute for Practical Robotics", "categories": [ "robotics", "coding" ], "tagline": "Fully autonomous robotics where all the programming is done in advance and nothing is driver-controlled.", "summary": "Botball teams build two autonomous robots from a standard kit and program them in C or Python to complete a game challenge with no human control at all during a match. That total autonomy is the defining feature: unlike most school robotics leagues there are no drivers, so the competition is decided entirely by the code and the mechanical reliability.", "how_it_works": "The season opens with a two-day professional development workshop for team leaders, mentors and students, followed by a build period of about seven weeks, then a regional tournament. Teams build an autonomous robot and program it with code they write. Botball Online Project Documentation is a required element that factors into the regional score. Every team gives an on-site presentation at the regional tournament: a maximum of two students present, with no more than 6 minutes to present and 4 minutes of questions.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The KIPR pages checked did not state a grade range. Third-party listings describe Botball as for middle and high school teams, and KIPR runs a separate Jr. Botball programme for younger students. Confirm with KIPR or your regional coordinator.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "KIPR does not publish age limits on the pages checked.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Teams register through a school or organisation with an adult coach. Regional availability depends on where workshops are run.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Regions are listed on kipr.org; primarily the United States with some international teams at the international tournament." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A team registration including the kit, typically over a thousand dollars in the first year", "usd_min": 500, "usd_max": 3000, "note": "Not stated on the pages checked. Registration includes the kit and workshop; KIPR publishes a registration policy and a scholarship policy for teams needing financial help." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Regional deadlines are on the KIPR schedule page; not confirmed here." }, "event_dates": "Regional workshops in late winter, roughly seven weeks of build, regional tournaments in spring, global conference in summer.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Regional titles and advancement to the global conference", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards for tournament events; no cash prize schedule found." }, "official_url": "https://www.kipr.org/botball/", "register_steps": [ "Find a regional Botball programme through the official site and check workshop dates.", "Register the team, which includes the professional development workshop and the equipment kit.", "Attend the workshop, where the season's game is revealed and students and coaches are trained.", "Build and program over the season, then compete regionally." ], "skills": [ "C or Python programming", "Autonomous navigation and sensing", "Mechanical reliability", "Debugging without live control", "Systematic testing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Botball official site (also: kipr software documentation)", "url": "https://www.kipr.org/botball/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Programme structure, regional directory, curriculum and past game documents. Documentation and tutorials for the controller and programming environment." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past game rules and documentation", "url": "https://www.botball.org/", "note": "Published by the KISS Institute." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "robocup-junior", "world-robot-olympiad", "first-tech-challenge", "seaperch" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is there any driver control?", "a": "None. Botball robots run entirely autonomously from the moment the match starts, which is the main structural difference from FIRST Tech Challenge and VEX and makes it a much deeper programming exercise." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.botball.org/" ], "caveats": "The full autonomy model, workshop-based season start, kit structure and regional-to-global format follow the KISS Institute's published description. Current registration costs, workshop dates and regional availability were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/botball/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "brain-bee", "name": "Brain Bee", "full_name": "International Brain Bee", "organizer": "International Brain Bee", "categories": [ "science" ], "tagline": "A neuroscience competition running from local chapters up to a world championship.", "summary": "The Brain Bee is a neuroscience competition for teenagers, run through local chapters hosted by universities and hospitals. Students study neuroscience from a free official text, then compete in a local round combining question-and-answer, neuroanatomy identification on real specimens, patient diagnosis and histology. Local winners advance to national and then international championships. It is one of the few competitions offering serious exposure to a specific medical science before university.", "how_it_works": "Similar to a spelling bee but on neuroscience. Tests academic knowledge plus practical skills in neuroanatomy, neurohistology, MRI reading and patient diagnosis. Most local competitions are based on the Brain Facts or Neuroscience: The Science of the Brain books, both brief introductory texts. Formats vary widely because each chapter is organised individually: one chapter runs a written exam with the top 9 advancing to a live game board-style Q&A judged by a panel.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Brain Bee sets eligibility by age, not grade, and one regional host notes it is open regardless of academic standing. For the USA Championship students must be, or have been, enrolled in an accredited US high school.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Typically ages 13 to 19, and 13 to 19 at the time of competition for the USA Championship. National Champions may not be older than 19 to compete at the World Championship.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.thebrainbee.org/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Local chapters may be stricter: one US chapter restricts entry to ages 14 to 18 by the competition date. Check your own chapter's rule rather than the international one.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Age rules are set by each national and local chapter and vary. Check your local chapter's rules before assuming eligibility.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. Not every country or region has a local chapter, and students may need to travel to participate. Competing across regions is sometimes allowed but must be approved in advance.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.thebrainbee.org/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual. Several one-time-only rules apply: you may compete in no more than one Local Chapter Brain Bee per year, only once in a lifetime at the USA National Championship, and only once in a lifetime at the World Championship.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Most local chapters are free. The USA National Championship charges a $400 registration fee, payable after your eligibility is confirmed by your regional chapter; it covers an event shirt plus snacks, lunch and dinner on competition day.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 400, "note": "The $400 national fee is a significant step up from free local entry and my previous listing did not mention it. Travel and accommodation are on top." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Each local Brain Bee sets its own deadlines and rules. The season runs roughly January through August, with national finals typically in spring. Register early with your local chapter." }, "event_dates": "Local competitions in winter and spring, national championships in spring, international championship in summer.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Local and regional winners may receive certificates, prize money, trophies or trips to the next level. World Championship winners receive monetary prizes, trophies and a summer internship. Top five finalists at the World Championship are invited to IBB NextGen, a mentorship and career development programme hosted at the FENS Forum.", "max_usd": 3000, "detail": "Prizes vary by chapter and country, and often include laboratory placements, textbooks and funded travel to the next round." }, "official_url": "https://www.thebrainbee.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your nearest chapter through the International Brain Bee site. Chapters are usually hosted by universities or hospitals.", "Register with that chapter by its own deadline.", "Study the free official study material, Brain Facts, published by the Society for Neuroscience.", "Compete in the local round, which typically mixes a question round with neuroanatomy, histology and patient diagnosis." ], "skills": [ "Neuroanatomy", "Neurophysiology", "Neurological disorders", "Histology", "Rapid recall under pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "International Brain Bee", "url": "https://www.thebrainbee.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Chapter directory, rules and study guidance." }, { "title": "Brain Facts", "url": "https://www.brainfacts.org/", "kind": "Book", "free": true, "note": "The official free study text, published by the Society for Neuroscience. This is the primary source for the competition." }, { "title": "Neuroscience: Science of the Brain", "url": "https://www.bna.org.uk/", "kind": "Book", "free": true, "note": "A free introductory booklet from the British Neuroscience Association, widely used by Brain Bee competitors." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Sample questions from chapters", "url": "https://www.thebrainbee.org/", "note": "Many chapters publish sample questions and study guides on their own pages." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "usabo", "science-olympiad", "ocean-sciences-bowl", "usnco" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to have studied biology already?", "a": "Not formally. The official study text, Brain Facts, is free and written for a general audience, so a motivated student can start from scratch. Prior biology helps with the physiology sections." }, { "q": "What if there is no chapter near me?", "a": "The International Brain Bee site lists chapters by country and some run online or regional rounds. Contacting a nearby university neuroscience department is often how new chapters start." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.thebrainbee.org/" ], "caveats": "The local-national-international structure, free entry, round formats and the Brain Facts study guide follow the International Brain Bee's published description. Age limits, deadlines and prizes are set by each national organisation and were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/brain-bee/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "breakthrough-junior-challenge", "name": "Breakthrough Junior Challenge", "full_name": "Breakthrough Junior Challenge", "organizer": "Breakthrough Prize Foundation", "categories": [ "science", "arts", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "Explain a hard scientific idea in a three-minute video, for a $250,000 scholarship package.", "summary": "The Breakthrough Junior Challenge asks students to make a video of up to about three minutes explaining a challenging concept in physics, life sciences or mathematics. It is judged on how clearly and engagingly you explain, not on production budget. The prize package is one of the largest available to a teenager anywhere: a scholarship for the student, a prize for the teacher who inspired them, and a science laboratory for their school.", "how_it_works": "A skill-based competition in which chance plays no part. Entrants submit a video explaining a concept in physics, life sciences or mathematics, then review at least five other entries in the mandatory peer-to-peer review.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Breakthrough Prize Foundation sets eligibility by age, not grade. Not converted.", "min_grade": 8 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 13 to 18. You must be 13 by 11 May 2026 at 12:01 AM Pacific Daylight Time, and cannot be older than 18, meaning not yet 19, by the date stated in the official rules.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Eligibility is strictly date-based. Third-party listings give the upper cutoff as 1 October 2026; the rules page excerpt confirmed the structure but the exact upper date should be checked directly.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 8, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide to students aged 13 to 18. Entrants must complete a peer review round, and skipping it disqualifies the entry.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Open internationally per the Foundation, with exclusions for sanctioned regions; the precise list was not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual entries only.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No fee is mentioned in the official rules excerpt checked; third parties describe it as free." }, "deadline": { "display": "Submissions are due no later than 15 September 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT. To be eligible for the scholarship you must also score at least five other submissions in the peer-to-peer review by 30 September 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT.", "iso": "2026-09-15", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The Challenge has run on an annual cycle with a summer deadline, but the schedule has shifted between years. Confirm on breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org." }, "event_dates": "The 2026 competition period runs from 11 May 2026 at 12:01 AM PDT to 15 September 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT, with peer review to 30 September.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "One winner receives a $250,000 college scholarship, plus renovations to the winner's school valued at up to $100,000 for a science lab, and the winner elects one teacher who inspired them in science or mathematics to receive $50,000.", "max_usd": 250000, "detail": "The winner receives a $100,000 post-secondary scholarship, the teacher who inspired them receives $50,000, and their school receives a $100,000 science laboratory. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/", "register_steps": [ "Pick one concept you genuinely understand. Depth of understanding shows on camera and cannot be faked.", "Watch several past winning videos, which are published free. They calibrate the expected level far better than the rules do.", "Make the video within the stated length limit. Going over is a common disqualification.", "Submit before the deadline, then complete the peer review round, which is mandatory." ], "skills": [ "Explaining difficult ideas simply", "Video production and editing", "Scriptwriting", "Physics, biology or mathematics knowledge", "Visual storytelling" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Breakthrough Junior Challenge (also: past winning videos)", "url": "https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, deadlines, judging criteria and every past winning video. Published free. Watching five is the single best preparation available." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Archive of winning and finalist videos", "url": "https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/", "note": "Published free by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "exploravision", "regeneron-isef", "c-span-studentcam", "nyt-podcast-contest" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need animation software?", "a": "No. Winning entries have used whiteboards, paper cutouts and simple filming. The judging rewards clarity of explanation, and elaborate production sometimes gets in the way of it." }, { "q": "What is the peer review round?", "a": "Entrants are required to watch and evaluate other entries. It is mandatory, and failing to complete it disqualifies your submission regardless of how good your video is." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/" ], "caveats": "The video format, the 13 to 18 age range, worldwide eligibility, the mandatory peer review round and the $250,000 prize package split between student, teacher and school follow the Breakthrough Prize Foundation's long-standing published description. The current cycle's deadline and exact prize terms were not confirmed during the last check, and this competition's schedule has shifted between years." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/breakthrough-junior-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "bpa", "name": "Business Professionals of America", "full_name": "Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference", "organizer": "Business Professionals of America", "categories": [ "business", "coding" ], "tagline": "Competitive events in business, IT, digital media and management, with a strong technical event list.", "summary": "Business Professionals of America runs competitive events through school chapters at regional, state and national level. Its distinguishing feature among the career and technical student organisations is the depth of its information technology and digital media events, which include programming, network administration, cybersecurity, video production and web design alongside traditional business events.", "how_it_works": "Competition runs through the Workplace Skills Assessment Program, covering business, information technology, finance, office administration and related fields.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Two pre-college divisions: Middle Level for middle school students, and Secondary for high school students, both currently or previously enrolled in business, career technical or related education programmes. A Post-secondary division exists for college students.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://bpa.org/membership/divisions-and-costs/membership-divisions/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "BPA does not publish numbered grade ranges. Associate Member designation, included within the Secondary Division, covers high school students from special populations.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "BPA sets divisions by school level, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Requires an active chapter at your school. A teacher can charter one if none exists.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Membership requires enrolment, currently or previously, in a business, career technical or related education programme. National virtual membership is open to Middle Level, Secondary or Post-secondary students in a state that does not charter a stand-alone school or virtual chapter, and national virtual chapter members can go straight to national levels of competition.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://bpa.org/membership/divisions-and-costs/membership-divisions/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "That virtual route matters if your state has no BPA presence; it is easy to miss." }, "geography": { "text": "United States chartered state associations plus international chapters.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://bpa.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International chapters" ], "cost": { "display": "Membership dues plus conference registration and travel", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 1500, "note": "National membership dues apply, and the specific amounts were not captured on the pages checked. On top of that, each member may be responsible for state membership dues set independently by each chartered State Association, plus conference registration and travel. Contact your State Advisor for the state figures." }, "deadline": { "display": "Membership deadline is 15 March of each membership year.", "iso": "2026-12-01", "status": "confirmed", "note": "State and regional conference registration deadlines are set by each chartered State Association and fall much earlier. Michigan's regional conferences, for example, run from December through January." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 National Leadership Conference is 5 to 9 May 2027 in Denver, Colorado. Regional conferences run December to January and state leadership conferences from roughly February to March, with dates set by each state.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships and national recognition", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Awards and scholarships are offered; specifics were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://bpa.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check whether your school has a BPA chapter; if not, a business or computer science teacher can charter one.", "Join and pay membership dues through the chapter.", "Choose events from the published competitive event guidelines, which specify the exact scope and scoring for each.", "Compete at regional and state conferences." ], "skills": [ "Business communication", "Accounting and finance", "Programming", "Network administration", "Cybersecurity", "Digital media production" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Business Professionals of America", "url": "https://bpa.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Chapter information, membership and the competitive event programme." }, { "title": "BPA competitive event guidelines", "url": "https://bpa.org/students/compete/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Published guidelines for every event with scope, references and scoring rubrics." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Event guidelines and released tests", "url": "https://bpa.org/students/compete/", "note": "BPA publishes guidelines and some released materials for its events." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "fbla", "deca", "hosa", "acsl" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How does BPA differ from FBLA and DECA?", "a": "All three are chapter-based career student organisations with competitive events. BPA has the strongest information technology and digital media event list; DECA is oriented toward marketing and role-play events; FBLA covers general business broadly. Many schools run more than one." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://bpa.org/" ], "caveats": "The chapter model, event categories, division structure and regional-to-national progression follow BPA's published description. Current dues, deadlines, conference dates and scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check and vary by state." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/bpa/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "c-span-studentcam", "name": "C-SPAN StudentCam", "full_name": "C-SPAN StudentCam Documentary Competition", "organizer": "C-SPAN", "categories": [ "civics", "arts" ], "tagline": "Make a short documentary on a national policy question, free, with a large cash prize pool.", "summary": "StudentCam asks middle and high school students to produce a short documentary of five to six minutes on an annual theme connected to national policy, incorporating C-SPAN footage and opposing viewpoints. It is free to enter, entirely remote, and distributes a substantial prize pool across many winners, which gives it unusually good odds compared to most national competitions.", "how_it_works": "A documentary between 5:00 and 6:00 minutes excluding end credits. Anything shorter than 5:00 or longer than 6:00 is disqualified in the first round of judging. End credits must begin after the 5:00 mark and may run past 6:00. Video clips of topically related C-SPAN programming must be included, and C-SPAN suggests using multiple clips for b-roll, background and both supporting and opposing viewpoints. Other media must be copyright-free or fair use and properly cited. Winning entries explore a variety of viewpoints rather than arguing one side.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6 to 12. Grades 6 to 8 compete in the Middle School category and grades 9 to 12 in the High School category.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.studentcam.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "All students including home school, virtual, hybrid and in-person are eligible. Employees and officers of the National Cable Satellite Corporation and Trustees of the C-SPAN Education Foundation, and their immediate families, are not eligible.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "C-SPAN sets categories by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to students in the United States. Teams of up to three, with a teacher advisor required.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States including its territories, and international students in the equivalent of US grades 6 to 12.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.studentcam.org/prizes/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "International students are welcome, though high school regional judging is organised by US state." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individually, or in teams of exactly 2 or 3 members. If a documentary wins, the prize is split evenly among the students who produced it.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee is described in the rules." }, "deadline": { "display": "All entries for the 2027 competition must be successfully uploaded by Wednesday 20 January 2027, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time at the end of that day.", "iso": "2027-01-20", "status": "confirmed", "note": "StudentCam has historically closed entries in the second half of January. Confirm the current cycle's theme and deadline on studentcam.org." }, "event_dates": "Entries close in January, winners are announced in the spring, and prize-winning documentaries air on C-SPAN during April. The 2027 theme is announced ahead of the school year.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Cash prizes totalling $100,000 each year to the top 150 student documentaries and over 50 teacher advisers. A Fan Favorite award of an additional $500 goes to the top prize-winning entry receiving the most votes in a week of public online voting. Up to 10 teams receive $100 each for sharing Behind the Scenes photos on social media.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "C-SPAN has historically distributed roughly $100,000 across about 150 student winners plus teacher prizes, with a grand prize in the thousands. The large number of winners makes the odds unusually favourable." }, "official_url": "https://www.studentcam.org/", "register_steps": [ "Read the current year's theme when it is announced in the autumn.", "Find a teacher advisor, which is required.", "Plan a documentary of five to six minutes that addresses the theme, uses C-SPAN footage, and includes opposing viewpoints. All three are requirements, not suggestions.", "Submit online before the January deadline." ], "skills": [ "Video production and editing", "Interviewing", "Research on policy questions", "Scriptwriting", "Balanced argument" ], "resources": [ { "title": "StudentCam official site (also: past winning documentaries)", "url": "https://www.studentcam.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The current theme, rules, deadlines and every past winning documentary. Every winning film published free. Watching five of them is the best possible preparation." }, { "title": "C-SPAN Video Library", "url": "https://www.c-span.org/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free searchable archive of congressional and policy footage, which entries are required to draw on." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete archive of winning documentaries by year", "url": "https://www.studentcam.org/", "note": "Published free by C-SPAN." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "all-american-film-festival", "national-civics-bee", "we-the-people", "national-history-day" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need film equipment?", "a": "No. Winning StudentCam documentaries are regularly made with a phone and free editing software. Judges score the research and the argument at least as much as the production quality." }, { "q": "What are my odds?", "a": "Better than most national competitions. C-SPAN has historically named roughly 150 student winners each year across divisions and prize tiers, rather than a handful." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.studentcam.org/" ], "caveats": "The documentary format, requirements for C-SPAN footage and opposing viewpoints, grade range, free entry and the broad prize distribution follow C-SPAN's long-standing published description. The current theme, deadline and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/c-span-studentcam/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "cemc-contests", "name": "CEMC Contests", "full_name": "University of Waterloo Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing Contests", "organizer": "University of Waterloo", "categories": [ "math", "coding" ], "tagline": "Canada's national contest ladder, from grade 7 puzzles to the Canadian Computing Olympiad.", "summary": "The University of Waterloo runs a full family of mathematics and computing contests spanning grades 7 to 12: Gauss, Pascal, Cayley, Fermat, Fryer, Galois, Hypatia, Euclid, and the Canadian Computing Competition. They are written at schools worldwide, not only in Canada, and Waterloo publishes every past paper with full solutions for free, which makes this the best-documented contest family in the world.", "how_it_works": "Formats differ by contest. Pascal, Cayley, Fermat and Gauss are one-hour multiple-choice. Euclid is 10 questions in 2.5 hours, mixing final-answer and full-solution, scored out of 100. CIMC and CSMC are 9 questions in 2 hours, 6 answer-only and 3 full-solution, scored out of 60. For the full-solution contests each solution is assessed for completeness, clarity and presentation style: a correct solution that is poorly presented will not earn full marks. All are written in school on paper, individually, with some calculators permitted.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "A ladder of contests by grade. Gauss for grades 7 and 8; Pascal for grade 9; Cayley for grade 10; Fermat for grade 11; Euclid for senior secondary, designed for grade 12; CIMC for grades 9 and 10; CSMC for grades 11 and 12 and C\u00c9GEP students; Fryer, Galois and Hypatia as full-solution contests for grades 9, 10 and 11 respectively.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/pcf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Motivated students in lower grades are welcome to write a higher contest, and students working ahead a grade or more may choose the more advanced one. But a participant may write only ONE of Pascal, Cayley and Fermat in a school year, and only one of the Gauss contests. Choose deliberately.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "CEMC sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Contests are matched to grade: Gauss for grades 7 and 8, Pascal for grade 9, Cayley for grade 10, Fermat for grade 11, Euclid for senior students. You may write a contest above your grade level but not below.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. The Euclid Contest alone is written annually by over 25,000 participants worldwide, and contests are available in English and French.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/euclid", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual, with an optional school Team Competition on some contests where the team score is the sum of the three highest-scoring participants. Schools may opt out of the team competition. New in 2026, CEMC no longer provides team honour rolls or awards at zone, provincial or national levels.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "Canada", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A modest per-student fee paid by the school", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 20, "note": "CEMC charges the school for contest orders rather than publishing a per-student price, and schools pass on varying amounts. One Toronto school charged students $7 for Pascal, Cayley or Fermat. Ask your school. Separately, all CEMC practice resources, past contests and problem sets are free with no registration required." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "CEMC begins accepting contest orders for 2026-27 in September 2026. There is no single student deadline: your school sets its own, typically about four weeks before each contest. In a recent cycle one school's Pascal, Cayley and Fermat registration closed 30 January for a 25 February contest." }, "event_dates": "Tentative 2026-27 dates published by CEMC: Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests 19 November 2026; Canadian Computing Competition 18 February 2027; Pascal, Cayley and Fermat 25 February 2027; Euclid 7 April 2027; Fryer, Galois and Hypatia 8 April 2027; Canadian Team Mathematics Contest 14 April 2027 or later; Gauss 10 to 21 May 2027; Team Up Challenge 1 June 2027 or later.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Certificates, medals and Waterloo scholarship consideration", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Recognition through honour rolls and results booklets rather than cash prizes. CEMC reserves the right to disqualify students or withhold publication of results at its discretion." }, "official_url": "https://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/", "register_steps": [ "Ask your maths or computer science teacher whether the school already writes CEMC contests. Many international schools do.", "If not, a teacher registers the school as a contest centre on the CEMC site and orders papers for the contests they want to run.", "Write the contest at school on the scheduled date.", "Results and certificates are returned to the school." ], "skills": [ "Algebra", "Geometry", "Number theory", "Full-solution writing for Euclid", "Programming in C++, Python or Java for the CCC" ], "resources": [ { "title": "CEMC past contests archive", "url": "https://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/past_contests.html", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Every past paper with full official solutions, free, going back decades." }, { "title": "CEMC Courseware", "url": "https://courseware.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free structured online courses in mathematics and computer science, written by the contest organisers." }, { "title": "CEMC At Home problem sets", "url": "https://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/resources/", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Free graded problem sets with solutions." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete CEMC contest archive with official solutions", "url": "https://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/past_contests.html", "note": "Free and openly published by the University of Waterloo." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "CEMC official YouTube", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@cemc_uwaterloo", "channel": "CEMC", "note": "Problem walkthroughs and courseware videos." } ], "similar": [ "amc-10-12", "amc-8", "math-kangaroo", "usaco" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can students outside Canada write CEMC contests?", "a": "Yes. Schools worldwide register as contest centres and write the same papers on the same dates. International participation is substantial." }, { "q": "Which CEMC contest should I write?", "a": "Match it to your grade: Gauss for grades 7 and 8, Pascal for grade 9, Cayley for grade 10, Fermat for grade 11. Euclid is for senior students regardless of grade. You may write above your grade but not below." }, { "q": "Does Euclid actually matter for Waterloo admission?", "a": "Waterloo states that Euclid results are used in admissions and scholarship decisions for its mathematics and computer science programmes. If Waterloo is on your list, it is one of the few competitions with a direct, documented admissions effect." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/" ], "caveats": "Contest names, grade mapping and the free past paper archive follow the CEMC's long-standing published structure. Exact 2027 contest dates, fees and registration deadlines were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on cemc.uwaterloo.ca." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/cemc-contests/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "usnco", "name": "Chemistry Olympiad", "full_name": "United States National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO)", "organizer": "American Chemical Society", "categories": [ "science" ], "tagline": "A local exam, a national exam, then a study camp that picks the four-person United States team.", "summary": "The United States National Chemistry Olympiad runs through the American Chemical Society's local sections. Students sit a local exam in the spring, and top scorers are nominated for the National Exam, a demanding three-part paper including laboratory practical work. The top twenty attend a residential study camp, from which four are selected for the International Chemistry Olympiad.", "how_it_works": "Four tiers. The Local Exam is 110 minutes, 60 multiple-choice questions. The National Exam has three parts: Part I, 90 minutes and 60 multiple choice; Part II, 105 minutes and 8 written questions on chemical theories and models; Part III, a 90-minute laboratory practical with 2 practicals. The 20 top-scoring students attend a two-week Study Camp in June, from which four are chosen for the International Chemistry Olympiad.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "All interested secondary school students in grades 9 to 12 who can be accommodated by their Local Section are invited to participate.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/students/highschool/olympiad/olympiad-coordinator-handbook.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The phrase 'who can be accommodated' matters: capacity is set locally and registration does not guarantee a place.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "ACS sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Students may take the National Exam at most twice. International team members must meet United States citizenship or permanent residency requirements.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "A parent or guardian registers the student with ACS, but participation is confirmed by your ACS Local Section Coordinator, and registration does NOT guarantee participation. Some Local Sections require a second, separate registration through the section itself, usually via the school. Homeschooled students and students whose school declines to cover a registration fee may register as individuals, and are then contacted about their options; they are NOT allowed to take the exam at home.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://newyorkacs.online/olympiad/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "United States, organised through ACS Local Sections which each serve a defined geographic area.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/students/highschool/olympiad/olympiad-coordinator-handbook.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Usually free to the student", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 25, "note": "ACS does not publish a national fee. Local Sections may charge their own registration fee, typically collected through the school, and a student whose school declines to cover it may register as an individual. Ask your Local Section Coordinator." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no single national deadline; each Local Section sets its own, and some cut off weeks in advance. For reference, the 2026 cycle opened student registration on 6 October 2025, and one Local Section set its own registration close at 13 February 2026. Contact your Local Section Coordinator early." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates not yet published. The 2026 cycle ran: student registration open 6 October 2025; Local Exam 27 February to 16 March 2026; National Exam 10 to 19 April 2026; Study Camp 31 May to 13 June 2026; International Chemistry Olympiad 10 to 19 July 2026. Each Local Section picks its own exam date within the national window.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Study camp invitation and international team selection", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prizes. Recognition at the National Exam is by Honors and High Honors tiers, with Study Camp invitation and international team selection as the pathway." }, "official_url": "https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad.html", "register_steps": [ "Find your local American Chemical Society section through the national site and ask how it runs the local exam.", "Ask a chemistry teacher to arrange for you to sit the local exam, usually held at a school or university in March.", "Score highly enough to be nominated by your section for the National Exam in April.", "Sit the National Exam, including its laboratory practical section." ], "skills": [ "Stoichiometry and equilibrium", "Thermodynamics and kinetics", "Organic chemistry", "Laboratory technique", "Quantitative problem solving" ], "resources": [ { "title": "ACS Chemistry Olympiad", "url": "https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad.html", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Programme structure, the four tiers, current dates and registration." }, { "title": "Exam information and format", "url": "https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad/prepare-for-exams/exam-information.html", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Exact format of both exams, plus the published topic breakdown of the 60 multiple-choice questions." }, { "title": "Coaching programme", "url": "https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad/prepare-for-exams/coaching-program.html", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free online help published by ACS to prepare for the exam." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past exams and preparation material", "url": "https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad/prepare-for-exams/exam-information.html", "note": "ACS publishes past local and national exams with answer keys through its exam preparation pages." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "usabo", "physics-olympiad", "science-olympiad", "brain-bee" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I find my local section?", "a": "The American Chemical Society publishes a directory of local sections on its site. Your chemistry teacher may already have a contact, since sections usually work through schools." }, { "q": "Does the National Exam really include a lab practical?", "a": "Yes. The National Exam has a laboratory practical section alongside multiple choice and free response, which is unusual among olympiad exams and needs separate preparation." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad.html", "https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad/prepare-for-exams/exam-information.html" ], "caveats": "The four-tier structure, the three-part national exam with its 90-minute laboratory practical, the published ten-topic split of the 60 multiple-choice questions, the nominee allotment by Local Section size and the two-per-school cap are all published by ACS. The 2026 cycle dates are confirmed (registration opened 6 October 2025, local exams 27 February to 16 March, national exam 10 to 19 April). The 2027 dates had not been published at the time of checking. ACS also moved this programme's pages: the old /education/students/highschool/ paths no longer resolve." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/usnco/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "coca-cola-scholars", "name": "Coca-Cola Scholars Program", "full_name": "Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship", "organizer": "Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation", "categories": [ "scholarship" ], "tagline": "A $20,000 achievement-based scholarship for graduating seniors, awarded to 150 students a year.", "summary": "The Coca-Cola Scholars Program awards $20,000 scholarships to 150 graduating high school seniors each year, selected from tens of thousands of applicants. Unlike research competitions, it judges leadership, service and character across the whole of a student's record rather than one project. Selection runs through several rounds culminating in interviews for finalists.", "how_it_works": "A multi-phase process. The initial Phase 1 application does not require essays; essays, transcripts and recommendation letters are required only if you advance to the semifinalist stage. An interview follows for regional finalists. Selection is achievement-based on leadership, academics and service; financial need plays no part.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Current high school seniors who will graduate during the 2026-27 academic year. Homeschooled students are eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Gap-year students, non-traditional students and anyone who has already graduated are not eligible. This is strictly a final-year-of-high-school award.", "min_grade": 12 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Foundation sets eligibility by school year, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 12, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must be a US citizen, permanent resident or otherwise eligible as specified, be in your final year, and plan to pursue a degree at an accredited US post-secondary institution. A minimum grade point average applies.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "50 US states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and select Department of Defense schools abroad.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Students must attend school in one of the 50 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or select Department of Defense schools abroad, because the scholarship is funded in part by US-based Coca-Cola bottlers serving those areas. Children and grandchildren of current employees, officers or owners of Coca-Cola bottling companies, The Coca-Cola Company or its divisions are not eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "US citizens attending American or expat schools abroad are not eligible unless the school is an approved DoD school, which catches out military and expatriate families every year." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No application fee is stated on the Foundation's pages." }, "deadline": { "display": "The application opens Monday 3 August 2026 and closes at 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday 30 September 2026.", "iso": "2026-09-30", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Do not trust other dates. At least one commercial coaching site publishes a 31 October 2026 deadline for this cycle, which contradicts the Foundation's own application page. A student relying on that would miss the deadline by a month." }, "event_dates": "Applications in autumn, semifinalists in the winter, finalist interviews and announcement in spring.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "150 scholarships of $20,000 each are awarded annually.", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "One hundred and fifty scholarships of $20,000 each, plus membership of an active alumni network that offers ongoing support and connections." }, "official_url": "https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check the eligibility requirements, including grade point average and citizenship, before investing time.", "Apply online early in your final year. The deadline falls in the autumn, well before most college application deadlines.", "If you advance, complete the longer semifinalist application with essays and recommendations.", "Finalists attend an interview weekend in Atlanta, with travel provided." ], "skills": [ "Reflective essay writing", "Articulating leadership and service", "Interview performance", "Presenting a coherent account of your record" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation official site", "url": "https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Eligibility, application timeline, selection process and scholar profiles." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Scholar profiles by year", "url": "https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/", "note": "Published profiles of past scholars, useful for understanding what the programme values." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "jack-kent-cooke-young-scholars", "prudential-emerging-visionaries", "davidson-fellows", "regeneron-sts" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "When is the deadline?", "a": "Historically in the autumn of your final year, which is earlier than most students expect and well before college application deadlines. Confirm the exact date on the foundation's site in the summer before your senior year." }, { "q": "What are they actually looking for?", "a": "Leadership, service and character across your whole record rather than a single achievement. Reading published scholar profiles is the clearest guide, and they show considerable variety rather than one template." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/" ], "caveats": "The $20,000 award, 150 scholars per year, senior-year-only eligibility and the multi-round selection with Atlanta interviews follow the foundation's long-standing published description. The current cycle's deadline and exact eligibility thresholds were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on the foundation's site." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/coca-cola-scholars/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "codeforces", "name": "Codeforces", "full_name": "Codeforces competitive programming rounds", "organizer": "Codeforces", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "Free short-format algorithmic contests several times a month, open to anyone with a rating attached.", "summary": "Codeforces is not a single annual competition but a continuous platform running two-hour algorithmic contests several times a month, free and open to anyone worldwide including students under 18. Every contest updates a public rating, so you get objective, frequent feedback on whether you are improving. For students working toward USACO or the IOI, it is the standard volume practice ground.", "how_it_works": "A round runs 2 hours with 5 problems unless stated otherwise. Registration opens six hours before the start and closes 5 minutes before it. Statements are available in English and Russian. Div. 3 and educational rounds use extended ICPC rules: solutions are judged on preliminary tests during the round, followed by a 12-hour open hacking phase, after which accepted solutions are rejudged against successful hacks. Rank is by problems solved then penalty, with a 10-minute penalty per wrong submission.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Codeforces is not a school competition and has no grade eligibility. It is an open platform used by school students, university students and working professionals alike, which is worth knowing: a student is competing against adults, not peers.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Codeforces sets no age limits. Participation is open to everybody.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to everyone, including adults and university students, so a young competitor is competing against a global field. Division 3 and 4 rounds are pitched at beginners.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, open to everybody with no residency requirement.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://codeforces.com/help", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual for standard rounds.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Participation is free and open to everybody." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no season or deadline. Roughly six contests run each month. The only cut-off is the per-round registration window, which closes 5 minutes before the round begins. You must appear in the registered users list before registration ends." }, "event_dates": "Several rounds per month, year round.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Rating and ranking, with occasional sponsor prizes", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Standard rounds carry rating changes and coloured titles rather than prizes. Some sponsored rounds offer prizes; check the individual round announcement." }, "official_url": "https://codeforces.com/", "register_steps": [ "Create a free account at codeforces.com.", "Register for an upcoming round from the contest page, choosing a division appropriate to your rating. New accounts start in the beginner divisions.", "Compete during the round. Submissions are judged live.", "After each contest, read the official editorial and re-solve the problems you could not finish." ], "skills": [ "C++, Java or Python", "Greedy algorithms", "Dynamic programming", "Graph theory", "Fast implementation", "Reading problem statements precisely" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Codeforces", "url": "https://codeforces.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Contests, the full problem archive, editorials and a rating system." }, { "title": "Codeforces problem set filtered by rating", "url": "https://codeforces.com/problemset", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Filter by difficulty rating and topic tag. The standard way to train a specific weakness." }, { "title": "Competitive Programmer's Handbook", "url": "https://cses.fi/book/book.pdf", "kind": "Book", "free": true, "note": "Free PDF covering the algorithm syllabus these contests draw on." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete problem archive with editorials", "url": "https://codeforces.com/problemset", "note": "Every past problem, free, with official editorials and the ability to submit for judging." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "Errichto", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@Errichto", "channel": "Errichto", "note": "Contest screencasts and algorithm lectures from a top-rated competitor." } ], "similar": [ "usaco", "acsl", "cemc-contests", "picoctf" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is Codeforces suitable for a beginner?", "a": "Yes, if you already program. Division 3 and Division 4 rounds are pitched at beginners, and the problem archive can be filtered by difficulty rating so you can start well below contest level." }, { "q": "How does it relate to USACO?", "a": "Codeforces gives you contest volume and a rating; USACO gives you a recognised credential and a path to the IOI. Most serious USACO competitors use Codeforces for practice between USACO contests, though the problem styles differ." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://codeforces.com/" ], "caveats": "The free access, rating system, division structure and contest cadence follow the platform's long-standing published operation. Nothing about the current schedule was confirmed during the last check. Codeforces is open to all ages, so a student is competing against adults." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/codeforces/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "congressional-app-challenge", "name": "Congressional App Challenge", "full_name": "Congressional App Challenge", "organizer": "U.S. House of Representatives", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "Build an app, compete only against students in your own congressional district, and win a display in the U.S. Capitol.", "summary": "The Congressional App Challenge is the largest student computer science competition in the United States, run district by district by participating Members of Congress. That structure is what makes it unusual: you are not competing against thousands of students nationally, you are competing against however many entered in your district, which in some districts is a few dozen and in others is a handful. It is free, open to any middle or high school student, and accepts any programming language including block-based code.", "how_it_works": "Any programming language, including block code, and any platform: desktop, web, tablet, mobile, Raspberry Pi or robot. There are no limits on theme or topic. You submit a working app with a short application and a demonstration video. Apps built for other projects are allowed provided they were created after 30 October 2025. Only completed projects are accepted.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Middle or high school student at the time of app submission", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/rules/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "The rules define eligibility by school level, not by numbered grades. Public, private and home-schooled students are all eligible.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "The Congressional App Challenge sets no age limits, only school level.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You compete in the district where you live or attend school, and only if your Member of Congress is hosting a challenge that year. Check the participating districts list first, because if your representative is not hosting you cannot enter.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "You may compete in the district where you live or the district where you attend school, and only in a district that is hosting a Challenge. Members of Congress had until 15 September 2026 to register their district, so check the participating districts list before doing anything else.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/congress/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": "All competing students must be US residents at the time of submission. There is no citizenship requirement.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/rules/", "checked": "2026-09-01" } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individuals or teams of up to four. No more than four students may form a team. If competing as a team, at least half the teammates must be eligible to compete in the district being entered.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "There is no entry fee." }, "deadline": { "display": "Submissions for 2026 close Monday 26 October 2026 at 12:00 pm ET.", "iso": "2026-10-26", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Submit well before the day. The official rules PDF gives 12:00 pm ET while the student registration page has been reported showing a later time on the same day, and individual Member offices publish their own local times. Do not rely on the latest of these." }, "event_dates": "Judging follows the October deadline, with district winners announced in December 2026. Results are embargoed until 15 January 2027.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "The winning app is eligible to be featured on display in the US Capitol and on House.gov, with an invitation to the #HouseOfCode celebration and waived copyright registration application fees through the ARTS Act.", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "The winning app is displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year, featured on House.gov and the Challenge website, and receives a copyright fee waiver through the ARTS Act. Winners are invited to the #HouseOfCode reception in Washington, D.C. Some districts add local sponsor prizes." }, "official_url": "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/", "register_steps": [ "Check the participating districts list on the official site. If your Member of Congress is not hosting, you cannot enter, though you can contact their office and ask them to host next cycle.", "Register as a student on the official site. Team members register with a shared link.", "Build your app. Any programming language is accepted, including block-based tools such as Scratch and MIT App Inventor.", "Record a video of one to three minutes explaining the problem, the app and how you built it. Upload it, unlisted, to YouTube or Vimeo.", "Submit before the deadline. Late submissions are not accepted and the portal closes on time." ], "skills": [ "Any programming language", "Problem framing", "User interface design", "Video presentation", "Project scoping" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Congressional App Challenge official site", "url": "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the participating districts list, rules and the annual rulebook PDF." }, { "title": "Official rules page", "url": "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/rules/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Eligibility, team rules and submission requirements. Read this before you start building." }, { "title": "MIT App Inventor", "url": "https://appinventor.mit.edu/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free block-based Android app builder. Explicitly acceptable for the Challenge and a realistic route for a first entry." }, { "title": "freeCodeCamp", "url": "https://www.freecodecamp.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free full curriculum for web app development if you are starting from nothing." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Previous winning apps", "url": "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/winners/", "note": "Published gallery of past district winners. The best available guide to the standard you are competing against." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "technovation-girls", "usaco", "conrad-challenge", "diamond-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "When is the 2026 deadline?", "a": "Submissions close on 26 October 2026 at 12:00 ET. Registration opened on 1 May 2026 and there is no entry fee." }, { "q": "Can I enter as a team?", "a": "Yes, in teams of up to four students. At least half the team must be eligible to compete in the district you are entering. Teams larger than four are not eligible." }, { "q": "What if my representative is not hosting?", "a": "Then you cannot enter that cycle, because participation is at each Member office's discretion. Check the participating districts list first. You can contact your representative's office and ask them to host in a future year." }, { "q": "Does my app have to be finished?", "a": "A complete app is not strictly required, but a final, fully detailed proposal is expected, and a working demonstration in your video is a substantial advantage." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/student-registration/", "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/rules/", "https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/congress/" ], "caveats": "The 26 October 2026 12:00 ET deadline, the 1 May 2026 registration opening, free entry, middle and high school eligibility and teams of up to four are all published on the official site. Members of Congress had until 15 September 2026 to register a district, so whether your district participates is the one thing to check yourself." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/congressional-app-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "congressional-art-competition", "name": "Congressional Art Competition", "full_name": "Congressional Art Competition, An Artistic Discovery", "organizer": "United States House of Representatives", "categories": [ "arts" ], "tagline": "One winner per congressional district, with the winning artwork hung in the United States Capitol for a year.", "summary": "The Congressional Art Competition is the visual art counterpart to the Congressional App Challenge, run district by district by Members of the House of Representatives. High school students submit a two-dimensional artwork, a local panel judges the district entries, and the winning piece hangs in a corridor of the United States Capitol for a year. Like the App Challenge, the district structure means the field you compete against is small and local.", "how_it_works": "Two-dimensional artwork only, no bas-relief. Framed, no larger than 26 inches high by 26 inches wide by 4 inches deep, and no more than 15 pounds including the frame. Work must be in the original medium, not a scan or reproduction. Accepted media include paintings, drawings, collage, prints, mixed media, computer-generated art and photography. Entries copied from an existing photo or image created by someone else violate the rules and are not accepted. Artwork must comply with House Office Building Commission policy: subjects of contemporary political controversy or of a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 8 to 12. Members may choose to include 7th and 8th grade students if schools in their district house grades 7 to 12 on one campus. Verify with your Member's office.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://elfreth.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/elfreth.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2026-rules-and-regulations-for-students-and-teachers.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The previous listing described this as grades 9 to 12. The national rules say 8 to 12, with 7th grade possible in some districts. Public, private and home-schooled students are eligible.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Eligibility is by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must live or attend school in a participating congressional district. Check whether your Member of Congress runs the competition, as participation is at each office's discretion.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Enter in the district where you RESIDE, not where you attend school. Not every Member runs the competition, so confirm your district participates.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://elfreth.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/elfreth.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2026-rules-and-regulations-for-students-and-teachers.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "At least one district instead invites students who live in OR attend school in the district, so check your own Member's wording. Getting this wrong is the most common way an entry is rejected." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual only. Artwork must be the creation of a single student and collaboration is not permitted. One entry per student.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee is described. Framing the winning piece and, if you attend, travel to Washington are the costs to plan for." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no national deadline; each Member's office sets its own, typically between late March and late April. Examples from the 2026 cycle: 27 March, 30 March, 13 April and 17 April, all with different times of day. Find your own Member's date and note the time, since several close at 4 or 5 p.m. rather than midnight." }, "event_dates": "Winning artwork hangs in the U.S. Capitol for one year, from June through the following May, and winners are recognised at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Display in the United States Capitol for one year", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prize under the national rules. The district winner's work is displayed in the Capitol for a year and featured on the House.gov competition page. Individual Members sometimes add district-level awards." }, "official_url": "https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/congressional-art-competition", "register_steps": [ "Check whether your Member of Congress is running the competition by visiting their official House.gov page.", "Read the local rules for deadline, size limits, weight limits and delivery instructions, which are set by that office.", "Create an original two-dimensional artwork within the stated limits.", "Submit or deliver it by the district deadline, with the required student information form." ], "skills": [ "Two-dimensional art practice", "Working within size constraints", "Framing and presentation", "Meeting formal submission requirements" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Congressional Art Competition on House.gov", "url": "https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/congressional-art-competition", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The national overview and general rules. Local deadlines come from your own representative's office." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning artworks", "url": "https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/congressional-art-competition", "note": "Winning works are published by individual congressional offices and shown in the Capitol display." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "scholastic-art-writing", "youngarts", "doodle-for-google", "congressional-app-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "What kind of artwork is accepted?", "a": "Two-dimensional work only, within stated size and weight limits including the frame. Paintings, drawings, prints, mixed media, collage, computer-generated art and photographs are typically accepted. Check your district's specific rules." }, { "q": "How do I find my district's deadline?", "a": "Contact your Member of Congress's office or check their House.gov page. Deadlines and procedures are set locally and vary considerably between districts." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.house.gov/educators-and-students/congressional-art-competition" ], "caveats": "The district-by-district structure, the two-dimensional artwork requirement, free entry and the Capitol display follow the competition's long-standing published description. Deadlines, size limits and participation are set individually by each congressional office and were not confirmed. Contact your own representative's office." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/congressional-art-competition/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "conrad-challenge", "name": "Conrad Challenge", "full_name": "Conrad Innovation Challenge", "organizer": "Conrad Foundation", "categories": [ "business", "engineering" ], "tagline": "A year-long innovation competition where teams build a product and a business around a real global problem.", "summary": "The Conrad Challenge is an annual innovation and entrepreneurship competition for students aged 13 to 18 worldwide. Teams work through staged deliverables across a full academic year: an initial concept, then a full innovation package including a business plan, prototype and marketing strategy, then a live pitch at the Innovation Summit. Categories span aerospace, cyber-technology and security, energy and environment, and health and nutrition.", "how_it_works": "A multi-stage year-long process. Activation Stage: form the team, register and complete a Lean Canvas. Innovation Stage: submit an Innovation Brief, a video and a website. Innovation Summit: finalists present in person at Space Center Houston. Categories span areas such as energy, health, aerospace, cybersecurity and sustainability. Judging looks at clarity, feasibility, impact and communication.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Conrad Foundation sets eligibility by age, not grade. Middle school students within the age range are eligible, as are officially homeschooled students.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 13 to 18.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://conrad.spacecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-2026-Conrad-Challenge-Student-Guide-08_12_25.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Students who competed in previous years may enter again provided they still meet the age criteria, and teams may resubmit a past innovation if significant advances have been made since.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide. Teams need a coach, who can be a teacher, parent or mentor, and team members may come from different schools or countries.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open worldwide; the 2023-24 season drew over 4,000 participants from more than 50 countries.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.aralia.com/helpful-information/the-conrad-innovation-challenge/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 2 to 5 students, plus one coach over 18. There is no solo entry and a team must always have at least two members. Teammates may come from different schools, cities and countries, and many teams work across time zones. All team members and the coach register through the Conrad Portal under one account.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Not free. The Activation and Lean Canvas stages carry no fee, but advancing to the Innovation Stage costs $499 per team. Reported separately, attending the Innovation Summit costs a further $499 per attendee.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 499, "note": "This is a material correction: the previous listing described the competition as free. The Conrad Foundation offers discounts and fee waivers to qualifying students and teams, awarded on application quality and demonstrated need, so ask rather than being deterred. Travel to Houston for the Summit is additional." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2026-27 dates were not confirmed; the season was set to begin in August 2026. For reference, the 2025-26 cycle ran the Activation Stage 28 August to 30 October 2025, the Innovation Stage 31 October 2025 to 8 January 2026, finalists announced 27 February 2026, finalist materials due 2 April 2026 and the Summit 22 to 25 April 2026." }, "event_dates": "Activation Stage due 30 October 2026. Innovation Stage due 8 January 2027. Innovation Summit 21 to 24 April 2027.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "College scholarships, patent services and industry prizes", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "No cash prizes. Reported awards include a medallion and certificate, a laptop, patent lawyer services valued at around $20,000, a market feasibility study, connections to grant funding, and funded places on entrepreneurship programmes. Scholarship awards apply only at a specific list of colleges, which is worth checking before treating them as a general benefit." }, "official_url": "https://conrad.spacecenter.org/", "register_steps": [ "Form a team of two to five students aged 13 to 18. Teammates can be from different schools or countries.", "Find a coach with relevant subject knowledge. This is required and shapes how much support you get.", "Register on the Conrad Challenge site and choose your category or categories.", "Submit the Activation Stage deliverable by 30 October 2026.", "If you advance, produce the full Innovation Stage package by 8 January 2027, then pitch at the Summit if selected as a finalist." ], "skills": [ "Product design", "Prototyping", "Business planning", "Market research", "Financial modelling", "Pitching to industry judges", "Working to staged deadlines over a year" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Conrad Challenge official site (also: conrad challenge resources)", "url": "https://conrad.spacecenter.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Categories, staged deadlines, rules, judging criteria and past finalists. Guidance material on each deliverable, published by the Conrad Foundation." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past finalist projects", "url": "https://conrad.spacecenter.org/", "note": "Previous years' finalist concepts are published, which is the clearest guide to scope and quality." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "diamond-challenge", "technovation-girls", "invention-convention", "blue-ocean-competition" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is the Conrad Challenge free?", "a": "There is no entry fee for the competition stages. Finalists who attend the Innovation Summit in person are responsible for their own travel and accommodation." }, { "q": "How long does it take?", "a": "It is a year-long competition with staged deadlines from October through April. The Innovation Stage in particular is a substantial deliverable and teams that start in December struggle." }, { "q": "Can middle school students enter?", "a": "Yes. Eligibility is by age, 13 to 18, so younger students who meet the age floor can compete." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://conrad.spacecenter.org/" ], "caveats": "Ages 13 to 18, worldwide eligibility and the team structure are published by the Conrad Foundation. Reporting on the 2026-27 cycle describes staged deadlines with a fee applying only from the later stages, but this was not confirmed against the Foundation's own site at the time of checking, so treat the stage dates and the fee as unconfirmed." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/conrad-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "cyberpatriot", "name": "CyberPatriot", "full_name": "CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition", "organizer": "Air and Space Forces Association", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "Teams defend deliberately broken computer systems against a clock, from middle school upward.", "summary": "CyberPatriot is a defensive cybersecurity competition. Teams are given virtual machines riddled with vulnerabilities and misconfigurations and score points by finding and fixing them within a fixed window. It is the opposite of a capture-the-flag: nothing is attacked, everything is hardened. The programme runs through school and community clubs and includes an Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative for younger students.", "how_it_works": "Teams act as newly hired IT professionals managing the network of a small company, finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities in virtual images while maintaining critical services. Online qualification rounds lead to state, regional and national rounds. The National Finals add a Red versus Blue defence session and a Cisco Networking Challenge.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school and middle school, plus accredited homeschooling programmes. Three independent divisions: Open Division for high school students fielded by a public, parochial, home, private, magnet or charter school, scouting unit, state-chartered virtual school, Boys and Girls Club or YMCA/YWCA; All Service Division for high schoolers fielded by Army, Marine Corps, Navy or Air Force JROTC, US Naval Sea Cadet Corps or Civil Air Patrol, with Space Force JROTC competing under AFJROTC; and Middle School Division.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/cyberpatriot/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "You cannot pick your division freely: it follows the organisation that fields your team. Teams remain in their assigned division once they have competed in a qualification round, except to correct an administrative error. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "AFA sets divisions by school level and fielding organisation, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open teams and JROTC, Civil Air Patrol and Naval Sea Cadet divisions run in parallel. Teams need an adult coach, who does not need technical expertise.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "The organisation registers the team, and all competitors must be enrolled in or affiliated with that organisation. An individual student cannot enter alone.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://author.uscyberpatriot.org/Documents/CP18_RulesBook_FINAL.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "United States plus limited international participation. CP-17 fielded 4,023 teams: 2,160 Open, 942 All Service and 921 Middle School.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CyberPatriot", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 2 to 6 students plus an approved adult coach, with optional team assistants and technical mentors. There is no limit to the number of teams an organisation may host within a division.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada", "International divisions" ], "cost": { "display": "A per-team registration fee, with fee waivers available", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 250, "note": "Not published on the pages checked, and it varies by division and organisation. Civil Air Patrol states there is NO charge for any CAP squadron team, and at least one JROTC-hosted programme provides all materials, training and equipment at no cost to participants through sponsor support. Open Division teams should ask their organisation, since AFA has historically charged Open Division registration while waiving it for others." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "CP-19 dates were not confirmed on the pages checked. For reference, CP-18 registration ran 1 April to 1 October 2025. Civil Air Patrol describes the annual pattern as registration opening the first part of April, the practice competition beginning in September, and team registration closing the first week of October, with individual team members addable until late October. That late-October window is useful: you can register the team before you have finalised who is on it." }, "event_dates": "Qualification rounds run from autumn through winter, with national finals in the spring.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Teams advancing to the National Finals receive all-expenses-paid travel to Bethesda, Maryland, plus certificates and sponsor gifts. Scholarships are awarded at the National Finals, including through the Cisco NetAcad Challenge.", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "National finalists receive scholarships and an all-expenses trip to the finals event. Amounts vary by year; confirm on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find an adult willing to act as coach. This can be any teacher, parent or club leader; technical expertise is not required.", "The coach registers the team on uscyberpatriot.org during the registration window and applies for a fee waiver if eligible.", "Work through the free training materials and practice images that CyberPatriot provides to registered teams.", "Compete in each round from your own computers on the scheduled dates." ], "skills": [ "Windows and Linux administration", "User and permission management", "Reading security policy", "Working under time pressure as a team", "Documentation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "CyberPatriot official site", "url": "https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, rules, fee waivers and the official training modules provided to registered teams." }, { "title": "OverTheWire Bandit", "url": "https://overthewire.org/wargames/bandit/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free Linux command line training that transfers directly to the Linux images." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "picoctf", "usaco", "acsl", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need a technical coach?", "a": "No. CyberPatriot is explicitly designed for coaches without a technical background and provides training materials for teams to work through themselves." }, { "q": "How is it different from picoCTF?", "a": "CyberPatriot is defensive: you harden broken systems and are scored on vulnerabilities closed. picoCTF is offensive: you find hidden flags by exploiting deliberately vulnerable targets. The skills overlap but the mindsets differ." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/" ], "caveats": "The team format, defensive scoring model, coach requirement and division structure follow CyberPatriot's published description. Current fees, registration deadlines, round dates and scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on uscyberpatriot.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/cyberpatriot/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "cyberstart-america", "name": "CyberStart America", "full_name": "CyberStart America", "organizer": "SANS Institute and the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "A free, game-based cybersecurity challenge with scholarships attached, open to US high school students.", "summary": "CyberStart America is a free online cybersecurity game for high school students in the United States. You work through hundreds of challenges in a browser, covering forensics, cryptography, programming and web security, with no prior knowledge assumed. Strong performers qualify for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, which awards substantial scholarships and professional training courses.", "how_it_works": "Register free and play through challenge bases that progressively increase in difficulty. The game teaches as you go, with hints available. High scorers are invited to the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, where top performers earn scholarships covering SANS training and certification, which is normally very expensive professional education.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Historical eligibility, from a 2022 state partner page, was grades 9 to 12 at a public, private or homeschool equivalent. Not confirmed as current because the programme appears to have ended.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Historical minimum age was 13. Not confirmed as current because the programme appears to have ended.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to high school students in the United States. Availability and eligibility have varied by state and year; check the current cycle.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Was US-only while it ran." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Historical requirement was US citizen or permanent resident. Not confirmed as current." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Was free while it ran." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No current cycle found." }, "event_dates": "Game open through autumn and winter, National Cyber Scholarship Competition in the spring.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships covering professional security training and certification", "max_usd": 4000, "detail": "Historically, top scorers were named National Cyber Scholars and received college scholarships plus SANS training. Not confirmed as current." }, "official_url": "https://www.cyberstartamerica.org/", "register_steps": [ "Register free at cyberstartamerica.org during the autumn window.", "Start with the introductory bases, which assume no prior knowledge.", "Work through challenges consistently rather than in one burst; the scoring rewards depth.", "High scorers are invited to the National Cyber Scholarship Competition in spring." ], "skills": [ "Linux basics", "Cryptography", "Web security", "Digital forensics", "Python scripting", "Persistence" ], "resources": [ { "title": "CyberStart America", "url": "https://www.cyberstartamerica.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the game itself and scholarship information." }, { "title": "picoCTF picoGym", "url": "https://play.picoctf.org/practice", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free year-round challenge archive covering the same skill areas." }, { "title": "OverTheWire Bandit", "url": "https://overthewire.org/wargames/bandit/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free Linux command line training that unlocks many CyberStart challenges." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "picoctf", "cyberpatriot", "usaco", "acsl" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it free?", "a": "Yes, entirely. The game and the scholarship competition cost nothing, and the scholarships awarded cover professional SANS training that would otherwise be very expensive." }, { "q": "Can international students play?", "a": "CyberStart America is for US high school students. Students elsewhere should look at picoCTF, which is open worldwide and free." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.cyberstartamerica.org/" ], "caveats": "The free game model, scholarship pathway and US high school eligibility follow the programme's published description. Availability has varied by state and year, and the current cycle's registration window and scholarship values were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/cyberstart-america/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "davidson-fellows", "name": "Davidson Fellows Scholarship", "full_name": "Davidson Fellows Scholarship", "organizer": "Davidson Institute", "categories": [ "scholarship", "science" ], "tagline": "Scholarships of up to $50,000 for a significant piece of work in science, technology, mathematics, literature, music or philosophy.", "summary": "The Davidson Fellows Scholarship recognises students under 18 who have completed a significant piece of work: original scientific research, a mathematical result, a body of literature, a musical composition, a technological innovation, or work in philosophy or outside the box. Awards are $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000. The bar is deliberately high, described as work at a level that would be recognised by professionals in the field.", "how_it_works": "Applicants submit a completed significant piece of work in one of eight categories: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy and Outside the Box. The Institute looks for work at or close to college graduate level and states this is not aimed at novices. The application has two parts: an initial eligibility description reviewed in one to two business days, then the full submission with nominator forms. Nomination is required.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Davidson Institute sets eligibility by age, not grade. There is no minimum age or grade.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "18 or younger as of the application deadline. There is no minimum age.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/eligibility/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "For a two-person team, both members must be 18 or younger as of the deadline.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "You must be a US citizen or permanent resident, or living abroad due to military or diplomatic service. There is no minimum age, and young fellows have been recognised.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, plus US citizens stationed overseas on active military duty.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/eligibility/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Must be a US citizen residing in the United States, a Permanent Resident residing in the United States, or stationed overseas due to active US military duty.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/eligibility/", "checked": "2026-09-02" } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual or a two-person team. Both team members must meet all eligibility requirements, both must attend any in-person awards events, and the scholarship is split evenly between them. Two nominators are required either way. Once a project is a team project it is always a team project and cannot later be submitted by one member alone.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No application fee is described on the pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 deadline was not published at the time of checking; the application opens in autumn 2026. The 2026 deadline was 18 February 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. A third-party scholarship site lists 11 February 2027, which is unconfirmed. Submit the initial portion early, since nominators need time after your application is approved." }, "event_dates": "Awards reception and recognition events are held in September in Washington, D.C. Fellows must be available to attend with at least one parent or guardian.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships of $100,000, $50,000 and $25,000, funding tuition and related expenses at accredited institutions.", "max_usd": 100000, "detail": "Three award levels, usable for post-secondary education. Fellows also attend a recognition event in Washington, D.C. and join the Davidson Institute's community of fellows." }, "official_url": "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/", "register_steps": [ "Read the category descriptions and the judging criteria carefully. The standard is work that professionals in the field would recognise as significant, which is higher than most school competitions.", "Prepare the portfolio appropriate to your category: a research paper, a score and recording, a manuscript, or documentation of a technology.", "Secure recommendations from someone qualified to assess the work in your field.", "Submit the full application before the winter deadline." ], "skills": [ "Sustained independent work", "Writing about your own work for expert evaluators", "Documenting a body of work", "Discipline-specific mastery" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Davidson Fellows official page", "url": "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Categories, eligibility, judging criteria, deadlines and profiles of past fellows." }, { "title": "Past fellows and their projects", "url": "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/fellows/", "kind": "Past projects", "free": true, "note": "Published profiles of previous fellows. The clearest available calibration of what qualifies as significant work." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Profiles of previous Davidson Fellows", "url": "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/fellows/", "note": "Free published archive by year and category." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "regeneron-sts", "regeneron-isef", "jack-kent-cooke-young-scholars", "coca-cola-scholars" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "What counts as significant work?", "a": "The Davidson Institute describes the standard as work at a level that would be recognised as significant by professionals in that field. Reading the published profiles of past fellows is the most reliable way to calibrate what that means in your category." }, { "q": "Are the arts categories easier than science?", "a": "No, but they are less crowded than the science categories. The music and literature categories judge a body of work at professional standard, which is a different bar rather than a lower one." }, { "q": "Is there a minimum age?", "a": "No. The only age requirement is being under 18 at the deadline, and the Institute has recognised notably young fellows." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-programs/fellows-scholarship/" ], "caveats": "The three award levels of $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000, the under-18 requirement, the category list and the citizenship requirement follow the Davidson Institute's long-standing published description. The current cycle's deadline was not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on davidsongifted.org, since the deadline is hard." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/davidson-fellows/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "deca", "name": "DECA", "full_name": "DECA International Career Development Conference", "organizer": "DECA Inc.", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "Hundreds of role-play and written business events, competed through a school chapter up to an international conference.", "summary": "DECA is a career and technical student organisation running competitive events in marketing, finance, hospitality, management and entrepreneurship. Students compete through a school chapter at district, then state, then the International Career Development Conference. Events range from ten-minute role-plays where you are given a business scenario and prep time, to written projects developed across a whole year. The breadth means almost any interest in business has an event that fits it.", "how_it_works": "A competitive events programme across marketing, finance, hospitality and management, including role-play, written projects and testing events. Some associations require competitors in testing events to complete practice exams before ICDC. Members may also take part in Leadership Academies and the Emerging Leader Series.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school. A separate Collegiate DECA exists for college students, with its own conference and calendar.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.deca.org/conferences/icdc", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "DECA does not publish a numbered grade range; membership runs through a chartered school chapter.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "DECA sets eligibility by school level and chapter membership, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must be a member of a DECA chapter at your school. If your school has no chapter, a teacher can charter one.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Membership is through a chartered school chapter with an affiliated advisor. Only members who qualified at their state or chartered association conference, are attending a Leadership Academy, or are incoming or outgoing state officers may attend ICDC.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://mideca.org/conferences/icdc/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "There is no route to ICDC for an individual student outside a chartered chapter." }, "geography": { "text": "High schools in the United States and internationally, through chartered associations.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.deca.org/conferences/icdc", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Varies by event. A rule worth knowing for team events: if one member of a Team Decision Making event cannot attend the next level, no substitute is allowed and the remaining member cannot switch to another event. The team either competes together or withdraws together. For prepared written events, members may not be substituted between the state and international conferences.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Membership dues plus conference fees, commonly $100 to $600 in total", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 600, "note": "Layered and set locally: national and chartered association membership dues, then state conference registration, then ICDC registration, plus travel and hotel. Associations add their own conditions; one state requires membership invoices paid in full by 15 February to be eligible to attend ICDC, another charges a $25 late penalty after 12 March plus a 5% credit card processing fee. Ask your advisor for the full figure early." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each chartered association, months before ICDC. Membership payment deadlines in February are common and missing one can make a qualified student ineligible to attend." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 International Career Development Conference is 17 to 20 April 2027 in Anaheim, California. Attendees must arrive by 5 p.m. on the Saturday and the conference finishes at 11 p.m. on the Tuesday.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Medals, trophies and scholarships", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "International champion titles and recognition; scholarship opportunities exist through DECA partners but were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.deca.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find out whether your school has a DECA chapter. Ask in the business or careers department.", "If it does not, a teacher can charter one through deca.org.", "Join the chapter and pay membership dues.", "Choose your competitive event from the published list, and read that event's official guidelines and rubric.", "Compete at district level, then advance through state to the international conference." ], "skills": [ "Business terminology", "Role-play and improvisation", "Written business documents", "Presentation to a judge", "Marketing and finance fundamentals" ], "resources": [ { "title": "DECA official site", "url": "https://www.deca.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Event list, official guidelines, rubrics, and chapter chartering information." }, { "title": "DECA competitive events guidelines (also: deca sample role-plays)", "url": "https://www.deca.org/high-school-programs/high-school-competitive-events/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The published guidelines and performance indicators for every event. The primary preparation document. Sample scenarios released by DECA for practice." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Released sample events and exams", "url": "https://www.deca.org/high-school-programs/high-school-competitive-events/", "note": "DECA publishes sample role-plays and practice exams for members." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "fbla", "national-economics-challenge", "diamond-challenge", "wharton-investment-competition" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I compete in DECA without a school chapter?", "a": "No. DECA competition runs through school chapters. If your school has none, a teacher can charter one through deca.org, which is how most chapters start." }, { "q": "Which event should I choose?", "a": "Start from the published event list and read three or four rubrics. Role-play events suit students who think fast on their feet; written project events suit students who prefer sustained work over a year." }, { "q": "How expensive is DECA?", "a": "Membership dues are small. The significant costs are conference registration, travel and accommodation, particularly for the international conference. Many chapters fundraise specifically for this." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.deca.org/" ], "caveats": "The chapter-based structure, the district-state-international ladder and the role-play and written event formats follow DECA's long-standing published description. Membership dues, conference fees, deadlines and the current event list vary by state and year and were not confirmed. Check with your chapter adviser and deca.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/deca/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "destination-imagination", "name": "Destination Imagination", "full_name": "Destination Imagination", "organizer": "Destination Imagination, Inc.", "categories": [ "engineering", "arts", "academic" ], "tagline": "Team creative problem solving across technical, scientific, engineering, fine arts and service challenges.", "summary": "Destination Imagination gives teams a choice of open-ended challenges each season across technical, scientific, engineering, fine arts, improvisational and service learning categories. Teams spend months developing a solution and present it alongside an instant challenge solved on the spot. Like Odyssey of the Mind, adult interference is prohibited, and the two programmes are close cousins with different challenge sets.", "how_it_works": "Six competitive Team Challenges each season: Technical, Scientific, Engineering, Fine Arts, Improvisational and Service Learning, plus an Early Learning Challenge. For 2026-27 the previews include a sorting-system Technical Challenge and a Scientific Challenge about two rivals racing to a goal.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Five levels: non-competitive Early Learning, then competitive Elementary, Middle, Secondary and University. The Wisconsin affiliate defines Elementary as kindergarten to grade 5, Middle as grades 6 to 8 and Secondary as grades 9 to 12. A team competes at the level of its oldest member.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.destinationimagination.org/challenge-experience/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "DI's own page says teams are formed 'based on their grade or age'. The grade boundaries are from a state affiliate's page, which also gives birthdate cutoffs; confirm with your own affiliate.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Age alternatives apply alongside grades. For 2026-27 the Wisconsin affiliate lists: Elementary, no student born before 15 June 2014; Middle, none born before 15 June 2011; Secondary, none born before 15 June 2007.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://wisconsindi.org/start-a-destination-imagination-team/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Taken from a state affiliate, not the national site. Your affiliate may publish its own dates.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Elementary, Middle and Secondary levels, plus a non-competitive Early Learning programme for the youngest children.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States through state affiliates, and international affiliates with separate pricing.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.destinationimagination.org/challenge-experience/pricing/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "A team is 2 to 7 members. Teams are responsible for designing and creating 100% of their solution, and no interference from non-team members is allowed.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A Team Number for the 2026-27 season costs $165 at the Early Bird rate from 15 May to 14 July 2026, rising to $175 from 15 July. Affiliate fees may apply depending on location and are set by the local affiliate. Pricing outside the US is adjusted for local conditions and was to be posted on 15 July. Separately, teams that reach Global Finals pay a registration fee of $5,500 per US team or $5,000 per non-US team for 2026.", "usd_min": 165, "usd_max": 5500, "note": "The previous listing's '$100 to $1,000' did not reflect the Global Finals fee. DI states financial assistance is available." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Tournament registration deadlines are set by each affiliate." }, "event_dates": "Full details of the 2026-27 Team Challenges are released to registered teams on 31 July 2026. Regional and affiliate tournaments run through the school year, with Global Finals in late May.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies, medals and Global Finals qualification", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards rather than cash; specifics not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.destinationimagination.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your affiliate through the official site and register a team with a team manager.", "Choose one of the season's challenges. Read the challenge document completely, since scoring is highly specific.", "Track your materials spending against the challenge's limit as you go, not at the end.", "Practise Instant Challenges weekly. They are a fixed share of the score and cannot be prepared for any other way." ], "skills": [ "Creative problem solving", "Engineering and building", "Performance", "Rapid teamwork under pressure", "Project management" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Destination Imagination (also: instant challenge practice materials)", "url": "https://www.destinationimagination.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Affiliate directory, current season challenges, rules and resources for team managers. The organisers publish practice Instant Challenges, which are the best weekly team exercise available." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past challenges and results", "url": "https://www.destinationimagination.org/", "note": "Published by Destination Imagination." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "odyssey-of-the-mind", "future-city", "invention-convention", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How does this differ from Odyssey of the Mind?", "a": "They are close cousins with the same core idea: a long-term team challenge plus an unseen instant problem, with adult help prohibited. Destination Imagination offers a broader challenge menu including a service learning option; Odyssey of the Mind has a longer history and a different problem style. Most schools run one or the other rather than both." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.destinationimagination.org/" ], "caveats": "The challenge categories, team size, Instant Challenge format, materials spending limits, no-interference rule and the regional to Global Finals structure follow the programme's published description. Registration fees, affiliate deadlines and the current season's challenges were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/destination-imagination/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "diamond-challenge", "name": "Diamond Challenge", "full_name": "Diamond Challenge for High School Entrepreneurs", "organizer": "Horn Entrepreneurship, University of Delaware", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "Pitch a business or social venture concept against teams from more than a hundred countries, for a prize pool above $100,000.", "summary": "The Diamond Challenge is a global entrepreneurship competition for high school students, run by Horn Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware since 2012. Teams of two to four students develop an original business or social venture concept, submit a written pitch, and the strongest advance to live pitching rounds. It is free to enter, the curriculum and resources are provided at no cost, and there are two separate tracks so social ventures are not judged against for-profit ideas.", "how_it_works": "Two tracks chosen at submission: Business Innovation if the concept solves a customer problem, or Social Innovation if it addresses a societal or environmental problem. Teams also choose a pitch round format, either a live pitch event or a virtual pre-recorded pitch. Submission is a written concept plus a short video.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Diamond Challenge sets eligibility by age plus enrolment in an official high school or secondary education institution for the duration of the competition, not by grade.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 14 to 18 at the submission deadline.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://diamondchallenge.org/competition/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Age is assessed at the submission deadline, not at registration.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to students from any country. Teams need an adult adviser, who can be a teacher, parent or mentor. Teammates may come from different schools.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Each team must have one adult advisor aged 21 or older who is in a position to provide the opportunity to participate and is broadly available to support the team. Multiple advisors may help but only one can be named in the official submission. Contact details including email are required for every team member and the advisor.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://diamondchallenge.org/competition/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "Open to high school students worldwide, with participants from more than 50 countries.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/diamond-challenge/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 2 to 4 high school students. There is no solo entry. Students may team up with students from other high schools. Each student may participate on only one team and submit one concept per competition year.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee, and the Diamond Challenge provides free resources to students, educators and practitioners." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 dates were not confirmed on the official pages checked. For reference, the 2026 cycle opened 17 September 2025 and closed 15 January 2026, with finalists named in March and the summit in late April." }, "event_dates": "Portal opens September, written submissions due January, semifinal and final pitching rounds follow in spring at the Limitless World Summit.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "More than $100,000 in total prizes across both tracks", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "A prize pool described as over $100,000, distributed across both tracks plus topical awards for areas such as sustainability, technology and community impact. Reported tier amounts of $12,000, $8,000 and $4,500 for the top three were not confirmed on the official pages checked. Funds are intended to launch or grow the venture." }, "official_url": "https://diamondchallenge.org/", "register_steps": [ "Form a team of two to four students aged 14 to 18. Teammates can be from different schools or different countries.", "Find an adult adviser. Any teacher, parent or mentor willing to sponsor the team qualifies.", "Register on the Diamond Challenge site when the portal opens in September.", "Choose your track: Business Innovation for for-profit concepts, Social Innovation for social ventures. Read both descriptions carefully, as the judging criteria differ.", "Submit the written concept before the January deadline. Attend the free pre-submission support events beforehand." ], "skills": [ "Problem framing", "Customer research", "Business model design", "Financial estimation", "Written pitching", "Live presentation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Diamond Challenge official site (also: diamond challenge resources and support events)", "url": "https://diamondchallenge.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, track descriptions, judging criteria, deadlines and past winners. Free curriculum and live pre-submission workshops run by Horn Entrepreneurship." }, { "title": "Venture Well and Lean Startup customer discovery material", "url": "https://venturewell.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free guidance on customer discovery interviews, which is the weakest part of most entries." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past finalist pitches", "url": "https://diamondchallenge.org/", "note": "Winning concepts and pitch recordings from previous years are published on the official site." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "conrad-challenge", "blue-ocean-competition", "technovation-girls", "deca" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Does the Diamond Challenge cost anything?", "a": "No. It is free to enter, and the curriculum, resources and pre-submission support events are provided at no cost by Horn Entrepreneurship." }, { "q": "Can students from outside the United States enter?", "a": "Yes. It is a global competition with alumni from more than a hundred countries. Teams from any country may enter." }, { "q": "Do I need a working product?", "a": "No. It is a concept competition, so a well-evidenced idea with a prototype or pilot is enough. Evidence that you tested the idea with real people matters more than the sophistication of the product." }, { "q": "Can I compete alone?", "a": "No. Teams must have between two and four students, plus one adult adviser." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://diamondchallenge.org/" ], "caveats": "The team size of 2 to 4 with an adult adviser, the age range of 14 to 18, the free entry, the two tracks and the prize pool above $100,000 were confirmed against published descriptions of the recent cycle. The next cycle's exact deadline is projected from the previous year's 15 January date and is not confirmed." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/diamond-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "doodle-for-google", "name": "Doodle for Google", "full_name": "Doodle for Google", "organizer": "Google", "categories": [ "arts" ], "tagline": "Redesign the Google logo around an annual theme, with a scholarship and a day on the homepage at stake.", "summary": "Doodle for Google invites students from kindergarten through grade 12 in the United States to reimagine the Google logo around an annual theme, submitting artwork in any medium along with a short written statement. State and national winners are chosen, and the national winner's doodle appears on the Google homepage for a day and carries a college scholarship plus a technology grant for their school.", "how_it_works": "Create a doodle interpreting that year's theme while incorporating the letters of the Google logo, using any materials you like, plus a descriptive artist statement of 50 words or fewer. Entry is via a one-page official entry form that includes parental consent, submitted online as a .png or .jpg or by mail. Parents, teachers, nonprofits and after-school programmes may submit on a student's behalf.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades K to 12, judged in five grade groups: K-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 and 10-12.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.fastweb.com/student-news/articles/doodle-for-google-contest", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Homeschooled students are eligible, as are children of US service personnel serving abroad.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Google sets groups by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to students in the United States and its territories. Entries are grouped by grade band, so younger students are not judged against older ones. A parent or guardian must sign the entry form for minors.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The US contest is separate from Doodle for Google contests run in other countries, each with its own rules and calendar." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Reported requirement: US citizen or permanent resident, enrolled in a US-based public, private or homeschool, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands. Not confirmed on Google's own rules page during this check. Google notes the contest also runs in other countries under separate rules, so the US site's terms apply only to the US contest." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No purchase is necessary to enter or win; the rules state this explicitly." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 deadline is not confirmed. Recent cycles have varied a great deal: one source gives 10 December 2025, another 30 April 2026, and a scholarship aggregator lists 17 December 2026. Do not plan around any of these; check doodles.google.com/d4g for the current date." }, "event_dates": "Theme and entry window announced by Google each cycle, with state winners, national finalists and a national winner announced in the following months.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "A college scholarship, a school technology grant and a day on the Google homepage", "max_usd": 55000, "detail": "Amounts have changed between cycles and could not be confirmed for 2027. Reported figures: the national winner receives a college scholarship of $45,000 or $55,000 depending on the year, plus a $50,000 technology package for their school or chosen nonprofit, and their doodle appears on Google.com. National finalists receive a $10,000 scholarship plus Google hardware. Fifty-five state and territory winners are featured in the gallery." }, "official_url": "https://doodles.google.com/d4g/", "register_steps": [ "Read the current year's theme on the official Doodle for Google site.", "Create your doodle in any medium: pencil, paint, clay, digital, collage. Physical work is photographed or scanned.", "Write the artist statement. It is short but it is genuinely part of the judging.", "Have a parent or guardian complete the entry form, then submit online or by post before the deadline." ], "skills": [ "Visual art in any medium", "Working a concept into a fixed logo shape", "Concise written explanation", "Interpreting a theme originally" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Doodle for Google official site (also: past winning doodles)", "url": "https://doodles.google.com/d4g/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Current theme, rules, entry form, deadlines and past winning doodles. Every past national and state winner is published, which shows the range of media and approaches that succeed." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Winners gallery", "url": "https://doodles.google.com/d4g/", "note": "Published free by Google, covering national winners, finalists and state winners." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "congressional-art-competition", "scholastic-art-writing", "youngarts", "ocean-awareness-contest" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can young children enter?", "a": "Yes. Doodle for Google accepts entries from kindergarten upward, and entries are grouped by grade band so a first grader is not judged against a high school senior." }, { "q": "Does the artwork have to be digital?", "a": "No. Any medium is accepted, including pencil, paint, clay and collage. Physical work is photographed or scanned for submission." }, { "q": "Does the written statement matter?", "a": "Yes. Judges assess the artistic merit, the creativity of the theme interpretation, and the statement explaining the idea. A strong doodle with a weak statement is at a real disadvantage." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://doodles.google.com/d4g/" ], "caveats": "The grade range, free entry, any-medium rule, artist statement requirement and the scholarship plus homepage display prize follow the contest's long-standing published description. The current cycle's theme, deadline and exact prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/doodle-for-google/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "ecybermission", "name": "eCYBERMISSION", "full_name": "eCYBERMISSION", "organizer": "U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program", "categories": [ "engineering", "science" ], "tagline": "Solve a problem in your own community using science or engineering, entirely online, for free.", "summary": "eCYBERMISSION is a free, web-based STEM competition for students in grades 6 to 9. Teams identify a problem in their local community, apply either the scientific method or the engineering design process to address it, and submit their work online. The community focus is the defining feature: judges want a real local problem and evidence you engaged with it, not a laboratory exercise.", "how_it_works": "Teams choose a problem in their own community and either investigate it using scientific practices or solve it with engineering design, then write it up in a Mission Folder. Each Mission Folder is scored three times by Virtual Judges against a Scientific Inquiry or Engineering Design rubric, and the scores are averaged. Students receive their scores and the judges' written comments afterwards.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6 to 9.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usaeop.com/type/competitions/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Mixed-grade teams are allowed but compete at the highest grade level represented on the team, so adding a 9th grader moves the whole team up.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "AEOP sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 9, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to students in the United States, US territories and Department of Defense schools. An adult team advisor is required.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and US territories.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/ecybermission/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Only US citizens and US lawful permanent residents are eligible to win. Participants reside in the United States and US territories.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/ecybermission/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The restriction is on winning, so check before investing months if your immigration status differs. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 2 to 4 students plus an adult Team Advisor who must be at least 21. The advisor may be a parent, teacher or other adult mentor.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "US territories", "Department of Defense schools" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "AEOP states plainly that eCYBERMISSION is free to enter." }, "deadline": { "display": "Competition registration closes 24 February 2027. Team Advisors and students must be fully registered and on complete teams by that date.", "iso": "2027-02-24", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Registration closing is separate from the Mission Folder submission deadline, which follows in the spring. You cannot join a team after 24 February." }, "event_dates": "Registration opens in the autumn and closes 24 February 2027, with Mission Folder submissions due in early spring and winners announced in June.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "US Series EE Savings Bonds awarded per student, at each grade level, and cumulative as you advance. First-place state winners receive a bond worth $500 at purchase and $1,000 at maturity per student; second place $250 and $500. Regional Finalists add a further $500 at purchase, and Regional Winners a further $1,000 at purchase, on top of the state award. National winners have been reported at $10,000 per student at maturity.", "max_usd": 9000, "detail": "Teams have historically received US savings bonds at state, regional and national levels, with national winners receiving the largest awards per student. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.ecybermission.com/", "register_steps": [ "Find an adult team advisor, which can be a teacher, parent or community leader.", "Register the team on the official site during the autumn window.", "Choose a genuine local community problem. Judges consistently reward specificity and evidence of local engagement.", "Document everything in the mission folder as you go, then submit online before the late-winter deadline." ], "skills": [ "Scientific method or engineering design process", "Data collection and analysis", "Community research", "Technical writing", "Team collaboration" ], "resources": [ { "title": "eCYBERMISSION official site", "url": "https://www.ecybermission.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the mission folder template, rubrics and free virtual judging resources." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning mission folders", "url": "https://www.ecybermission.com/", "note": "Examples of previous winning entries published by the programme." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "exploravision", "invention-convention", "future-city", "jshs" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Does it cost anything?", "a": "No. eCYBERMISSION is free to enter, runs entirely online, and requires no laboratory or materials beyond what your chosen problem needs." }, { "q": "What counts as a community problem?", "a": "Something specific and local: water quality in a nearby stream, a traffic hazard at your school, food waste in your cafeteria. Judges reward evidence that you investigated the actual local situation rather than researching the topic in general." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.ecybermission.com/" ], "caveats": "The grade range, free entry, team size, online format and community-problem brief follow the programme's published description. The current cycle's deadlines and savings bond amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on ecybermission.com." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/ecybermission/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "exploravision", "name": "ExploraVision", "full_name": "Toshiba ExploraVision Awards", "organizer": "Toshiba and the National Science Teaching Association", "categories": [ "engineering", "science" ], "tagline": "Pick a technology, project it twenty years forward, and write the paper explaining how it gets there.", "summary": "ExploraVision asks teams to choose an existing technology, research how it works and how it developed, then describe what it could become in twenty years and what would have to happen technically for that to occur. There is no building: the deliverables are a written paper and a set of web pages describing the future technology. That makes it one of the very few engineering competitions with essentially no materials cost.", "how_it_works": "Teams research an existing technology and envision how it could evolve 10 to 20 years into the future. The entry includes a title, a 150-word abstract, a project description of up to 11 pages, a bibliography, and a five-item technology launch flyer. Semi-finalists then build websites and prototypes. Two finalist phases follow, regional then national.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades K to 12, in four categories: primary K-3, upper elementary 4-6, middle level 7-9, and high school 10-12. The oldest student on a team determines the category, and each category is judged separately.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.exploravision.org/rules-requirements/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Entrants must be full-time students enrolled in a public, private, parochial, virtual or home school.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "No older than 21 years of age.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://studentscholarships.org/scholarship/9625/exploravision-awards", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "An upper age limit exists alongside the grade rule, which matters for older students still in K-12. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams need a teacher advisor. Open to students in the United States and Canada.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and Canada, US Territories and DoDEA schools abroad.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://studentscholarships.org/scholarship/9625/exploravision-awards", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Students must be United States or Canadian citizens living within the US or Canada, US Territories, or attending a Department of Defense Education Activity school abroad.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://studentscholarships.org/scholarship/9625/exploravision-awards", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This is a citizenship requirement, not merely a residency one, and rules out international students at US schools. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 2 to 4 students with a teacher or coach, plus an optional mentor. There are no individual entries. Team members do not have to attend the same school or even live in the same state, and home-schooled students may team up with public school students.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "NSTA states plainly there is no entry fee." }, "deadline": { "display": "Projects must be submitted by the coach by 8:00 PM ET on 27 January 2027.", "iso": "2027-01-27", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The coach submits, not the student. Note the earlier hour: an 8:00 p.m. cut-off, not midnight. A third-party scholarship site lists 3 February 2027, which matches the previous cycle's date rather than this one, so use NSTA's date." }, "event_dates": "Judging through spring, with the national awards weekend in Washington, D.C. in June.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Savings bonds for national winners plus a trip to Washington", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "National winners receive US Series EE Savings Bonds valued at $10,000 at maturity, plus Toshiba technology prizes, with additional awards for second-place teams and regional winners. Finalists are invited to an Awards Weekend in Washington, D.C. Students retain rights to all ideas and products they generate: neither NSTA nor Toshiba will attempt to patent student work." }, "official_url": "https://www.exploravision.org/", "register_steps": [ "Form a team of two to four students and find a teacher advisor.", "Pick a technology you find genuinely interesting; the research load is heavy enough that boredom shows in the writing.", "Register and submit online before the winter deadline.", "Read the published past winning entries first. They are the clearest possible guide to the expected standard." ], "skills": [ "Scientific research", "Technical writing", "Extrapolation and reasoning", "Citing sources properly", "Team writing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "ExploraVision official site", "url": "https://www.exploravision.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, entry requirements, judging criteria and past winning entries." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning projects", "url": "https://www.exploravision.org/", "note": "Published archive of winning entries by grade band, free to read." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "ecybermission", "invention-convention", "future-city", "regeneron-isef" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need to build anything?", "a": "No. ExploraVision is entirely written and web-based, which is why it costs nothing to enter and works for schools with no laboratory or workshop." }, { "q": "How technical does the future technology need to be?", "a": "Judges look for a plausible chain of reasoning from present technology to the future version, with the required breakthroughs identified and cited. Imagination without a technical path scores poorly; so does a modest extrapolation with no vision." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.exploravision.org/" ], "caveats": "The written-only format, team size, grade bands and the twenty-year projection brief follow the competition's long-standing published description. The current deadline, sponsor arrangements and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on exploravision.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/exploravision/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "fbla", "name": "FBLA", "full_name": "Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference", "organizer": "Future Business Leaders of America", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "More than seventy competitive events in business, technology and finance, competed through a school chapter.", "summary": "FBLA runs a large programme of competitive events spanning accounting, business law, computer applications, cybersecurity, public speaking, entrepreneurship and more. Students compete through a school chapter at regional and state level, and state qualifiers advance to the National Leadership Conference. The event list is broader than DECA's on the technology and accounting side, which makes it a good fit for students whose interest is more technical than marketing.", "how_it_works": "Competitive events fall into three categories: individual, team and chapter. Many events combine an objective test with prejudged materials or a presentation. Testing and prejudged material deadlines usually fall weeks before the conference itself: one state ran district testing 1 December to 8 January with prejudged materials due 8 January, then state testing 2 to 18 March.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Middle school and high school, in separate divisions, plus a separate FBLA Collegiate for college students with its own conference.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://nebraskafbla.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "FBLA does not publish a numbered grade range nationally; divisions follow school level.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "FBLA sets divisions by school level, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Membership in a school chapter is required. FBLA Middle School serves grades 6 to 8 with its own events.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Membership runs through a chartered local chapter with an adviser. Students must be active members with dues paid to be eligible to compete.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.flfbla.org/calendar", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Dues deadlines are a hard eligibility gate. One state requires dues paid or postmarked by 1 February to be eligible for state competition. Missing that makes an otherwise qualified student ineligible." }, "geography": { "text": "United States, through state chapters, with some international participation.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.fbla.org/fbla-national-leadership-conference/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Varies by event across individual, team and chapter categories.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Membership dues plus conference fees, commonly $100 to $600 in total", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 600, "note": "Layered: national dues plus state dues, then conference registration, hotel and travel. Amounts are set by each state chapter and were not published as a single national figure. Several states handle registration and housing through a third-party system, with hotels booked as part of conference registration rather than independently." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each state. Examples of the shape for 2026-27: one state's fall conference registration closed 22 September 2026 and its state conference registration closes 8 February 2027; another sets a 1 February dues deadline and an 18 February state registration date. Find your own state's calendar early." }, "event_dates": "National Leadership Conference: 23 to 26 June 2027 in Columbus, Ohio; 23 to 26 June 2028 in Anaheim, California; 25 to 28 June 2029 in Indianapolis. Those dates exclude travel. The National Fall Leadership Conference is 5 to 7 November 2026 in Washington, D.C. State conferences run from roughly January through April.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Medals, trophies and scholarships", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "National recognition plus scholarships underwritten by industry partners for students achieving national ranking. Amounts were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.fbla.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check whether your school has an FBLA chapter, usually run through the business department.", "If not, a teacher can charter one through fbla.org.", "Join and pay national and state dues.", "Choose your events from the published competitive events list and read each one's guidelines.", "Compete at regional and state conferences to qualify for the National Leadership Conference." ], "skills": [ "Accounting and finance", "Business law", "Computer applications", "Public speaking", "Case analysis", "Objective test technique" ], "resources": [ { "title": "FBLA official site", "url": "https://www.fbla.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Competitive events list, guidelines, rubrics and chapter chartering." }, { "title": "FBLA competitive events guidelines", "url": "https://www.fbla.org/divisions/fbla/fbla-competitive-events/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Event-by-event rules, formats and rating sheets." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Sample tests and event materials", "url": "https://www.fbla.org/divisions/fbla/fbla-competitive-events/", "note": "FBLA publishes practice materials and rating sheets for members." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "deca", "national-economics-challenge", "wharton-investment-competition", "diamond-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How is FBLA different from DECA?", "a": "They overlap, but FBLA leans more toward accounting, business law and technology events, while DECA leans toward marketing and role-play formats. Many students choose based on which event list matches their interests, or on which chapter their school actually has." }, { "q": "Can middle school students compete?", "a": "Yes. FBLA Middle School serves grades 6 to 8 with its own competitive events." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.fbla.org/" ], "caveats": "The chapter-based structure, the regional-state-national ladder and the breadth of the event list follow FBLA's long-standing published description. Dues, conference fees, deadlines and the current event list were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/fbla/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "first-lego-league", "name": "FIRST LEGO League", "full_name": "FIRST LEGO League Challenge", "organizer": "FIRST", "categories": [ "robotics", "science" ], "tagline": "The entry point to competitive robotics, starting at age four and running through middle school.", "summary": "FIRST LEGO League has three divisions covering ages four upward. The Challenge division, for roughly ages 9 to 16, asks teams to build and program an autonomous LEGO robot for a themed table mission set, and separately to research a real-world problem connected to the season's theme and present their findings. It is the most widely accessible robotics competition in the world and the standard first step for young students.", "how_it_works": "Teams use LEGO Education SPIKE technology, either creating a model in Explore or programming a robot to complete missions autonomously against a playing field in two-and-a-half minute matches in Challenge.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades K to 8", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.firstinspires.org/first-canopy", "checked": "2026-09-01", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 5 to 16, varying by country", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.firstinspires.org/first-canopy", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "FIRST publishes both a grade and an age range, and states explicitly that ages vary by country. Within FIRST LEGO League, Explore is for ages 6 to 10.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Age ranges vary slightly by country. The Challenge division is the competitive tournament division.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Teams outside the United States and Canada contact their country's FIRST Program Delivery Partner." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Up to 10 students plus a coach", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A few hundred dollars per team for registration and the kit", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 1200, "note": "Registration costs vary by programme level and region and were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set regionally by Program Delivery Partners, not published as a single national date." }, "event_dates": "The BIOGLOW Challenge released 4 August 2026 as part of the FIRST CANOPY 2026-27 season.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies, advancement and recognition awards", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards rather than cash prizes; specifics not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.firstlegoleague.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your regional FIRST LEGO League partner through the official site.", "An adult coach registers the team and orders the season kit. No technical background is required of the coach.", "Work through the season materials, which include everything needed to run the season from scratch.", "Attend your regional tournament." ], "skills": [ "Block-based programming", "Mechanical building", "Research and presentation", "Teamwork", "Public speaking to judges" ], "resources": [ { "title": "FIRST LEGO League official site", "url": "https://www.firstlegoleague.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Divisions, registration, regional partners and the season theme." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "first-tech-challenge", "vex-iq", "science-olympiad", "future-city" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How young can a child start?", "a": "The Discover division starts at age four and Explore at six, though these are non-competitive showcase formats. The Challenge division, which is the tournament format, starts at roughly age nine." }, { "q": "Does the coach need technical skills?", "a": "No. FIRST LEGO League provides full season materials designed for coaches with no engineering or programming background, and the robot uses block-based programming." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.firstlegoleague.org/" ], "caveats": "Division structure, team size, the four judged areas and the autumn season follow the official FIRST LEGO League description. Current registration costs, kit pricing and regional tournament dates were not confirmed during the last check and vary by country. Confirm with your regional partner." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/first-lego-league/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "first-robotics-competition", "name": "FIRST Robotics Competition", "full_name": "FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)", "organizer": "FIRST", "categories": [ "robotics", "engineering" ], "tagline": "Build a 125-pound robot in six weeks, then compete in a stadium alliance game.", "summary": "FRC is the flagship high school robotics league. Every January, FIRST reveals a new game and every team in the world gets the same challenge and roughly six weeks to design, build and program a large competitive robot. Teams then compete at regional or district events in three-versus-three alliance matches. It is the closest thing in secondary education to running a small engineering company: there is a budget, a deadline, a supply chain and a public demonstration of whether it worked.", "how_it_works": "Teams start with a Kit of Parts and design, program and build an industrial-sized robot to play the season game as part of a three-team alliance. Teams also create a team identity, raise funds and do community STEM outreach, all of which feed judged awards.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.firstinspires.org/first-canopy", "checked": "2026-09-01", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 14 to 18", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.firstinspires.org/first-canopy", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "FIRST publishes both a grade range and an age range for this programme. FIRST notes that ages may vary by region.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You join or start a team; individuals do not enter. Teams are usually school-based but community and home school teams are common.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "International. Teams outside the United States and Canada must contact their country's FIRST Program Delivery Partner for registration." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Several thousand dollars per team, with grants widely available", "usd_min": 500, "usd_max": 8000, "note": "FIRST does not publish a single headline registration figure on its cost page, and regional bodies add their own charges. One state Program Delivery Partner published a $6,500 FIRST registration plus $5,500 local registration for 2026-27, which indicates the scale but is region-specific and should not be treated as a national price. Registration fees do not cover duties, taxes or shipping of Kit of Parts, Kickoff Kits or FIRST Choice material. From 2026-27, grant funding applied to team accounts carries over across more than one season." }, "deadline": { "display": "Kickoff selection runs 24 September 2026 at noon ET to 17 November 2026 at noon ET. Only teams that have selected a kickoff location and secured their registration fee by the payment due date will receive their Kickoff Kit at kickoff.", "iso": "2026-11-17", "status": "confirmed", "note": "For the 2027 BIOCORE season, every team had to select a Kickoff location or shipping address by 17 November 2026 at noon Eastern. Event registration and payment deadlines follow. Confirm the full calendar on the FIRST site." }, "event_dates": "The BIOCORE presented by Haas game releases 9 January 2027, with the season kickoff celebration and game reveal at 12:00 p.m. ET on the FIRST Robotics Competition YouTube channel. BIOCORE is part of the FIRST CANOPY 2026-27 season.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships worth tens of millions collectively, plus awards", "max_usd": 50000, "detail": "Judged awards rather than cash prizes, including the FIRST Impact Award for veteran teams only, the student FIRST Leadership Award and the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award. Team members and alumni get access to the FIRST Scholarship Program." }, "official_url": "https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc", "register_steps": [ "Find out whether your school or a nearby community organisation already has a team. Most do not advertise it well.", "If there is no team, a teacher or parent registers a new one on firstinspires.org. Rookie teams receive extra parts and are eligible for rookie grants.", "Apply for grants early. Many regional organisations have grant deadlines in the summer, well before registration closes.", "Select a Kickoff location or shipping address by the published November deadline, and secure the registration fee by the payment due date, or the team will not receive its Kickoff Kit at Kickoff.", "Register for events. District and regional event registration closes in the autumn for the following season." ], "skills": [ "Mechanical design and CAD", "Machining and fabrication", "Programming in Java, C++ or Python", "Control systems", "Project management", "Fundraising and outreach" ], "resources": [ { "title": "FIRST Robotics Competition official site", "url": "https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the game manual, calendar, costs and the scholarship directory." }, { "title": "FIRST cost and registration page", "url": "https://www.firstinspires.org/programs/cost-and-registration", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The authoritative page for what registration includes and what it costs each season." }, { "title": "Chief Delphi", "url": "https://www.chiefdelphi.com/", "kind": "Community", "free": true, "note": "The FRC community forum. Teams publish CAD, code and season post-mortems openly here." }, { "title": "WPILib documentation", "url": "https://docs.wpilib.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "The official free programming library and tutorials for FRC robots in Java, C++ and Python." }, { "title": "Onshape for FRC", "url": "https://www.onshape.com/en/education/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free browser-based CAD for teams, widely used across the league." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "FIRST season materials and past game manuals", "url": "https://www.firstinspires.org/resources/library/frc/season-materials", "note": "Official archive of game manuals and season documentation." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "FIRST Robotics Competition channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@FIRSTRoboticsCompetition", "channel": "FIRST", "note": "Kickoff broadcasts, game animations and full match archives from every event." } ], "similar": [ "first-tech-challenge", "vex-robotics-competition", "zero-robotics", "mate-rov" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How much does FRC actually cost a student?", "a": "Usually little or nothing directly. The cost falls on the team, which pays a season registration fee plus event fees, parts and travel, commonly several thousand dollars. Teams fund this through sponsors and grants, and FIRST offers rookie grants specifically to remove the barrier. Ask the team what they expect from families before joining." }, { "q": "When is the 2027 season?", "a": "The BIOCORE game is revealed at Kickoff on 9 January 2027. Teams had to select a Kickoff location or shipping address by 17 November 2026 at noon Eastern, and district and regional event registration closes in the autumn." }, { "q": "Can I join if I have no engineering experience?", "a": "Yes. FRC teams need programmers, machinists, designers, writers, fundraisers and outreach organisers. Teams actively recruit students with no technical background, and the business and Impact Award side is as competitive as the robot." }, { "q": "What if my school has no team?", "a": "You can start one with a teacher or parent as lead coach, and rookie teams receive extra parts and grant eligibility. Alternatively, look for a community or home school team nearby; many accept students from any school." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://www.firstinspires.org/programs/frc/game-and-season", "https://www.firstinspires.org/programs/calendar", "https://www.firstinspires.org/programs/cost-and-registration" ], "caveats": "The 9 January 2027 Kickoff and BIOCORE game reveal, the Kickoff selection window of 24 September to 17 November 2026, and the structure of what registration includes are published by FIRST. FIRST does not publish a single headline registration fee and regional bodies add their own charges, so the cost range shown is indicative rather than quoted." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/first-robotics-competition/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "first-tech-challenge", "name": "FIRST Tech Challenge", "full_name": "FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC)", "organizer": "FIRST", "categories": [ "robotics", "engineering" ], "tagline": "A smaller, cheaper robotics league with the same season structure as FRC and a far lower barrier to entry.", "summary": "FTC teams build a robot roughly the size of a large toolbox to compete in a new game each season. It runs on the same annual rhythm as the FIRST Robotics Competition but at a fraction of the cost and space requirement, which makes it the practical option for a school starting from nothing. Programming is in Java or Blocks, so a team with no prior experience can field a working robot in its first season.", "how_it_works": "Teams design, build, program and operate a classroom-scale robot to play a floor game in an alliance format, with an autonomous period followed by driver control in two-on-two matches. Robots are built from a reusable platform and coded in a graphical language or Java. Teams also raise funds, build a team brand and do community outreach, which feed judged awards. Teams competing for judged awards prepare a Team Portfolio of up to 15 pages.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 7 to 12.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://gafirst.org/ftc", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 12 to 18.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.firstaustralia.org/first-tech-challenge", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "FIRST publishes both an age range and a grade range for this programme. Ages may vary by region outside the US.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams are capped at fifteen students. Community, home school and club teams are common alongside school teams.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, through FIRST Program Delivery Partners outside North America.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://ftc-resources.firstinspires.org/ftc/game/manual", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Up to 15 team members, with adult coaches and mentors.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Several hundred to a couple of thousand dollars per team", "usd_min": 300, "usd_max": 3000, "note": "FIRST does not publish a single national figure on the pages checked. A third-party guide gives annual team registration at $325, and a regional partner estimates a realistic rookie team starter budget of $3,800 to $5,500 once the kit, parts and event fees are included. Treat the registration fee as the smallest part of the cost. The robot kit is reusable year to year, so later seasons are cheaper. Grants and financial support are widely available: several regional partners run funding programmes, including one aimed at middle-school and under-resourced teams." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Registration opened on the FIRST Dashboard in June 2026 and closes in October 2026, which is the final chance to join for the season. Regional bodies add their own earlier dates: one state set a single qualifier payment deadline of 27 November 2026, and several use an event preferencing system with information sent to registered teams at the end of September." }, "event_dates": "The 2026-27 challenge is BIOBUZZ presented by RTX, part of the FIRST CANOPY season, releasing 12 September 2026 with the season kickoff on 13 September. Qualifying competitions begin in November, leading to regional championships and the FIRST Championship in the spring.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships and judged awards", "max_usd": 50000, "detail": "Judged awards rather than cash, spanning robot performance, engineering process, innovation, outreach and long-term impact. Participants are eligible to apply for a scholarship pool described by regional partners as over $80 million." }, "official_url": "https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc", "register_steps": [ "Check whether a team already exists at your school or nearby.", "If not, an adult registers a team on firstinspires.org and orders the robot kit.", "Apply for rookie grants through your regional FIRST partner.", "Start the engineering notebook on day one. It is a judged deliverable and cannot be reconstructed at the end of the season." ], "skills": [ "Mechanical design", "Java or Blocks programming", "Technical writing for the engineering notebook", "Iterative prototyping", "Teamwork" ], "resources": [ { "title": "FIRST Tech Challenge official site", "url": "https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, game manual, kit information and regional contacts." }, { "title": "FTC programming resources", "url": "https://ftc-docs.firstinspires.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Official free documentation for the FTC control system, in both Java and Blocks." }, { "title": "Chief Delphi", "url": "https://www.chiefdelphi.com/", "kind": "Community", "free": true, "note": "Active FTC sections alongside FRC, with openly published designs and code." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [ { "title": "FIRST Tech Challenge channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@FIRSTTechChallenge", "channel": "FIRST", "note": "Game reveals and match archives." } ], "similar": [ "first-robotics-competition", "vex-robotics-competition", "first-lego-league", "zero-robotics" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Should a new team start with FTC or FRC?", "a": "FTC, in almost every case. The robot is smaller, the cost is a fraction, it needs far less space and tooling, and the season structure teaches the same habits. Many teams run FTC for a few years before adding FRC." }, { "q": "How important is the engineering notebook?", "a": "Very. It is a judged deliverable and it underpins the Inspire Award, which is the highest honour in the programme. Teams that start it in week one consistently outperform teams that write it the night before." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc" ], "caveats": "Grade range, team size cap, alliance format and the engineering notebook requirement follow the official FTC description. Current registration fees, kit costs and regional deadlines were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on firstinspires.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/first-tech-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "foyle-young-poets", "name": "Foyle Young Poets", "full_name": "Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award", "organizer": "The Poetry Society", "categories": [ "writing" ], "tagline": "A free international poetry award for 11 to 17 year olds, with a hundred winners chosen each year.", "summary": "The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is one of the most respected poetry prizes for young writers in the world, run by The Poetry Society in the United Kingdom but open internationally. It is free to enter, there is no theme and no form restriction, and a hundred winners are chosen each year: fifteen top winners and eighty-five commended. Many established British poets first appeared through this award.", "how_it_works": "Poems must be no longer than 40 lines and written in English, though phrases in your mother tongue or another language may be included. Any theme, any style. Entrants may submit as many poems as they wish. Poems written using generative AI software such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or similar tools are strictly prohibited. Entries in British Sign Language or Braille can be arranged by contacting The Poetry Society.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Poetry Society sets eligibility by age, not grade. There is no school enrolment requirement.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Open to everyone aged 11 to 17 on 31 July of the competition year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://foyleyoungpoets.org/about/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Age is assessed on the deadline date, not the submission date. Entrants aged 11 or 12 need a parent or guardian to give permission, online or via the permission form, for data protection reasons.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide to anyone aged 11 to 17 on the closing date. No school involvement required; you enter directly.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. Open to poets aged 11 to 17 anywhere in the world.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poets-of-the-year-award/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Free to enter thanks to the Foyle Foundation. Travel to the awards ceremony in England is not covered, which is the main cost for entrants outside the UK." }, "deadline": { "display": "Midnight BST on 31 July. Late online entries are not accepted under any circumstances; postal entries must be post-dated on or before that date.", "iso": "2027-07-31", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The 2026 award has closed. The competition typically launches in spring, historically around March or April." }, "event_dates": "Entries open in spring and close 31 July. Winners are announced in the autumn, with an awards ceremony held in October.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "One hundred winners are selected: 15 top winners and 85 commended poets. All 100 receive a year's youth membership of The Poetry Society plus books and other prizes. The top 15 receive further writing development opportunities and ongoing support from The Poetry Society; commended poets have their work featured in an online anthology.", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Fifteen top winners receive publication in the annual anthology and a place on a residential writing course. Eighty-five commended winners receive publication and access to development opportunities through The Poetry Society." }, "official_url": "https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poets-of-the-year-award/", "register_steps": [ "Read the current year's rules on The Poetry Society site, since form and length guidance can change.", "Write and revise poems. There is no theme, so the choice of subject is entirely yours.", "Submit online during the entry window. You may enter more than one poem.", "Winners are announced in the autumn." ], "skills": [ "Poetry writing", "Revision", "Reading contemporary poetry", "Selecting your own strongest work" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Foyle Young Poets official page (also: past winning anthologies)", "url": "https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poets-of-the-year-award/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, entry window, past winners and free teaching resources. The Poetry Society publishes the winning anthology each year, which is the best possible guide to what wins." }, { "title": "The Poetry Society young poets resources", "url": "https://poetrysociety.org.uk/education/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free writing prompts, workshops and teaching material." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Annual winners anthologies", "url": "https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poets-of-the-year-award/", "note": "Published free by The Poetry Society each year." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "scholastic-art-writing", "write-the-world", "bennington-young-writers", "john-locke-essay" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can students outside the United Kingdom enter?", "a": "Yes. Foyle Young Poets is open internationally to anyone aged 11 to 17 on the closing date, and winners come from many countries." }, { "q": "How many poems can I submit?", "a": "Multiple entries are permitted and entry is free, so there is no reason to submit only one. Check the current year's rules for any limit." }, { "q": "Is there a theme?", "a": "No. There is no set theme and no restriction on form, which is unusual among poetry competitions for young writers." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poets-of-the-year-award/" ], "caveats": "The free entry, the 11 to 17 age range, the hundred winners structure and the absence of a theme follow the award's long-standing published rules. The current cycle's entry window, any line limits and prize details were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/foyle-young-poets/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "from-the-top-jkc", "name": "From the Top Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award", "full_name": "From the Top Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award", "organizer": "From the Top, with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation", "categories": [ "music", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "A scholarship award for outstanding young classical musicians with financial need, including a national radio appearance.", "summary": "From the Top is a national radio programme showcasing outstanding young classical musicians. Its Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award provides substantial scholarship funding to musicians aged 8 to 18 who demonstrate both exceptional musical ability and financial need. Recipients appear on the programme and receive ongoing support for their musical education.", "how_it_works": "Open to classical instrumentalists, vocalists and composers. Applicants must show musical commitment and readiness to take part fully in the Fellowship, plus a strong commitment to learning and creativity, and drive, initiative, maturity, leadership and a commitment to giving back to their community. Two recommendations are required, one from an academic teacher and one from a music teacher.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "From the Top sets eligibility by age and enrolment level, not grade.", "min_grade": 3 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 8 to 18, and full-time students in elementary, middle or high school who have not yet enrolled in college. The Award can only be given to students still enrolled in high school or below.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://fromthetop.org/apply/jack-kent-cooke-young-artist-award/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 3, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Classical musicians, including instrumentalists, vocalists and composers. The Jack Kent Cooke award additionally requires demonstrated financial need.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Financial need is a hard requirement: this is a need-based award and applicants must demonstrate unmet financial need alongside musical achievement, academic achievement and strength of character. If your most recent tax return does not reflect your current situation, explain it in the Special Financial Circumstances section.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://fromthetop.org/apply/jack-kent-cooke-young-artist-award/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "United States. The precise residency requirement was not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "There is no application fee." }, "deadline": { "display": "There are multiple deadlines each year, reported as April, September and November. Critically, high school seniors graduating in 2027 must apply by 9 NOVEMBER 2026 to be considered at all.", "iso": "2026-11-09", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Applicants receive a decision letter within 90 days of the deadline they submitted under." }, "event_dates": "Recording and broadcast dates vary through the year.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "A one-time, non-renewable, need-based grant of up to $10,000, awarded to approximately 20 pre-collegiate musicians each year. Funds are disbursed for specific music-related expenses rather than as a general stipend: instrument purchases, summer music camp tuition, college audition travel, private lessons, competition fees, computers and recording devices. Recipients also perform on the NPR broadcast.", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award recipients receive scholarship funding for their musical education, plus a national radio appearance. Amounts vary; confirm on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.fromthetop.org/", "register_steps": [ "Prepare a high-quality recording of your repertoire. The recording is the audition and its quality matters.", "Complete the application on the From the Top site, including the materials the current cycle requires.", "If you are applying for the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, complete the financial need documentation.", "Selected musicians are invited to record for the programme." ], "skills": [ "Classical performance at a high level", "Recording preparation", "Speaking about your music", "Repertoire selection" ], "resources": [ { "title": "From the Top official site (also: from the top performance archive)", "url": "https://www.fromthetop.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Application information, the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, and archived performances. Past broadcasts are freely available and show the standard and repertoire range." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "mtna-competitions", "youngarts", "scholastic-art-writing", "jack-kent-cooke-young-scholars" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need financial need to appear on From the Top?", "a": "No. Financial need is a requirement specifically for the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, not for appearing on the programme itself." }, { "q": "What instruments are eligible?", "a": "Classical instrumentalists, vocalists and composers are all featured. Check the current application guidance for any restrictions." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.fromthetop.org/" ], "caveats": "The age 8 to 18 range, the classical music focus, the free application and the financial need requirement for the Jack Kent Cooke award follow the programme's long-standing published description. Current application windows and award amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/from-the-top-jkc/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "future-city", "name": "Future City", "full_name": "Future City Competition", "organizer": "DiscoverE", "categories": [ "engineering" ], "tagline": "Design a city a century from now, in simulation, in an essay, and as a physical model built from recycled materials.", "summary": "Future City asks middle school teams to imagine and design a city set at least a century in the future that solves a specific engineering challenge announced each season. Teams deliver four things: a city built in SimCity, a written essay, a physical scale model constructed from recycled materials on a strict budget, and a presentation to judges. The recycled-materials rule and the low budget cap make it one of the most equitable engineering competitions available.", "how_it_works": "Four deliverables: a city essay, a physical city model built from recycled materials that must include at least one moving part, a project plan, and a presentation with a question-and-answer session before judges. One region runs a 7-minute presentation and a 10-minute Q&A. The 2026-27 theme is Fire Resilient Future: design a city that can prevent, protect against and recover from urban wildfires.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6, 7 and 8 for the main competition. NEW: DiscoverE has opened Future City High School to all high schools for grades 9 to 12, after piloting it the previous year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://sparkpath.org/fcc/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The high school division works differently: there are NO regional competitions, and teams submit all deliverables directly to Future City National. The previous listing covered only the middle school programme.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "DiscoverE sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams need a teacher or club leader and an engineer mentor. DiscoverE helps match teams with mentors.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Students must be from the same school, a home school environment, or members of a nationally, regionally or state-recognised youth-focused organisation such as Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs or 4-H. Open to public, private, home and parochial schools.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://futurecity.org/future-city-press-kit/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "More than 41 regions across the United States and China, with over 98,000 students competing each year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://futurecity.org/future-city-press-kit/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "A regional team consists of three presenting students from the same school, an engineer-mentor and a teacher sponsor, though the minimum team size is three students and more may work on the project. Regions set their own limits on how many teams a school may bring: one region allows up to five teams at the morning preliminary round.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International affiliates" ], "cost": { "display": "$25 per school.", "usd_min": 25, "usd_max": 25, "note": "Model materials are recycled by design, so the build cost is low. Some regional coordinators offer further discounts to member districts." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each region, and they vary widely. One region's registration deadline is 31 October. Media waiver and medical release forms for every student are due separately, at the end of January in the most recent cycle. Find your own region's dates." }, "event_dates": "Teams work for roughly four months from September. Regional Competitions are held in January; one region's 2027 regional is 23 January 2027. The Finals are in Washington, D.C. in February, as a featured event of National Engineers Week.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Trips, prizes and special awards", "max_usd": 7500, "detail": "Regional winners receive an all-expenses trip to the Finals for the official team of three students, educator and mentor. A practical warning from the organiser: travel must be finalised within seven days of the regional competition or the team may forfeit the free trip, and travel itineraries must be approved by 5:00 p.m. ET the same day they are received. Anyone beyond the official five pays their own way." }, "official_url": "https://futurecity.org/", "register_steps": [ "A teacher or club leader registers the team on futurecity.org.", "Recruit an engineer mentor. DiscoverE can help match one if you do not know an engineer.", "Read the season's theme and the four deliverables. Each is scored separately, so a team weak in one area can still place well.", "Attend your regional competition in January." ], "skills": [ "Systems thinking", "Technical writing", "Model building", "Public presentation", "Research", "Budget discipline" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Future City official site", "url": "https://futurecity.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The season theme, handbook, rubrics, regional contacts and mentor matching." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past themes, rubrics and winning entries", "url": "https://futurecity.org/", "note": "DiscoverE publishes the handbook and rubrics free, plus examples of previous winners." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "first-lego-league", "invention-convention", "exploravision", "ecybermission" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need to be good at building models?", "a": "The model is one of four scored deliverables alongside the essay, the simulation city and the presentation. A team that writes and presents well can place strongly with a modest model, and the recycled-materials rule with a low spending cap deliberately prevents money from deciding the outcome." }, { "q": "What if we do not know an engineer?", "a": "DiscoverE runs mentor matching. Ask when you register; many practising engineers volunteer specifically for this programme." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://futurecity.org/" ], "caveats": "The four deliverables, the grade range, the recycled-materials model requirement and the January regional to February national structure follow the competition's published description. The current season's theme, registration fee, model budget cap and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on futurecity.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/future-city/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "genius-olympiad", "name": "GENIUS Olympiad", "full_name": "GENIUS Olympiad", "organizer": "Terra Science and Education, hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology", "categories": [ "environment", "science" ], "tagline": "An international project competition on environmental issues, spanning science, art, writing, business and robotics.", "summary": "GENIUS Olympiad is an international high school project competition organised around environmental issues, hosted at the Rochester Institute of Technology. What distinguishes it is breadth of category: alongside scientific research it accepts art, creative writing, business plans, robotics and short films, all connected to environmental themes. That makes it one of very few environmental competitions open to students who are not scientists.", "how_it_works": "An international project competition in science, engineering, art, short film, music, creative writing, robotics, coding, AI, speech and business, all with an environmental focus. GENIUS stands for Global Environmental Issues and Us. All projects from the same school should be submitted under one account, and the organisers may merge or deny duplicate school accounts. The same project cannot be submitted in consecutive years without significant change.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 8 to 12, or the equivalent, from any country.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://geniuscountries.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/GENIUS_Rules.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The current official rules say grades 8 to 12. Older versions of the same document, still circulating on third-party sites, say grades 9 to 12. Use the current PDF on geniusolympiad.org.", "min_grade": 8 }, "ages": { "text": "Minimum age 13. Even if a project is selected as a finalist, a student younger than 13 cannot participate.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://geniuscountries.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/GENIUS_Rules.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Students younger than 18 must attend with an adult chaperone, who may be a teacher, parent or relative. Students 18 or older still in high school may attend without one. Older circulating versions of the rules set that threshold at 17; the current PDF says 18.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 8, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open internationally. Students from many countries attend the finals, and visa timelines are worth planning for early.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open to students from any country; the organiser describes participation from over 80 countries.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://geniuscountries.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/GENIUS_Rules.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Each student may present only one project, and must choose if selected as a finalist for more than one. Science, business, coding, AI and short film projects may be submitted and presented by up to two students. Speech, art and solo music projects are individual. Students may apply with multiple projects to improve their chance of acceptance but will be selected for only one.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Not confirmed; application fee plus a substantial finalist fee", "usd_min": null, "usd_max": null, "note": "Not confirmed for 2027, and this competition is expensive. Circulating versions of the rules give a $50 per-project application fee plus a participation fee for finalists quoted variously at $425 to $850 depending on accommodation, or around $600. Travel to New York State is on top of that. Confirm current figures before applying, and budget for the finalist fee, not just the application." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 dates not confirmed. The cycle has historically run an application deadline in early March, finalist announcement in late March, and a participation registration deadline in early May, with a later deadline for affiliated US and EU fairs." }, "event_dates": "Finals held in June at Rochester Institute of Technology.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Medals and Rochester Institute of Technology scholarships", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "Four tiers of award by score within each category, plus supervisor and school awards. Grand gold, silver and bronze winners in the science category are asked to submit to the International Journal of High School Research for peer review and publication. No cash prize schedule was confirmed." }, "official_url": "https://www.geniusolympiad.org/", "register_steps": [ "Choose a category. The breadth here is the opportunity: art, writing, business and film categories are far less crowded than science.", "Build a project with a genuine environmental connection. A tenuous link to the environment is the most common reason for rejection.", "Submit online with the required documentation before the spring deadline and pay the submission fee.", "If selected, register for the finals and plan travel early, particularly if you need a visa." ], "skills": [ "Environmental research", "Project documentation", "Presenting to judges", "Discipline-specific craft depending on category" ], "resources": [ { "title": "GENIUS Olympiad official site", "url": "https://www.geniusolympiad.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Categories, rules, judging criteria, deadlines and past project examples." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past project examples by category", "url": "https://www.geniusolympiad.org/", "note": "The organisers publish examples of previous entries, which is the clearest guide to standards in each category." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "regeneron-isef", "earth-prize", "envirothon", "ocean-awareness-contest" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need a science project?", "a": "No. GENIUS Olympiad accepts art, creative writing, business plans, robotics and short films alongside scientific research, all connected to environmental themes. The non-science categories are considerably less crowded." }, { "q": "Is it open to international students?", "a": "Yes, and international participation is substantial. If you need a visa to attend the finals in the United States, start that process as soon as you are selected." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.geniusolympiad.org/" ], "caveats": "The category breadth, environmental focus, RIT hosting and June finals follow the competition's published description. Current submission deadlines, fees and scholarship terms were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on geniusolympiad.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/genius-olympiad/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "gyec", "name": "Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge", "full_name": "Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC)", "organizer": "Center for Entrepreneurship Development and the Center for Innovative Learning", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "A twelve-hour online startup sprint: the problem is revealed on the day and you pitch by the end of it.", "summary": "GYEC compresses a business competition into a single twelve-hour online day. The prompt is a significant global problem, revealed only when the competition starts, and teams have the day to develop and submit a pitch. Because nothing can be prepared in advance beyond skills, it rewards teams who can think and divide work fast rather than teams with the most polished prior project.", "how_it_works": "Teams apply during the application window in the spring. Selected participants are notified, then compete on the challenge day. The prompt, drawn from global problems such as poverty, hunger, education, energy or climate change, is given at the start. Teams have twelve hours to build and submit their pitch.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Eligibility is described by age and secondary-school enrolment, not by grade.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No first-party page was reachable for this check. Secondary sources disagree: some say 14 to 18, others 14 to 19 on the day of the competition. All agree entrants must be enrolled in a high or secondary school. Confirm with the organiser before relying on either range.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open internationally, though students in some countries apply through a partner organisation rather than directly. Check the current rules for your country.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Reported as worldwide, with direct-to-final access for a few countries. Not confirmed first-party." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Not confirmed", "usd_min": null, "usd_max": null, "note": "The previous listing said free or up to $50, which is very likely wrong. Secondary sources report a registration fee of 10,000 Japanese yen per team, roughly $69, paid by PayPal, Wise or bank transfer to a Japanese bank. Treat the amount as unconfirmed but do not assume this competition is free." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 dates unknown. The previous listing's 'applications 1 February to 31 March' was not verified anywhere. Reported past cycles used a March application deadline with a preliminary round in mid-April and finals in mid-May." }, "event_dates": "Applications in February and March, selection in April, the twelve-hour challenge on a single announced day.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Recognition and awards for top teams", "max_usd": 1000, "detail": "Reported as a trophy and certificate for winners, with a participation certificate and feedback sheet for all teams. No cash prize is described." }, "official_url": "https://www.gyec.org/", "register_steps": [ "Apply during the application window, historically February to March.", "Assemble a team with genuinely different strengths: someone who researches fast, someone who models numbers, someone who presents.", "Practise a timed run on a past prompt before the day. Twelve hours disappears faster than any team expects.", "On the day, spend the first hour defining the problem before anyone starts building." ], "skills": [ "Rapid problem analysis", "Business model design", "Working under severe time pressure", "Pitch construction", "Team role division" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge", "url": "https://www.gyec.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Application windows, rules, past prompts and results." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "diamond-challenge", "blue-ocean-competition", "m3-challenge", "conrad-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I prepare a business idea in advance?", "a": "No. The prompt is revealed at the start of the twelve-hour window, so nothing beyond skills and team coordination can be prepared. That is the point of the format." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.gyec.org/" ], "caveats": "The twelve-hour virtual format, the 14 to 19 age range, the global problem prompt and the February to March application window follow published descriptions of the competition, though several of those descriptions are from third-party listing sites rather than the organiser. Fees, current dates, team size limits and country-specific application routes were not confirmed against the organiser's own site during the last check. Verify before relying on any detail here." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/gyec/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "harrington-accelerator", "name": "Harrington Foundation Accelerator", "full_name": "Harrington Foundation Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator, with Lemonade Standers", "organizer": "The Harrington Foundation, in partnership with Lemonade Standers", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "A free eight-week virtual accelerator ending in a live pitch, with real investment for the winner.", "summary": "The Harrington Foundation runs a free eight-week virtual accelerator where students build an actual business rather than write a business plan about one. Cohorts are capped at around 25 students, each is matched with a mentor whose background fits their idea, and the programme ends with a business fair and a live pitch to a judging panel. The 2026 winner received a $10,000 investment for Lumivo, a platform helping students find scholarships and internships.", "how_it_works": "An eight-week virtual programme with a game-based, youth-centred curriculum designed by Lemonade Standers: live sessions, hot seats, peer feedback and weekly action challenges, plus an artificial intelligence component. Each student builds a Business Plan Portfolio and gives a final pitch. Mentors meet students in thirty-minute virtual sessions across the eight weeks.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Not stated by the Foundation. The previous listing's 'high school' was an assumption.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Foundation's own site does not state an age range on the pages checked. Local press reporting the pilot launch described applicants aged 12 to 18, split into two cohorts by age. Treat as unconfirmed until the Foundation publishes eligibility for a future cohort.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Cohorts are limited to about 25 students, so acceptance is competitive. The programme has run in the summer; check the Foundation's site for the current cohort's eligibility and dates.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The programme is virtual. Launch coverage focused on Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in Florida and the capstone was held in the Tampa area; whether applicants elsewhere are accepted was not stated on the official pages checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Limited to 25 students per cohort, per the Foundation's site.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "The Foundation's site states: Free. Virtual. Eight weeks." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No open application window was found. The Foundation's site carries a programme application page; check it for the next cohort." }, "event_dates": "Edition I, the Class of 2026, began the week of 8 June 2026 and culminated in a live Capstone Pitch Event on Wednesday 29 July 2026 at ARK Innovation in the Tampa area. No 2027 cohort has been announced on the pages checked.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Investment in the winning business, plus mentorship from Kevin Harrington", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "Not stated on the Foundation's site. Press reported a $10,000 investment in the 2026 winning business; that is a report of one outcome, not a published prize schedule." }, "official_url": "https://harringtonfoundation.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check harringtonfoundation.org for an open cohort. Places are capped at roughly 25, so this is the binding constraint.", "Apply with your business idea. You do not need a finished plan; the programme is built around starting rather than planning.", "If accepted, commit to eight weeks of live sessions, hot seats and mentor meetings.", "Build toward the business fair and the finalist pitch." ], "skills": [ "Idea validation", "Customer research", "Pitching to investors", "Working with a mentor", "Camera presence", "Giving and receiving feedback" ], "resources": [ { "title": "The Harrington Foundation", "url": "https://harringtonfoundation.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Cohort dates, the curriculum and how to apply." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "diamond-challenge", "blue-ocean-competition", "conrad-challenge", "prudential-emerging-visionaries" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is this a competition or a course?", "a": "Both, and that is the point. Eight weeks of structured building and mentorship, ending in a judged pitch where a small number of finalists compete for investment. If you want a submit-and-wait competition, the Diamond Challenge or Blue Ocean suit better." }, { "q": "Is it really free?", "a": "The Foundation states the programme is free and virtual. The scarce resource is places, not money: cohorts are capped at roughly 25 students." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://harringtonfoundation.org/", "https://stpetecatalyst.com/from-dance-flyers-to-startup-founder-teen-wins-10k-investment/" ], "caveats": "The free eight-week virtual format, the roughly 25-student cap, the Lemonade Standers partnership, the mentor matching, the business fair and finalist pitch, and the $10,000 investment won by Lumivo in 2026 are drawn from the Foundation's own site and contemporaneous reporting. This is a small programme without a fixed annual calendar, so cohort dates, eligibility and prize amounts vary and must be confirmed directly. Note that some coverage refers to this as the 'Entrepreneurial Olympics'; the Foundation's own site describes it as a cohort accelerator ending in a pitch competition." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/harrington-accelerator/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "harvard-speech-debate", "name": "Harvard Speech and Debate Tournament", "full_name": "Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament", "organizer": "Harvard Debate Council", "categories": [ "debate" ], "tagline": "One of the largest invitational tournaments in the country, over Presidents' Day weekend, with a full novice field.", "summary": "The Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament is one of the biggest and most competitive invitationals on the American circuit, held each Presidents' Day weekend on Harvard's campus. It runs varsity, junior varsity and novice divisions across a wide event list, which makes it accessible to newer competitors as well as being a major bid tournament for experienced ones.", "how_it_works": "Divisions across policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Congressional Debate and speech events, with JV divisions available. Four round robins are hosted before the tournament, in CX, Congress, PF and LD, entered as waitlisted entries. Recent additions include in-person and online World Schools Debate divisions, Impromptu speaking and JV Congressional Debate. It is a bid tournament toward the Tournament of Champions.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Harvard does not publish a grade range; this is a high school tournament entered through a school's debate programme. Many schools additionally restrict who may attend: one published team policy allows only students with previous competitive history to apply.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No age limits are published.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open invitational, so no qualification is needed, but schools enter rather than individuals. Varsity, junior varsity and novice pools run in parallel.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Draws entries nationally and internationally, though the pool skews East Coast. Berkeley runs the same weekend and tends to draw West Coast teams." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Per-entry tournament fees plus travel and accommodation", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 2000, "note": "Entry fees are set per division and were not published for 2027 at the time of checking. Hospitality, including breakfast for all participants, is included in the fees. The larger cost is travel: this is a national circuit tournament requiring flights and multiple hotel nights. Harvard offers flight discounts through Delta and United and a limited hotel block. As an illustration of real cost, one school's published policy covers $250 per student and bills the remainder to families." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 deadlines not yet posted. For the shape of it, round robin applications in the 2026 cycle ran 1 to 21 December as waitlisted entries, and fees had to be received in Cambridge before the tournament. Your own school's internal application deadline will be much earlier, often mid-December." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament is 13 to 15 February 2027, Presidents' Day Weekend.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies, speaker awards and TOC bids", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Trophies and recognition, plus Tournament of Champions bids. No cash prizes are described." }, "official_url": "https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/index.mhtml?tourn_id=36222", "register_steps": [ "Your coach registers the school on Tabroom during the December to February window.", "For a round robin, enter the appropriate round robin division as a waitlisted entry between 1 and 21 December.", "Complete all registration and final confirmation online in advance, since there is no in-person check-in the day before.", "Book travel early. The tournament offers airline discounts and a limited hotel block detailed in the full invitation." ], "skills": [ "Argument construction", "Evidence research", "Delivery under pressure", "Adapting to a very deep judge pool", "Stamina across a three-day tournament" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Harvard tournament page on Tabroom", "url": "https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/index.mhtml?tourn_id=36222", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The full invitation, registration, event list, deadlines and results." }, { "title": "Tabroom", "url": "https://www.tabroom.com/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Registration and results platform used by the tournament." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nsda-nationals", "tournament-of-champions", "model-un", "world-scholars-cup" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can novices compete?", "a": "Yes. Harvard runs competitive junior varsity and novice pools alongside varsity, plus middle school divisions, so it is a realistic tournament for newer competitors as well as a major bid tournament." }, { "q": "When is the 2027 tournament?", "a": "13 to 15 February 2027, over Presidents' Day weekend. World Schools debate divisions run online while all other events take place on Harvard's campus." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/index.mhtml?tourn_id=36222" ], "caveats": "The 13 to 15 February 2027 dates, the 1 to 21 December round robin application window, the online World Schools divisions and the removal of in-person Friday check-in are stated in the tournament's own invitation. Entry fees were not published in the material checked." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/harvard-speech-debate/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "hmmt", "name": "HMMT", "full_name": "Harvard MIT Math Tournament", "organizer": "Harvard and MIT students", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "One of the hardest and best-run student math tournaments in the world, held twice a year in Boston.", "summary": "HMMT is a team math tournament run entirely by Harvard and MIT students, held in November and February. It is known for the quality of its problems and for the difficulty of its February edition, which sits above AIME level. Teams of up to eight compete in individual subject rounds, a team round and a guts round, a fast-paced relay where problems are handed out in sets against the clock.", "how_it_works": "A student may participate in only one of the November or February tournaments in a given season, cannot belong to more than one organisation in a season, and must participate on their school's team if the school applies for any tournament that season.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Must have been enrolled in full-time primary or secondary education on or after the season's registration start date, 2 August 2026, in the year of the November competition. Home-schooled students must not have received a high school diploma or equivalent and must be working toward one on that date.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.hmmt.org/rg/info", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "HMMT defines eligibility by enrolment status rather than by numbered grade.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "An under-21 limit is reported by third parties but was not found on the official registration page checked.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "February HMMT is competitive to enter and teams may need to apply. November is more open. Individual entrants can sometimes be placed on composite teams.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Open to teams and individuals internationally subject to the lottery; not stated in those terms on the page checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Teams must be 4 to 6 students for November and 6 to 8 students for February. School teams must be verifiably affiliated with the school, and the school must be a recognised educational institution.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A per-student registration fee plus travel", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 100, "note": "Not stated on the official page checked. A third-party guide reports no fee to apply and, if accepted by lottery, $80 per team or $10 per individual collected on site. Treat as unconfirmed." }, "deadline": { "display": "20 September 2026 for both the November 2026 and February 2027 tournaments.", "iso": "2026-09-20", "status": "confirmed", "note": "February registration is competitive and closes early. Confirm on hmmt.org." }, "event_dates": "November tournament at Harvard, February tournament at MIT.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and recognition", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards for top individuals and teams; no cash prize schedule found on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.hmmt.org/", "register_steps": [ "Decide which tournament fits. November is the more accessible entry point; February is at or above AIME difficulty.", "Register your team during the published window. February places are limited and allocated competitively.", "Work through past problems, which are published free with solutions.", "Practise the guts round format specifically, since nothing else in competition maths resembles it." ], "skills": [ "Olympiad-level algebra, combinatorics, geometry and number theory", "Team collaboration under time pressure", "Fast estimation for guts round" ], "resources": [ { "title": "HMMT official site with past problems", "url": "https://www.hmmt.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, rules and a complete free archive of past problems and solutions." }, { "title": "HMMT problem archive", "url": "https://www.hmmt.org/archive/", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Every past round with official solutions." }, { "title": "AoPS Contest Collections", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c13_contest_collections", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "HMMT problems with community discussion and alternative solutions." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete HMMT archive", "url": "https://www.hmmt.org/archive/", "note": "Free, with official solutions." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "aime", "arml", "pumac", "amc-10-12" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Which tournament should I enter?", "a": "November if you are working at AMC level, February if you have AIME experience. February problems regularly sit above AIME difficulty and the field includes many olympiad qualifiers." }, { "q": "Can I compete without a school team?", "a": "HMMT has historically accommodated individual entrants and composite teams in some circumstances. Contact the organisers through the site before assuming either way." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.hmmt.org/" ], "caveats": "The two tournaments, round structure including the guts round, team size and the free problem archive follow HMMT's long-standing description. Current fees, registration windows and dates were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/hmmt/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "hosa", "name": "HOSA", "full_name": "HOSA Future Health Professionals International Leadership Conference", "organizer": "HOSA Future Health Professionals", "categories": [ "science", "academic" ], "tagline": "Over sixty competitive events across clinical skills, health knowledge and leadership, from middle school upward.", "summary": "HOSA runs one of the largest competitive event programmes of any student organisation, with more than sixty events spanning clinical skills such as CPR and first aid, knowledge tests in medical terminology and human anatomy, and leadership events including public speaking and health career displays. Students compete through a school chapter at regional, state and international level.", "how_it_works": "A published Competitive Event Guideline for each event, with competency-based rating sheets. The 2026-27 guidelines are published. Events span knowledge tests, clinical skills judged by healthcare professionals, and leadership events; some skill events at ILC run off-site at university and industry locations. Round Two finalists are posted by member number for privacy.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Three divisions for competitive events: Middle School, Secondary, and Postsecondary/Collegiate.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.hosa.org/sites/default/files/20-21%20GRR%20Aug31.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "HOSA's General Rules define each division formally for competitive event purposes; the exact grade boundaries were not visible on the pages checked, so read the current General Rules and Regulations for the precise definitions.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "HOSA defines divisions by school level, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Requires an active HOSA chapter at your school. If none exists, a teacher can charter one.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "You can only participate in and be a member of HOSA through your school. Competitors must be active members in good standing, meaning a chapter with a minimum of five members, an advisor, and affiliation fees paid in full.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.michiganhosa.org/faqs", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Chartered associations exist across the US and in some other countries; the full list was not confirmed here." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Membership dues plus conference registration and travel", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 1500, "note": "Membership dues are set nationally and by each state; conference registration is charged separately. Amounts were not confirmed on the national pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Competitive event participants must be registered for the ILC by 15 May.", "iso": "2026-11-30", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Chapter affiliation, regional and state conference deadlines are set by each state association." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 International Leadership Conference is scheduled for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 22 to 25 June 2027. The 2026 ILC was held in Indianapolis in June 2026.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships and international recognition", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Medals and recognition; scholarship details not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://hosa.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check whether your school has a HOSA chapter. If not, a teacher in a health science or biology department can charter one.", "Join and pay membership dues through the chapter.", "Choose events from the published competitive event guidelines. Read the guideline for your event in full; it specifies the exact scope.", "Compete at regional and state conferences, then internationally if you qualify." ], "skills": [ "Medical terminology", "Human anatomy and physiology", "Clinical skills such as CPR and first aid", "Public speaking", "Teamwork under simulated emergency conditions" ], "resources": [ { "title": "HOSA official site", "url": "https://hosa.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Chapter information, membership and the full competitive event programme." }, { "title": "HOSA competitive event guidelines", "url": "https://hosa.org/guidelines/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The published guideline for each of the sixty-plus events, specifying scope, references and scoring. This is the syllabus." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Event guidelines and sample tests", "url": "https://hosa.org/guidelines/", "note": "Published free by HOSA, including reference lists and sample materials for many events." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "deca", "fbla", "brain-bee", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to be in a health science class?", "a": "Not necessarily, though many chapters are based in health science programmes. Membership runs through a school chapter, so the practical requirement is that your school has one or is willing to charter one." }, { "q": "How do I choose an event?", "a": "Read the published guidelines. Each of the sixty-plus events has a document specifying the exact scope, reference texts and scoring rubric, and choosing an event whose references you can actually obtain is the most important early decision." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://hosa.org/" ], "caveats": "The chapter model, event programme scale, division structure and regional-to-international progression follow HOSA's published description. Current dues, state deadlines, conference dates and scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check and vary by state." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/hosa/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "immc", "name": "IM\u00b2C", "full_name": "International Mathematical Modeling Challenge", "organizer": "Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications, with international partners", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "A team modelling challenge with national rounds worldwide feeding an international judging round.", "summary": "The International Mathematical Modeling Challenge gives teams of four an open-ended real-world problem and several consecutive days to produce a modelling report. National organisers run their own rounds and forward their best papers to international judging. It is free, it runs in dozens of countries, and its longer window makes it a gentler introduction to modelling than the fourteen-hour formats.", "how_it_works": "Teams choose five consecutive days within the contest window to download the problem, work together and prepare a solution document. Advisors submit the papers. A signed Parental/Guardian Authorization form is required for every student. Solutions are recognised as Outstanding, Meritorious, Honorable Mention or Successful Participant, with international judging in June and July.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Secondary school students, or below, enrolled in the same school", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.immchallenge.org/Pages/Rules.html", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "IM2C uses the term 'secondary or below' rather than numbered grades.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "IM2C publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Run separately in each participating country, with eligibility set nationally. Teams need a teacher advisor.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, through country and region representatives listed on the IM2C site. IM2C itself operates in the US Eastern time zone.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.comap.org/contests/immc", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "A team may consist of up to four students enrolled in the same school, with a faculty advisor from that school. The advisor is responsible for all required steps before, during and after the contest.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Not stated on the IM2C pages checked. National organisers may charge; COMAP's feeder contests have their own fees." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each country or region's organiser within the international window. 2027 dates not published. In the US the binding dates are those of COMAP's autumn HiMCM and MidMCM, since IM2C invitation flows from them." }, "event_dates": "The contest window runs from mid-February through late April. 2027 dates not yet published. For reference, in 2026 all papers were due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday 27 April 2026, and the Australian round ran 3 February to 31 March 2026.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Outstanding and meritorious designations, plus national awards", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Recognition designations rather than cash; any national prizes are set by the national organiser." }, "official_url": "https://www.immchallenge.org/", "register_steps": [ "Outside the United States, contact your country or region representative listed on immchallenge.org; selection processes differ by country.", "In the United States, IM2C is by invitation only. Enter COMAP's autumn HiMCM or MidMCM first; COMAP invites teams that excel there.", "Assemble a team of up to four students from the same school with a faculty advisor.", "Choose five consecutive days within the contest window, download the problem, and have the advisor submit the paper with signed parental authorisation forms." ], "skills": [ "Mathematical modelling", "Research", "Technical writing", "Team collaboration over several days" ], "resources": [ { "title": "IM\u00b2C official site", "url": "https://www.immchallenge.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "National organiser directory, rules, past problems and winning papers." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past problems and outstanding papers", "url": "https://www.immchallenge.org/", "note": "Published free by the organisers." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "m3-challenge", "modeling-the-future-challenge", "purple-comet", "earth-prize" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How is this different from the M3 Challenge?", "a": "IM\u00b2C runs internationally with national rounds and gives teams several consecutive days rather than fourteen hours. M3 is United States and United Kingdom only, awards large scholarships, and is a single-day sprint." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.immchallenge.org/" ], "caveats": "The team size, multi-day format and national-to-international structure follow the challenge's published description. Rules, deadlines and eligibility are set by each national organiser and were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/immc/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "geography-bee", "name": "International Geography Bee", "full_name": "United States and International Geography Bee", "organizer": "International Academic Competitions", "categories": [ "academic" ], "tagline": "A buzzer geography competition with online qualifying, filling the gap left by the discontinued National Geographic Bee.", "summary": "The International Geography Bee is a buzzer-based geography competition running online qualifying exams, regional events and national and international championships. It became the main national geography competition route for United States students after National Geographic ended its own separate GeoBee programme. Divisions run from elementary through high school. This listing covers the International Geography Bee, which is active; it is not the National Geographic programme.", "how_it_works": "The Online Regional Qualifying Exam is 50 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes, scored plus two for correct, zero for blank and minus one for incorrect, so guessing is penalised. About 30 of the 50 questions include a picture or visual component. It must be proctored by a teacher or parent, who keeps time and ensures no outside resources are used. Finals are buzzer-based Bee play over three rounds plus a final.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "International Academic Competitions sets divisions by birth date, not grade. Not converted.", "min_grade": 3 }, "ages": { "text": "Divisions are set by date of birth, not grade. As published for the 2025-26 cycle: Junior Varsity for students born September 2008 to August 2010, Middle School September 2010 to August 2012, and Elementary September 2012 or later, with Varsity above Junior Varsity. There is no lower age limit; the organisers state a capable 8-year-old is welcome.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.internationalgeographybee.com/europe/faqs/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Birth-date windows shift each academic year, so check the current cycle's dates. If a tournament offers no Elementary Division, eligible students may compete in Middle School. Where a Championships qualification carries over a year, students must compete in the division their birth date falls into for the current school year, not the one they qualified in.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 3, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Divisions by grade band. Open to students in the United States and internationally.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Worldwide, run through regional divisions including North America, Europe, Asia and Canada. Students in mainland China must register through ASDAN China and students in India through Xpress Minds rather than directly.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://iacompetitionsasia.com/geography-bee-science-bee-registrations/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "The Geography Bee is individual. A separate International Geography Bowl is a two-student team event where both students must attend the same school, and it requires no prior qualifying.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A small qualifying exam fee plus championship registration and travel", "usd_min": 10, "usd_max": 500, "note": "Fees differ by region and this is the most confusing part of the programme. The Asian division describes the Online Regional Qualifying Exam as free for all students, while the Canadian division lists the Championships Qualifying Exam at $20 USD online or $20 USD / $25 CAD in person for 2025-26. Regional final and championship entry fees are separate. Check the fee schedule for your own region before entering." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no single deadline. The Online Regional Qualifying Exam opens in September and stays open until May, but must be taken before the registration deadline of whichever regional final you want to enter. Those deadlines are typically about two weeks before each event." }, "event_dates": "Regional finals run through the school year in person and online. The International Geography Championships are biennial; the most recent was 5 to 12 July 2026 in Khao Lak, Thailand, and the next is summer 2028.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies, medals and championship qualification", "max_usd": 1000, "detail": "Championship titles and qualification for higher rounds; no cash prize schedule was found." }, "official_url": "https://www.geographybee.com/", "register_steps": [ "Register for the online qualifying exam through the official site, or find a regional event near you.", "Take the qualifying exam during the published window.", "If you qualify, register for a regional or national championship.", "Study using published sample questions and general geography reference material." ], "skills": [ "Physical and human geography", "Map knowledge", "Current events", "Fast recall", "Buzzer timing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "International Geography Bee official site", "url": "https://www.geographybee.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Qualifying exam registration, divisions, championship calendar and sample questions." }, { "title": "CIA World Factbook", "url": "https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/", "kind": "Reference", "free": true, "note": "Free comprehensive country reference, a standard study source for geography competitions." }, { "title": "Seterra map quizzes", "url": "https://www.geoguessr.com/quiz/seterra", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free map drilling by region and feature type." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Sample questions and past rounds", "url": "https://www.geographybee.com/", "note": "Published sample sets from the organisers." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "national-history-bee", "naqt-hsnct", "academic-decathlon", "scripps-spelling-bee" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is this the National Geographic Bee?", "a": "No. National Geographic discontinued its own GeoBee, and the International Geography Bee, run by International Academic Competitions, is now the main national geography competition route for United States students." }, { "q": "How do I qualify?", "a": "By scoring above the threshold on an online qualifying exam, which can be taken at school or supervised at home, or by placing at a regional event. The online route is the more accessible one." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.geographybee.com/" ], "caveats": "The buzzer format, divisions, online qualifying route and championship structure follow the organiser's published description. Current fees, exam windows, championship dates and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/geography-bee/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "ioai", "name": "International Olympiad in AI", "full_name": "International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI)", "organizer": "IOAI, with national organising bodies", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "The newest international science olympiad, with a scientific round and a practical machine learning round.", "summary": "The International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence is the newest of the international science olympiads, first held in 2024. National teams compete in two rounds: a scientific round of open-ended AI problems solved in teams over a long window, and a practical round of hands-on machine learning tasks. Countries select teams through their own national qualifiers, and the United States runs a national AI olympiad for this purpose.", "how_it_works": "Each country runs a national selection process, typically an online qualifying exam followed by a training and selection camp. National teams of four students then attend the international olympiad, where they work on a scientific round of open-ended problems and a practical round involving real machine learning tasks with provided compute.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school students living in the country they represent", "status": "verified", "source": "https://ioai-official.org/china-2025/2025-china-registration-ioai/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "IOAI's own rule is 'high school students'. The US national qualifier, USAAIO, is broader and accepts K-12 students in the US and Canada, though only those meeting IOAI's rule can go on to the international event.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Less than 20 years old on the first day of the international competition", "status": "verified", "source": "https://ioai-official.org/china-2025/2025-china-registration-ioai/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Stated by IOAI and repeated by USAAIO, which adds that contestants must not be full-time university students in the competition year.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must qualify through your own country's national selection. Entry rules and qualifier formats are set nationally.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. As of 2026, 130 countries and territories were accredited. Note that the IAIO (iaio-official.org) is a separate, differently run AI olympiad and is not this competition.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://ioai-official.org/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": "For the US national pathway (USAAIO): be a US or Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or a full-time middle or high school student studying in the US or Canada.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.usaaio.org/contest-rules", "checked": "2026-09-01" } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Each country is represented by a national team of four contestants and a team leader, selected by the country coordinator from national competitions in AI or related subjects. Contestants compete individually at IOAI; the Team Challenge does not affect medals.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "National qualifiers are usually free; international travel is often funded", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 500, "note": "Not confirmed. The USAAIO contest rules page did not state a fee on the version checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "For US and Canadian students: USAAIO registration for the 2027 edition is open and closes 31 January 2027 at 11:59 p.m. EST.", "iso": "2027-03-01", "status": "confirmed", "note": "There is no direct entry to IOAI. Students in other countries must find their own National Olympiad in AI; deadlines vary by country." }, "event_dates": "IOAI 2027, the 4th edition, will be held in Singapore from 4 to 10 July 2027, jointly hosted by AI Singapore and Nanyang Technological University. IOAI 2026 was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, 2 to 8 August 2026.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "Medals and international recognition", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Medals at IOAI. The 2027 medal boundaries and any national awards were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://ioai-official.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your country's national AI olympiad organiser through the international site.", "Enter the national qualifying round, which is usually an online exam covering machine learning fundamentals and mathematics.", "Qualifiers attend national training and a selection process.", "Selected students form the national team of four." ], "skills": [ "Python and PyTorch or similar frameworks", "Linear algebra and probability", "Neural network architectures", "Prompt and model evaluation", "Reading machine learning papers", "Team problem solving" ], "resources": [ { "title": "IOAI official site", "url": "https://ioai-official.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Format, syllabus, national organiser directory and past problems." }, { "title": "fast.ai Practical Deep Learning", "url": "https://course.fast.ai/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free, project-first deep learning course. The fastest route from beginner to training real models." }, { "title": "Dive into Deep Learning", "url": "https://d2l.ai/", "kind": "Book", "free": true, "note": "Free interactive textbook with runnable code covering the full modern syllabus." }, { "title": "Kaggle Learn", "url": "https://www.kaggle.com/learn", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free short courses on the practical machine learning workflow." }, { "title": "USA Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (USAAIO) contest rules", "url": "https://www.usaaio.org/contest-rules", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The US and Canadian national pathway to Team USA. Registration for 2027 closes 31 January 2027." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "IOAI past problems", "url": "https://ioai-official.org/", "note": "The organisers publish problems from previous editions." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "3Blue1Brown neural networks series", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@3blue1brown", "channel": "3Blue1Brown", "note": "The clearest available visual explanation of how neural networks and backpropagation actually work." } ], "similar": [ "usaco", "waicy", "codeforces", "physics-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I enter?", "a": "Through your country's national AI olympiad qualifier. There is no direct entry to the international event. Find your national organiser through the IOAI site, since formats and deadlines differ considerably between countries." }, { "q": "Do I need my own GPU?", "a": "Not to prepare. Free tiers on Google Colab and Kaggle provide enough compute for learning and for most practice projects, and the international rounds provide compute." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://ioai-official.org/" ], "caveats": "The two-round format, national team structure and olympiad medal model follow the IOAI's published description. This is a very new olympiad whose format has changed between editions, and the current cycle's national qualifier dates, host country and rules were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/ioai/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "invention-convention", "name": "Invention Convention", "full_name": "Raytheon Technologies Invention Convention U.S. Nationals", "organizer": "The Henry Ford", "categories": [ "engineering", "business" ], "tagline": "Invent something that solves a real problem, document the process, and pitch it like an inventor.", "summary": "Invention Convention runs a national programme in which students from kindergarten through grade 12 identify a problem, invent a solution, keep an inventor's logbook documenting the process, and present a prototype to judges. It is deliberately process-focused: the logbook and the reasoning behind the invention carry as much weight as the prototype, which makes it accessible to students with limited materials.", "how_it_works": "Students identify a problem themselves and invent a solution. Submission requires a video presentation of the invention, a prototype, an inventor's logbook documenting the invention process, and a poster board highlighting key points.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades K to 12.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://inhub.thehenryford.org/icw/competitions", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Students can take part through in-school and after-school programmes, homeschool groups, clubs, summer programmes, or as independent inventors. Individual regional affiliates may narrow this: some New York regions serve only grades 5 to 12 or 9 to 12.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Invention Convention sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Divisions by grade band. You normally enter through a local affiliate; check whether your region has one.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States affiliates, feeding U.S. Nationals, with a separate Globals event for international participants.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://inhub.thehenryford.org/icw/competitions/us-nationals-landing", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individual or team. Each individual or team may submit only one invention per season.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International affiliates" ], "cost": { "display": "Usually free at local level", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 100, "note": "Set by each state affiliate rather than nationally. One state charges $25 per inventor and offers scholarships where cost is a barrier; another describes its K-12 programme as free. The curriculum itself is free. Ask your own affiliate, and ask about fee scholarships if needed." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each state affiliate. Find your state's programme through the Invention Convention competitions directory." }, "event_dates": "RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals 2027 is 9 to 11 June 2027 at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. State and regional events run in the spring; one state's 2027 teacher nomination deadline is March 2027.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Each qualifying invention at Nationals is eligible for over eighty grade level, category, industry and patent application awards, including cash prizes and scholarships.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "National awards include cash prizes and support toward patenting. Amounts vary by year and sponsor." }, "official_url": "https://www.inventionconvention.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your local or state affiliate through the official site.", "Start an inventor's logbook immediately. It is scored and it cannot be reconstructed afterwards.", "Identify a real problem, ideally one you or someone you know has, and research whether it has been solved already.", "Build a prototype, however rough, and prepare a short presentation explaining the problem, the process and the solution." ], "skills": [ "Problem identification", "Prototyping", "Documentation", "Market research", "Presentation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Invention Convention official site", "url": "https://www.inventionconvention.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Affiliate directory, curriculum resources and judging rubrics." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "future-city", "exploravision", "conrad-challenge", "ecybermission" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Does the invention need to work?", "a": "A prototype is expected but polish is not. Judging weights problem identification, research and the documented process heavily, so a rough prototype with an excellent logbook often outscores a slick one with thin reasoning." }, { "q": "What if there is no affiliate near me?", "a": "Contact the national programme through the official site. Some regions run open entry routes, and new affiliates are added regularly." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.inventionconvention.org/" ], "caveats": "The grade range, the inventor's logbook requirement and the affiliate-to-nationals structure follow the programme's published description. The sponsor name, current deadlines, fees and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check and sponsors change. Confirm on inventionconvention.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/invention-convention/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "investwrite", "name": "InvestWrite", "full_name": "InvestWrite", "organizer": "SIFMA Foundation", "categories": [ "business", "writing" ], "tagline": "A free national essay competition on investing, judged on reasoning rather than returns.", "summary": "InvestWrite is the essay companion to The Stock Market Game. Students respond to an annual prompt about investing, personal finance or the economy, and entries are judged by financial professionals on the quality of the reasoning rather than on any portfolio result. It is free, individual, and provides a route to national recognition for students who think well about markets even if their simulated portfolio did not win.", "how_it_works": "Students write an essay applying what they learned in The Stock Market Game to long-term investing, in response to a published writing prompt. The Stock Market Game advisor collects and reviews essays and submits only the best ones online before the deadline, so there is an internal filter before national judging. Judges score up to eight essays each on rationale, understanding of the subject matter, and writing style.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 4 to 12, in three divisions: Elementary grades 4 to 5, Middle School grades 6 to 8, and High School grades 9 to 12.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://azecon.org/student-program/invest-write/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 4 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Divisions are set by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 4, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Participation typically requires enrolment in The Stock Market Game through a teacher. Check your state coordinator's rules.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "InvestWrite is offered exclusively to students already participating in The Stock Market Game. Only educators with valid registration of a grade 4 to 12 class in The Stock Market Game during the eligible sessions, with actively trading student teams, may enter. You cannot enter InvestWrite independently.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://sifmafoundation.org/investwrite/official-rules", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This is the single most important eligibility fact: it is a companion competition, not a standalone one." }, "geography": { "text": "United States, wherever The Stock Market Game runs.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://sifmafoundation.org/investwrite/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual essays", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No separate InvestWrite fee is described; the cost is whatever your state charges for Stock Market Game participation." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2026-27 InvestWrite competition details had not been published at the time of checking. There are autumn and spring competitions aligned to the Stock Market Game sessions. Allow 10 to 12 weeks after close for winner notification." }, "event_dates": "Autumn and spring cycles, with judging and awards following each.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Every participant is eligible for an InvestWrite Certificate of Achievement. The top 10 students in each grade division are recognised, along with their parents, teachers, classrooms and schools. Reported prizes include laptops and trips to New York.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "National winners receive cash or prize awards along with recognition; state winners receive their own awards. Amounts vary by year and state." }, "official_url": "https://www.investwrite.org/", "register_steps": [ "Enrol in The Stock Market Game through a teacher, since InvestWrite participation typically runs alongside it.", "Read the season's prompt carefully. It changes each cycle and answering it directly matters more than general knowledge.", "Write within the word limit for your division.", "Submit through your teacher before the cycle deadline." ], "skills": [ "Financial reasoning", "Persuasive writing", "Explaining a decision clearly", "Basic investment concepts" ], "resources": [ { "title": "InvestWrite official site (also: past winning essays)", "url": "https://www.investwrite.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The current prompt, word limits by division, deadlines and past winning essays. Published free and the clearest guide to what judges reward." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past prompts and winning essays", "url": "https://www.investwrite.org/", "note": "Published free by the SIFMA Foundation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "stock-market-game", "national-personal-finance-challenge", "nyt-student-editorial", "national-economics-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I have to play The Stock Market Game?", "a": "Participation typically runs through enrolment in the game via a teacher. Check your state coordinator's rules, since arrangements have varied." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.investwrite.org/" ], "caveats": "The essay format, divisions, judging by financial professionals and the link to The Stock Market Game follow the SIFMA Foundation's published description. Current prompts, deadlines and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/investwrite/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "jack-kent-cooke-young-scholars", "name": "Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program", "full_name": "Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program", "organizer": "Jack Kent Cooke Foundation", "categories": [ "scholarship" ], "tagline": "A five-year, individually advised scholarship for high-achieving students with financial need, applied for in grade 7.", "summary": "The Young Scholars Program is a selective pre-college scholarship for high-achieving students with financial need, applied for in seventh grade and supporting the student through the whole of high school. Rather than a single cash award, it provides individualised advising, funding for summer programmes, academic enrichment and college preparation, plus support through the college application process.", "how_it_works": "Online application only; there is no paper version. A complete application includes the student application covering demographics, grades, activities, awards and writing, plus report cards from 6th and 7th grade. No test scores of any kind are required, including SAT, ACT and state standardised tests. The Foundation requires that essays and short answers are wholly the student's own work.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Currently in 7th grade and/or entering 8th grade in the autumn of 2027. This is a single-grade window: you can only apply in 7th grade.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/how-to-apply/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Academic requirement: since the beginning of 6th grade, grades of all or mostly As, with no Cs or below in core academic subjects (English/language arts, maths, science, social studies/history).", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Foundation sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 7, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "There is a household income ceiling, so this is a need-based programme as well as an achievement-based one. Applicants must be US citizens, permanent residents or hold eligible status; check the current requirements.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Demonstrated unmet financial need is a hard eligibility requirement, not a tiebreaker. Applicants with a family adjusted gross income up to $95,000 are eligible to apply, and the Foundation conducts a full financial review of all income and assets of the student and their parents. For context on how competitive that band is, the Foundation states the median family income of a recent entering cohort was about $36,800.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/for-educators/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "United States and US territories.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/for-educators/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Reside in the US or a US territory and plan to attend high school in the US or a US territory. US citizenship is not required.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/for-educators/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The citizenship point matters: many comparable US scholarships do require it." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No application fee is described on the Foundation's pages." }, "deadline": { "display": "Applications must be submitted by 28 April 2027 at 11:59 p.m. in your local time zone. Incomplete applications and late submissions will not be considered.", "iso": "2027-04-15", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The Foundation has historically opened applications in the winter and closed them in spring. Confirm on jkcf.org, since you can only apply in one specific school year." }, "event_dates": "Applications in winter and spring of grade 7, scholars announced in the summer before grade 8.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "A five-year pre-college scholarship running from 8th through 12th grade. It provides individualised educational advising, help identifying a rigorous high school, four-year planning, and funding for academic and extracurricular opportunities such as music and art lessons, supplemental classes and technology, plus annual summer programmes including two required Young Scholar events.", "max_usd": 40000, "detail": "Rather than a fixed cash award, the programme funds summer programmes, academic enrichment, technology and college preparation tailored to each scholar, alongside a dedicated educational adviser. Young Scholars are also eligible to apply for the Foundation's College Scholarship later." }, "official_url": "https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/", "register_steps": [ "Check the household income ceiling first, since this is a need-based programme and the ceiling determines eligibility.", "Apply during the spring of seventh grade. This is the only year you can apply, so a missed deadline cannot be recovered.", "Gather the academic records, recommendations and financial documentation the application requires.", "Submit before the spring deadline." ], "skills": [ "Academic achievement", "Written application", "Articulating goals and circumstances", "Securing strong recommendations" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program", "url": "https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Eligibility including the income ceiling, application timeline and what the programme provides." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "coca-cola-scholars", "davidson-fellows", "prudential-emerging-visionaries", "regeneron-sts" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I apply in a different grade?", "a": "No. The Young Scholars Program accepts applications only from students in seventh grade, which makes the deadline unusually unforgiving. If you miss it, the Foundation's College Scholarship remains available in your final year of high school." }, { "q": "Is it need-based?", "a": "Yes. There is a household income ceiling alongside the achievement requirements, so it is designed specifically for high-achieving students with financial need. Check the current income limit before applying." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/" ], "caveats": "The seventh-grade-only application window, need-based eligibility, adviser model and enrichment funding structure follow the Foundation's long-standing published description. The current income ceiling, deadline and funding levels were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on jkcf.org, since applications are accepted in only one school year." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/jack-kent-cooke-young-scholars/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "jea-journalism", "name": "JEA Write-off Competitions", "full_name": "Journalism Education Association National Student Media Contests", "organizer": "Journalism Education Association", "categories": [ "writing", "academic" ], "tagline": "On-site journalism contests held at national conventions across news, feature, sports, design and photojournalism.", "summary": "The Journalism Education Association runs national student media contests, commonly called write-offs, at its twice-yearly national conventions. Students compete on site in categories spanning news writing, feature writing, sports writing, editorial writing, newspaper and yearbook design, photojournalism, broadcast and digital media, usually working against a live prompt and a deadline.", "how_it_works": "Fifty NSMC categories across writing, design, photo and broadcast, split between on-site and online contests. Every category, including the online ones, has a required in-person component: students must attend the on-site critique session at the convention to keep award eligibility. Ratings are Superior, Excellent and Honorable Mention, with medals for Superior. Journalist of the Year is a portfolio contest judged first at state level.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school for the National Student Media Contests. Journalist of the Year requires the applicant to be a high school senior, or the equivalent for international schools. A separate Junior High/Middle School National Media Contest runs each spring for middle school students, whose work may not come from a high school publication.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://jea.org/awards/journalist-of-the-year/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "JEA sets eligibility by school level, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Entry runs through a school journalism programme with a JEA member adviser attending the convention.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "The journalism teacher or adviser must be a current JEA member for students to enter any of these contests. For the National Student Media Contests the adviser must also be registered for the convention. There is no route for an unaffiliated student.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://jea.org/awards/nsmc/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This is the binding constraint: if your school has no JEA-member adviser, you cannot enter." }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Primarily United States, with Journalist of the Year open to international school equivalents. The SPJ/JEA essay contest is US only and explicitly not accepting international submissions." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Varies by category; team contests require every member to be separately registered and paid.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "National Student Media Contests: $30 per entry for the Fall 2026 convention and $20 per entry for Spring, one entry per student. In team contests every student must be registered and paid. The separate SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest is $10 per essay.", "usd_min": 10, "usd_max": 30, "note": "JEA's own pages show different NSMC prices for different conventions, so check the figure for the specific convention you are entering. Convention attendance, travel and lodging are separate and much larger costs." }, "deadline": { "display": "Journalist of the Year: state winners' national applications are due 15 March at 11:59 p.m. CDT, after each state's own earlier deadline. SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest: 21 February 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CST. National Student Media Contests: advance registration by the deadline listed for each convention.", "iso": "2027-02-28", "status": "confirmed", "note": "No late entries are accepted for NSMC, and students who miss the online upload deadline are disqualified." }, "event_dates": "The JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Conventions are 19 to 22 November 2026 in Orlando and 15 to 18 April 2027 in Los Angeles.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Superior and Excellent ratings, and national recognition", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Certificates and medals for NSMC. Journalist of the Year carries scholarships, including the Sister Rita Jeanne Abicht Scholarships, and the SPJ/JEA essay contest gives scholarship awards to its top three. Amounts were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://jea.org/", "register_steps": [ "Your journalism adviser must be a JEA member and register the school for a national convention.", "Choose categories from the published contest list. Read the descriptions carefully, since on-site and carry-in categories work very differently.", "For on-site categories, practise writing to a deadline from a cold prompt, which is the actual skill tested.", "Compete at the convention." ], "skills": [ "News and feature writing", "Interviewing under time pressure", "Editing and headline writing", "Design and layout", "Photojournalism", "Working to a hard deadline" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Journalism Education Association", "url": "https://jea.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Convention dates, contest categories, rules and past winning entries." }, { "title": "JEA curriculum and resources", "url": "https://jea.org/wp/home/for-educators/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Teaching resources for scholastic journalism, useful for practising the contest skills." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past contest prompts and winning entries", "url": "https://jea.org/", "note": "JEA publishes winning entries, which show the expected standard for each category." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nyt-student-editorial", "scholastic-art-writing", "all-american-film-festival", "c-span-studentcam" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I enter without a school newspaper?", "a": "Entry runs through a school journalism programme with a JEA member adviser, so in practice you need a school publication or an adviser willing to register. If your school has none, the New York Times Learning Network contests are open to individuals and free." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://jea.org/" ], "caveats": "The on-site contest format, category breadth, convention schedule and adviser-based entry follow JEA's published description. Current convention dates, entry fees and category lists were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/jea-journalism/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "john-locke-essay", "name": "John Locke Institute Essay Competition", "full_name": "John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize", "organizer": "John Locke Institute", "categories": [ "writing", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "A free global essay prize in seven academic subjects, judged by academics from Oxford and Princeton.", "summary": "The John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize invites students worldwide to write a short academic essay answering one of a set of published questions in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology or law, plus a junior category for younger students. Essays are capped at 2,000 words, entry is free, and shortlisted candidates are invited to an academic conference. It is one of the few genuinely open international competitions where a student anywhere can compete on equal terms with nothing but a good argument.", "how_it_works": "Each essay must address only one question from your chosen subject category and must not exceed 2,000 words, excluding diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography and the authorship declaration. Submissions must use the exact file name format FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf. There are ten subject categories: Economics, History, International Relations, Law, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Public Policy, Science and Technology, and Theology. Judging is by a panel of senior academics from universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton and Stanford.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Institute sets eligibility by age and secondary-school enrolment, not grade.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Institute's own page did not state the age rule in the text captured. Secondary sources consistently describe a senior eligibility of 18 or under on 30 June of the competition year, with a separate Junior category for students whose fifteenth birthday falls after that date, but they disagree on the phrasing, some saying 'under 18' and others 'must not turn 19 on or before 30 June'. Read the current rules on johnlockeinstitute.com before assuming you qualify; the difference matters if your birthday is near the cut-off.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide with no restriction on country or school type. Age limits are specified as of a stated date in the entry rules, so check the exact cut-off for your cycle.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open to students from any country.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free to enter on time; late registration and late entry carry fees", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 20, "note": "Entering on time is free, but this is not a wholly free competition: late registration carried a $10 charge in 2026 and late entry carried its own fee. Travel to the Oxford conference and London awards dinner, if you attend, is a separate and much larger cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 dates not yet published. For reference, the 2026 cycle ran: late registration deadline 30 April 2026 at 23:59 GMT with a $10 charge; late entry deadlines of 7 June 2026 for a seven-day extension or 21 June 2026 for a twenty-one-day extension; shortlist notification 7 July 2026. The regular registration and submission deadlines fall earlier, typically registration at the end of May and submission at the end of June." }, "event_dates": "For the 2026 cycle the academic conference ran 2 to 4 October 2026 with the awards dinner on 3 October 2026. 2027 dates not published.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships toward John Locke Institute programmes, plus publication", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "Sources conflict badly and none of the figures could be confirmed on the Institute's own page. Third-party guides variously describe category winners receiving a $2,000 or a $5,000 scholarship toward a John Locke Institute programme, second place $2,000, third place $1,000, and a best-overall prize of $10,000. All awards are scholarships toward Institute programmes rather than cash. Winning essays are published on the Institute's website. Confirm current amounts directly." }, "official_url": "https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition", "register_steps": [ "Read the published questions when they are released and pick one you actually find interesting. Judges can tell.", "Register online by the registration deadline, which is separate from and earlier than the essay deadline.", "Write the essay, strictly under 2,000 words excluding notes and bibliography. The word limit is enforced.", "Submit by the essay deadline through the official portal.", "If shortlisted, prepare for the interview and conference invitation." ], "skills": [ "Academic argument", "Concise writing under a hard word limit", "Research and citation", "Handling counterarguments", "Subject knowledge in your chosen field" ], "resources": [ { "title": "John Locke Institute essay competition page (also: past winning essays)", "url": "https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Questions, rules, both deadlines, and published winning essays. Published free by the Institute. The most accurate guide to the standard expected." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Previous years' questions and winning essays", "url": "https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition", "note": "Published openly on the official site." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nyt-student-editorial", "profile-in-courage-essay", "scholastic-art-writing", "we-the-people" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Does the John Locke essay competition cost anything?", "a": "No, entry is free. Attending the academic conference if you are shortlisted is separately costed and optional." }, { "q": "Can students outside the United Kingdom and United States enter?", "a": "Yes. It is a global competition with no restriction on country, and entrants come from all over the world." }, { "q": "What is the word limit?", "a": "2,000 words, excluding notes and bibliography, and it is enforced. Essays over the limit are penalised or disqualified depending on the cycle's rules." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition" ], "caveats": "Free entry, the individual-only format, the 2,000 word limit, the requirement for an academic referee, and eligibility for students aged 18 or under with a separate junior category are consistently published by the Institute. Deadlines shift between cycles and late entry carries a fee, so confirm the current year's dates directly." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/john-locke-essay/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "jshs", "name": "JSHS", "full_name": "Junior Science and Humanities Symposium", "organizer": "National JSHS, sponsored by the United States Department of Defense", "categories": [ "science", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "Present original research to a live audience of scientists at a regional symposium, with scholarships attached.", "summary": "The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium is a research competition where students present original STEM research as an oral presentation or poster at a regional symposium hosted by a university. Regional winners advance to a national symposium. It is a good alternative to a science fair for students whose strength is explaining their work, since the oral presentation format carries far more weight than a display board, and there are substantial scholarships at both levels.", "how_it_works": "Original, independent STEM research presented before a panel of judges and an audience of peers. All applicants submit an abstract of 250 words maximum in electronic format. There is no test and no multiple choice: the quality of the underlying research determines the result.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12, enrolled in public, private or home schools.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.csulb.edu/hung-family-college-of-engineering/junior-science-and-humanities-symposium", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "JSHS sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to students at United States high schools, including Department of Defense schools abroad. Individual research only in most regions.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and territories plus DoDEA schools worldwide, across roughly 47 to 49 regional programmes.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/junior-science-and-humanities-symposium/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Students must be US citizens or legal permanent residents to compete. Open across the United States and its territories including Puerto Rico, and at DoDEA schools worldwide.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/junior-science-and-humanities-symposium/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "JSHS is sponsored by the Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force, but no military service or obligation is required or considered for participation, entry or award. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual. Students compete individually, presenting their own original research.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "There is no cost to register for or participate in a regional JSHS event, and the National Symposium is all-expenses paid for those who advance." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each regional host, not nationally, and they fall early. As examples of the shape from a recent cycle: one region opened applications 15 October with proposals due 1 December; another opened 1 November with a competitive application deadline of 20 December. Regional symposia run January through March. Find your regional host now, not in the new year." }, "event_dates": "Regional symposia run from late winter into spring; the national symposium follows in the spring.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Over $400,000 in scholarships and cash awards across regional and national levels. At regional level, $4,500 in undergraduate tuition scholarships per region, with third place at $1,000. At national level, first place oral presentations in each category have carried $12,000 scholarships and third place $4,000, with separate cash awards for the poster competition. The 2025 national event awarded $192,000 in scholarships and $10,800 in cash prizes.", "max_usd": 12000, "detail": "Regional winners receive scholarships and advance to nationals, where larger scholarships are awarded to top presenters. Amounts vary by year and region; confirm on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.jshs.org/", "register_steps": [ "Complete an original STEM research project, typically over several months.", "Find your regional symposium on the national JSHS site. Regions are defined by state and hosted by universities.", "Submit your research paper to your region by its own deadline, which is usually between December and February.", "If selected, present orally or by poster at the regional symposium.", "Regional winners advance to the national symposium." ], "skills": [ "Original research", "Scientific writing", "Oral presentation to experts", "Answering questions under pressure", "Statistics" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National JSHS site", "url": "https://www.jshs.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Regional directory, deadlines, paper requirements and past winners." }, { "title": "Science Buddies research guidance", "url": "https://www.sciencebuddies.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free guidance on experimental design and write-up." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past national symposium winners and abstracts", "url": "https://www.jshs.org/", "note": "Published by the national organisation, useful for calibrating scope." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "regeneron-isef", "regeneron-sts", "science-olympiad", "genius-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How is JSHS different from a science fair?", "a": "The core format is an oral presentation to a judging panel rather than a display board and short interviews. If you present well, JSHS suits you better than a fair; if your strength is the poster and the one-on-one conversation, ISEF may suit you more." }, { "q": "Can I enter both JSHS and ISEF with the same project?", "a": "In general yes, and many students do, since the two run on separate tracks. Check the specific rules of your regional symposium and your affiliated fair, as requirements differ." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.jshs.org/" ], "caveats": "The regional-to-national structure, oral presentation format, free entry and scholarship awards follow JSHS's long-standing published description. Regional deadlines, scholarship amounts and the current cycle's dates vary by region and were not confirmed. Check your regional symposium." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/jshs/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "junior-innovators-challenge", "name": "Junior Innovators Challenge", "full_name": "Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge", "organizer": "Society for Science", "categories": [ "science", "engineering" ], "tagline": "The premier middle school science research competition, entered by nomination from an affiliated science fair.", "summary": "The Junior Innovators Challenge, previously known as Broadcom MASTERS, is the leading middle school science and engineering research competition in the United States. You cannot apply directly: top finishers in the middle school divisions of Society-affiliated science fairs are nominated and then complete an application. Finalists attend a week of hands-on team challenges in Washington, D.C., judged as much on collaboration and problem solving as on the original project.", "how_it_works": "The online application asks about your science or engineering fair project and about your understanding of science and engineering in everyday life, with required uploads. Use of AI tools such as ChatGPT to construct application responses is not permitted. Former finalists may reapply unless they won one of the top awards.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6 to 8", "status": "verified", "source": "https://sspcdn.blob.core.windows.net/files/Documents/SEP/JIC/2026/Official-Rules.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "A nominee must be enrolled in grades 6 to 8 and have participated at a Society-affiliated fair within the United States or a US territory.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Society for Science sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Nomination through a Society-affiliated science fair is required. There is no direct application route.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and US territories, through Society-affiliated fairs.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://sspcdn.blob.core.windows.net/files/Documents/SEP/JIC/2026/Official-Rules.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual and team projects are eligible. Teams may have a maximum of three students, and each team member must complete their own application and work independently on all application questions. Advancement is decided individually.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No application fee is described, and finalists' travel is paid." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 application window has not been published. For the 2026 competition, nominees had to submit the application and parental permission form by 10 June 2026; the 2026 application is now closed." }, "event_dates": "For the 2026 cycle: Top 300 announced 2 September 2026, 30 finalists announced 16 September 2026, finals week in Washington, D.C. in the autumn. 2027 dates not published.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Finalists compete for a top award of $25,000. All 30 finalists and one parent or guardian win an all-expense-paid trip to finals week in Washington, D.C. All nominees who submit an application receive a T-shirt and other prizes and join the Society alumni network.", "max_usd": 25000, "detail": "Top finalists receive substantial cash awards, with additional prizes across categories. Amounts change with sponsors; confirm the current year on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/jic/", "register_steps": [ "Enter a Society-affiliated science fair in grade 6, 7 or 8. Find yours in the Society's affiliated fair directory.", "Place highly enough to receive a nomination. Fairs nominate their top middle school finishers.", "Complete the online application, which asks about your project and about how you work with others.", "Semifinalists and finalists are announced over the summer and early autumn." ], "skills": [ "Experimental design", "Data analysis", "Written communication about your own project", "Collaborative engineering under time pressure", "Presenting to judges" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Junior Innovators Challenge official page", "url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/jic/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Eligibility, nomination process, application details and past finalists." }, { "title": "Society affiliated fair directory", "url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/affiliated-fairs/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Find the fair that nominates into this competition." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "regeneron-isef", "ecybermission", "exploravision", "future-city" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I apply directly?", "a": "No. You must be nominated by a Society-affiliated science fair after placing highly in its middle school division. Find your local affiliated fair first; that deadline is the one that actually binds you." }, { "q": "Is this the same as Broadcom MASTERS?", "a": "It is the successor programme. Society for Science ran the competition as Broadcom MASTERS for years before the sponsorship changed. The structure of nomination through affiliated fairs has remained." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.societyforscience.org/jic/" ], "caveats": "The nomination-only entry route, grade range, semifinalist and finalist structure and Washington finals follow Society for Science's published description. The sponsor name has changed in recent years, and current award amounts and application dates were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/junior-innovators-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "junior-solar-sprint", "name": "Junior Solar Sprint", "full_name": "Junior Solar Sprint", "organizer": "Technology Student Association, under an Army Educational Outreach Program grant", "categories": [ "engineering", "environment" ], "tagline": "Design and race a solar-powered model car, free, for middle school teams.", "summary": "Junior Solar Sprint asks middle school teams to design, build and race a small solar-powered vehicle. Teams are judged on race performance, engineering design, craftsmanship and a design document. It is free, the materials are inexpensive, and it is one of the few engineering competitions genuinely scoped for a middle school class rather than a specialist club.", "how_it_works": "Teams design, build and race a model solar-powered car. Under the TSA guide, cars use one solar panel limited to 3.2 W output and one motor limited to 3.0 W, with a student-designed attachment device as the only allowable steering, and run up to two time trials. Cars are judged on speed, craftsmanship and appearance. Some hosts require a hybrid design that can switch to battery power in overcast conditions.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 5 to 8 under the Technology Student Association national guidelines. Some regional hosts differ: Florida's EnergyWhiz JSS is open to grades 4 to 8.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://documents.dnrec.delaware.gov/energy/junior-solar-sprint/Junior-Solar-Sprint-Guidelines.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Junior Solar Sprint is administered by TSA under an Army Educational Outreach Program grant, but regional and state hosts publish their own rules and grade ranges. Check the rules of the specific event you plan to enter.", "min_grade": 4 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Eligibility is set by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 4, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Availability depends on whether a regional event runs in your area. Check the Army Educational Outreach Program site.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, through TSA chapters, Army-hosted locations and middle schools.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://detsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/JSS-2018-TSA-Guidelines.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of two to four students, one entry per team.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free to enter, with low materials costs", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 150, "note": "Set by each host. Not stated on the guidelines checked. Each entry begins with a JSS kit from an approved supplier." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each host. 2026-27 dates not confirmed." }, "event_dates": "Regional races in spring.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and recognition at regional events", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards for the three best vehicles per category at each event; specifics vary by host." }, "official_url": "https://www.usaeop.com/programs/competitions/jss/", "register_steps": [ "Check whether a regional event runs near you through the Army Educational Outreach Program site.", "Form a team of two or three with an adult coach.", "Get the current rules, which specify size, materials and the solar panel allowed.", "Build, test outdoors in real sunlight, and compete at the regional event." ], "skills": [ "Gear ratios and drivetrain design", "Aerodynamics at small scale", "Solar panel positioning", "Craftsmanship", "Design documentation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Junior Solar Sprint official page", "url": "https://www.usaeop.com/programs/competitions/jss/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, regional events, curriculum materials and design guidance." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Rules and design guides", "url": "https://www.usaeop.com/programs/competitions/jss/", "note": "Published free by the Army Educational Outreach Program." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "rocketry-challenge", "seaperch", "future-city", "ecybermission" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Does it cost anything?", "a": "There is no entry fee, and the materials are inexpensive: a small solar panel, a motor, wheels and chassis material. It is one of the cheapest engineering competitions available." }, { "q": "Is it available everywhere?", "a": "No. Junior Solar Sprint runs through regional events organised locally, so availability varies. Check the Army Educational Outreach Program site for events near you." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.usaeop.com/program/jss/" ], "caveats": "The grade range, team size, free entry and judged categories follow the programme's published description. Regional availability, current rules and event dates were not confirmed during the last check and vary considerably by region." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/junior-solar-sprint/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "mate-rov", "name": "MATE ROV Competition", "full_name": "MATE ROV Competition", "organizer": "Marine Advanced Technology Education Center", "categories": [ "robotics", "engineering", "environment" ], "tagline": "Build an underwater remotely operated vehicle and run real ocean-industry missions in a pool.", "summary": "MATE ROV asks teams to design and build an underwater remotely operated vehicle and then complete mission tasks modelled on real ocean engineering work: inspecting pipelines, sampling habitats, servicing subsea equipment. Teams operate as simulated companies, producing a technical documentation package and delivering an engineering presentation alongside the pool run, which makes it unusually close to actual engineering practice.", "how_it_works": "Teams operate as simulated start-up companies. Alongside piloting the ROV through timed mission tasks, they submit engineering and technical reports, create marketing displays or posters, and deliver sales-style presentations to panels of working professionals.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "K-12, community college and university students. Five classes: SCOUT for elementary through high school entry level, NAVIGATOR for middle schoolers with robotics experience and high schoolers new to robotics, RANGER for middle and high school students with solid robotics experience, PIONEER for first-time college and university teams, and EXPLORER at advanced university level.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://materovcompetition.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "An important restriction on the top class: high school students competing in MATE ROV for the first time are NOT eligible for EXPLORER. High schoolers may enter EXPLORER only if they previously placed in the top 50% at the international event in EXPLORER with at least half the prior team returning, or placed in the top three in RANGER.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "MATE sets classes by school level and prior experience, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "The SCOUT and NAVIGATOR classes are aimed at students new to the competition, including middle school teams. RANGER is the main high school class.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, with regional contests across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MATE_ROV_Competition", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "More than one team per school or instructor may be permitted, but a student may only be on one team, and this applies ACROSS classes: a NAVIGATOR competitor cannot also compete on a RANGER team. Where a regional event cannot host multiple teams from one school, schools are encouraged to hold an in-school run-off.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A few hundred to a few thousand dollars in materials", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 3000, "note": "Registration fees are set per regional event and were not published centrally. The larger cost is equipment: MATE sells ROV building kits for RANGER and PIONEER teams at roughly $850 or $1,260 depending on model. MATE advises teams to consider whether they have sufficient financial resources before registering, and to secure access to a pool or comparable water source deep and clear enough to test in." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each regional event; check your closest regional's page as registration opens." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 World Championship will be held in Federal Way, Washington. Regional event dates vary and are listed on the MATE site as registration opens.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships, cash awards and industry recognition", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Class winner awards plus a small number of general awards; no cash prize schedule was confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://materovcompetition.org/", "register_steps": [ "Read the current year's mission manual, which is published free and defines everything you will be scored on.", "Pick the class that matches your experience. Starting in SCOUT or NAVIGATOR is normal and recommended.", "Register with your regional coordinator, found through the official site.", "Build, test in water early, and prepare the technical documentation package alongside the vehicle rather than afterwards." ], "skills": [ "Waterproofing and mechanical design", "Electronics and control", "Programming", "Technical writing", "Presenting to industry judges", "Safety analysis" ], "resources": [ { "title": "MATE ROV official site", "url": "https://materovcompetition.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Mission manuals, class definitions, regional contacts and rubrics." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past mission manuals and rubrics", "url": "https://materovcompetition.org/", "note": "MATE publishes past mission manuals and scoring rubrics free, which are the best guide to what judges reward." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "first-robotics-competition", "vex-robotics-competition", "zero-robotics", "envirothon" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need a pool?", "a": "You need water access for testing, though many teams use a school pool, a local community pool or even large tanks for early testing. Competition runs happen at the regional venue's pool." }, { "q": "Is this only for students interested in marine careers?", "a": "No, though the industry connection is genuine. The engineering skills, documentation practice and presentation experience transfer to any technical field." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://materovcompetition.org/" ], "caveats": "Class structure, the mission format and the documentation and presentation requirements follow MATE's published description. Current fees, regional deadlines and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm with your regional coordinator." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/mate-rov/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "math-kangaroo", "name": "Math Kangaroo", "full_name": "Math Kangaroo in USA", "organizer": "Math Kangaroo in USA, part of Association Kangourou Sans Frontieres", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "A friendly international puzzle contest that starts in grade 1.", "summary": "Math Kangaroo is the widest-reaching mathematics competition in the world by participation, running in more than 90 countries. In the United States it is open from grade 1 to grade 12, with separate papers for each level. The problems are puzzle-flavoured rather than curriculum-flavoured, which makes it unusually welcoming for younger students and for students who like maths but do not think of themselves as competitive.", "how_it_works": "Several participation options: in-person at a registered centre, online with proctoring, and self-proctored virtual. Self-proctored participation gives a real score and a ranking range but no official ranking, no gifts and no awards. Public centres are open to students from any grade and any school.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades K to 12", "status": "verified", "source": "https://mathkangaroo.org/mks/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Math Kangaroo uses the student's school grade to set the competition level. Students cannot register for a level below their actual grade. Kindergarten students may participate at the Grade 1 level provided they can read and work independently.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Math Kangaroo USA sets levels by school grade and publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Levels are paired by grade (1 and 2, 3 and 4, and so on). This is the only major contest on this site open to primary school students.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States. Centre-based registration requires registering in your state of residence; the online test is open to students in any state or territory.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://mathkangaroo.org/mks/registration/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Around $25 per student, with fee assistance available", "usd_min": 21, "usd_max": 30, "note": "Not confirmed. Sources disagree: some Math Kangaroo pages still show an $18 regular fee while 2027 centre information has listed $20. Confirm the amount on the active registration checkout before paying. Financial assistance is available by contacting the Math Kangaroo office." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Not confirmed for 2027 on the official pages checked. Registration opens 15 September 2026. In previous cycles regular registration closed 31 December with late registration to 1 February, and centres set earlier internal deadlines, but those dates were not confirmed for this cycle." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 Individual Competition takes place in March 2027.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Medals, certificates, gifts and a summer camp invitation for top scorers", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Award structure for 2027 not confirmed on the official pages checked. Every participant has historically received a small gift on test day." }, "official_url": "https://mathkangaroo.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find a registered Math Kangaroo centre near you using the centre locator on the official site.", "Register online during the registration window, choosing your centre and grade level.", "Pay the registration fee. Fee assistance is available for students who need it.", "Download the free sample papers for your level and try one before contest day." ], "skills": [ "Logical reasoning", "Spatial visualisation", "Pattern recognition", "Careful reading", "Arithmetic" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Math Kangaroo official site", "url": "https://mathkangaroo.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, centre locator, fees and free sample questions by level." }, { "title": "Math Kangaroo practice materials", "url": "https://mathkangaroo.org/mks/practice-materials/", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Official free sample papers by grade band." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Official past papers and sample questions", "url": "https://mathkangaroo.org/mks/practice-materials/", "note": "Math Kangaroo publishes free samples; full past paper books are sold through the organisation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "amc-8", "mathcounts", "purple-comet", "cemc-contests" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How young can you start Math Kangaroo?", "a": "Grade 1. It is the only major mathematics competition in this directory that accepts primary school students, and the level 1 and 2 paper is designed for six and seven year olds." }, { "q": "Is Math Kangaroo harder than the AMC 8?", "a": "No. Math Kangaroo is generally more accessible and more puzzle-oriented. Students often use it as a first competition before moving to AMC 8 or MATHCOUNTS." }, { "q": "Do I need a school to register me?", "a": "No. Math Kangaroo registration is done directly by a parent or student through the official site, choosing a nearby registered centre. This makes it easier to access than the AMC." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://mathkangaroo.org/" ], "caveats": "Format, grade range and the March contest date follow Math Kangaroo's long-standing published pattern, but the specific fee and registration deadline for the current cycle were not confirmed against the official site during the last check. Confirm both on mathkangaroo.org before relying on them." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/math-kangaroo/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "math-prize-for-girls", "name": "Math Prize for Girls", "full_name": "Advantage Testing Foundation Math Prize for Girls", "organizer": "Advantage Testing Foundation", "categories": [ "math", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "The largest cash prize in pre-college mathematics, open to girls and non-binary students.", "summary": "Math Prize for Girls is an annual olympiad-style competition held at MIT for female and non-binary students in secondary school. It carries the largest cash prize of any mathematics competition for pre-college students, and admission is competitive: applicants are selected largely on AMC scores. Travel and accommodation support has historically been provided, which removes the usual cost barrier to a national competition.", "how_it_works": "A 20-problem test of mathematical creativity and insight, taken by roughly 300 contestants each autumn at MIT.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grade 11 or below as of 1 March of the application year, and not slated to graduate from high school or start full-time college before the contest. Contestants must still be a full-time student in grade 12 or below when the competition takes place.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/apply", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "You apply in grade 11 or below but compete in the following autumn, which is why the second condition exists.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Foundation sets eligibility by grade and enrolment, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to female and non-binary students in the United States and Canada. Selection is competitive and based mainly on AMC performance.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Female in gender identity.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/apply", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "United States and Canada, plus US and Canadian citizens and permanent residents living abroad with documentation.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/apply", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Live in the United States or Canada. If you live elsewhere but are a US or Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you may apply, then must email a scanned image of your US passport or permanent resident card after submitting. Immediate family members of Advantage Testing employees are not eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/apply", "checked": "2026-09-02" } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada" ], "cost": { "display": "Free to attend for selected students", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "There is no application or participation fee, but contestants are responsible for their own travel, hotel and food for the weekend. MIT provides a list of possible places to stay. Budget for the trip, not the entry." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 deadline was not published at the time of checking. The deadline has been 31 May in recent cycles, with no late applications accepted, and decisions emailed by 1 July. The application opens in the spring." }, "event_dates": "Math Prize for Girls 2026 is Sunday 11 October 2026 at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The 2027 date had not been published at the time of checking.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "$100,000 in monetary prizes in total, including a $50,000 first prize. Recent structure: $20,000 second, $10,000 third, $4,000 each for fourth and fifth, $2,000 sixth, and $1,000 for the next group, spread across the top 14 contestants including ties. A separate $2,000 Youth Prize goes to the top scorer in grade 9 or below, and a Youth Prize winner is still judged against the full field for the main placements.", "max_usd": 50000, "detail": "A substantial cash prize pool with awards down through the top finishers, plus the Math Prize Olympiad for top scorers. Prize amounts are set each year; confirm on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/", "register_steps": [ "Sit the AMC 10 or AMC 12 in November, since your score is the primary selection criterion.", "Watch the Math Prize site for the application window, which opens in the summer.", "Submit the online application with your AMC score and the requested supporting information.", "If selected, confirm attendance and arrange travel using the support the foundation provides." ], "skills": [ "AIME-level problem solving", "Olympiad technique", "Endurance over a long paper", "Proof writing for the Olympiad round" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Math Prize for Girls official site with past problems", "url": "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Application details, eligibility, and a free archive of past papers and solutions." }, { "title": "AoPS AIME archive", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/AIME_Problems_and_Solutions", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "The closest match in difficulty and style." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Math Prize past exams and solutions", "url": "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/", "note": "Published free by the Advantage Testing Foundation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "aime", "amc-10-12", "arml" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Who is eligible for Math Prize for Girls?", "a": "Female and non-binary students in secondary school in the United States and Canada who have not yet enrolled in university. Selection is competitive and based primarily on AMC 10 or AMC 12 scores." }, { "q": "Does it cost anything to attend?", "a": "The Advantage Testing Foundation has historically covered accommodation and supported travel for selected participants, so the competition itself is free to attend. Confirm the current year's arrangements in the application materials." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://mathprize.atfoundation.org/" ], "caveats": "Eligibility, format and the MIT venue follow the competition's long-standing published description. Prize amounts, the current application window and travel support arrangements were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm all of these on the official site before applying." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/math-prize-for-girls/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "mathcounts", "name": "MATHCOUNTS", "full_name": "MATHCOUNTS Competition Series", "organizer": "MATHCOUNTS Foundation", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "The national middle school math league, from your classroom to a televised countdown round.", "summary": "MATHCOUNTS is the largest middle school mathematics competition in the United States, open to students in grades 6 to 8. It runs as a four-level ladder: school, chapter, state, and a national competition where 224 students compete. Each level has four rounds (Sprint, Target, Team and Countdown) that together take about three hours. The team format and the fast buzzer-based Countdown Round make it the most sociable competition in this category.", "how_it_works": "Four levels: school, chapter, state and national. Each comprises four rounds: Sprint, Target, Team and Countdown, taking about three hours in total. The Sprint Round is 30 problems in 40 minutes with no calculator.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6 to 8", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/competition-rules-faq", "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "Students enrolled in grades 6, 7 or 8 are eligible. MATHCOUNTS states explicitly that students taking middle school mathematics classes who are not full-time grade 6 to 8 students are NOT eligible, which catches out accelerated younger students every year.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-08-31", "note": "MATHCOUNTS defines eligibility by grade only. It publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must be a full-time student in grades 6 to 8. Students taking middle school maths who are not full-time in those grades are not eligible. Participation is limited to three years per student.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "School-based registration by a school representative, who may be a teacher, administrator or parent volunteer. Home schools and home school groups may register; the 2026-27 Home School Participation Form is due to the national office by 31 December 2026. Students whose school will not participate may register as Non-School Competitors.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/official-rules-procedures", "checked": "2026-08-31" }, "geography": { "text": "United States, including the Virgin Islands and Guam, plus schools worldwide affiliated with the Department of Defense and the State Department. For State Department schools, only those affiliated with the Office of Overseas Schools are eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/competition-rules-faq", "checked": "2026-08-31" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "participation_limit": { "text": "Participation in MATHCOUNTS competitions is limited to three years per student, though there is no limit on years in the school-based coaching phase.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/official-rules-procedures", "checked": "2026-08-31" } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "A school may register a maximum of 1 team of 4 students plus 10 individuals, so 14 chapter competitors in total. Any number of students may take part at the school level. A maximum of 14 Non-School Competitors from the same school may register, on a first-come basis, and a parent or guardian may register one NSC per registration with a separate fee for each child.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "US territories", "Department of Defense schools" ], "cost": { "display": "$42 per chapter competitor at the Early Bird rate", "usd_min": 42, "usd_max": 80, "note": "Early Bird rate published by MATHCOUNTS for 2026-27. Later rates apply after the Early Bird window and chapter coordinators may allow late registration with an additional fee at their discretion." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "MATHCOUNTS publishes competition windows rather than a single national registration deadline, and chapter coordinators set local dates. The binding date is your chapter's, found via the Chapter and State Competition Search tool." }, "event_dates": "School competitions November 2026 to January 2027, on a date set by the school's coach, with the 2027 School Competition released online on 3 November 2026. Chapter competitions 1 to 28 February 2027. State competitions 1 to 31 March 2027. The 2027 RTX MATHCOUNTS National Competition is 9 to 10 May 2027 in Orlando, Florida.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships and trips, plus state and national recognition", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "Prize schedule for 2026-27 not located on the official pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/mathcounts-competition-series", "register_steps": [ "Check the MATHCOUNTS list of registered schools to see whether your school has already signed up for this year.", "If it has, ask the coach to add you. If it has not, ask a maths teacher to register the school, which is the cheapest route.", "If the school will not participate, a parent or guardian can register you as a non-school competitor. You must first confirm with the school that it will not support your participation.", "Register online through the MATHCOUNTS site and pay the per-student fee. Register before the regular deadline to avoid the late fee.", "Find your chapter competition date using the Chapter and State Competition Search tool." ], "skills": [ "Mental arithmetic speed", "Algebra", "Counting", "Geometry", "Teamwork", "Performing under buzzer pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "MATHCOUNTS official resources and free handbook", "url": "https://www.mathcounts.org/resources", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The School Handbook is released free each year with roughly 250 problems and solutions." }, { "title": "MATHCOUNTS Critical Dates", "url": "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/critical-dates", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The authoritative page for registration deadlines and fees each cycle." }, { "title": "AoPS MATHCOUNTS archive", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php/MATHCOUNTS", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Community-collected past problems and discussion." }, { "title": "Alcumus", "url": "https://artofproblemsolving.com/alcumus", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free topic-by-topic adaptive practice at exactly the right level." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "MATHCOUNTS Coaches Handbook with 250 problems and solutions", "url": "https://www.mathcounts.org/resources", "note": "Published free each year by the MATHCOUNTS Foundation. Previous years' handbooks remain useful." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "MATHCOUNTS official channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@mathcounts", "channel": "MATHCOUNTS", "note": "National Countdown Round broadcasts, which are the best way to understand the format before you compete." } ], "similar": [ "amc-8", "math-kangaroo", "purple-comet", "amc-10-12" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "My school does not do MATHCOUNTS. Can I still compete?", "a": "Yes, as a non-school competitor. A parent or guardian registers you and pays a higher fee. Before registering you must confirm with the school that it will not register or support your participation. A maximum of 14 non-school competitors from the same school may register." }, { "q": "How many years can I compete?", "a": "Participation in MATHCOUNTS competitions is limited to three years per student, which matches grades 6, 7 and 8. There is no limit on how many years you can be coached at school level." }, { "q": "Do I need a calculator?", "a": "For the Sprint and Countdown Rounds, no calculators are permitted. The Target and Team Rounds allow them. Bring an approved calculator but do not rely on it; the fastest competitors barely touch it." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/competition-rules-faq", "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/critical-dates", "https://www.mathcounts.org/programs/official-rules-procedures" ], "caveats": "Grades 6 to 8 eligibility, the three-year participation limit, the February 2027 chapter window and the 2026-27 fee tiers ($42 early bird, $45 school and $70 non-school regular, $50 and $80 late) are published by MATHCOUNTS. Non-school competitor registration opened 5 November 2026. The exact regular registration deadline date and current prize schedule were not confirmed." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/mathcounts/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "m3-challenge", "name": "MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge", "full_name": "MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge)", "organizer": "Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics", "categories": [ "math", "engineering" ], "tagline": "Fourteen hours, one open-ended real-world problem, and a written mathematical model. Free, with six figures in scholarships.", "summary": "The M3 Challenge gives teams a single open-ended real-world problem, released on a weekend, and fourteen consecutive hours to build a mathematical model and write it up as a formal solution paper. There is no single right answer: judging rewards the modelling assumptions, the mathematics, the analysis of the model's limits, and the quality of the writing. It is free and awards a large scholarship pool.", "how_it_works": "Entirely internet-based. Teams download the problem at any time during Challenge weekend and have 14 continuous hours, working in Eastern Time; the clock cannot be paused, so download with at least 14 hours left before the weekend's firm end. Teams may work from any location. The coach need not be present and team members may not discuss the problem with anyone but teammates. Papers submitted late but within 24 hours are judged and receive feedback but are not eligible for prizes. A separate MATLAB Technical Computing Award is available.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 11 and 12 in the United States, including US territories and DoDEA schools, and sixth form students in England and Wales.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://m3challenge.siam.org/the-challenge/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Homeschool and cyberschool students in those areas are eligible, either by forming their own team with affidavit forms or by joining a local school's team. Immediate family of SIAM or MathWorks Challenge staff are ineligible.", "min_grade": 11 }, "ages": { "text": "No one under the age of 13 may participate.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://m3challenge.siam.org/wp-content/uploads/01-M3_Official_Rules_and_Guidelines.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Sixth form in England and Wales is described by SIAM as ages 16 to 19. Otherwise eligibility is by grade.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 11, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to students in the United States and, in recent years, the United Kingdom. Teams need a teacher coach.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States including territories and DoDEA schools; England and Wales.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://m3challenge.siam.org/the-challenge/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of three to five students with one coach.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "England and Wales" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "SIAM states there are no registration or participation fees." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 registration deadline is not published. The 2026 deadline was 20 February 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates not yet published; SIAM's site states registration is closed for 2026. For reference, the 2026 Challenge weekend ran from 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday 27 February 2026 to Monday 2 March 2026, with a final login and upload deadline of 3 March 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarship awards totalling more than $100,000 each year, shared equally among team members and paid to the college attended. Finalists go to New York City to present with expenses paid.", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "Scholarships awarded to teams across several placement bands, split among team members, plus technical computing awards. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://m3challenge.siam.org/", "register_steps": [ "A teacher registers the team on m3challenge.siam.org before the winter deadline.", "Work through past problems and past winning papers, all published free, before the challenge weekend.", "On the weekend, pick your fourteen-hour window and download the problem when you start.", "Submit the solution paper before your window closes. There are no extensions." ], "skills": [ "Mathematical modelling", "Assumption-making and justification", "Data analysis", "Technical writing under extreme time pressure", "Team division of labour" ], "resources": [ { "title": "M3 Challenge official site", "url": "https://m3challenge.siam.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, rules, and the complete archive of past problems and winning papers." }, { "title": "Past problems and winning solution papers", "url": "https://m3challenge.siam.org/archives/", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Free archive. The most useful preparation material available for any modelling competition." }, { "title": "MATLAB free licence for participants", "url": "https://www.mathworks.com/academia/student-competitions.html", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "MathWorks provides free software access to registered teams." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete M3 Challenge archive", "url": "https://m3challenge.siam.org/archives/", "note": "Every past problem with the winning papers, published free." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "modeling-the-future-challenge", "purple-comet", "immc", "national-economics-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need to be exceptional at maths?", "a": "Less than you would think. The mathematics in winning papers is often no more advanced than calculus and statistics. What separates papers is the clarity of the modelling assumptions and the quality of the writing." }, { "q": "Is it really only fourteen hours?", "a": "Yes, consecutive, in a window your team chooses within the challenge weekend. That constraint is why practising a full timed run beforehand matters so much." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://m3challenge.siam.org/" ], "caveats": "The fourteen-hour format, team size, grade restriction, free entry and the published archive follow SIAM's long-standing description. The current cycle's dates, scholarship amounts and eligible countries were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/m3-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "model-un", "name": "Model United Nations", "full_name": "Model United Nations conferences", "organizer": "Individual universities, schools and organisations worldwide", "categories": [ "debate", "civics" ], "tagline": "Represent a country in simulated UN committees, negotiate resolutions, and compete for awards at hundreds of conferences.", "summary": "Model UN is not one competition but a global circuit of conferences, each run independently by a university or school. Delegates are assigned a country and a committee, research their country's position on the committee topics, and spend several days debating, negotiating and drafting resolutions. Awards go to delegates judged most effective. Because conferences run at every level from a single school's day event to large international conferences, it scales from complete beginner to serious competitor.", "how_it_works": "Students are assigned a country and given topics developed by conference staff in advance, then debate to find viable solutions, writing and negotiating resolutions. NHSMUN provides individualised background guides after registration and offers Introductory committees with simplified rules for beginners, plus free webinars and delegate preparation resources.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Conferences define eligibility by secondary school enrolment rather than grade.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "NHSMUN accepts students of secondary school age, most often 13 to 18.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://imuna.org/nhsmun/nyc/register/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Each conference sets its own eligibility. Most high school conferences accept any school delegation; some large ones are selective or have waiting lists.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "You attend as part of a school delegation, not individually. NHSMUN accepts delegations of up to 50 students as a general rule, with larger requests considered case by case and possibly subject to extra supervisory requirements. Many schools send only a handful of students. At THIMUN, students holding individual positions must still travel and stay with their school delegation.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://imuna.org/nhsmun/nyc/links-and-resources/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "International. NHSMUN describes itself as the largest high school MUN conference in the world; THIMUN draws schools globally to The Hague.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://imun.cloud/guides/top-mun-conferences-for-beginners", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "School delegations; committee work is individual or in pairs depending on the committee.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Per-delegate conference fees plus travel", "usd_min": 25, "usd_max": 1500, "note": "Layered and substantial at the big conferences. NHSMUN charges a participant fee per student AND per advisor or chaperone, plus one school fee per group, plus a delegation fee for each country or role requested. Credit card payment adds 3.5%, or 4.5% for international cards, and wire transfer adds a $20 bank fee. A third-party guide reports roughly $125 to $175 per delegate plus $200 to $300 for hotel, but NHSMUN's own tiered figures were not captured here. THIMUN charges a non-refundable pre-payment including a delegation fee, and \u20ac30 per changed ID badge. Local and university-run conferences are typically a fraction of this." }, "deadline": { "display": "NHSMUN 2027: early registration 14 May to 31 August 2026, regular registration 1 September to 31 October 2026, with payment required by the final date of each tier to hold the rate and the seats. THIMUN 2027: FORM I registration and non-refundable pre-payment due Friday 25 September 2026, remaining balance by Friday 15 January 2027.", "iso": null, "status": "varies", "note": "At NHSMUN, registration alone does not secure a place; payment must arrive by the tier deadline. The conference expects to fill to capacity and maintains a waiting list, so registering early matters. Dates differ per conference; the entries here are NHSMUN's and THIMUN's." }, "event_dates": "NHSMUN 2027 runs two identical sessions in New York: Session I Friday 12 to Monday 15 March 2027, and Session II Wednesday 17 to Saturday 20 March 2027, with schools choosing their preferred session. THIMUN The Hague runs in late January.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Delegate awards and delegation awards", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Delegate awards vary by conference; there are no cash prizes at the major conferences." }, "official_url": "https://www.unausa.org/model-un/", "register_steps": [ "Join or start a Model UN club at your school. Delegations rather than individuals usually register.", "Choose conferences appropriate to your experience. Start local and small; the large international conferences are a poor first experience.", "Once assigned a country and committee, research the country's actual foreign policy position, not just the topic.", "Write and submit the position paper if required. Many awards correlate with position paper quality.", "Prepare an opening speech and know the rules of procedure before you arrive." ], "skills": [ "Research and policy analysis", "Public speaking", "Negotiation and coalition building", "Formal writing", "Parliamentary procedure", "Thinking on your feet" ], "resources": [ { "title": "UNA-USA Model UN resources", "url": "https://www.unausa.org/model-un/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Guides to rules of procedure, position papers and how conferences work, published free." }, { "title": "United Nations Digital Library", "url": "https://digitallibrary.un.org/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Actual UN resolutions and voting records. The best possible source for what your country really supports." }, { "title": "Best Delegate", "url": "https://bestdelegate.com/", "kind": "Community", "free": true, "note": "Conference listings, strategy guides and rankings from the Model UN community." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past conference background guides", "url": "https://www.unausa.org/model-un/", "note": "Most conferences publish their background guides openly, and past guides from any conference are useful preparation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nsda-nationals", "we-the-people", "world-scholars-cup", "national-civics-bee" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I get started with no experience?", "a": "Join your school's club and attend a small local conference first. Read the background guide, write a position paper and learn the rules of procedure. Most first-time delegates find the procedure harder than the content, and one conference fixes that." }, { "q": "Is Model UN standardised?", "a": "No. Every conference is run independently by a university, school or organisation, with its own rules of procedure, committees, fees and award structure. Check each conference's own materials rather than assuming." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.unausa.org/model-un/" ], "caveats": "Model UN is a decentralised circuit rather than a single competition, so this listing describes the general format rather than any specific event. Fees, deadlines, eligibility and award structures are set independently by each conference and must be confirmed with the conference you plan to attend." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/model-un/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "modeling-the-future-challenge", "name": "Modeling the Future Challenge", "full_name": "Modeling the Future Challenge", "organizer": "The Actuarial Foundation", "categories": [ "math", "business" ], "tagline": "Analyse a real dataset, quantify a risk, and make a recommendation, mentored by a working actuary.", "summary": "The Modeling the Future Challenge asks teams to take a real-world dataset, model the risk it describes, and produce a recommendation for a decision-maker. Teams that pass the first scenario round are matched with a practising actuary as a mentor for their full research project. It is free, and it is one of the few competitions that puts students in direct working contact with a professional in the field.", "how_it_works": "Scenario Phase first: teams complete Scenario Quests using real datasets to show they have the skills for an actuarial research project. Teams that pass enter the Project Phase, define a project of their own, are matched with an actuary mentor, and produce a research report of up to 25 pages plus a visual highlight of risk and mitigation. Finalists submit an updated report and a recorded presentation and take part in virtual Q&A before the Symposium.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school students in the United States who are taking junior or senior level mathematics classes such as statistics, probability, pre-calculus or calculus.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mtfchallenge.org/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Institute of Competition Sciences, which operates the challenge, describes eligibility as juniors and seniors. The previous listing said grades 9 to 12, which was wrong.", "min_grade": 11 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "An age window of 13 to 19 is reported by third-party listings but was not found on the official pages checked.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 11, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams of two to five students with a teacher or adult coach. Open to students in the United States and, in some cycles, internationally.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and its territories.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/2026-27-mtfc/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "An individual, or a team of up to five students.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee, and mentoring is provided at no cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2026-27 scenario deadline was not confirmed on the official pages checked. A third-party scholarship listing gives 9 November 2026; treat it as unconfirmed until it appears on mtfchallenge.org." }, "event_dates": "Scenario round in autumn, project round through winter, symposium in spring.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarship prizes, paid as tuition scholarships directly to the winning students' colleges. The challenge site says $60,000; the Actuarial Foundation's page says $55,000. First and second place reports are published in the Actuarial Research Clearing House. A separate Climate Resilience Award has its own judging panel.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Cash scholarships awarded to finalist and winning teams, split among members. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.mtfchallenge.org/", "register_steps": [ "Register a team of two to five with an adult coach on mtfchallenge.org.", "Complete the scenario round, which is a structured data analysis task and qualifies you for the project round.", "Choose a topic and find real data. The challenge publishes guidance on where to look.", "Work with your assigned actuarial mentor and submit the research paper by the winter deadline." ], "skills": [ "Statistics and probability", "Risk modelling", "Working with real datasets", "Spreadsheet or Python analysis", "Writing a recommendation for a decision-maker" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Modeling the Future Challenge", "url": "https://www.mtfchallenge.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the scenario round, guides, data sources and past winning projects." }, { "title": "Challenge curriculum and guidebooks", "url": "https://www.mtfchallenge.org/resources/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free structured material on risk modelling written for students with no background." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning projects and scenario rounds", "url": "https://www.mtfchallenge.org/", "note": "Published free by the Actuarial Foundation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "m3-challenge", "wharton-investment-competition", "immc", "national-economics-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to know what an actuary does?", "a": "No. The challenge provides free curriculum material and assigns qualifying teams a practising actuary as a mentor. Learning the field is part of the point." }, { "q": "What data can we use?", "a": "Real public data of your choosing. The challenge publishes guidance on sources, and choosing a topic where good data actually exists is the most important early decision." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.mtfchallenge.org/" ], "caveats": "The scenario and project round structure, free entry, mentoring model and team size follow the Actuarial Foundation's published description. Current deadlines, eligibility by country and scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/modeling-the-future-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "moems", "name": "MOEMS", "full_name": "Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools", "organizer": "Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "Five short contests across the school year, designed as a first taste of olympiad problem solving from grade 4.", "summary": "MOEMS runs five short contests through the school year for elementary and middle school teams. Each contest is five problems in about half an hour, taken at school. The problems are genuine olympiad-style puzzles rather than curriculum exercises, but pitched so that a grade 4 student can solve some of them. It is one of the earliest structured entry points into competitive mathematics.", "how_it_works": "Five monthly problem-solving contests. Contests may be administered on paper or online, and MOEMS requires that every student on a team take each contest on the same day at the same time.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Two divisions: Elementary for grades 4, 5 and 6, and Middle School for grades 6, 7 and 8.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.moems.org/pages/about-the-program", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Grade 6 may enter either division.", "min_grade": 4 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "MOEMS defines divisions by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 4, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Division E covers grades 4 to 6, Division M covers grades 6 to 8. Registration is by school, club or home school group.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "More than 120,000 students from every US state and 39 additional countries take part each year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.moems.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Up to 35 students per team.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Not confirmed", "usd_min": null, "usd_max": null, "note": "Not confirmed on the official pages checked. Third-party listings report 2025-26 team fees between $175 and $300 depending on registration date, and state that 2026-27 fees had not been announced. The previous listing's 'up to $200' should not be relied on." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2026-27 registration deadlines not confirmed on the official pages checked." }, "event_dates": "Five contests between November and March, each administered at school on a date within a set window.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Individual awards: patches for the top 50%, a gold pin for the top 2%, a silver pin for the top 3 to 10%, and the George Lenchner Medallion for a perfect score. Team awards: a plaque for the top 10% and certificates for the top 11 to 20%. Institute teams are not eligible for team awards.", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Participation certificates for all, with pins, patches and trophies for high scorers and top teams. No cash prizes." }, "official_url": "https://moems.org/", "register_steps": [ "A teacher, club leader or home school parent registers the team on moems.org.", "Choose Division E or Division M based on the grades in your group.", "Administer each of the five contests at school within its window.", "Practise with the published sample problems between contests." ], "skills": [ "Logical reasoning", "Arithmetic fluency", "Working backwards", "Systematic listing", "Persistence on a single hard problem" ], "resources": [ { "title": "MOEMS official site", "url": "https://moems.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, divisions, sample problems and contest logistics." }, { "title": "MOEMS sample problems", "url": "https://moems.org/sample.htm", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Free sample contests with solutions." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Sample contests and published problem books", "url": "https://moems.org/", "note": "Free samples online; full past collections are sold as books by the organisation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "math-kangaroo", "amc-8", "mathcounts", "bebras" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How young can students start?", "a": "Grade 4, in Division E. MOEMS is one of the few genuine olympiad-style competitions pitched at elementary students." }, { "q": "Can a home school group register?", "a": "Yes. MOEMS accepts registrations from schools, clubs and home school groups, and the per-team fee covers up to 35 students." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://moems.org/" ], "caveats": "The five-contest season, division structure, team size cap and grade range follow the MOEMS published description. Current fees, registration deadlines and contest windows were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/moems/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "mtna-competitions", "name": "MTNA Performance Competitions", "full_name": "Music Teachers National Association Performance Competitions", "organizer": "Music Teachers National Association", "categories": [ "music" ], "tagline": "A structured national competition ladder for young performers, from state through division to national finals.", "summary": "The Music Teachers National Association runs performance competitions in piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, voice and chamber music, with Junior, Senior and Young Artist divisions. Competitors advance from state through regional divisions to a national final held at the association's conference. It is the most systematic performance competition ladder available to young classical musicians in the United States.", "how_it_works": "Competitions cover Composition, Brass, Piano, Piano Duet (Senior only), String, Voice and Woodwind, plus Chamber Music, where ensembles must have at least three and no more than six performers. A crucial rule: NO CHANGES IN REPERTOIRE are allowed after registration, and the same repertoire must be prepared for all three levels. At Nationals judges hear selected portions rather than the whole programme, so every section must be performance-ready.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "MTNA sets tiers by age, not grade.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Three tiers by age: Junior 11 to 14, Senior 15 to 18, Young Artist 19 to 29. Age is assessed on 1 January 2027 for the 2026-27 cycle. Piano Duet is ages 11 to 18 with at least one partner aged 15 to 18.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mtna.org/Competitions_Guidelines.html", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The 1 January reference date is what determines your tier, not your age at the competition. State associations describe the overall MTNA age span as 5 to 26 including younger state-level categories.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Your teacher must be a current MTNA member and enters you into the competition. Exact age cut-offs for each division are published each year and are strictly enforced.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "You enter through a teacher, not independently. Current active MTNA membership dues, or a non-member teacher fee, must be paid before the student competition application can even be accessed. The teacher listed on the registration is the teacher of record and remains so for the whole competition year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mmta.net/mtna-performance-competition", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "United States, through state associations and divisions.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.mtna.org/Competitions.html", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individual, except Piano Duet and Chamber Music ensembles of three to six performers.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "An entry fee per competitor, plus travel to each round", "usd_min": 25, "usd_max": 150, "note": "Entry fees were not captured on the pages checked and all entry fees are NON-REFUNDABLE. Budget separately for the official collaborative pianist where required: $150 for sixty minutes for Senior instrumental, $100 for forty-five minutes for Senior voice, and $200 for sixty minutes for Young Artist. Teacher membership dues or a non-member fee are a further prerequisite cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Registration deadline for most categories: Wednesday 9 SEPTEMBER 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. MTNA states there will be NO exceptions. Brass and Voice, Senior and Young Artist, plus Chamber Music, follow a later deadline, with registration opening 1 November 2026 on Acceptd and submission by 3:00 p.m. Eastern on 2 December 2026. The Stecher and Horowitz Two Piano Competition deadline is 4 January at 3:00 p.m.", "iso": "2026-09-09", "status": "confirmed", "note": "State associations add their own earlier steps: one state requires the TEACHER's fee and application by the same 9 September date, and a student's application is not considered complete until the teacher's fee is received. Another state sets a video submission deadline of 11 October 2026 after the September registration." }, "event_dates": "National Finals are 2 to 6 April 2027 at the MTNA National Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. State competitions run in the autumn, with examples on 7 November 2026 in Massachusetts and 8 November 2026 in Hawaii. Division rounds are video-only in the winter.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Monetary awards, but with a condition: to receive one, national performance competition winners are REQUIRED to perform on the appropriate Winners Concert, held 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. the day after the competition at the National Conference. Additional named awards include $500 from Ebony Music for the best performance of a work by a Black composer and $500 from the Chopin Foundation of the U.S. for the best performance of a work by Chopin.", "max_usd": 3000, "detail": "Cash awards for division and national winners, plus performance opportunities at the national conference. Amounts vary by year and division." }, "official_url": "https://www.mtna.org/MTNA/Engage/Competitions/", "register_steps": [ "Confirm your teacher is a current MTNA member. This is a hard requirement and you cannot enter without it.", "Read the repertoire requirements for your instrument and division, which are detailed and strictly applied.", "Your teacher enters you into your state competition before the early autumn deadline.", "Perform at the state competition; winners advance to the division round and then to nationals." ], "skills": [ "Advanced instrumental or vocal performance", "Repertoire preparation to competition standard", "Memorisation where required", "Performing for a jury" ], "resources": [ { "title": "MTNA competitions page", "url": "https://www.mtna.org/MTNA/Engage/Competitions/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Divisions, repertoire requirements, deadlines, fees and state contacts." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "from-the-top-jkc", "youngarts", "scholastic-art-writing", "all-american-film-festival" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I enter without an MTNA member teacher?", "a": "No. Entry requires that your teacher is a current member of the Music Teachers National Association. If your teacher is not a member, they can join." }, { "q": "How strict are the repertoire requirements?", "a": "Very. Each instrument and division has detailed requirements covering period, length and sometimes memorisation, and entries that do not meet them are disqualified. Read them before choosing repertoire." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.mtna.org/MTNA/Engage/Competitions/" ], "caveats": "The state-division-national ladder, the divisions by age, the instrument categories and the MTNA member teacher requirement follow the association's long-standing published description. Current entry fees, deadlines, age cut-offs and repertoire requirements were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on mtna.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/mtna-competitions/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "naclo", "name": "NACLO", "full_name": "North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition", "organizer": "NACLO, with Carnegie Mellon University and Brandeis University", "categories": [ "academic", "coding" ], "tagline": "Solve puzzles in languages you have never seen, with no prior linguistics knowledge required.", "summary": "NACLO gives you problems written in languages you almost certainly do not speak, from Georgian to Nahuatl to invented writing systems, and asks you to work out the rules by pure deduction. No linguistics background is needed or expected, which makes it one of the most level playing fields in competitive academics. Top scorers advance to an invitational round and then to the team representing North America at the International Linguistics Olympiad.", "how_it_works": "Two rounds. The Open Round, held at a university host site or at your own school, identifies strong contestants who advance to the Invitational Round. Problems require no prior knowledge of linguistics or any language and are solved by analytic reasoning. The Invitational Round problems are harder.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6 to 12, primarily aimed at grades 9 to 12. The Open Round is open to all interested middle school and high school students.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://languagescience.umd.edu/naclo", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Stated by NACLO host sites at the University of Maryland and Stanford. naclo.org's own front page describes the contest as for high school students, so middle schoolers should confirm their chosen site accepts them.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NACLO sets eligibility by school level, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to any secondary student in the United States or Canada. No linguistics or foreign language knowledge is assumed or advantageous.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and Canada, through university host sites and participating schools.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://linguistics.ubc.ca/news-events/recurring-events/north-american-computational-linguistics-open-competition/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Participation is free thanks to sponsor support, confirmed by several host sites." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 registration deadline not published. Host sites set their own advance cut-offs a few days before the Open Round." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates not yet published. For reference, the 2026 Open Round was Thursday 29 January 2026 and the Invitational Round Thursday 19 March 2026, with the International Linguistics Olympiad in Bucharest in July 2026.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Recognition and selection for the North American teams", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Medals and awards are given after the Invitational Round; no cash prizes are described on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://naclo.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find a host site near you on the NACLO site, or ask a teacher to register your school as a proctored site.", "Register online during the autumn window. Registration is free.", "Work through past problems, which NACLO publishes in full with solutions.", "Sit the three-hour Open Round on the scheduled date." ], "skills": [ "Pattern recognition", "Deductive reasoning", "Working systematically under time pressure", "Tolerance for unfamiliar notation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "NACLO official site with the full problem archive", "url": "https://naclo.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, host site list, and every past problem with full solutions." }, { "title": "NACLO practice problems", "url": "https://naclo.org/practice.php", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Organised by year, with official solutions. The single preparation resource you need." }, { "title": "International Linguistics Olympiad past problems", "url": "https://ioling.org/problems/", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Harder international papers, free, useful for the Invitational Round." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete NACLO archive with solutions", "url": "https://naclo.org/practice.php", "note": "Published free by the organisers." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "naqt-hsnct", "usaco", "bebras", "math-kangaroo" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to know another language?", "a": "No. NACLO problems are self-contained and everything needed to solve them is on the page. Knowing the specific language would be a disadvantage, since the problems are chosen precisely because almost nobody knows them." }, { "q": "How do I take it if there is no host site near me?", "a": "NACLO allows students to sit the Open Round at their own school with a teacher acting as proctor. Contact the organisers through the site during registration." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.nacloweb.org/" ], "caveats": "Format, grade range, free entry, the Open and Invitational round structure and the published problem archive follow NACLO's long-standing description. The current cycle's registration window and Open Round date were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/naclo/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "nasa-adc", "name": "NASA App Development Challenge", "full_name": "NASA App Development Challenge (ADC)", "organizer": "NASA", "categories": [ "coding", "engineering" ], "tagline": "Build software against a real NASA mission problem, free, with winning teams meeting NASA engineers.", "summary": "The NASA App Development Challenge gives student teams a real problem drawn from a current NASA mission, such as visualising lunar terrain for Artemis landing site selection, and a few months to build a working software solution. It is free, open to US middle and high school students, and the winning teams are invited to interact directly with NASA engineers at a NASA centre.", "how_it_works": "NASA releases the challenge in the autumn with a technical brief and datasets. Teams of any size with an educator sponsor build a software solution and submit it with a video demonstration by the winter deadline. NASA engineers review submissions, and top teams are recognised and invited to a culminating experience with mission personnel.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Not confirmed for any current cycle. NASA's most recent page lists grade levels as 'High School and Community College', while the FY25 handbook described middle and high school teams. The previously listed grades 6 to 12 should not be relied on.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "NASA publishes no age limits for this challenge.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to US students, including home school and informal education groups, with an educator sponsor. Check the current challenge's eligibility, which has varied.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open to US students", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/app-development-challenge/about-nasa-app-development-challenge-adc/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Was free while running. Not confirmed for any future cycle." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No current cycle. NASA advises checking back in August 2027." }, "event_dates": "Challenge released in autumn, submissions in winter, winners announced and recognised in spring.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Recognition and direct interaction with NASA engineers", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Past top teams were invited to Johnson Space Center. Not applicable while paused." }, "official_url": "https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-app-development-challenge/", "register_steps": [ "Find an educator sponsor, which can be a teacher, club leader or home school parent.", "Register the team on the NASA challenge page when the challenge opens in the autumn.", "Read the technical brief carefully. It specifies exactly what the software must do and how it is judged.", "Build the solution and submit it with a video demonstration before the winter deadline." ], "skills": [ "Software development in any language", "Working with real scientific datasets", "3D visualisation or data processing depending on the challenge", "Technical documentation", "Video demonstration" ], "resources": [ { "title": "NASA App Development Challenge", "url": "https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-app-development-challenge/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Current challenge brief, datasets, rules and past winners." }, { "title": "NASA open data portal", "url": "https://data.nasa.gov/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free access to NASA datasets, useful for practice and for the challenge itself." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past challenge briefs and winning submissions", "url": "https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-app-development-challenge/", "note": "NASA publishes past challenges and recognises winning teams publicly." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "congressional-app-challenge", "zero-robotics", "waicy", "usaco" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Does it cost anything?", "a": "No. The challenge, the datasets and the technical briefs are all free, and there is no entry fee. The only requirement is an educator sponsor." }, { "q": "What languages can we use?", "a": "Any. The brief specifies what the software must do, not how to build it, and past winning teams have used a wide range of languages and frameworks." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-app-development-challenge/" ], "caveats": "The free entry, educator sponsor requirement, autumn-to-winter cycle and mission-linked brief follow NASA's published description. The current challenge topic, deadline and eligibility were not confirmed during the last check, and this programme's specifics change every year." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/nasa-adc/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "nasef", "name": "NASEF Scholastic Esports", "full_name": "Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF)", "organizer": "NASEF", "categories": [ "coding", "academic" ], "tagline": "School-based esports leagues paired with a curriculum in production, broadcasting, analysis and game design.", "summary": "NASEF runs scholastic esports leagues for school clubs, but the distinguishing feature is the surrounding programme: students compete not only as players but in production, shoutcasting, journalism, strategy analysis, graphic design and event management. That structure gives students who are not top players a genuine competitive role, and the curriculum is free and standards-aligned.", "how_it_works": "Club-based scholastic esports combining competitive play with a state-approved curriculum, club toolkits, coaching certification and Beyond the Game challenges covering careers such as strategist, content creator, organiser and entrepreneur. NASEF is the official esports provider for the California Interscholastic Federation.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Middle schools, high schools and community-based organisations may register as a Club.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nasef.org/faq", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NASEF defines eligibility by school level and organisation type, not by numbered grade.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NASEF publishes no age limits for club membership. Individual game titles carry their own age ratings, and NASEF's newsletter sign-up requires being over 13 or having parental consent.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams register through a school or approved club with a faculty advisor. Some game titles carry their own age ratings that limit which students can play them.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open to middle schools, high schools and community organisations around the globe.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nasef.org/faq", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "NASEF states participation is free: registration and tournament play cost nothing for any school. Schools are responsible for their students' equipment and technology, and some game titles require their own licences." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No activation deadline. Individual tournament registration windows were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "event_dates": "Two terms of league play each year, Fall and Spring, plus additional challenges such as worldwide Mario Kart time trials, a Rocket League AI bot challenge and the Farmcraft Minecraft programme.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships and recognition", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.nasef.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find a faculty advisor willing to sponsor a club. This is required.", "Register the club on the NASEF site during a seasonal window.", "Decide which roles students will take, since production, analysis and journalism are competitive tracks alongside play.", "Use the free curriculum, which is standards-aligned and covers the non-playing roles in depth." ], "skills": [ "Team strategy and communication", "Video production and broadcasting", "Data analysis", "Graphic design", "Event management", "Writing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "NASEF official site", "url": "https://www.nasef.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "League registration, supported titles, and the free standards-aligned curriculum." }, { "title": "NASEF curriculum resources", "url": "https://www.nasef.org/learn/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free classroom materials covering broadcasting, analysis, design and management." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "all-american-film-festival", "congressional-app-challenge", "waicy", "naqt-hsnct" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I have to be a good player?", "a": "No. NASEF deliberately builds competitive roles around production, shoutcasting, journalism, analysis and design, and those tracks carry the same programme recognition as playing." }, { "q": "Which games are used?", "a": "Supported titles change by season and region, and each carries its own age rating. Check the current season's title list before assuming a particular game is available to your age group." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.esportsfed.org/" ], "caveats": "The club-based league model, non-playing competitive roles and free curriculum follow NASEF's published description. Current supported titles, season dates, fees and scholarship offerings were not confirmed during the last check and change between seasons." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/nasef/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "national-civics-bee", "name": "National Civics Bee", "full_name": "National Civics Bee", "organizer": "U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation", "categories": [ "civics", "writing" ], "tagline": "Write a short essay about a problem in your community, then defend it in a live civics quiz.", "summary": "The National Civics Bee combines a written and a live round. Middle school students submit a short essay identifying a problem in their community and proposing a civic solution. Selected essayists advance to local live bees run by chambers of commerce, where they answer civics questions on stage and present their idea, then to state and national finals with cash prizes.", "how_it_works": "Entry is a short essay identifying a problem in your community and proposing steps to solve it, judged on understanding of civics, research and references, innovation of the idea, and addressing at least one Founding Principle and one Civic Virtue. Live rounds add 20 multiple-choice civics questions and a Q&A with judges about your essay. Finalists receive a study guide and free access to Khanmigo.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6, 7 and 8, in participating states.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://civics.uschamberfoundation.org/national-civics-bee/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Public, private, charter and home-school students are all eligible. Students may apply to only one local chamber competition.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The US Chamber Foundation sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Availability depends on whether a local chamber of commerce runs a bee in your area. Check the participating locations list.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Participating states only, through local and state chambers of commerce. Not every state or community has a partner chamber.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://civics.uschamberfoundation.org/ncb-how-it-works/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "If your area has no partner, the Foundation suggests emailing your local chamber to encourage them to join." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "The Foundation states it is free for students to participate." }, "deadline": { "display": "The 2027 application portal opens Monday 7 September 2026 at 6:01 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time and closes Tuesday 2 February 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.", "iso": "2027-02-02", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Note the unusual timezone: deadlines are stated in Hawaii Standard Time, which is later than mainland US time, but do not rely on that margin. Some state partners set earlier local deadlines." }, "event_dates": "Regional competitions run in person in the spring; state finals follow. The 2026 National Championship was 14 October 2026. The 2027 National Championship date was not published at the time of checking.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Cash prizes at local, state and national level", "max_usd": 100000, "detail": "Cash prizes at every level, but amounts are set per round and per state, and the portal notes the published figures are anticipated minimums. As examples of the range, one state's local bee awarded $500, $250 and $125 for the top three, and a state final awarded $1,000, $500 and $250. Reported national prizes include a large 529 education fund award for the national winner, which was not confirmed on the Foundation's own pages. Read your round's Contest Rules for the actual amounts." }, "official_url": "https://www.civicsbee.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check whether a chamber of commerce near you is running a bee, using the participating locations list on the official site.", "Write the essay about a genuine problem in your own community. Specificity is what distinguishes entries.", "Submit before your local deadline.", "If selected, study civics fundamentals for the live quiz round and prepare to present and defend your idea." ], "skills": [ "Civics knowledge", "Persuasive writing", "Identifying local problems", "Public speaking", "Answering questions on stage" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National Civics Bee official site", "url": "https://www.civicsbee.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Participating locations, essay requirements, deadlines and study materials." }, { "title": "iCivics", "url": "https://www.icivics.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free civics games and lessons, widely used to prepare for the quiz round." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "we-the-people", "voice-of-democracy", "national-mock-trial", "nyt-student-editorial" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it available everywhere?", "a": "No. The bee runs through local chambers of commerce, so availability depends on whether one near you participates. Check the participating locations list on the official site first." }, { "q": "What makes a strong essay?", "a": "A specific, real problem in your own community with a civic solution you have actually thought through. Judges see many essays about national issues in general terms; the ones that advance are local and concrete." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.civicsbee.org/" ], "caveats": "The essay-plus-live-bee format, middle school eligibility, free entry and chamber of commerce delivery model follow the programme's published description. Current deadlines, participating locations and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on civicsbee.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-civics-bee/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "national-economics-challenge", "name": "National Economics Challenge", "full_name": "National Economics Challenge", "organizer": "Council for Economic Education", "categories": [ "business", "civics" ], "tagline": "The only national economics competition for United States high school students, run in two divisions.", "summary": "The National Economics Challenge is a team competition in microeconomics, macroeconomics and international economics, run by the Council for Economic Education. Teams of up to four students compete online in state rounds, and qualifying teams advance to a national semifinal and then a live final that includes a quiz-bowl style critical thinking round. There are two divisions, one for students who have taken an advanced economics course and one for those who have not, which keeps it accessible.", "how_it_works": "A qualifying round of multiple-choice questions under time pressure, for example 30 questions in 35 minutes with no pausing or skipping and no outside assistance, then critical thinking and quiz bowl rounds at higher levels. Topics cover micro and macro principles and the world economy.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school. Students must be enrolled in a public high school, private high school, or home-based high school. Middle school students cannot compete.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FAQs1.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "CEE sets eligibility by school level and coursework, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Division placement depends on the economics coursework team members have taken. Teams must be registered by a teacher or coach.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, through state councils for economic education. Note that a separately branded China National Economics Challenge with its own calendar and global rounds exists and is not the same programme as CEE's US competition.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://ccee.org/programs/national-economics-challenge/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The name collision is worth checking before registering, since the Chinese programme uses similar wording and division names." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 3 to 4 students from the same public or private school, community organisation, club or after-school programme, with a coach affiliated to that school or programme. Each student may be on only one team. If a member drops out you may substitute or continue with three.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free to enter", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Set by state councils; not published nationally. Some states run it at no cost to schools." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each state, not nationally, and they vary. As an example of the shape, Arkansas required teams registered and tested by 20 February for its state round. National Finals teams have historically been announced by around 1 May and must confirm participation via an online form. Find your state coordinator's dates." }, "event_dates": "Online state rounds in the spring, national semifinal and final in late spring.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Cash prizes for national finalists", "max_usd": 4000, "detail": "Cash prizes are awarded at the national level; amounts were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-economics-challenge/", "register_steps": [ "Find a teacher willing to coach and register the team. Teams cannot self-register.", "Assemble up to four students and determine your division based on the economics coursework members have taken.", "Register through the Council for Economic Education site during the registration window.", "Take the online exams in microeconomics, macroeconomics and international economics." ], "skills": [ "Microeconomics", "Macroeconomics", "International economics", "Graph interpretation", "Rapid recall for the final round" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National Economics Challenge official page", "url": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-economics-challenge/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Divisions, registration, rules and past questions." }, { "title": "EconEdLink", "url": "https://www.econedlink.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free economics lessons and resources from the Council for Economic Education, the same body that runs the competition." }, { "title": "Marginal Revolution University", "url": "https://mru.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free university-level economics video courses, well matched to the Adam Smith division syllabus." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past competition questions", "url": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-economics-challenge/", "note": "Sample and past questions published by the Council for Economic Education." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "deca", "fbla", "wharton-investment-competition", "we-the-people" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Which division should my team enter?", "a": "The David Ricardo division is for students who have not taken Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or honours economics; the Adam Smith division is for those who have. Entering the wrong division is a rules violation, so check the current definitions carefully." }, { "q": "Does it cost anything?", "a": "The competition itself is free to enter, and travel for national finalists has historically been covered. Confirm the current arrangements on the official site." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-economics-challenge/" ], "caveats": "The two-division structure, team size and online-then-live format follow the competition's long-standing published description. Current registration dates, prize amounts and travel arrangements were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-economics-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "national-mock-trial", "name": "National High School Mock Trial Championship", "full_name": "National High School Mock Trial Championship", "organizer": "National High School Mock Trial Championship", "categories": [ "civics", "debate" ], "tagline": "Argue a full fictional case as attorneys and witnesses in a real courtroom, judged by real judges.", "summary": "Mock trial teams argue a fictional case released each year, taking the roles of attorneys and witnesses for both prosecution and defence, or plaintiff and defendant. Trials are held in real courtrooms and scored by practising attorneys and judges on the quality of advocacy, examination technique and witness performance. Each state runs its own championship, and state champions compete at the national championship.", "how_it_works": "A team prepares both sides of the same case, since you do not know which side you will argue until shortly before each round. Students play attorneys (delivering opening statements, direct and cross examinations, and closings) and witnesses (who must stay in character and within the sworn affidavit). Scoring is on advocacy quality rather than who wins the case. State champions advance to nationals.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nationalmocktrial.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The national body does not publish a numbered grade range; state programmes set their own detailed eligibility.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No age limits published.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams register through their state mock trial organisation, whose rules and case materials govern until the national level.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States states and territories, plus Guam, South Korea and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nationalmocktrial.org/about/general-information/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Two separate charges. Each state, territory or country must pay a $200 membership fee, due by 15 January, to be eligible to send a team. On top of that, a team pays a $500 tournament registration fee. Both are required for participation.", "usd_min": 50, "usd_max": 1500, "note": "These are the national fees. State-level entry fees, case materials and travel to the national championship are separate and are usually the larger cost. State registration deadlines are much earlier: Tennessee's 2027 deadline, for example, is 22 January 2027." }, "deadline": { "display": "The $200 jurisdiction membership fee is due by 15 January. State and district registration deadlines are set by each state programme and fall much earlier in the school year.", "iso": "2026-11-30", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Every state runs its own programme with its own deadlines and case materials. Find your state organisation through the national site." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 National High School Mock Trial Championship is 13 to 15 May 2027 in St. Louis, Missouri, hosted by the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. The 2028 championship is 4 to 6 May 2028 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The 2027 competition website was not yet live at the time of checking.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "National championship title and individual advocacy awards", "max_usd": 2000, "detail": "National championship title plus outstanding attorney and witness awards; no cash prize schedule found on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.nationalmocktrial.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your state mock trial organisation through the national site. Everything below nationals runs at state level.", "Join or start a team at your school. A teacher sponsor is required and a volunteer attorney coach is close to essential.", "Get the year's case materials from your state organisation and prepare both sides.", "Compete in your state tournament. State champions advance to nationals." ], "skills": [ "Direct and cross examination", "Objections and rules of evidence", "Opening and closing argument", "Witness performance and staying in character", "Thinking on your feet under objection" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National High School Mock Trial Championship", "url": "https://www.nationalmocktrial.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "State organisation directory, national rules and championship information." }, { "title": "Federal Rules of Evidence", "url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre", "kind": "Reference", "free": true, "note": "Free full text. Mock trial uses a simplified version, but reading the real rules deepens understanding of why objections work." }, { "title": "Oyez", "url": "https://www.oyez.org/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free Supreme Court archive with oral argument audio. Listening to real advocates is excellent training for pacing and composure." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past case materials", "url": "https://www.nationalmocktrial.org/", "note": "Past national case files are published and are useful practice material even outside your state's current case." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "we-the-people", "nsda-nationals", "national-civics-bee", "model-un" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to want to be a lawyer?", "a": "No, and most participants do not become lawyers. The transferable skills are questioning technique, composure under pressure and structuring an argument, which apply far beyond law." }, { "q": "How do I find my state's programme?", "a": "Through the national site's state directory. Everything below the national championship, including case materials, rules and deadlines, is run by your state organisation, so that is where to start." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.nationalmocktrial.org/" ], "caveats": "The trial format, both-sides preparation requirement, scoring on advocacy and the state-to-national structure follow the championship's published description. State registration fees, deadlines, case materials and the national championship host city vary by year and were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm with your state organisation." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-mock-trial/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "national-history-bee", "name": "National History Bee and Bowl", "full_name": "National History Bee and Bowl", "organizer": "International Academic Competitions", "categories": [ "academic" ], "tagline": "Buzzer competition in history, run as both an individual bee and a team bowl, with online qualifying.", "summary": "The National History Bee and Bowl runs paired competitions: the Bee is an individual buzzer competition in history, and the Bowl is a four-player team format. Qualification happens through online exams or regional events, and qualifiers advance to national championships. It is one of the more accessible national academic competitions because the online qualifying exam removes the need to travel before you know whether you are competitive.", "how_it_works": "Buzzer-based individual competition on paragraph-length questions that move from hard clues to easy ones. A correct answer scores one point; reaching 8 points ends that round for the student, who earns up to 7 bonus points for speed. Regionals run 3 preliminary rounds of 90 questions total plus a final. Nationals run 6 preliminary rounds of 35 questions plus three playoff stages. The separate US History Bee uses a 50-question multiple-choice National Qualifying Exam in 20 minutes, scored +2 for correct, 0 for blank and -1 for incorrect.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Varsity division is grades 11 and 12 only. Junior Varsity is grade 10 and younger, including middle and elementary school students. Separate Elementary and Middle School divisions also exist.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/national-history-bee/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Younger students may play up into JV but are not permitted to play in the Varsity division. The US History Bee's Middle and Elementary divisions are open to grade 8 and younger who have qualified. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it.", "min_grade": 2 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "IAC sets divisions by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 2, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Also runs elementary divisions in some regions. Qualification is by online exam or regional placement.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, with an International History Bee and Bowl run separately for international schools.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/national-history-bee/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individual. The related National History Bowl is the four-player team event.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Modest exam and event fees plus travel to championships", "usd_min": 10, "usd_max": 800, "note": "Not confirmed for 2026-27. A first-party US History Bee page, though from an older cycle, listed qualifying exam pre-registration at $10 per exam plus processing, or $15 on site. Regional tournament and National Championship fees are separate and were not confirmed. Late registration reportedly adds a $10 surcharge per subject." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Varies by tournament. Regional Finals registration reportedly closes the second Monday before the tournament at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Reported National Championship deadlines are 18 April for individual events and 14 April for bowl teams, with late fees after 11 April and 7 April respectively. Not confirmed for 2027." }, "event_dates": "Online qualifying exams from autumn, regional championships in winter and spring, national championships in spring.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies, medals and national titles", "max_usd": 1000, "detail": "Titles at the National Championships and qualification for the International History Olympiad. No cash prize schedule found." }, "official_url": "https://www.historybee.com/", "register_steps": [ "Ask a teacher to register your school for the online qualifying exam, or check for a regional event near you.", "Take the online qualifying exam at school during the published window.", "If you qualify, register for the regional or national championship.", "Study using past questions, which the organisers publish, and general quiz bowl history material." ], "skills": [ "Historical knowledge across periods and regions", "Fast recall", "Buzzer timing", "Team coordination for the Bowl" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National History Bee and Bowl official site", "url": "https://www.historybee.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Qualifying exam registration, regional calendar, rules and sample questions." }, { "title": "NAQT You Gotta Know lists", "url": "https://www.naqt.com/you-gotta-know/", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Free curated history lists that overlap heavily with the material asked here." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Sample and past questions", "url": "https://www.historybee.com/", "note": "Published sample question sets from the organisers." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "naqt-hsnct", "national-history-day", "academic-decathlon", "world-scholars-cup" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I qualify?", "a": "Either by scoring above the threshold on an online qualifying exam taken at your school, or by placing at a regional competition. The online exam route is the more accessible one because it costs little and requires no travel." }, { "q": "How does it differ from National History Day?", "a": "Completely. National History Day is original research presented as a project; the History Bee is buzzer-based recall of historical facts. They reward different students and require entirely different preparation." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.historybee.com/" ], "caveats": "The Bee and Bowl formats, divisions and online qualifying route follow the organiser's published description. Current fees, exam windows, regional dates and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on historybee.com." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-history-bee/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "national-history-day", "name": "National History Day", "full_name": "National History Day Contest", "organizer": "National History Day", "categories": [ "academic", "writing" ], "tagline": "Original historical research presented as a paper, exhibit, documentary, performance or website.", "summary": "National History Day asks students to produce original historical research on a topic connected to an annual theme, and to present it in one of five formats: a paper, an exhibit, a documentary, a live performance, or a website. That format choice is what makes it unusually inclusive, since a student who would never win an essay contest may excel at documentary or performance. It runs from classroom through regional and state contests to a national contest in June.", "how_it_works": "Five categories in each division: paper, exhibit, performance, documentary and website. A documentary is a ten-minute film. Entries are judged on Historical Quality, which is assessed the same way across categories, and Clarity of Presentation, which differs by category. NHD does not censor entries on content.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6 to 12. Two divisions: Junior for grades 6 to 8 and Senior for grades 9 to 12.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://nhd.org/en/contest/get-started/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Group members may be in different grades within 6 to 12, but the group must enter the division of its oldest member. A student may participate in the Junior Division for a maximum of three years and the Senior Division for a maximum of four. Some affiliates offer a Youth Division that is not in the official rule book and does not advance to the National Contest.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NHD sets divisions by grade, not age. Students from non-graded schools work out their division with their affiliate coordinator.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Entry is normally through a school or affiliate programme. International affiliates participate in some countries.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States affiliates plus international affiliates. NHD states its programmes are open to all students and teachers without regard to race, sex, religion, physical abilities, economic status or sexual orientation, and that it does not limit participation by physically challenged students.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://nhd.org/en/contest/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individual or group. Groups may include two to five students. The documentary, exhibit, performance and website categories allow both; the paper category is individual only.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International affiliates" ], "cost": { "display": "Low: often free at school level, with modest affiliate fees", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 150, "note": "Set by each affiliate; not published nationally." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each affiliate, not nationally. As an example of the shape, the Pittsburgh regional for 2027 opens registration 6 January 2027 and closes 18 February 2027, with online submission by 25 February. Find your own affiliate's dates." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 National Contest is 13 to 17 June 2027 at the University of Maryland, College Park. Regional and affiliate contest dates are set locally, typically in late winter and spring.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Cash prizes, scholarships and special awards at the national contest", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "The National Contest gives several types of award; special prizes at affiliate and local contests vary and are listed by each affiliate coordinator." }, "official_url": "https://www.nhd.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your state affiliate through nhd.org and note its contest dates, which are what actually bind you.", "Read the current year's theme and the contest rule book. The rule book specifies word counts, time limits and process paper requirements precisely.", "Choose a category honestly. Pick the medium you can actually execute well, not the one that sounds most impressive.", "Research using primary sources. The annotated bibliography is scored and judges look hard at the quality of primary evidence.", "Enter your school or regional contest, then advance through affiliate level." ], "skills": [ "Primary source research", "Historical argument", "Annotated bibliography writing", "Media production for documentary and website entries", "Performance for the performance category" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National History Day official site", "url": "https://www.nhd.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The annual theme, contest rule book, affiliate directory and category guidance." }, { "title": "Library of Congress digital collections", "url": "https://www.loc.gov/collections/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Vast free primary source collections including photographs, newspapers and manuscripts." }, { "title": "Chronicling America", "url": "https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free searchable archive of historic American newspapers, an outstanding primary source for local topics." }, { "title": "National Archives", "url": "https://www.archives.gov/research", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free access to digitised federal records." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past themes and sample entries", "url": "https://www.nhd.org/", "note": "NHD publishes past themes, rule books and examples of successful entries." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "profile-in-courage-essay", "we-the-people", "national-history-bee", "scholastic-art-writing" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Which category should I pick?", "a": "The one you can execute well. Documentary and website entries need real production skill and time; performance suits confident performers; the paper category is the most straightforward if you write well. Judges score the argument and research, not the ambition of the medium." }, { "q": "How important are primary sources?", "a": "Very. The annotated bibliography is scored and judges examine it closely. An entry built from secondary summaries rarely advances past the regional level, however well presented." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.nhd.org/" ], "caveats": "The five categories, division structure, theme-based format and the regional to state to national progression follow NHD's long-standing published description. The current theme, affiliate deadlines, fees and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check and affiliate dates vary by state. Confirm on nhd.org and with your state affiliate." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-history-day/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "national-latin-exam", "name": "National Latin Exam", "full_name": "National Latin Exam", "organizer": "American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League", "categories": [ "academic" ], "tagline": "A single low-cost exam sat at school, with medals and a very high award rate for prepared students.", "summary": "The National Latin Exam is a 40-question multiple-choice exam sat at school in the spring, with separate levels from Introduction to Latin through Latin V and VI. It covers grammar, comprehension, mythology, Roman history and daily life. Unlike most competitions on this site it is not a knockout ladder: a large proportion of well-prepared students earn a certificate or medal, which makes it an unusually encouraging first academic award.", "how_it_works": "A 45-minute timed multiple-choice exam. Most levels have 40 questions covering Latin grammar, vocabulary, translation, English derivatives, and the history, geography, mythology and culture of the ancient world. The Reading Comprehension exams have 36 questions based on Latin passages. Awards are based on the annual national average for each level rather than a fixed quota, so there is no cap on how many students can earn a given medal.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The NLE does not set eligibility by grade. Students register for the exam level matching their current Latin course, across eight levels from Introduction to Latin up to Advanced Prose and Poetry. Each student may take only one exam per year and may not take multiple levels.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The NLE publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Entry is through a school with a Latin teacher. Home school students can participate through arrangements described on the official site.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Offered to Latin students worldwide, not only in the United States. Because of shipping costs, schools outside North America must order the online format.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nle.org/important-exam-information", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This means the paper option is effectively limited to the US and Canada." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A few dollars per student", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 10, "note": "Per-student fees are listed on the NLE's Important Exam Information page and were not captured in this check. Confirm before registering; payment is due within 30 days." }, "deadline": { "display": "Two different deadlines. Paper exams: Friday 29 January 2027. Online exams: Saturday 20 February 2027, after which no online registrations are accepted.", "iso": "2027-01-29", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Registration for the 2027 exam opened at the end of August 2026. Payment is due within 30 days of registration." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 examination window is Monday 1 March to Friday 19 March 2027.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Certificates and medals, plus scholarships for top students at the highest levels", "max_usd": 2000, "detail": "Medals, certificates and ribbons by award level. Seniors earning Summa Cum Laude on the Advanced Latin Prose, Advanced Latin Poetry or Advanced Latin Reading Comprehension exam may apply for a renewable college scholarship if they continue Classical Latin or Greek in college." }, "official_url": "https://www.nle.org/", "register_steps": [ "Ask your Latin teacher to register the school and order exams at your course level.", "Work through past exams, which are published free on the official site.", "Sit the exam at school during the spring window." ], "skills": [ "Latin grammar and syntax", "Reading comprehension", "Classical mythology", "Roman history and daily life", "Derivatives and vocabulary" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National Latin Exam official site", "url": "https://www.nle.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, exam levels, syllabus and free past exams with answer keys." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past National Latin Exams with answer keys", "url": "https://www.nle.org/Exams", "note": "Published free by the American Classical League going back many years. The complete preparation resource." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "scripps-spelling-bee", "naqt-hsnct", "national-history-bee", "academic-decathlon" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How hard is it to win an award?", "a": "Awards are given against national score standards rather than by rank, so a large proportion of well-prepared students earn a certificate or medal. That makes it a good first academic award for a student who has never competed." }, { "q": "What level should I sit?", "a": "The level matching your Latin course. Levels run from Introduction through Latin V and VI, and your teacher will order the correct paper. Sitting above your level is permitted but rarely advantageous." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.nle.org/" ], "caveats": "The exam levels, format, spring administration and score-based award system follow the National Latin Exam's long-standing published description. Current fees, ordering deadlines and scholarship details were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on nle.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-latin-exam/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "national-merit", "name": "National Merit Scholarship Program", "full_name": "National Merit Scholarship Program", "organizer": "National Merit Scholarship Corporation", "categories": [ "scholarship", "academic" ], "tagline": "The scholarship competition you enter by sitting the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year, whether you meant to or not.", "summary": "The National Merit Scholarship Program is entered automatically by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in your third year of high school. Roughly 50,000 of the 1.4 million entrants are honoured each year, about 16,000 are named Semifinalists on a state-by-state basis, around 15,000 of those advance to Finalist, and about 6,700 receive a scholarship. Entry is a by-product of sitting the PSAT/NMSQT, and NMSC reports roughly 1.2 million entrants a year, which makes it the largest programme in this directory by participation.", "how_it_works": "The qualifying test is the PSAT/NMSQT. The PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 are NOT considered for entry. Entry also depends on answering the entry-requirements questions correctly during exam setup: the NMSC section of your score report shows your responses and whether your Selection Index will be considered. If it says you do not meet entry requirements, you may have missed or misanswered those questions and can correct them at nationalmerit.org/studentupdate.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Enrolled as a high school student, traditional or homeschooled, progressing normally toward graduation by 2028 and planning to accept college admission no later than autumn 2028.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=1876", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "In practice this means taking the PSAT/NMSQT in your third year of grades 9 to 12. Students who complete grades 9 to 12 in three years or less may qualify while in their first year of college.", "min_grade": 11 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NMSC sets eligibility by enrolment and graduation year, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 11, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must be enrolled in your last year of high school when competing, plan to enrol full time in college the following autumn, attend school in the United States, its district or its commonwealths and territories, or meet the citizenship requirements for students schooled abroad. Students who complete grades 9 to 12 in three years or fewer follow a modified timeline.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, District of Columbia, and US commonwealths and territories, plus qualifying US citizens attending high school abroad.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=1876", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Attend high school in the United States, the District of Columbia, or a US commonwealth or territory; or meet NMSC's separate citizenship requirements for students attending high school outside the United States.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=1876", "checked": "2026-09-02" } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "The PSAT/NMSQT fee, often paid by the school", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 30, "note": "NMSC charges no entry fee, but the PSAT/NMSQT itself may carry a fee set by your school; many schools and states cover it." }, "deadline": { "display": "For the 2028 program, all requests to update records with NMSC must be submitted no later than 15 October 2027.", "iso": "2026-10-31", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The practical deadline that matters first is your school's PSAT/NMSQT registration in the autumn, which schools set individually." }, "event_dates": "The competition spans about 18 months. For the 2028 program: PSAT/NMSQT in October 2026, principals verify eligibility in spring 2027, Commended Students and Semifinalists named in September 2027, and scholarships awarded in spring 2028.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "$2,500 National Merit Scholarships plus corporate and college-sponsored awards", "max_usd": 2500, "detail": "Awards include National Merit $2500 Scholarships plus corporate- and college-sponsored Merit Scholarships and Special Scholarships. No student may receive more than one monetary award from NMSC. Scholarships may be used only at a US college or university holding accredited status. College choice is not considered in Finalist selection or in awarding the $2500 scholarships. Exact 2028 award counts were not published at the time of checking." }, "official_url": "https://www.nationalmerit.org/", "register_steps": [ "Confirm with your school counsellor when the PSAT/NMSQT is being administered and make sure you are registered for it in grade 11. This is the entire entry process.", "Check your PSAT/NMSQT score report, which states whether you met the programme entry requirements.", "If your school notifies you of Semifinalist standing in September of senior year, complete the scholarship application promptly, including the essay and the principal's recommendation.", "Take the SAT or ACT and submit a confirming score to the Corporation. Semifinalists are withdrawn for missing this step." ], "skills": [ "Standardised test technique", "Reading comprehension and mathematics under time pressure", "Reflective essay writing", "Meeting administrative deadlines" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National Merit Scholarship Corporation", "url": "https://www.nationalmerit.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Entry requirements, the competition steps, Semifinalist requirements and scholarship types." }, { "title": "PSAT/NMSQT on College Board", "url": "https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Test dates, format, scoring and free official practice material." }, { "title": "Khan Academy official SAT practice", "url": "https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free official practice built with College Board. The content overlaps the PSAT/NMSQT closely." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Official PSAT/NMSQT practice tests", "url": "https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/preparing", "note": "Full practice tests published free by College Board." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "coca-cola-scholars", "jack-kent-cooke-young-scholars", "davidson-fellows", "regeneron-sts" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I enter?", "a": "By taking the PSAT/NMSQT in the autumn of grade 11. There is no separate application. Entry happens automatically when you sit the test, which is why so many students are entered without realising it." }, { "q": "What score do I need?", "a": "It depends on your state. Semifinalists are allocated on a state-representational basis, so the Selection Index threshold differs by several points between states and is not published in advance by the Corporation. Commended Student status uses a single national cutoff." }, { "q": "Is the scholarship really only $2,500?", "a": "The National Merit $2,500 Scholarship is a one-time award, but most awards in the programme come from around 260 corporate sponsors and universities rather than from the Corporation itself. College-sponsored awards are often renewable across four years and can be worth substantially more." }, { "q": "What if I could not take the PSAT?", "a": "A student prevented from testing by illness or another emergency may in some circumstances enter by submitting an SAT score instead. Contact the National Merit Scholarship Corporation directly, since this route is not widely known." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://www.nationalmerit.org/", "https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=434" ], "caveats": "The entry-by-PSAT mechanism, the Semifinalist requirements including the confirming SAT or ACT score, the state-representational allocation and the approximate figures of 50,000 honoured, 16,000 Semifinalists, 15,000 Finalists and around 6,700 awards are published by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Your actual deadline is your own school's PSAT/NMSQT administration date, which the Corporation does not set, and the test fee varies by district. State Selection Index cutoffs are not published by the Corporation in advance." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-merit/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "ocean-sciences-bowl", "name": "National Ocean Sciences Bowl", "full_name": "National Ocean Sciences Bowl", "organizer": "Center for Ocean Leadership", "categories": [ "science", "environment" ], "tagline": "A buzzer-based ocean science quiz competition for high school teams, run through regional bowls.", "summary": "The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a fast-paced academic competition on ocean-related science: biology, chemistry, geology, physics and policy as they apply to the oceans. Teams of four students plus an alternate compete in regional bowls using a buzzer format with toss-up and bonus questions, and regional winners advance to a national finals. It suits students who like quiz bowl format but want a scientific subject rather than a general one.", "how_it_works": "A timed buzzer competition using a lock-out responder system, mixing critical thinking questions with rapid recall. Round robin or preliminary matches lead to elimination rounds, and the top team from each regional is invited to the National Finals. Each student should be knowledgeable across the four main disciplines of biology, chemistry, geology and the physical properties of the marine environment, with some knowledge of social sciences, marine policy, geography and technology.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12, currently enrolled in high school. Students at informal education organisations such as Girl Scouts, and home-schooled students, may also compete.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/national-ocean-sciences-bowl/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Up to two teams per school or organisation per year at regional level. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NOSB sets eligibility by school enrolment, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Team-based and school-registered. Some regions accept home school and community teams; check with your regional coordinator.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Your regional bowl is PERMANENT. Schools select the regional bowl closest by driving distance, and once a team has competed at a bowl that becomes its bowl for all future competitions. Teams cannot switch even if a closer bowl opens, without a formal request through their current Regional Coordinator to the National Office, which convenes both coordinators and issues a decision within three weeks. Where a regional bowl alternates host sites, teams are NOT permitted to switch.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://nosb.org/rules/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Choose your first regional carefully; it is a long-term commitment, not a per-year decision. Texas is handled as an exception with a diagonal dividing line between regionals." }, "geography": { "text": "United States, across roughly 15 to 25 regional bowls depending on the year, with over 400 participating high schools.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://nosb.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Four or five students plus a coach. NOSB recommends including one student alternate.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Regional bowls may charge a maximum of $300 per team, though many charge nothing at all. There is no cost for teams advancing to the National Finals.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 300, "note": "Ask your regional coordinator; the range from free to $300 is wide enough to matter." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no single national deadline: each regional sets its own, typically between late autumn and mid-January, with forms and payment often due in December or early January. Contact your regional coordinator first to check whether they have an opening for a new team at all, since places are limited." }, "event_dates": "2027 regional dates are published per site, running through February and March: for example 6 February 2027 at Oregon State University, and 20 February 2027 at both the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and UNC Wilmington. A Virtual Sponge Bowl runs head-to-head on Zoom on 20 and 21 March 2027. National Finals are held in late April or May.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies, research experiences and trips", "max_usd": 2000, "detail": "Scholarships through the National Ocean Scholars programme, plus summer internships, field trips and award trips for students. Amounts were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://oceanleadership.org/national-ocean-sciences-bowl/", "register_steps": [ "Find your regional bowl through the national site. Regions cover defined groups of states.", "Ask a teacher to act as coach and register the team of four plus an alternate.", "Study using the resources your regional coordinator provides, plus the general oceanography material the competition draws on.", "Compete at the regional bowl in the winter." ], "skills": [ "Ocean biology, chemistry, geology and physics", "Rapid recall", "Buzzer technique", "Team roles and specialisation", "Ocean policy" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National Ocean Sciences Bowl official page", "url": "https://oceanleadership.org/national-ocean-sciences-bowl/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Regional directory, rules and sample questions." }, { "title": "NOAA Ocean Explorer education resources", "url": "https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free government educational material covering much of the science base." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Sample questions and study guides", "url": "https://oceanleadership.org/national-ocean-sciences-bowl/", "note": "Published by the national organisation and by individual regional bowls." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "science-olympiad", "naqt-hsnct", "envirothon", "brain-bee" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to know oceanography already?", "a": "No. Most competitors learn the subject specifically for the bowl, drawing on general biology, chemistry, physics and earth science they already have. The competition publishes study guidance to start from." }, { "q": "How is it different from quiz bowl?", "a": "The buzzer format is similar, but the subject matter is entirely ocean science and policy, and there are longer team challenge questions that require collaborative work rather than fast recall." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://oceanleadership.org/national-ocean-sciences-bowl/" ], "caveats": "The team size, buzzer format and regional-to-national structure follow the competition's long-standing published description. Current registration deadlines, fees, regional arrangements and prizes were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/ocean-sciences-bowl/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "national-personal-finance-challenge", "name": "National Personal Finance Challenge", "full_name": "National Personal Finance Challenge", "organizer": "Council for Economic Education", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "A team competition on earning, spending, saving, investing and managing credit, free to enter.", "summary": "The National Personal Finance Challenge is a team quiz and case study competition covering earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit and managing risk. Teams of three or four compete through online rounds to state and then national level, where they present a personal financial plan for a fictional family to a panel of judges. It is free and the content is directly useful outside the competition.", "how_it_works": "Covers six knowledge areas of personal finance: earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit and managing risk.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12 for the national competition.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://ccee.org/programs/national-personal-finance-challenge/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Some states run their own broader divisions: North Carolina invites grades 6 to 12 and crowns a separate middle school champion, but only high school teams advance toward nationals. Home-based students are eligible in at least some states.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "CEE sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams of three or four with a teacher coach, registered through a state affiliate of the Council for Economic Education.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, through state councils for economic education.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/programs/for-students/national-personal-finance-challenge/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of three or four students. Members must come from the same public school, private school, community organisation, club or afterschool programme, which means students from different schools can team up if they share an organisation.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "CEE states the NPFC is free and provides a toolkit of lessons, activities, videos and quizzes. Some state councils explicitly cover all registration and participation fees." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each state council and they vary widely. Examples of the shape: Michigan's 2027 team application window is 1 January to 3 March 2027, with teachers allowed up to four teams per division; Indiana's 2026 registration ran 1 December to 13 February. Find your state's council." }, "event_dates": "Online rounds in spring, state competitions in late spring, national competition in early summer.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "The top four teams win cash prizes at the in-person National Finals, and all winners receive an official CEE trophy and banner. At National Finals all expenses are covered including food, hotel and events, though transportation to and from your state of origin is excluded.", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "Cash awards for top teams at the national competition, split among team members. Amounts vary by year and sponsor." }, "official_url": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-personal-finance-challenge/", "register_steps": [ "Find a teacher willing to coach and register through your state affiliate.", "Study the five content areas: earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit and managing risk.", "Take the online qualifying rounds in the spring.", "State winners prepare for the case study format used at nationals, which is different from the online rounds." ], "skills": [ "Personal finance concepts", "Budgeting and credit", "Insurance and risk", "Case analysis", "Team presentation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "National Personal Finance Challenge", "url": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-personal-finance-challenge/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, content standards, past rounds and state affiliate contacts." }, { "title": "EconEdLink free resources", "url": "https://www.econedlink.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free lessons from the Council for Economic Education covering the competition content areas." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past rounds and study materials", "url": "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-personal-finance-challenge/", "note": "Published free by the Council for Economic Education." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "national-economics-challenge", "stock-market-game", "investwrite", "deca" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How does it differ from the National Economics Challenge?", "a": "The Personal Finance Challenge covers household financial decisions such as budgeting, credit and insurance. The Economics Challenge covers academic micro and macroeconomics theory. They are run by the same organisation but test very different material." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.councilforeconed.org/national-personal-finance-challenge/" ], "caveats": "The team size, content areas, online-to-national structure and case study format follow the Council for Economic Education's published description. Current deadlines, state affiliate arrangements and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-personal-finance-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "national-science-bowl", "name": "National Science Bowl", "full_name": "U.S. Department of Energy National Science Bowl", "organizer": "U.S. Department of Energy", "categories": [ "science", "academic" ], "tagline": "A fast buzzer competition across all sciences and maths, run free by the Department of Energy since 1991.", "summary": "The National Science Bowl is a buzzer-based team quiz covering biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, energy and mathematics. Teams of four plus an alternate compete at regional events across the United States, and regional champions receive an all-expenses trip to the national finals near Washington, D.C. It is free to enter and the Department of Energy funds the travel for qualifying teams, which removes the usual cost barrier to a national competition.", "how_it_works": "Buzzer-based team competition. High school questions cover seven categories at a college freshman level. About 10,000 students compete each year across roughly 65 high school and 50 middle school regionals.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Two categories: high school and middle school.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.energy.gov/science/articles/registration-now-open-energy-departments-national-science-bowlr-4", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "A student may not compete in both categories. The competition is school-based: all team members must attend the same school, and no club teams are allowed. Home-schooled teams are treated as a school if each student provides documentation such as a dated letter of intent to homeschool.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Department of Energy sets eligibility by school category, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams register through a school or approved organisation with a teacher coach. Regional capacity is limited and fills quickly.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States. Registrations are tied to the school's location.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb/Regional-Competitions", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Four or five students plus a teacher who serves as coach. A coach may bring up to three teams from the same school if the regional event allows multiple teams; check first, since many regionals cap teams per school at two.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "No national fee, and most regionals list no registration fee, but some do charge. For 2027, the Indiana high school regional lists a $50 fee while the Kansas and Western Missouri middle school regional lists none.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 50, "note": "The previous listing said 'Free' without qualification. Check your own regional's page. Regional winners attend the National Finals with all expenses paid." }, "deadline": { "display": "Two deadlines. After preregistration approval, the coach must submit the Team 1 registration by 23 November 2026 at 11:59 pm local time or the school loses its reserved space. Separately, no registration is accepted later than three weeks before the regional event.", "iso": "2026-11-23", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Preregistrations approved after 23 November 2026 are not guaranteed a space." }, "event_dates": "Regional competitions run between January and March, either virtual or in person; in-person events may switch to virtual at any time. Examples for 2027: Indiana high school regional 20 February 2027; Kansas and Western Missouri middle school regional 13 March 2027. National Finals dates for 2027 were not confirmed on the pages checked; the 2025 finals ran 24 to 28 April in Washington, D.C.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "The top two middle school and top two high school teams at the National Finals win $5,000 for their schools' math and science departments. Other teams placing in the top 16 win $1,000 for their schools' science departments.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Regional champions receive a fully funded trip to the national finals. National awards have included science trips and prizes for schools. No large individual cash awards." }, "official_url": "https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb", "register_steps": [ "Find your regional coordinator through the Department of Energy Science Bowl site.", "Have a teacher register the team as soon as regional registration opens, since regions fill fast and capacity is capped.", "Assemble four students plus an alternate, deliberately covering biology, chemistry, physics, earth science and maths between them.", "Practise on the buzzer with published sample questions before the regional event." ], "skills": [ "Biology", "Chemistry", "Physics", "Earth and space science", "Energy science", "Mathematics", "Buzzer speed", "Team subject division" ], "resources": [ { "title": "DOE National Science Bowl official page", "url": "https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, regional coordinator directory, sample questions and the competition format." }, { "title": "Official sample question sets", "url": "https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb/Regional-Competitions/Resources", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Free question packets published by the Department of Energy, matched to the real distribution." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Sample rounds and past question sets", "url": "https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb/Regional-Competitions/Resources", "note": "Published free by the Department of Energy." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "science-olympiad", "naqt-hsnct", "ocean-sciences-bowl", "brain-bee" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it really free?", "a": "Yes. There is no entry fee, and the Department of Energy covers travel and accommodation for regional champion teams attending the national finals. It is the least expensive route to a national competition in this directory." }, { "q": "How competitive is regional registration?", "a": "Very, in some regions. Capacity is capped per region and several fill within days of opening in the autumn. Find your regional coordinator early and register immediately." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb" ], "caveats": "The free entry, funded national travel, team size, subject coverage and regional-to-national structure follow the Department of Energy's published description. Current regional registration dates and capacities were not confirmed during the last check and vary by region." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/national-science-bowl/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "envirothon", "name": "NCF-Envirothon", "full_name": "NCF-Envirothon", "organizer": "National Conservation Foundation", "categories": [ "environment", "science" ], "tagline": "Field-based environmental science: teams are tested outdoors on soils, forestry, wildlife, water and a current issue.", "summary": "Envirothon is unusual among science competitions because much of it happens outdoors. Teams of five are tested at field stations on soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and a current environmental issue that changes each year. There is also an oral presentation component in which teams propose a solution to a land management scenario. It runs from county through state to an international competition.", "how_it_works": "Five testing stations within walking distance of each other, covering aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and an annually rotating current environmental issue, plus an oral presentation. Each of the five station tests is one seventh of the total score and the preliminary oral presentation is two sevenths, so the presentation carries double the weight of any single station. Ties are broken first on the Current Issue score, then Soils and Land Use, then Aquatics.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12", "status": "verified", "source": "https://envirothon.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 14 to 19. For the annual NCF competition, students must reach age 14 to 19 by 8 August of the competition year.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/ncf-envirothon/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NCF-Envirothon publishes both a grade range and an age range. Non-traditional schools and youth organisations must follow the same grade and age limits. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams compete through their state or provincial Envirothon programme. Programmes exist across the United States and in Canadian provinces and some other countries.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, Canada, China and Singapore, with over 25,000 students taking part each year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://envirothon.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Exactly five students form the state or provincial team at the NCF-Envirothon. At least four of the original members of the team that won the state competition must take part. State-level team sizes differ: Georgia allows 4 to 6 students at its state contest, and Louisiana requires teams to start with five and finish with no fewer than four.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Low at local level; travel is the main cost at higher levels", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 1000, "note": "Set by each state programme. Some states pay the NCF registration fee for their winning team; Georgia states that it does. Confirm locally." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each state or provincial programme, months before the summer national event. As an example of the shape, South Carolina's 2026 team registration deadline was 23 March for an April state competition. Find your own state's dates." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates and host not yet published. For reference, the 2026 competition ran 19 to 25 July 2026 at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, and the 2026 current issue topic was Non-Point Source Pollution: It begins at home.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships at state and international level", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Recognition and scholarships at the NCF competition; amounts were not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://envirothon.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your state or provincial Envirothon programme through the official site.", "Form a team of five with an advisor, who is often a science teacher or a local conservation district staff member.", "Get the current year's study resources, including the current issue topic, which changes annually.", "Practise outdoors. Field identification cannot be learned from a textbook, and it is where teams gain or lose the most." ], "skills": [ "Soil profile reading", "Tree and wildlife identification", "Water quality testing", "Land management reasoning", "Oral presentation", "Working outdoors in poor weather" ], "resources": [ { "title": "NCF-Envirothon official site", "url": "https://envirothon.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "State programme directory, the current issue topic, study resources and learning objectives." }, { "title": "USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service soil resources", "url": "https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free authoritative material on soils and land use, one of the five core stations." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past current issue topics and study guides", "url": "https://envirothon.org/", "note": "Published free by the National Conservation Foundation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "ocean-sciences-bowl", "genius-olympiad", "science-olympiad", "earth-prize" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How much of it is outdoors?", "a": "Most of it. Teams rotate through outdoor field stations where they read soil pits, identify trees and wildlife signs, and assess water. Teams that only study indoors are consistently surprised by how different field identification is from a textbook photograph." }, { "q": "What is the current issue?", "a": "A theme that changes each year, announced in advance, which forms both a written station and the oral presentation. It is published on the official site along with learning objectives." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://envirothon.org/" ], "caveats": "The five stations, team size, field-based format and county-to-international progression follow the NCF-Envirothon published description. Current state deadlines, the current issue topic, fees and the international competition host were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm with your state programme." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/envirothon/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "nyt-student-editorial", "name": "New York Times Student Editorial Contest", "full_name": "The New York Times Learning Network Student Editorial Contest", "organizer": "The New York Times Learning Network", "categories": [ "writing" ], "tagline": "Write a 450-word evidence-based opinion piece on anything you care about, judged by Times editors.", "summary": "The Student Editorial Contest asks teenagers to write a persuasive editorial of no more than 450 words on any issue they choose, supported by evidence from at least one New York Times source and one source from outside the Times. It is free, entirely online, and the extremely short word limit makes it one of the most approachable serious writing competitions available. Winning editorials are published on the Learning Network site.", "how_it_works": "You choose your own topic, write an editorial of at most 450 words, and cite at least one Times source and one non-Times source. Submission is through an online form during the contest window. Times editors and educators judge the entries, and winners, runners-up and honourable mentions are published.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Learning Network sets eligibility by age and school level, not grade.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No New York Times Learning Network page was reachable for this check, so everything here is from secondary sources and should be confirmed. They consistently describe ages 13 to 19 at the time of submission, enrolled in middle or high school anywhere in the world. Students 19 or under who have finished high school but are not enrolled in college, including gap-year students, are described as eligible, as are first-year students of a two-year CEGEP in Quebec. College students are not eligible except high schoolers taking college classes.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to students worldwide aged 13 to 19 who are in middle or high school. Students whose parents work for The New York Times are excluded.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Reported as open to students worldwide." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Reported as open worldwide. Children and stepchildren of New York Times employees, and students living in the same household as one, are reported ineligible." } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Reported as free. Learning Network contests are consistently described as free to enter." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2026-27 dates not confirmed first-party. The contest has historically opened in March and closed in mid-to-late April, with results about two months after close. The Times announced a 2026-27 contest lineup with some formats revamped, so do not assume last year's structure." }, "event_dates": "An annual window of several weeks, historically in the spring, with winners published a couple of months later.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Publication on the New York Times Learning Network", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "There is no cash award. Winning entries are published on The Learning Network and are described as eligible for publication in the print New York Times. Recognition tiers are winners, runners-up and honorable mentions." }, "official_url": "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning", "register_steps": [ "Check the Learning Network contest calendar for the current window.", "Pick an issue you actually have a view about. Judges see thousands of editorials on the obvious topics.", "Write at most 450 words, citing at least one New York Times source and at least one source from outside the Times.", "Submit through the online form before the window closes." ], "skills": [ "Persuasive writing", "Extreme concision", "Using evidence", "Finding an original angle", "Editing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "New York Times Learning Network (also: past winning editorials)", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The contest calendar, rules and published winning entries for all Learning Network contests. Published free each year, and the clearest guide to what wins." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Winning entries archive", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning", "note": "The Learning Network publishes winners, runners-up and honourable mentions for every contest." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "john-locke-essay", "scholastic-art-writing", "write-the-world", "profile-in-courage-essay" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need a New York Times subscription?", "a": "The Learning Network makes the material used in its contests freely accessible, and school and library access is widely available. Check the current contest rules for exactly which sources are usable." }, { "q": "Can students outside the United States enter?", "a": "Yes. The contest is open to students worldwide aged 13 to 19 in middle or high school." }, { "q": "Is there a cash prize?", "a": "No. The prize is publication on the Learning Network, which is a real byline and a credit that carries weight for students interested in journalism." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning" ], "caveats": "The 450 word limit, the source requirements, the free entry and the age 13 to 19 eligibility follow the contest's long-standing published rules. The current cycle's contest window and exact rules were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on the Learning Network contest calendar." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/nyt-student-editorial/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "nsda-nationals", "name": "NSDA National Tournament", "full_name": "National Speech and Debate Tournament", "organizer": "National Speech and Debate Association", "categories": [ "debate" ], "tagline": "The largest academic competition in the world, reached by earning qualifying points on your district circuit.", "summary": "The National Speech and Debate Tournament has run since 1931 and is the culminating event of the American speech and debate season. You do not enter it directly: you compete on your school's circuit through the year, qualify through your NSDA district tournament in the spring, and then compete nationally across events ranging from Policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate to Original Oratory and Dramatic Interpretation.", "how_it_works": "You join a school speech and debate team and compete at local and invitational tournaments through the autumn and winter, accruing NSDA points. In the spring your district holds a qualifying tournament, and the top finishers in each event earn national tournament berths. Nationals runs over a week in June with many preliminary rounds narrowing to elimination rounds and a final in each event.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The NSDA's own eligibility page defines district eligibility by membership and points, not by grade. A separate Middle School National Tournament exists. District materials from at least one district state that only grades 9 to 12 may compete in the qualifier and that 8th graders are ineligible for the district series, but that is a district's rule rather than a national one. Check your own district.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The NSDA publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "You compete through an NSDA member school. If your school has no team, the practical first step is starting one with a teacher as coach.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Schools must be members of the NSDA. Individual students must be paid members with at least 25 points in the Honor Society, which is the Degree of Merit, and must be registered as a member user with a valid, unique email address on their NSDA account. Schools that join or renew before their district's tournament dates may register eligible students.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.speechanddebate.org/ufaq/what-are-the-eligibility-requirements-for-entering-the-nsda-district-tournament/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Primarily United States districts. The NSDA accepts students from international schools, who should have an administrator contact the national office; international schools cannot normally participate in districts." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Partner events must be taken to Nationals with the same partner. If one partner cannot attend, no substitute is allowed and the partnership event is dropped entirely; the remaining student cannot switch to the other event. Districts may also qualify up to two teams of three to five students for the USA World Schools Debate Invitational.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "School membership plus per-tournament entry fees and travel", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 3000, "note": "NSDA school and student membership dues plus district and national tournament fees apply; the amounts were not confirmed on the pages checked. The Last-Chance Qualifier specifically has no entry fee." }, "deadline": { "display": "National Tournament registration materials are due 15 May 2027.", "iso": "2027-03-15", "status": "confirmed", "note": "District tournament deadlines are set by each district. Districts holding any part of their series before 31 December must register those dates with the national office by 31 October." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 National Tournament is in Phoenix, Arizona, held as usual in June. The Last-Chance Qualifier runs online 29 April to 1 May 2027, with its registration closing 16 April 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CT and qualifiers registered for Nationals by staff on 26 April.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships and national titles", "max_usd": 25000, "detail": "National champion titles in each event; no cash prize schedule confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.speechanddebate.org/nationals/", "register_steps": [ "Join your school's speech and debate team. If there is none, ask a teacher to start one and register the school with the NSDA.", "Choose an event. This matters more than any other early decision, because the formats reward very different skills.", "Compete at local and invitational tournaments through the season to build experience and NSDA points.", "Qualify at your NSDA district tournament in the spring. The number of berths per event depends on district size.", "Attend nationals in June if you qualify." ], "skills": [ "Argument construction", "Evidence research", "Cross-examination", "Public speaking", "Rapid adaptation to different judges", "Performance and delivery for speech events" ], "resources": [ { "title": "NSDA official site", "url": "https://www.speechanddebate.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Event descriptions, rules, district information, resources and the national tournament details." }, { "title": "Tabroom", "url": "https://www.tabroom.com/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Where almost every US tournament handles registration, pairings and results. You will use it constantly." }, { "title": "NSDA resource library", "url": "https://www.speechanddebate.org/resources/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Lesson plans, topic analysis and event guides, much of it free to members." }, { "title": "Published final round videos", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@SpeechandDebate", "kind": "Video", "free": true, "note": "Recorded national final rounds in every event." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past national tournament results and final rounds", "url": "https://www.speechanddebate.org/nationals/", "note": "Published results and recorded finals from previous tournaments." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "National Speech and Debate Association channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@SpeechandDebate", "channel": "NSDA", "note": "Final rounds in every event. Watch one in your event before your first tournament." } ], "similar": [ "tournament-of-champions", "harvard-speech-debate", "model-un", "world-scholars-cup" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I qualify for nationals?", "a": "Through your NSDA district's qualifying tournament in the spring. The number of berths per event depends on how many schools are in your district, so the difficulty of qualifying varies considerably by geography." }, { "q": "Which event should I choose?", "a": "Try several as a novice. Public Forum is the most accessible entry point because it uses lay-friendly argument and a monthly topic. Policy demands the most research time. Lincoln-Douglas suits students drawn to philosophy. Interpretation events suit performers." }, { "q": "Is debate expensive?", "a": "It can be, because travel to national-circuit invitationals is the real cost. But the local circuit is inexpensive and still qualifies you for districts and nationals, and the NSDA runs financial assistance programmes. Ask your coach specifically about both." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://www.speechanddebate.org/", "https://nationals.tabroom.com/" ], "caveats": "The district qualification model, event list and June national tournament follow the NSDA's published structure, and Tabroom confirms the tournament's operation. The 2027 district qualifier dates, national tournament host city and current scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Costs vary enormously by how much a student travels." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/nsda-nationals/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "nyt-podcast-contest", "name": "NYT Student Podcast Contest", "full_name": "The New York Times Student Podcast Contest", "organizer": "The New York Times Learning Network", "categories": [ "writing", "arts" ], "tagline": "Make a five-minute podcast on any subject, free, judged by New York Times editors.", "summary": "The New York Times Learning Network runs an annual student podcast contest asking for an original audio piece of up to five minutes on any topic. It is free, open internationally to students aged 13 to 19, requires nothing but a phone to record, and winning entries are published by the Times, which is an unusually visible outcome for a free competition.", "how_it_works": "You produce an original podcast episode of no more than five minutes on any subject and submit it during the contest window in the spring. Entries are judged by Learning Network editors and Times journalists on storytelling, audio craft and originality. Winners and runners-up are published on the Learning Network.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Learning Network sets eligibility by age and school level, not grade.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Reported consistently as middle and high school students aged 13 to 19 worldwide. College students are not eligible, but gap-year students and those in the first year of a two-year CEGEP programme in Quebec are. Not confirmed first-party.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to students worldwide aged 13 to 19 who are in middle or high school. Students of Times employees are excluded.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Reported as open to students worldwide." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Reported as free. All Learning Network contests are consistently described as free to enter." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 podcast contest window is reported as 31 March to 12 May 2027. For reference, the 2026 contest ran 8 April to 13 May 2026, closing at 11:50 p.m. Pacific. Note the unusual 11:50 p.m. cut-off rather than midnight. Treat these as unconfirmed until the Learning Network publishes them." }, "event_dates": "Submission window in spring, winners published in the summer.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Publication by The New York Times", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash award. Winners are featured on The Learning Network. Recognition tiers are winners, runners-up and honorable mentions; one guide reports a combined award rate of about 5.3 percent in a recent year." }, "official_url": "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning", "register_steps": [ "Check the Learning Network contest calendar, which lists every contest and its window for the year.", "Listen to previous winners, which are all published free, before you plan anything.", "Record and edit a piece of no more than five minutes. A phone and free software such as Audacity are sufficient.", "Submit through the contest post during the spring window." ], "skills": [ "Audio storytelling", "Interviewing", "Scripting for the ear", "Basic audio editing", "Ruthless editing to a time limit" ], "resources": [ { "title": "NYT Learning Network", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The full annual contest calendar, rules and every past winning entry." }, { "title": "Audacity", "url": "https://www.audacityteam.org/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free open-source audio editor, entirely sufficient for this contest." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning podcasts", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning", "note": "Published free. Listening to five is the best possible preparation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nyt-student-editorial", "c-span-studentcam", "all-american-film-festival", "write-the-world" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "What equipment do I need?", "a": "A phone and free editing software. Judges score storytelling and craft, and past winners have been recorded on phones. Recording somewhere with soft furnishings matters far more than the microphone." }, { "q": "What other contests does the Learning Network run?", "a": "Several each year including editorial writing, review writing, photography and profile writing, all free and open internationally. The published contest calendar lists every window for the year." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.nytimes.com/section/learning" ], "caveats": "The five-minute format, free international entry, age range and publication reward follow the Learning Network's published description. The current contest window and exact rules were not confirmed during the last check; the Learning Network publishes a full contest calendar each year." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/nyt-podcast-contest/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "ocean-awareness-contest", "name": "Ocean Awareness Contest", "full_name": "Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest", "organizer": "Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs", "categories": [ "writing", "environment", "arts" ], "tagline": "A free international contest accepting art, writing, film, music and interactive media on a yearly ocean and climate theme.", "summary": "The Ocean Awareness Contest invites students aged 11 to 18 worldwide to respond creatively to an annual theme about the ocean and climate. Uniquely among the competitions in this directory, it accepts work in almost any medium: visual art, poetry and prose, film, music and performance, and interactive media. Entry is free, and it awards cash prizes across every category and age division.", "how_it_works": "Seven categories: Visual Art Handcrafted, Visual Art Digital, Creative Writing, Film, Interactive and Multimedia, Performing Arts Music and Dance, and Poetry and Spoken Word. Work must respond to the annual theme, which changes each year, and judging is based on how well it addresses that theme. Submission is through Bow Seat's online system only; email and physical mail are not accepted. Entries previously submitted to the contest are not considered again.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Bow Seat sets divisions by age, not grade, though middle or high school enrolment is required.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 11 to 18, enrolled in middle or high school or the homeschool equivalent. Junior Division is ages 11 to 14 and Senior Division ages 15 to 18, based on your age at the time of entry.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/rules-eligibility/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Students who have started college or university are not eligible, but a high school student dual-enrolled in college classes is. A grade 12 student who graduates during the contest year remains eligible. Students turning 11 during the school year qualify.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide. Junior and senior divisions separate younger and older entrants. Students enter directly without school involvement.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, open to students worldwide.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/faqs/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No citizenship requirement. Participants under 13 need a parent or guardian to complete a COPPA Parent/Guardian Consent Form with the submission; those aged 13 to 18 should have permission before sending personal information." } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individual, or a group, class or club of unlimited size. A group needs one group leader as contact and all member names listed, and all members must meet the age requirement. Award money is split evenly among group members, and the group enters the division of its leader.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "There is no fee to enter." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 deadline is not yet published; the 2027 theme was due to be announced in September 2026. For reference, the 2026 contest closed 8 June 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, and the platform closes automatically at the deadline. One scholarship aggregator lists 8 June 2027, which is an extrapolation rather than a published date." }, "event_dates": "Submissions close in June; winners are announced in late November.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarship awards of up to $1,000, with five prizes awarded in each of the Junior and Senior Divisions. Winners also gain exhibition, publication and online gallery opportunities, and all participants receive a certificate.", "max_usd": 1500, "detail": "Cash awards for winners and runners-up in each medium and age division, plus publication in the online gallery. Amounts vary by year; confirm on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/", "register_steps": [ "Read the current year's theme and the supporting research material Bow Seat publishes with it.", "Choose your medium. Visual art, writing, film, music and interactive media are all accepted.", "Create the work and write a short artist statement explaining how it responds to the theme. The statement is genuinely part of the judging.", "Submit online before the deadline." ], "skills": [ "Creative work in any medium", "Research into ocean and climate issues", "Writing an artist statement", "Connecting science to creative expression" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest", "url": "https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Theme, rules, deadlines, categories and winners' gallery." }, { "title": "Bow Seat research and resources", "url": "https://bowseat.org/resources/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free background material on the annual theme, which the contest expects entrants to engage with." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Winners gallery", "url": "https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/", "note": "Every past winning entry is published free in an online gallery across all media." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "scholastic-art-writing", "genius-olympiad", "earth-prize", "youngarts" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "What kinds of work are accepted?", "a": "Visual art, poetry and prose, film, music and performance, and interactive media. It is one of the very few competitions where a student can enter in whichever medium they are actually strongest in." }, { "q": "Does the artist statement matter?", "a": "Yes. Judges assess how the work responds to the theme and how well you understand the underlying issue, so the statement carries real weight alongside the work itself." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/" ], "caveats": "The multi-medium format, free entry, age 11 to 18 range and annual theme structure follow the contest's long-standing published description. The current theme, deadline and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/ocean-awareness-contest/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "odyssey-of-the-mind", "name": "Odyssey of the Mind", "full_name": "Odyssey of the Mind", "organizer": "Creative Competitions, Inc.", "categories": [ "engineering", "arts", "academic" ], "tagline": "Teams solve a long-term creative problem over months, then face a spontaneous problem they have never seen.", "summary": "Odyssey of the Mind runs two halves. Teams of up to seven spend months building a solution to a long-term problem, which might be a mechanical device, a performance, a structure built from balsa that holds weight, or a technical challenge, and they present it as an eight-minute performance. Then on competition day they are given a spontaneous problem with no warning and a few minutes to respond as a team. Adults are strictly forbidden from helping, and that rule is enforced.", "how_it_works": "Teams select one long-term problem: five competitive problems plus one primary problem for young teams. At every level of competition the team also solves a spontaneous problem.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "US divisions for 2026-27: Division II is grades 6 to 8, Division III is grades 9 to 12, and Division I covers younger students up to grade 5, with a non-competitive Primary division for kindergarten to grade 2. The oldest team member determines the division.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://odysseyofthemind.com/program-guide/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The official Program Guide states Divisions II and III explicitly; the Division I grade range was taken from the Vermont association's FAQ, which gives grades K to 5. Division IV is collegiate.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "For international (non-US) teams, eligibility is by age: Division II is less than 15 years of age on 1 May 2027, and Division I is younger still. Division III is for teams whose oldest member does not qualify for I or II and attends a regular school.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://odysseyofthemind.com/program-guide/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Odyssey of the Mind uses grades for US teams and ages for other international teams; both are stated by the organiser.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Division I is up to grade 5, Division II grades 6 to 8, Division III grades 9 to 12. A non-competitive primary division exists for the youngest students.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "A yearly membership is required, valid for one institution: a school, a district sharing a principal, a homeschool, a community group, or a college. Each membership supports one team per problem per division, so a standard membership can support 5 to 15 teams. Homeschool and community groups may enter 5 teams per membership provided they are not in the same problem and division.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://odysseyofthemind.com/information/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "United States through state associations, plus international associations.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://odysseyofthemind.com/information/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Up to seven members may participate on any team from Primary through Division III. Each team may include one student who attends a different school or is home schooled.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A national membership, $290 for a standard membership according to state associations, plus tournament registration fees set by each state association (for example $75 per team in Vermont, $25 for Primary).", "usd_min": 290, "usd_max": 400, "note": "The national FAQ directs cost questions to your Association Director, so the $290 figure is from a state association page rather than the national site. Teams also face a strict spending limit on their long-term solution." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each state association; not published nationally." }, "event_dates": "The 2026-27 long-term problem synopses are published. Tournament dates are set by each state association. For reference, the 2026 World Finals were at Iowa State University, 27 to 30 May 2026.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies, medals and World Finals qualification", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prizes. Placement and creativity awards." }, "official_url": "https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/", "register_steps": [ "Find your state or regional association through the official site and register a team with a coach.", "Choose one of the five long-term problems released each autumn. Read the problem document in full; scoring is extremely specific.", "Work within the materials cost limit, which is part of the scoring and is checked.", "Practise spontaneous problems weekly. Teams under-practise this and it costs them at every tournament." ], "skills": [ "Creative problem solving", "Building and engineering within constraints", "Performance and script writing", "Thinking fast as a group", "Working without adult help" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Odyssey of the Mind (also: sample spontaneous problems)", "url": "https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Association directory, the current year's problems, rules and the coaching handbook. The organisers publish practice spontaneous problems, which is the highest-value weekly practice a team can do." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past problems and sample spontaneous sets", "url": "https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/", "note": "Published by Creative Competitions." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "destination-imagination", "future-city", "science-olympiad", "invention-convention" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can parents help build?", "a": "No, and this is enforced more strictly than in any other competition in this directory. Outside assistance is scored against the team, and judges question students directly about who did the work. Coaches may teach skills but may not contribute ideas or labour." }, { "q": "What is the spontaneous problem?", "a": "A problem your team has never seen, given on competition day, with a few minutes to respond. It might be verbal, hands-on, or both. It is a large share of the score and the part teams most often under-practise." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/" ], "caveats": "The long-term and spontaneous problem structure, team size, divisions, materials cost limits, the strict no-outside-assistance rule and the regional to World Finals progression follow the programme's long-standing published description. Membership costs, association deadlines and the current year's problems were not confirmed during the last check and vary by association." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/odyssey-of-the-mind/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "patriots-pen", "name": "Patriot's Pen", "full_name": "VFW Patriot's Pen Youth Essay Contest", "organizer": "Veterans of Foreign Wars", "categories": [ "writing", "civics", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "A short patriotic essay contest for middle school students, free, with national awards.", "summary": "Patriot's Pen is the middle school companion to the VFW's Voice of Democracy contest. Students in grades 6 to 8 write a short essay of 300 to 400 words responding to an annual patriotic theme. Entries are judged from local VFW post level upward through district and state to a national final, and it is free to enter with substantial awards at national level.", "how_it_works": "A typed English essay of 300 to 400 words, with a 5-word tolerance either way. Every word counts regardless of length; the title and any footnotes do not. No colour or graphics. Do not put your name on the essay: the entry form is the cover sheet, fastened on top. Avoid personal identifiers and references to your race, sex, religion or national origin, though general references to American identity relevant to the theme are permitted. Judging is knowledge of the theme 30 points, theme development 35 points, clarity of ideas 35 points. Students are judged on the essay alone with no oral presentation. The essay must be the contestant's own work and the rules state that inappropriate use of ChatGPT or other AI tools is not allowed. One entry per student per year.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 6, 7 and 8, enrolled by the 31 October deadline in public, private or parochial schools in the US, its territories or possessions, or dependents of US military or civilian personnel in overseas schools. Home-schooled students are eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.vfw.org/-/media/VFWSite/Files/Community/Youth-and-Education/Patriots-Pen-Rules-and-Eligibility.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The VFW sets eligibility by grade, not age. Adults are not eligible.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to students in the United States and dependents of US military personnel overseas. You must submit through a participating local post.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, its territories and possessions, plus dependents of US personnel in overseas schools.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.vfw.org/-/media/VFWSite/Files/Community/Youth-and-Education/Patriots-Pen-Rules-and-Eligibility.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "US citizenship is not required, but students must be lawful US permanent residents, or have a pending permanent residence application that has not been denied, and intend to become a US citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law. Foreign exchange students are not eligible.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.vfw.org/-/media/VFWSite/Files/Community/Youth-and-Education/Patriots-Pen-Rules-and-Eligibility.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee at any level." }, "deadline": { "display": "All entries must be submitted to a sponsoring VFW Post by midnight on 31 October 2026.", "iso": "2026-10-31", "status": "confirmed", "note": "You submit to a local Post, not to the VFW nationally, so find a participating Post first. Posts may set earlier internal cut-offs." }, "event_dates": "Entries in autumn, judging through winter, national awards in spring.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Prizes and scholarships are awarded at Post, District, State and national level. Department (state) winners receive a portion of $55,000 in national awards. National winners receive at least $500, and the first-place national award is currently $5,000.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Awards at post, district, state and national level, with the national first place historically in the thousands of dollars. Confirm current amounts with the VFW." }, "official_url": "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships", "register_steps": [ "Find a participating VFW post near you using the post locator on the VFW site.", "Read the year's theme, which is announced in advance.", "Write an essay of 300 to 400 words. The word limit is strict.", "Submit the essay and entry form to the local post by the deadline." ], "skills": [ "Persuasive writing", "Writing to a tight word limit", "Developing one idea clearly" ], "resources": [ { "title": "VFW youth scholarships page", "url": "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Theme, rules, entry forms and the local post locator." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past themes and winning essays", "url": "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships", "note": "The VFW publishes past themes and features winning entries." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "voice-of-democracy", "national-civics-bee", "nyt-student-editorial", "profile-in-courage-essay" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How is this different from Voice of Democracy?", "a": "Patriot's Pen is for grades 6 to 8 and is a written essay of 300 to 400 words. Voice of Democracy is for grades 9 to 12 and is an audio-recorded essay of three to five minutes. Both run through local VFW posts on the same autumn timeline." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships" ], "caveats": "The grade range, word limit, post-to-national judging structure and historical 31 October deadline follow the VFW's long-standing published programme description. The current theme, exact deadline and award amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/patriots-pen/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "physics-olympiad", "name": "Physics Olympiad (F=ma)", "full_name": "United States Physics Olympiad, beginning with the F=ma exam", "organizer": "American Association of Physics Teachers", "categories": [ "science" ], "tagline": "A 25-question mechanics exam that opens the pathway to the United States physics team.", "summary": "The United States Physics Olympiad begins with the F=ma exam, a 75-minute, 25-question multiple-choice paper covering classical mechanics only. High scorers advance to the USA Physics Olympiad semifinal exam, which is free response and covers the full syllabus, and the top twenty attend a training camp from which the five-person team for the International Physics Olympiad is selected. The mechanics-only first round makes it more approachable than it sounds.", "how_it_works": "New for 2026, the F=ma and USAPhO exams are conducted ONLINE via Educational Vistas only, with no printable versions available. A handheld calculator may be used with memory cleared of data and programs, limited to basic scientific functions, and only scratch paper provided by the proctor may be used.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "AAPT does not publish a grade range on the registration pages checked. Third-party guides describe it as grades 9 to 12 with no GPA or prior competition requirement.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Must not exceed age 20 by 30 June of the competition year to be eligible for the U.S. Physics Team.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.snow.day/learning-opportunities/36b5f08b-23e5-440d-bbdf-8e82e9d1e7ce/us-physics-olympiad", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The age limit governs team selection rather than sitting the F=ma exam. Reported by a third party; confirm with AAPT. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Registration is by school or approved testing centre. International team selection requires United States citizenship or permanent residency.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Individual students cannot register directly; a school registers as a test site through AAPT. Proctoring is strict: both exams must be proctored IN PERSON, and parents, relatives, close friends and acquaintances are not acceptable proctors. For-profit test prep centres and educational services are no longer allowed to proctor either exam. Homeschooled students should contact community colleges, universities or libraries for proctoring; a parent may register their child but must supply an alternative proctor.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://aapt.org/physicsteam/2026/Registration.cfm", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Proctor email addresses should be official school addresses. AAPT explicitly does NOT arrange test centres or proctors and keeps no shareable list, so finding one is entirely on you. Start early." }, "geography": { "text": "United States. US Territories other than Puerto Rico have had special arrangements because of the time difference.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://aapt.org/physicsteam/2026/Registration.cfm", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Different rules at each stage. For the F=ma exam, students must be US citizens, legal permanent residents, or currently attending a US school. For the USAPhO exam, students must be US citizens or permanent residents. For both exams, students must also be LOCATED within the US.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://aapt.org/physicsteam/2026/Registration.cfm", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The location requirement is separate from citizenship and catches out students travelling or living abroad. Older guidance allowed the F=ma exam to be sat outside the US under additional proctoring rules; the 2026 registration page states students must be located within the US." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "A per-student fee paid by the school, typically under $50", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 50, "note": "2027 fees not published. For the 2025 cycle AAPT charged a school registration fee of $75, or $37.50 for AAPT members, PER SCHOOL, plus $15 per student. Whether the school or the student pays is a local decision." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 deadline not published; expected in mid-to-late January 2027 based on prior years. The 2026 deadline was 20 January 2026, extended to 21 January at 11:59 p.m. EST. The 2025 deadline was 27 January." }, "event_dates": "F=ma exam in winter, USAPhO semifinal in spring, training camp in late spring.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Training camp place and international team selection", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prizes. Recognition, U.S. Physics Team selection and the training camp." }, "official_url": "https://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/", "register_steps": [ "Ask a physics teacher to register your school as a testing centre before the autumn deadline.", "Sit the F=ma exam at your school in the winter. It covers classical mechanics only.", "If you clear the national cutoff, sit the USAPhO semifinal exam in the spring.", "Top scorers are invited to the training camp." ], "skills": [ "Classical mechanics", "Electromagnetism for the semifinal round", "Calculus-based problem solving", "Estimation", "Free response physics writing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "US Physics Team official page (also: past f=ma and usapho exams)", "url": "https://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, exam dates, rules and past exams. Free archive of past exams with solutions, published by the American Association of Physics Teachers." }, { "title": "International Physics Olympiad past problems", "url": "https://www.ipho-new.org/", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Free international past papers, useful once you reach semifinal level." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "AAPT past exam archive", "url": "https://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/", "note": "Published free with solutions." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "usabo", "usnco", "amc-10-12", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need calculus for the F=ma exam?", "a": "It is not formally required and many problems are solvable without it, but calculus makes several standard problem types considerably faster. Most students who clear the cutoff have at least basic calculus." }, { "q": "What does the F=ma exam cover?", "a": "Classical mechanics only: kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, rotation, oscillations and gravitation. Electromagnetism appears only at the semifinal stage." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.aapt.org/physicsteam/" ], "caveats": "The exam structure, mechanics-only F=ma scope and the training camp pathway follow the American Association of Physics Teachers' long-standing published description. Current dates, fees and registration deadlines were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/physics-olympiad/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "physics-bowl", "name": "PhysicsBowl", "full_name": "AAPT PhysicsBowl", "organizer": "American Association of Physics Teachers", "categories": [ "science" ], "tagline": "A 40-question, 45-minute physics exam sat at school, with divisions matched to how much physics you have taken.", "summary": "PhysicsBowl is a multiple-choice physics exam administered at schools worldwide each spring. Division 1 is for students in their first year of physics and Division 2 for those in a second year or an advanced course, so a first-year student is not competing against students two courses ahead. It is a much lower-barrier entry into physics competition than the olympiad pathway.", "how_it_works": "A 40-question, 45-minute timed multiple-choice test taken under the school's supervision. Questions are based on topics in a typical high school physics course. The exam must be proctored: parents, relatives and close friends are not acceptable proctors, including for homeschooled students, who should arrange proctoring through a community college, university or library. The exam is delivered through the EdVistas platform either as a web-based online exam or as a printable PDF whose answer sheets the proctor scans and uploads.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school. Division I is for first-year physics students and Division II is for second-year physics students.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://aapt.org/programs/physicsbowl/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "AAPT sets divisions by years of physics taken, not by numbered grade.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "AAPT publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Division 1 for students in a first year of physics, Division 2 for a second year or advanced course. Registration is through a school.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Described by AAPT as an international high school competition, with regional groupings across the US and separate regions for other countries.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://aapt.org/programs/physicsbowl/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A modest per-student fee paid by the school", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 20, "note": "Not stated on the official pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 registration deadline not published. Registration has typically closed in late winter." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates not yet published. For reference, the 2026 exam was given on any one day between 18 March and 3 April 2026, with all students at a school sitting it at the same time.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Certificates, medals and regional recognition", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Regional awards for top students and schools; specifics not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://aapt.org/programs/physicsbowl/", "register_steps": [ "Ask a physics teacher to register the school with AAPT during the winter window.", "Confirm which division you belong in based on how much physics you have taken.", "Work through past PhysicsBowl exams, which AAPT publishes.", "Sit the exam at school during the spring window." ], "skills": [ "Mechanics", "Electricity and magnetism", "Waves and optics", "Thermodynamics", "Modern physics basics", "Fast multiple-choice technique" ], "resources": [ { "title": "AAPT PhysicsBowl page (also: past physicsbowl exams)", "url": "https://www.aapt.org/programs/physicsbowl/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, divisions, exam window and past exams. Published archive with answer keys." }, { "title": "OpenStax College Physics", "url": "https://openstax.org/details/books/college-physics-2e", "kind": "Book", "free": true, "note": "Free full physics textbook covering the syllabus." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "PhysicsBowl past exams", "url": "https://www.aapt.org/programs/physicsbowl/", "note": "Published by AAPT with answer keys." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "physics-olympiad", "usnco", "usabo", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How does this compare to F=ma?", "a": "PhysicsBowl covers the whole physics syllabus at course level and does not lead to an olympiad team, which makes it far more accessible. F=ma is mechanics only, much harder, and is the first round of the international olympiad pathway." }, { "q": "Which division should I enter?", "a": "Division 1 if you are in your first year of physics, Division 2 if you are in a second year or an advanced course. The divisions exist so that comparisons are fair, so enter the one matching your actual coursework." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.aapt.org/programs/physicsbowl/" ], "caveats": "The exam format, two divisions, spring window and school-based registration follow AAPT's published description. Current fees, registration deadlines and exam dates were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/physics-bowl/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "picoctf", "name": "picoCTF", "full_name": "picoCTF", "organizer": "Carnegie Mellon University", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "A free capture-the-flag cybersecurity competition designed specifically for students with no security background.", "summary": "picoCTF is a free online cybersecurity competition run by Carnegie Mellon University. It is a capture-the-flag event: you are given deliberately vulnerable programs, files and web services, and you find hidden strings called flags by reverse engineering, exploiting or analysing them. It is built for beginners, the practice gym stays open all year, and it is one of the few genuinely accessible routes into security for a student.", "how_it_works": "A capture-the-flag competition running roughly two weeks each spring, covering general skills, cryptography, web exploitation, forensics, binary exploitation and reverse engineering. Hints are available within the game. The picoGym practice platform stays open year-round after each event.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Anyone may compete. To be eligible for prizes you must be a middle or high school student enrolled in an accredited US school, or home-schooled at that level in compliance with your state's requirements.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://picoctf.com/competitions/2023-spring-rules.html", "checked": "2026-09-01", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "For prize eligibility: at least 13 and younger than 20, and without a high school diploma or GED.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://picoctf.com/competitions/2023-spring-rules.html", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Participation itself has no upper age limit; CMU describes the platform as suitable from middle school through industry. Participants must be at least 13 to hold an account, and under-18s need parental or guardian consent.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "US middle and high school students are eligible for prizes. Anyone in the world, including adults and university students, can compete in the open division and use the picoGym.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open globally to compete. The cash prize pool is restricted to eligible US middle and high school teams.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.cylab.cmu.edu/news/2026/02/26-picoctf.html", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Prize eligibility requires US residency, indicated at registration. There is no residency requirement to compete for fun.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://picoctf.com/competitions/2023-spring-rules.html", "checked": "2026-09-01" } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Compete alone or form a team with up to four other eligible participants, so five in total.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No premium tiers, no paywalls. All challenges are available at no cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No registration deadline in the usual sense. You create a free account at picoctf.org at any time; the constraint is the competition window itself." }, "event_dates": "A two-week competition window, historically in March. The picoGym practice archive is open all year.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "For the 2026 competition, cash prizes in the US middle and high school category ran in tiers of $2,000, $1,500, $1,000, $750 and $500, with winners possibly invited to Carnegie Mellon's Pittsburgh campus for an award ceremony or attending virtually.", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Cash awards for the top-scoring eligible US middle and high school teams. Amounts vary by year and sponsor; confirm on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://picoctf.org/", "register_steps": [ "Create a free account on picoctf.org.", "Start with the picoGym archive immediately. It is open year round and contains every past challenge with hints.", "Form a team of up to five before the competition window opens, or compete alone.", "Compete during the two-week window. Challenges unlock progressively and points scale with difficulty." ], "skills": [ "Linux command line", "Python scripting", "Cryptography basics", "Web security", "Reverse engineering", "Persistence and lateral thinking" ], "resources": [ { "title": "picoCTF and the picoGym", "url": "https://picoctf.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration plus a permanently open archive of every past challenge with hints and walkthrough support." }, { "title": "picoCTF learning guides", "url": "https://picoctf.org/resources.html", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Official primers on each challenge category, written for students with no background." }, { "title": "OverTheWire Bandit", "url": "https://overthewire.org/wargames/bandit/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free wargame that teaches the Linux command line through 30 levels. The best single preparation for picoCTF general skills." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "picoGym: every past challenge", "url": "https://play.picoctf.org/practice", "note": "The complete archive of past competition challenges, free and permanently available." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "John Hammond", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@_JohnHammond", "channel": "John Hammond", "note": "Capture-the-flag walkthroughs including picoCTF challenges, explained step by step." } ], "similar": [ "cyberpatriot", "usaco", "acsl", "congressional-app-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need any security knowledge to start?", "a": "No. picoCTF is designed specifically for students with no background, and the first tier of challenges in each category assumes only that you can use a computer and follow instructions." }, { "q": "Can I practise outside the competition?", "a": "Yes. The picoGym contains every past challenge and is open all year with no registration window, which makes it the best free cybersecurity learning resource for students." }, { "q": "What do I need installed?", "a": "Most challenges run in the browser. For harder categories a Linux environment is useful, but picoCTF provides a browser-based shell so you do not need to install anything." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://picoctf.org/" ], "caveats": "The free entry, team size, capture-the-flag format and the year-round picoGym follow picoCTF's published description. The current competition window and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on picoctf.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/picoctf/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "poetry-out-loud", "name": "Poetry Out Loud", "full_name": "Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest", "organizer": "National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation", "categories": [ "arts", "writing" ], "tagline": "Memorise and perform published poems, from a classroom contest all the way to a national final in Washington.", "summary": "Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest. You choose poems from a large official anthology, memorise them, and perform them, competing from a classroom contest through school, regional and state finals to a national championship. There is no writing involved and no entry fee, and because the anthology is fixed and public, preparation is unusually well-defined.", "how_it_works": "Recitation of published poems chosen from the official Poetry Out Loud online anthology. Only poems in the catalogue as of 1 September 2026 may be recited in the 2026-27 competition. At the state and national finals students must have three poems prepared. Awards are determined solely by judges' scores against the published Evaluation Criteria.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Only currently enrolled students in grades 9 to 12 are eligible, with an exception for 8th-grade students taking a 9th- to 12th-grade class.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://poetryoutloud.org/rules-eligibility/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "A Poetry Out Loud National Champion may not compete in future years. No student may be excluded on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, disability or national origin.", "min_grade": 8 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Poetry Out Loud sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 8, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Participation runs through a school or approved organisation that registers with its state arts agency. Homeschool and some out-of-school participation is available in many states.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "All US states plus jurisdictions including Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://poetryoutloud.org/key-dates/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Competitors at the state and national finals must be US citizens or permanent residents with a valid tax identification or Social Security number, which is required to receive prizes including cash and travel awards. Students are responsible for verifying their own eligibility.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://art.mt.gov/pol_about", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This applies from the state finals up, not at school level." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "US territories" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "The National Endowment for the Arts provides free educational materials and the online poem anthology to teachers and organisers." }, "deadline": { "display": "For 2027: the State Contest Deadline is Sunday 7 March 2027 and the State Champion and Chaperone Registration Deadline is Wednesday 10 March 2027.", "iso": "2027-03-07", "status": "confirmed", "note": "School and regional deadlines are set by each state coordinator and fall much earlier, typically from December through February. Contact your state coordinator." }, "event_dates": "State competitions take place by early March. The 2027 National Semifinals run in three time-blocked sessions by state group, at 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET. For reference, the 2026 National Finals were 28 to 29 April 2026 in Washington, D.C.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "A total of $50,000 in awards and school or organisational stipends at the National Finals. The national champion receives $20,000, second place $10,000, third place $5,000, and the other six finalists $1,000 each. The school or organisation of each of the top nine finalists receives $500 for poetry materials. One honorable mention in each of the three national semifinals receives $1,000 plus a $500 stipend for their school.", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "The national champion has historically received $20,000, with substantial awards for runners-up and for state champions, plus funds for their schools to buy poetry materials. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.poetryoutloud.org/", "register_steps": [ "Ask an English teacher whether the school participates. Registration goes through the school to the state arts agency.", "Choose poems from the official online anthology, which is free and searchable by length, era and theme.", "Memorise and rehearse. At higher levels you need multiple poems including one pre-twentieth-century and one of 25 lines or fewer.", "Compete at the classroom contest, then school, then state." ], "skills": [ "Memorisation", "Vocal control and pacing", "Interpretation of poetry", "Stage presence", "Handling nerves" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Poetry Out Loud official site", "url": "https://www.poetryoutloud.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The full anthology, the judging rubric, state contacts and past finals video." }, { "title": "Official poem anthology", "url": "https://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/find-poems/", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Searchable by length, era and theme. The complete set of eligible poems." }, { "title": "Evaluation criteria and rubric", "url": "https://www.poetryoutloud.org/competing/evaluation-criteria/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The published scoring rubric. Read this before choosing a poem." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past national finals performances", "url": "https://www.poetryoutloud.org/", "note": "Video of past finalists published free, the clearest guide to the expected style." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nsda-nationals", "scholastic-art-writing", "voice-of-democracy", "youngarts" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I write the poem?", "a": "No. Poetry Out Loud is a recitation contest and you perform published poems from the official anthology. If you want to compete with your own writing, look at the Scholastic Awards or the Foyle Young Poets award instead." }, { "q": "How many poems do I need?", "a": "The number rises as you advance. School level typically requires one or two; state and national levels require three, including one written before the twentieth century and one of 25 lines or fewer. Prepare all of them from the start." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.poetryoutloud.org/" ], "caveats": "The recitation format, judging criteria, poem requirements and the classroom-to-national structure follow the programme's long-standing published description. Current state deadlines and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/poetry-out-loud/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "profile-in-courage-essay", "name": "Profile in Courage Essay Contest", "full_name": "John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest", "organizer": "John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum", "categories": [ "writing", "civics", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "Write about an elected official who took a politically courageous stand, for a $10,000 first prize.", "summary": "The Profile in Courage Essay Contest asks students to write about an act of political courage by a United States elected official who served during or after 1917. Essays must be between 700 and 1,000 words with a full source citation list, and are judged on the quality of research and the strength of argument. The first prize is $10,000, which makes it one of the highest-value free writing competitions open to high school students.", "how_it_works": "An essay of 700 to 1,000 words, excluding citations and bibliography, describing and analysing an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1917. At least five varied sources are required, such as government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books or personal interviews. Judging is content 55 percent and presentation 45 percent. A nominating teacher must review the essay.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "United States high school students in grades 9 to 12 at public, private, parochial or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence or GED programme in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia or the US territories; and US citizens attending schools overseas.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/eligibility-and-requirements", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Under twenty, for entrants in a correspondence or GED programme.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/eligibility-and-requirements", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The age limit is stated only for the correspondence/GED route; grade 9 to 12 students are covered by the grade rule.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to United States high school students including home-schooled students, and to United States citizens attending school abroad. Check the current rules for full eligibility.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Subject restrictions matter as much as eligibility. John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy are NOT eligible subjects. Essays about past recipients of the Profile in Courage Award are disqualified unless they describe a different act of courage. The Foundation publishes a list of Most Written About Essay Subjects and states that writing about anyone on it will LOWER your score, since originality is a judging criterion.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/eligibility-and-requirements", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Read that list before choosing a subject; it is the single easiest way to improve your odds." }, "geography": { "text": "United States, its territories, and US citizens at schools overseas.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/eligibility-and-requirements", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual only.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee is described." }, "deadline": { "display": "The 2027 contest deadline is 11 January 2027 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Winners are notified by email and telephone by 30 April.", "iso": "2027-01-11", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The Foundation is not responsible for late, misdirected, ineligible or incomplete submissions." }, "event_dates": "The contest opens on 1 September and closes in January, with winners notified by 30 April and the award ceremony in May.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "First place $10,000; second place $3,000; three finalists $1,000 each; fifteen students receive honorable mentions. The top five winners and honorable mention recipients also receive a hardcover copy of Profiles in Courage.", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "First place receives $10,000 and an invitation to the Profile in Courage Award ceremony. Second place and finalists receive smaller cash awards. Nominating teachers of winners also receive a grant. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest", "register_steps": [ "Choose a United States elected official who served during or after 1917 and took a politically courageous stand.", "Research properly. At least five varied sources are required and the bibliography is judged.", "Write 700 to 1,000 words. The limit is tight, so the essay must argue rather than narrate.", "Submit online before the January deadline, with your nominating teacher's details if required." ], "skills": [ "Historical research", "Source evaluation", "Argumentative writing", "Citation", "Concision" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Profile in Courage Essay Contest", "url": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, word limits, eligibility, deadlines and past winning essays." }, { "title": "Past winning essays", "url": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/past-winning-essays", "kind": "Reference", "free": true, "note": "Published free by the Kennedy Library. The clearest guide to what the judges reward." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Archive of winning essays", "url": "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/past-winning-essays", "note": "Free and extensive, going back many years." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "john-locke-essay", "we-the-people", "voice-of-democracy", "national-history-day" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Who can I write about?", "a": "A United States elected official who served during or after 1917 and made a politically courageous decision, meaning one that risked their career or popularity. Officials at any level, including local, are eligible." }, { "q": "How long should the essay be?", "a": "Between 700 and 1,000 words, plus a bibliography of at least five varied sources which does not count toward the limit. Both the length rule and the source requirement are enforced." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest" ], "caveats": "The 700 to 1,000 word limit, the 1917 cut-off for eligible officials, the source requirement, free entry and the $10,000 first prize follow the contest's long-standing published rules. The current cycle's deadline and exact prize schedule were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/profile-in-courage-essay/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "prudential-emerging-visionaries", "name": "Prudential Emerging Visionaries", "full_name": "Prudential Emerging Visionaries", "organizer": "Prudential Financial with Ashoka", "categories": [ "scholarship", "business" ], "tagline": "Awards for young people using financial or social innovation to solve a problem in their community.", "summary": "Prudential Emerging Visionaries recognises students aged 14 to 18 who have created a solution to a financial or societal challenge in their community. It succeeded the long-running Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and shifted the emphasis from volunteering hours toward innovation and measurable impact. Selected visionaries receive awards, a summit experience and ongoing support.", "how_it_works": "You apply online describing the problem you identified, what you built or organised, and the impact it has had. Applications are reviewed for innovation, impact and the applicant's leadership. Selected visionaries receive award funding and attend a summit, with a smaller group receiving larger top awards.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The programme set eligibility by age, not grade.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Historical rule from the 2023 cycle: individuals aged 14 to 18 when applying, and not older than 18 by the end of the entry period. Not confirmed as current.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to students in the United States. Check the current cycle's specific residency and age requirements, which have varied between editions.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "United States and Puerto Rico, per the historical rules." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Historical rule: legal residents of the United States or Puerto Rico. Previous Emerging Visionaries and Prudential Spirit of Community National and State Honorees could not reapply, nor could employees or the children and grandchildren of employees of Prudential, Ashoka or the Financial Health Network." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No fee was described." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No current deadline found. The last confirmed entry period closed 2 November 2023." }, "event_dates": "Applications in autumn and winter, selections announced in spring, summit in the following months.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Award funding plus a summit experience", "max_usd": 15000, "detail": "Sources conflict badly and none is current. One describes 25 winners at $5,000 each, split 20 societal and 5 financial, with one further $5,000 per category; another describes 10 national winners at $15,000 plus 100 state honorees at $5,000. Two Early Entry Awards of $1,000 were offered for early applications. Do not rely on any of these figures." }, "official_url": "https://www.prudential.com/links/about/corporate-social-responsibility/emerging-visionaries", "register_steps": [ "Check the current cycle's eligibility and deadline on the official page, since the programme has changed structure between editions.", "Document your project's impact with concrete numbers before you apply. Impact evidence is what distinguishes applications.", "Complete the online application within the window." ], "skills": [ "Social or financial innovation", "Measuring impact", "Written application", "Community organising" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Prudential Emerging Visionaries official page", "url": "https://www.prudential.com/links/about/corporate-social-responsibility/emerging-visionaries", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Eligibility, application details and profiles of past visionaries." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "coca-cola-scholars", "diamond-challenge", "national-civics-bee", "jack-kent-cooke-young-scholars" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Does my project need to be about money?", "a": "Not necessarily. The programme covers financial and broader societal challenges, so community projects addressing social problems are within scope. Check the current cycle's framing, which has shifted between editions." }, { "q": "How is this different from the old Spirit of Community Awards?", "a": "Emerging Visionaries emphasises innovation and measurable impact rather than volunteer service hours, which was the focus of the earlier Prudential programme. Applications that describe a solution built and its effect do better than those listing hours served." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.prudential.com/links/about/corporate-social-responsibility/emerging-visionaries" ], "caveats": "The age range, focus on financial and societal innovation and the succession from the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards follow the programme's published description. This programme has changed structure and timeline between editions and the current cycle's deadline, eligibility and award amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on the official page before relying on any detail here." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/prudential-emerging-visionaries/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "pumac", "name": "PUMaC", "full_name": "Princeton University Mathematics Competition", "organizer": "Princeton University students", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "A team math tournament at Princeton with a live power round and a strong international field.", "summary": "PUMaC is an annual team mathematics competition hosted at Princeton University, run by undergraduates. Teams of up to eight compete in individual subject rounds, a team round, and a power round of proof-based problems worked collaboratively. It draws a strong international field and its problems sit around AIME difficulty and above.", "how_it_works": "Two distinct competitions: the Power Competition, in which teams take only the proof-based Power Round, and the Main Competition at Princeton, of which the Power Round is one portion. Teams may register for at most one. The Power Round is released about a week before the competition and is due before competition day. Teams choose between an A Division for experienced teams and a B Division recommended for newer teams. From 2025 answers are not necessarily integers.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "PUMaC does not define eligibility by grade. Its rules require that a team member must not have been enrolled full-time in a post-secondary institution before the competition date, as reported by third-party listings citing the official rules page; the rules page itself was not reachable for this check.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "A rule that members must not have reached their 20th birthday before the competition date is reported by third parties; not confirmed on the official pages checked.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Teams register through a school or club. Places are limited and allocated on a competitive or first-come basis depending on the year.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Teams from across the US and international teams attend in person at Princeton. PUMaC has recommended students in Asia attend a mirror competition in China.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://pumac.princeton.edu", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams consist of exactly 8 students. Since 2017 PUMaC no longer accepts half-team applications, but it does accept individual applicants for the Main Competition. Teams need not be from a single high school and can be regional or home-schooled teams, but must come from a well-defined geographical region.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A per-student registration fee plus travel", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 100, "note": "Not stated on the official pages checked. A third-party listing reports the Power-Round-only competition at $5 per student ($40 per team); the Main Competition fee was not found." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2026 registration dates not published. The 2025 deadline was 7 October 2025." }, "event_dates": "The 2026-27 edition's date has not been published. For reference, PUMaC 2025 was held Saturday 22 November 2025, with the Power Round due Thursday 20 November.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and medals", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards for individuals and teams; no cash schedule found." }, "official_url": "https://pumac.princeton.edu/", "register_steps": [ "Register your team during the autumn window; places fill.", "Choose individual subject rounds for each team member based on strengths.", "Practise the power round format, which requires written proofs rather than numeric answers.", "Work through the free past problem archive." ], "skills": [ "AIME-level and above problem solving", "Proof writing for the power round", "Team collaboration", "Subject specialisation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "PUMaC official site", "url": "https://pumac.princeton.edu/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, rules, and a free archive of past problems and solutions." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "PUMaC past problems and solutions", "url": "https://pumac.princeton.edu/", "note": "Published free by the organisers." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "hmmt", "aime", "arml", "amc-10-12" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "What is the power round?", "a": "A set of linked proof-based problems that your team works on collaboratively and submits as written mathematics. It is marked on the reasoning, not just the conclusions, and it is the round most teams under-prepare." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://pumac.princeton.edu/" ], "caveats": "The round structure, team size, Princeton venue and free archive follow PUMaC's published description. Current fees, dates and registration mechanics were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/pumac/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "purple-comet", "name": "Purple Comet! Math Meet", "full_name": "Purple Comet! Math Meet", "organizer": "Purple Comet Math Meet", "categories": [ "math" ], "tagline": "A free, online, team-based maths contest open to any school or club in the world.", "summary": "Purple Comet is a free international team mathematics competition held online each spring. Teams of up to six students work together on a problem set for 60 or 90 minutes and submit integer answers through a web form. There is no qualification, no fee, and no travel, which makes it one of the easiest legitimate competitions for a new maths club to enter.", "how_it_works": "Middle school teams get 20 problems in 60 minutes; high school teams get 30 problems in 90 minutes. Every answer is a nonnegative integer. Team members are encouraged to work together. Where multiple teams compete at the same site simultaneously, each team must use a different computer, because the site continuously displays answers a team has already submitted. Students must not discuss problems with anyone outside their team until the whole competition closes.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Middle school and high school, or the local equivalent, and home-schooled students at a comparable level. Competitive middle school members must not yet have completed eighth grade; competitive high school members must not yet have graduated from secondary school.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://purplecomet.org/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Competitive middle school team members must be under 16 on the date of the competition. Competitive high school team members must be under 20 on the date of the competition.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://purplecomet.org/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Purple Comet publishes both a grade condition and an age condition and BOTH must be met for competitive categories. Non-competitive team membership is not restricted in any way, so anyone can take part for the experience without meeting these limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Teams must be supervised by an adult. Teams of fewer than six are allowed and compete in the same division.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. In 2025, 4,613 teams from 80 countries took part.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.awesomemath.org/what-is-awesomemath/purple-comet-math-meet/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 1 to 6 students. A student may not be on more than one middle school team or more than one high school team, though a student eligible at middle school level may also compete on a high school team. Each team must have an adult supervisor, and a supervisor may register as many teams as they want.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Free to enter and free since 2003. The organisers note that running it costs them a substantial amount each year and welcome donations, which are not tax-deductible since AwesomeMath is not a nonprofit. Entrants pay nothing." }, "deadline": { "display": "Team registration opens 1 February and continues through to the end of the competition, so there is no separate registration cut-off before the contest window closes.", "iso": "2027-03-15", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Check purplecomet.org for the exact contest window and registration cut-off each year." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 contest runs Tuesday 6 April to Thursday 15 April 2027, a 244-hour window within which teams choose their own start time. The competition closes at 4:00 AM UTC on Friday 16 April 2027, answers are posted about 6:00 PM UTC that day, and results about 6:00 PM UTC on Monday 19 April 2027.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Certificates and public rankings", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Award certificates for winning teams and participation certificates for all. No cash prizes." }, "official_url": "https://purplecomet.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find a teacher, coach or parent willing to act as the supervising adult. This is required.", "The supervisor registers the team on purplecomet.org during the registration window and receives a team ID and password.", "Choose a start time within the contest window that suits your team.", "On contest day, download the problems, work together, and submit answers through the online form before your timer expires." ], "skills": [ "Collaborative problem solving", "Algebra", "Combinatorics", "Geometry", "Dividing work under time pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Purple Comet official site with all past problems and solutions", "url": "https://purplecomet.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Every past contest with full solutions is published free. Registration details and contest windows are here." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete Purple Comet archive", "url": "https://purplecomet.org/home/resources", "note": "All past problems and official solutions, free, going back to 2003." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "arml", "amc-10-12", "mathcounts", "cemc-contests" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need a school to enter?", "a": "No, but you do need an adult supervisor. Home school groups, math circles and community clubs enter regularly." }, { "q": "Can we compete with fewer than six students?", "a": "Yes. Smaller teams compete in the same division without adjustment, so a full team is an advantage, but a team of three is entirely legitimate." }, { "q": "Is it really free?", "a": "Yes. Purple Comet has no entry fee, and all past papers and solutions are published openly on the official site." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://purplecomet.org/" ], "caveats": "Format, team size and the free entry policy follow Purple Comet's long-standing published rules. The exact 2027 contest window and registration cut-off were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on purplecomet.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/purple-comet/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "naqt-hsnct", "name": "Quiz Bowl (NAQT HSNCT)", "full_name": "NAQT High School National Championship Tournament", "organizer": "National Academic Quiz Tournaments", "categories": [ "academic" ], "tagline": "Buzzer-based team quiz across every academic subject, with a huge published archive of past questions.", "summary": "Quiz bowl is a buzzer-based team competition covering literature, history, science, fine arts, social science, religion, mythology, geography and current events. NAQT runs the High School National Championship Tournament, which teams qualify for through designated tournaments during the season. Because the topic distribution is published and decades of past questions are available, quiz bowl is one of the most systematically studiable competitions in existence.", "how_it_works": "Buzzer-based quiz bowl. NAQT's larger national championships, including the HSNCT, use a card-system format, which is an implementation of power-matching.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NAQT publishes detailed High School Eligibility Rules rather than a simple grade range. A team must come from a single school, defined by default as an accredited institution with a comprehensive programme on one physical campus. The competition year runs 1 August to 31 July. A player may not play both the HSNCT and a post-secondary NAQT championship in the same year regardless of dual-enrolment status, though they may play both the MSNCT and HSNCT. Read the full rules at naqt.com/hs/eligibility.html.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "NAQT publishes no age limits in the pages checked.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Teams register through a school with a coach. NAQT also runs a middle school national championship.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and Canada.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.naqt.com/hsnct/index.jsp", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Tournament entry fees plus travel to nationals", "usd_min": 50, "usd_max": 2000, "note": "The HSNCT entry fee was not stated on the pages checked; NAQT says the entry fee covers only its own fixed costs, with payment generally due within a week of registration. Separately, NAQT states that most regular-season high school tournaments charge $40 to $100, varying by location, length and amenities. Travel and accommodation for the national championship are on top and are the larger cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Registration opens to qualified teams and closes when the field fills. There is no fixed published deadline." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 HSNCT is 28 to 30 May 2027, Memorial Day weekend, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and Hilton Atlanta. The 2027 SSNCT is 23 to 25 April 2027 in Rosemont, Illinois. The 2026 HSNCT drew 320 teams from the US and Canada for 31 rounds.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and national titles", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Championship titles and trophies; no cash prize schedule found on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.naqt.com/", "register_steps": [ "Join or start a quiz bowl team at your school with a teacher as coach.", "Enter local tournaments, many of which are run by nearby schools and universities and cost very little.", "Qualify for nationals at a designated qualifying tournament during the season.", "Register the team for the national championship and arrange travel." ], "skills": [ "Broad academic knowledge", "Fast recall", "Buzzer timing and risk judgement", "Team specialisation", "Systematic study from past questions" ], "resources": [ { "title": "NAQT official site", "url": "https://www.naqt.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Tournament calendar, rules, the published subject distribution and question sets for purchase." }, { "title": "NAQT You Gotta Know lists", "url": "https://www.naqt.com/you-gotta-know/", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "Free curated lists of the most frequently asked material by topic. The best free starting point in quiz bowl." }, { "title": "QuizBowl Packet Archive", "url": "https://quizbowlpackets.com/", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Large free archive of past question packets from many tournaments." }, { "title": "Protobowl", "url": "https://protobowl.com/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free online buzzer practice using real past questions, playable alone or against others." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Free packet archives", "url": "https://quizbowlpackets.com/", "note": "Community archive of past tournament packets, free to download." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "academic-decathlon", "national-history-bee", "world-scholars-cup", "ocean-sciences-bowl" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I get better at quiz bowl quickly?", "a": "Read past question packets systematically. Free archives contain hundreds of thousands of questions and the same clues recur constantly, so reading questions is more efficient than reading textbooks. Combine that with Protobowl for buzzer practice." }, { "q": "Do I need to know everything?", "a": "No. Teams of four specialise, with each player owning two or three subject areas. The published subject distribution tells you exactly what the team collectively needs to cover." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.naqt.com/" ], "caveats": "The format, team size, pyramidal question structure and qualification model follow NAQT's published description. Current tournament fees, qualification tournament lists and national championship dates and location were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on naqt.com." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/naqt-hsnct/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "regeneron-isef", "name": "Regeneron ISEF", "full_name": "Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair", "organizer": "Society for Science", "categories": [ "science", "engineering" ], "tagline": "The world's largest pre-college science research competition, reached by winning your way up through affiliated fairs.", "summary": "Regeneron ISEF brings roughly 1,700 finalists from more than 60 countries together for a week of judging across 22 scientific categories, competing for millions of dollars in awards. You cannot enter it directly. You qualify by placing at a Society-affiliated fair, typically school, then regional, then state, running from January through April. Being named an ISEF finalist is one of the strongest research credentials available to a high school student anywhere in the world.", "how_it_works": "Each student may enter only one project. A project may include no more than 12 months of continuous research and may not include research performed more than 18 months before the ISEF being entered. English is the official language and project boards and abstracts must be in English. Demonstrations, literature reviews, library research, informational projects and explanation models are not appropriate. AI may be used as a project resource but must be cited and acknowledged.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12, or equivalent", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "An age ceiling of under 20 on 1 May is widely reported but was not confirmed on the official pages checked. Verify in the International Rules for Precollege Science Research before assuming.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Qualification is through a Society-affiliated fair, not by application. Projects involving human subjects, vertebrate animals or hazardous biological agents need approval from a review board before research begins, and this catches out a large number of students every year.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. The 2026 finalists were selected from 365 affiliated fairs in more than 60 countries, regions and territories. Students outside the US qualify through their own country's affiliated fair.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Team projects may have no more than three members. A team competing at ISEF must be the original members who competed at the affiliated fair, and every member must meet ISEF eligibility. If a team project is selected, all members must be given the opportunity to attend.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Nothing to the finalist's family. The affiliated fair is responsible for arranging and financing registration fees, round trip travel, housing and reasonable project shipping for all finalists and the accompanying Adult in Charge.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 50, "note": "Society for Science states explicitly that finalist families shall not be required to pay expenses as a condition of participation. Costs at the lower affiliated fairs, and project materials, are separate and vary." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no ISEF deadline for students. Your binding date is your affiliated fair's, and each fair sets its own. The last date any affiliated fair may be held is 14 April." }, "event_dates": "Regeneron ISEF 2027 runs 9 to 14 May 2027 in Los Angeles, California.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "More than $9 million in awards across the fair", "max_usd": 75000, "detail": "Society for Science described more than $7 million in awards and prizes at the 2026 event. The 2027 award pool was not published at the time of checking." }, "official_url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/", "register_steps": [ "Find your local Society-affiliated fair using the directory on the Society for Science site. This is the only route in.", "Check whether your project needs review board approval. Anything involving human participants, vertebrate animals, or potentially hazardous biological agents must be approved before you start collecting data.", "Register for your local or regional fair by its own deadline, which is typically months before the spring.", "Place highly enough at your fair to be selected as one of its ISEF finalists.", "Complete the Society for Science finalist registration, including the project abstract and required forms." ], "skills": [ "Experimental design", "Statistics and data analysis", "Scientific writing", "Literature review", "Presenting to expert judges", "Project management over months" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Society for Science ISEF pages", "url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, categories, affiliated fair directory and the forms every project needs." }, { "title": "ISEF international rules and guidelines", "url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/international-rules/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The rulebook, including review board requirements. Read this before you start research, not after." }, { "title": "Affiliated fair directory", "url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/affiliated-fairs/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "How you find the fair that is your actual entry point." }, { "title": "Science Buddies project guide", "url": "https://www.sciencebuddies.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free, practical guidance on experimental design, variables and writing up, pitched at exactly this level." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "ISEF finalist project database", "url": "https://abstracts.societyforscience.org/", "note": "Searchable abstracts of past finalist projects, published free by Society for Science. The best possible calibration of scope and quality." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "Society for Science channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@SocietyforScience", "channel": "Society for Science", "note": "Finalist interviews and coverage of the fair itself." } ], "similar": [ "regeneron-sts", "jshs", "genius-olympiad", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I enter Regeneron ISEF?", "a": "You cannot enter directly. You qualify by placing at a Society-affiliated local, regional, state or national science fair between roughly January and April. Find your affiliated fair in the Society for Science directory and enter that." }, { "q": "When is Regeneron ISEF 2027?", "a": "9 to 14 May 2027 in Los Angeles, California. The qualifying fair season that leads to it runs from late 2026 through spring 2027." }, { "q": "Do I need a university lab?", "a": "No. Many finalist projects are done at school or at home. A lab helps for certain categories, but judges reward good design and honest analysis more than expensive equipment." }, { "q": "Can I compete as a team?", "a": "Yes. Teams of up to three students are allowed and compete in a team category. All members are judged together." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/", "https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/affiliated-fairs/" ], "caveats": "The 9 to 14 May 2027 dates and Los Angeles venue, grades 9 to 12 eligibility, qualification through affiliated fairs and the scale of the award pool come from Society for Science. Your binding deadline is set by your local affiliated fair, not by ISEF, and those vary by region." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/regeneron-isef/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "regeneron-sts", "name": "Regeneron Science Talent Search", "full_name": "Regeneron Science Talent Search", "organizer": "Society for Science", "categories": [ "science", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "The oldest and most prestigious science research competition for United States high school seniors.", "summary": "The Science Talent Search is the United States' oldest pre-college science competition, running since 1942. It is open only to high school seniors, who submit an original research project along with essays, recommendations and test scores. Three hundred scholars are named, forty finalists travel to Washington for a week of judging, and the top awards are among the largest given to any high school student anywhere.", "how_it_works": "A holistic application: essay questions, questions about you and your project, a maximum 20-page original scientific paper, recommendations, transcripts and optional test scores. Applications are accepted only through the online system; no hard copies or emailed versions.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Students enrolled in and attending 12th grade, their last year of secondary school, at public, private, parochial or home school. Only seniors may apply, but the research itself may have been conducted during ANY year of high school.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/application-requirements/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Judges recommend starting research early; some entrants begin in middle school. The research does not need to have been done in senior year.", "min_grade": 12 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Society for Science sets eligibility by year of study, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 12, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to United States high school seniors, including citizens studying abroad and students at schools in United States territories. Individual entry only; team projects are not eligible.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States and its territories, plus US citizens at qualifying overseas schools.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/regeneron-science-talent-search-sts/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": "Two routes. Either a student of ANY citizenship in their final year of secondary school who maintains residence in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake and Midway Islands or the Marianas. Or a United States citizen in their final year attending a Department of Defense Dependents School, an accredited overseas American or International School, a foreign school as an exchange student, or a foreign school because a parent or guardian is temporarily working abroad. Proof of citizenship and school accreditation is required.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/regeneron-science-talent-search-sts/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The first route has no citizenship requirement at all, only US residence, which many students assume otherwise. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual. Research submitted must be your own original, independent project.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free to enter", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No application fee is described on the pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "The 2027 application closes Thursday 5 NOVEMBER 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET. ALL parts, including recommendations and transcripts, are due by then with no exceptions. A separate Customer Support Deadline falls one day earlier, 4 November 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET, by which the Society guarantees to resolve any reported issues.", "iso": "2026-11-05", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Submit by the customer support deadline, not the real one. It is your responsibility to chase your recommenders, and the automated request emails are often caught by spam or school filters, so warn them to look for a sender named 'Regeneron Science Talent Search'." }, "event_dates": "Applications open 1 June and close in early November. Scholars are announced in January and finalists attend in Washington, D.C. in March.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "$3.1 million distributed annually, including a first place prize of $250,000. The 40 finalists shared more than $1.8 million at a recent event.", "max_usd": 250000, "detail": "Three hundred scholars receive awards, forty finalists receive larger awards, and the top ten finalists receive the largest prizes, historically up to $250,000 for first place. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/", "register_steps": [ "Complete an original research project, normally begun in your junior year or earlier. Most successful applicants have worked on it for a year or more.", "Create an account on the Society for Science application portal when applications open in the summer.", "Prepare the research report, the general-audience project description, essays, transcript and recommendation letters.", "Submit before the November deadline. There are no extensions.", "If named a finalist, attend Finals Week in Washington in March." ], "skills": [ "Original research", "Scientific writing for two audiences", "Statistics", "Interviewing with expert judges", "Explaining significance beyond your own field" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Regeneron Science Talent Search official page (also: past finalist projects)", "url": "https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Eligibility, application components, deadlines and past winners. Society for Science publishes finalist project titles and summaries each year, which shows the realistic bar." }, { "title": "Science Buddies research guidance", "url": "https://www.sciencebuddies.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free guidance on designing and documenting a research project properly." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Society for Science abstract database", "url": "https://abstracts.societyforscience.org/", "note": "Searchable abstracts from past competitions, published free." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "regeneron-isef", "jshs", "davidson-fellows", "coca-cola-scholars" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can juniors apply to the Science Talent Search?", "a": "No. It is open only to high school seniors. Juniors doing research should aim at ISEF or the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and then apply to the Science Talent Search the following year with the same project developed further." }, { "q": "Can I submit a team project?", "a": "No. The Science Talent Search is individual only. Team research should be entered into ISEF instead, which has a team category." }, { "q": "Is the research all that is judged?", "a": "No, and this surprises many applicants. Judges assess scientific potential broadly, so the essays, the general-audience description and the interview all matter alongside the research report." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/" ], "caveats": "The senior-only eligibility, individual-entry rule, the 300 scholars and 40 finalists structure and the free entry follow the competition's long-standing published description. The current cycle's deadline and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on the Society for Science site." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/regeneron-sts/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "robocup-junior", "name": "RoboCupJunior", "full_name": "RoboCupJunior", "organizer": "RoboCup Federation", "categories": [ "robotics" ], "tagline": "International robotics with three distinct leagues: robot soccer, disaster rescue, and performance.", "summary": "RoboCupJunior is the under-19 division of RoboCup, the international robotics research initiative. It runs three quite different leagues: Soccer, where autonomous robots play each other; Rescue, where robots navigate a disaster course to find victims; and OnStage, where robots perform a creative routine. Teams qualify through national competitions to an international event that moves country each year.", "how_it_works": "Three main leagues: Soccer, Rescue and OnStage. Soccer has two sub-leagues, Soccer Vision, formerly Soccer Open, played with an orange golf ball with no robot weight restriction, and Soccer Infrared, formerly Soccer Lightweight, played with an IR-emitting ball and a robot weight limit. Rescue includes Rescue Line, Rescue Maze and Rescue Simulation. Entry-level versions of each league exist for newcomers, using commercially available kits such as Lego or Fischertechnik.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "RoboCupJunior sets eligibility by age, not grade.", "min_grade": 5 }, "ages": { "text": "For international tournaments: minimum 14, maximum 19, counted as of 1 July of the competition year. Junior Mentors and parent chaperones must be 19 or older as of the competition start date.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://robocup-junior.github.io/general-rules/main/general-rules.html", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The 1 July reference date is what matters, not your age on the day. Entry leagues and Primary divisions have different and often lower minimum ages, but they are NOT run at the international competition; they exist only at regional and SuperRegional level.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 5, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Age limits differ slightly by league and by national organisation. Robots must operate autonomously in all leagues.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, with strong national programmes; Germany alone fielded more than 600 teams and around 1,750 students in a recent year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://robocup.de/en/junior", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Minimum 2 members. Maximum 4 for Soccer and Rescue leagues and 5 for OnStage. No team member or robot may be shared between teams. Each Junior team must have at least one Junior Mentor registered and attending. Every team member must have a defined technical role such as mechanical and design, electrical and sensing, or software, and should be able to explain that role during technical judging.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Varies by national organisation, plus build materials and travel", "usd_min": 50, "usd_max": 2000, "note": "Set by each regional and national organiser; not published centrally." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each region ahead of its qualifying tournament. Find your Regional Representative through the official RoboCupJunior website." }, "event_dates": "National events through the school year, international RoboCup in mid-year at a host city that changes annually.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "International recognition and trophies", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "League and sub-league awards plus technical judging recognition; no cash prize schedule was found." }, "official_url": "https://junior.robocup.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your national RoboCupJunior organisation through the international site.", "Choose a league: Soccer, Rescue or OnStage. They demand very different skills.", "Read the current international rules, which are published free and updated annually.", "Enter your national qualifying competition." ], "skills": [ "Autonomous robot programming", "Sensor fusion", "Mechanical design", "Debugging without driver intervention", "Creative performance design for OnStage" ], "resources": [ { "title": "RoboCupJunior official site", "url": "https://junior.robocup.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "League rules, national organisation directory and event information." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Published league rules and past event results", "url": "https://junior.robocup.org/", "note": "Rules for every league are published free and updated each year." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "first-tech-challenge", "vex-robotics-competition", "zero-robotics", "first-lego-league" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Which league should we pick?", "a": "Soccer demands the fastest control and sensing. Rescue rewards reliable autonomous navigation and is the most forgiving entry point. OnStage rewards creativity and presentation as much as engineering, and suits teams with artistic members." }, { "q": "Can robots be driver-controlled?", "a": "No. All RoboCupJunior robots must operate fully autonomously, which is the main technical difference from most other school robotics leagues." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://junior.robocup.org/" ], "caveats": "League structure, the autonomy requirement and the national-to-international qualification model follow the RoboCupJunior published description. National fees, deadlines and the current international host city were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/robocup-junior/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "scholastic-art-writing", "name": "Scholastic Art and Writing Awards", "full_name": "Scholastic Art & Writing Awards", "organizer": "Alliance for Young Artists and Writers", "categories": [ "writing", "arts" ], "tagline": "The longest-running recognition programme for creative teenagers in the United States, across 29 categories.", "summary": "Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are the largest and most established creative competition for teenagers in the United States. Teens in grades 7 to 12 aged 13 and up submit work in 29 categories spanning writing (poetry, short story, journalism, personal essay, critical essay, novel, science fiction and fantasy) and art (drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, comic art, film and animation, fashion, design). Work is judged regionally first, then nationally, and National Medalists are eligible for scholarships of up to $12,500.", "how_it_works": "Roughly 28 to 29 categories across writing and visual art, including poetry, short story, flash fiction, novel writing, personal essay and memoir, critical essay, journalism, painting, photography, sculpture and digital art, plus portfolio entries. Every submission is judged first at regional level for Honorable Mention, Silver Key or Gold Key. A Gold Key is the highest regional honour and automatically advances the work to national judging.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 7 to 12.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.artandwriting.org/frequently-asked-questions/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Age 13 and up.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.artandwriting.org/frequently-asked-questions/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Awards state both conditions together: grades 7 to 12 AND age 13 or older. A 12-year-old in grade 7 does not qualify.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must attend school and reside in the United States, US territories or military bases, or Canada excluding Quebec. Home-schooled students and students at American schools abroad are eligible. Work must be original and created in the current awards year.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, US territories and military bases, and Canada excluding Quebec.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.artandwriting.org/frequently-asked-questions/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Must reside in the United States, US territories or military bases, or Canada excluding Quebec.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.artandwriting.org/frequently-asked-questions/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Quebec exclusion is easy to miss. Homeschooled students and those at American schools abroad are generally eligible; students based entirely outside these areas are not." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual entries only.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "Canada excluding Quebec", "US territories and military bases" ], "cost": { "display": "$15.00 per individual entry and $40.00 per portfolio entry.", "usd_min": 15, "usd_max": 40, "note": "A fee waiver option is available at checkout if the fee is a barrier. Because the fee is per entry, submitting several pieces multiplies the cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Regional deadlines vary. The first falls 1 December 2026 and some run as late as 6 January 2027. Art and writing may have different deadlines within the same region.", "iso": "2026-12-01", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Use the Region Locator on artandwriting.org to find yours. Missing it by a day means missing the whole cycle." }, "event_dates": "The 2027 Awards open for entries 1 October 2026. Regional Announcement Day is 27 January 2027, when the portal is updated with regional results and certificates. National Announcement Day is 31 March 2027, viewable at medals.artandwriting.org.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships up to $12,500 for National Medalists", "max_usd": 12500, "detail": "National Medals, scholarships and publication or exhibition opportunities. Reported scholarship figures include up to $12,500 for Gold Medal Portfolios and $2,000 for Silver Medal Portfolios, which were not confirmed on the official pages checked. National Awards Week is held in New York City in June." }, "official_url": "https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/", "register_steps": [ "Use the Region Locator on artandwriting.org to find your region and its deadline. Art and writing deadlines may differ.", "Create a teen account at portal.artandwriting.org.", "Choose a category. Read the category definitions carefully; entering the right one materially affects your chances.", "Upload your work with the required titles, descriptions and artist or writer statements. Art needs a high-quality photograph or video.", "Complete payment or apply a fee waiver. Submit before your regional deadline, not the national one." ], "skills": [ "Creative writing or studio art practice", "Self-editing", "Selecting your strongest work", "Writing an artist or writer statement", "Meeting formal submission requirements" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Scholastic Art and Writing Awards official site", "url": "https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Categories, eligibility, the Region Locator and the awards calendar." }, { "title": "How to Enter and the awards calendar", "url": "https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/how-to-enter/calendar/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The authoritative page for dates each cycle." }, { "title": "Participation terms", "url": "https://www.artandwriting.org/participation-terms/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Full eligibility rules including residency and grade requirements." }, { "title": "Past national medalist galleries and anthologies", "url": "https://www.artandwriting.org/", "kind": "Reference", "free": true, "note": "Free published collections of winning work. The clearest possible calibration of standard." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "National medalist work archives", "url": "https://www.artandwriting.org/", "note": "The Alliance publishes galleries and anthologies of medal-winning work from past years." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "Navigating Your Scholastic Awards Account", "url": "https://www.artandwriting.org/frequently-asked-questions/", "channel": "Scholastic Awards", "note": "Official walkthrough videos on creating an account and submitting work." } ], "similar": [ "youngarts", "john-locke-essay", "nyt-student-editorial", "congressional-art-competition" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Who can enter the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards?", "a": "Teens in grades 7 to 12 who are at least 13 years old as of the date of entry, attending school and residing in the United States, US territories or military bases, or Canada excluding Quebec. Home-schooled students within that grade range and students at American schools abroad are eligible." }, { "q": "When is the deadline?", "a": "It depends on your region. Entries open 1 October 2026, the earliest regional deadline is 1 December 2026, and some regions run as late as 6 January 2027. You may have different deadlines for art and for writing. Use the Region Locator to find yours." }, { "q": "How much does it cost to enter?", "a": "There is a fee per individual submission and a higher fee per portfolio, and fee waivers are available for students who need them. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, { "q": "How many pieces can I submit?", "a": "There is no limit. You may enter as many submissions as you like across as many of the 29 categories as you like, subject to paying the fee or applying a waiver for each." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/how-to-enter/calendar/", "https://www.artandwriting.org/participation-terms/", "https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/", "https://www.artandwriting.org/frequently-asked-questions/" ], "caveats": "The 2027 cycle calendar dates, the grade 7 to 12 and age 13 eligibility, the residency requirements, the 29 categories, the three judging criteria and the $12,500 National Medalist scholarship figure are all taken from the official Scholastic Awards site. Exact per-entry fee amounts were not confirmed and should be checked at submission. Your own regional deadline must be looked up individually." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/scholastic-art-writing/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "science-olympiad", "name": "Science Olympiad", "full_name": "Science Olympiad", "organizer": "Science Olympiad Inc.", "categories": [ "science", "engineering" ], "tagline": "A 23-event team tournament covering everything from anatomy to bridge building, run at invitational, regional, state and national level.", "summary": "Science Olympiad is a team competition in which a school fields 15 students who split roughly 23 events between them across a single tournament day. Events range from written tests (Anatomy and Physiology, Astronomy, Chemistry Lab) to build events where you construct and run a device (Flight, Bridge, Robot Tour). Because each student only prepares two or three events, it is unusually welcoming: you can be genuinely competitive by going deep on a narrow topic rather than being good at all of science.", "how_it_works": "Competitions run like academic track meets, with 23 team events per division. A portion of events rotate each year. Medals are awarded per event, and championship trophies go to the Division B and C teams with the lowest total points, where first place scores one point.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Division B is grades 6 to 9. Division C is high school. Division A is an elementary programme for K to 6.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.soinc.org/sites/default/files/uploaded_files/Science_Olympiad_Div_B_Rules_2026_for_Web_Secured.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "A Division B team may include a maximum of five grade 9 students; a Division C team a maximum of seven grade 12 students. Schools with lower grade levels may invite members below the division's grade designation, so a K-8 school could field a Division B team of grade 5 students, limited to age-appropriate events and prohibited where safety is a concern.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Science Olympiad defines divisions by grade and publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "A Division C team may include up to five ninth graders; a Division B team may include up to five ninth graders as well. Elementary programmes exist in some states.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, all 50 states, with about 7,000 teams at 450 tournaments.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.soinc.org/info/about-science-olympiad", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "A team may have up to 15 members. A maximum of 5 grade 9 students on a Division B team; a maximum of 7 grade 12 students on a Division C team. School clubs may be much larger, with only 15 competing.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "A national membership fee of $75 per team, paid as part of the state membership.", "usd_min": 50, "usd_max": 500, "note": "Required since 1985 for every team competing at any level, with no exception regardless of what a school calls its second or third team. States add their own membership and tournament charges on top, so the total a school pays varies. Division A elementary has no national tournament and no national membership fee, only a one-time manual purchase." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Registration deadlines are set by each state chapter, not nationally." }, "event_dates": "Invitational tournaments run from autumn, regionals in late winter, state tournaments in spring, and a national tournament in late spring.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Medals, trophies and scholarships at state and national level", "max_usd": 5000, "detail": "Medals per event and championship trophies. No cash prize schedule is published nationally." }, "official_url": "https://www.soinc.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check whether your school already has a team. Many do, run by a science teacher as an after-school club.", "If not, a teacher or adult coach registers the school through your state Science Olympiad organisation, which you can find via soinc.org.", "Pick your events. Each student takes two or three, and the rules manual for the season lists exactly what each event covers.", "Prepare through the autumn, attend invitational tournaments for practice, then compete at your regional." ], "skills": [ "Deep knowledge in two or three specific science topics", "Lab technique", "Engineering and building", "Reading a rules manual precisely", "Team coordination" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Science Olympiad official site (also: my so free resource library)", "url": "https://www.soinc.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Event lists, rules information, state organisation directory and tournament calendar. Free monthly STEM content and lesson plans aligned to Science Olympiad events, published by the organisation." }, { "title": "Science Olympiad Student Center wiki and test exchange", "url": "https://scioly.org/", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "A large community archive of past invitational tests, event guides and build advice. The most used preparation resource in the competition." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Scioly.org test exchange", "url": "https://scioly.org/tests", "note": "Community-shared past tests from invitational and regional tournaments, contributed by the tournaments themselves." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "Science Olympiad official channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@ScienceOlympiadTV", "channel": "Science Olympiad", "note": "Event overviews and national tournament coverage." } ], "similar": [ "regeneron-isef", "ocean-sciences-bowl", "usabo", "envirothon" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I have to be good at all of science?", "a": "No, and this is the point people miss. Each student prepares only two or three of the roughly 23 events. Going deep on a narrow topic is the winning strategy, not breadth." }, { "q": "What is the difference between Division B and Division C?", "a": "Division B is for grades 6 to 9 and Division C for grades 9 to 12. Ninth graders can compete in either, subject to limits on how many a team may include." }, { "q": "Can I join without my school having a team?", "a": "Science Olympiad is school-based, so you would need a teacher or adult coach to register a team through your state organisation. Some states allow community or home school teams; check with your state director." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://www.soinc.org/play/tournaments", "https://www.soinc.org/start-team/membership-benefits", "https://www.soinc.org/play/invitationals" ], "caveats": "The 15-student team cap, the requirement that every team hold national membership, and the invitational, regional, state and national structure are published by Science Olympiad. The national membership fee is charged per team and states add their own on top, so the total a school pays varies widely by state. Registration deadlines are set by state organisations and were not confirmed." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/science-olympiad/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "scripps-spelling-bee", "name": "Scripps National Spelling Bee", "full_name": "Scripps National Spelling Bee", "organizer": "E.W. Scripps Company", "categories": [ "academic" ], "tagline": "The most watched academic competition in America, reached through school, district and regional bees.", "summary": "The Scripps National Spelling Bee has run since 1925 and remains the best-known academic competition in the United States. Spellers qualify through school and regional bees, then compete nationally near Washington, D.C. in a televised event combining oral spelling rounds with written vocabulary and spelling tests. The word list is drawn from Merriam-Webster Unabridged, which contains hundreds of thousands of entries, so serious preparation is about language patterns rather than memorisation.", "how_it_works": "Classroom and school bees, then regional competitions, then the national competition. Scripps publishes suggested rules for local bees, but local officials are encouraged rather than required to use them, so check the rules in force in your area. Enrolled schools receive grade-level study lists, the 4,000-word Words of the Champions guide for school champions, and written test materials.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Students who have not passed beyond the eighth grade.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://spellingbee.com/faq/how-does-someone-qualify-scripps-national-spelling-bee", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Students who have not turned 16.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://spellingbee.com/faq/how-does-someone-qualify-scripps-national-spelling-bee", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Scripps states both conditions together: a speller must have neither turned 16 nor passed beyond eighth grade. Both must hold. A third-party guide gives a stricter age of 15 by 31 August; that was not confirmed on the official pages checked, so read the 2027 eligibility requirements directly.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You must not have passed beyond grade 8, must meet the Bee's age limit, must not have previously won the national bee, and your school must be enrolled with Scripps. School enrolment is the step families most often miss.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Students must attend a school officially enrolled in the Scripps programme for the current academic year. Educators enrol elementary and middle schools; districts can enrol multiple schools at once.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://spellingbee.com/faq/how-does-someone-qualify-scripps-national-spelling-bee", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Primarily United States; the full list of eligible territories and international participants was not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "$199 per school when enrolling by 30 November 2026. Enrolment is by the school, not the student.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 225, "note": "Enrolling by 30 September 2026 adds a second free Britannica Kids subscription. Regional fees, if any, are set by the local sponsor and vary; many regional competitions are free for students, and there is no cost to students who reach the national competition." }, "deadline": { "display": "School enrolment for the 2026-27 programme year is open from 18 August 2026 through 29 January 2027. Restrictions apply in some areas.", "iso": "2027-01-29", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Regional partners may set earlier local cut-offs. The Dallas regional, for example, published 31 December 2026. Check your own regional bee." }, "event_dates": "School and classroom bees through the autumn, regional bees in late winter and spring, national competition near Washington, D.C. in May 2027. The 2027 Contest Rules were due to be published in late autumn 2026.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "$50,000, the Scripps Cup and a medal for the champion", "max_usd": 50000, "detail": "The 2027 prize schedule was not published on the pages checked. The 2026 champion was Shrey Parikh." }, "official_url": "https://spellingbee.com/", "register_steps": [ "Ask whether your school is enrolled with Scripps. Enrolment is a school-level action and is the gateway to everything else.", "Win your class and school bee.", "Compete at your district or regional bee, run by the sponsor covering your area.", "Regional champions are invited to the national bee, with travel usually funded by the regional sponsor." ], "skills": [ "Word roots and etymology", "Language of origin patterns", "Vocabulary", "Composure under bright lights", "Systematic study habits" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Scripps National Spelling Bee official site", "url": "https://spellingbee.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Eligibility rules, school enrolment, regional sponsor directory and free study materials." }, { "title": "Words of the Champions study list", "url": "https://spellingbee.com/words-of-the-champions", "kind": "Practice", "free": true, "note": "The official free study list, organised by difficulty. The primary preparation resource." }, { "title": "Merriam-Webster Unabridged", "url": "https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/", "kind": "Reference", "free": false, "note": "The official dictionary of the competition. Subscription required, and it is the source from which words are drawn." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Official study lists and past word lists", "url": "https://spellingbee.com/words-of-the-champions", "note": "Published free by Scripps." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "Scripps National Spelling Bee channel", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@ScrippsBee", "channel": "Scripps National Spelling Bee", "note": "Broadcast finals, useful for learning stage protocol and pacing." } ], "similar": [ "national-latin-exam", "naqt-hsnct", "national-history-bee", "brain-bee" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Who can enter?", "a": "Students who have not passed beyond grade 8, who are under the stated age limit as of the cut-off date, who have not previously won the national bee, and whose school is enrolled with a Scripps regional sponsor. School enrolment is the step most families overlook." }, { "q": "How do I study when the dictionary has hundreds of thousands of words?", "a": "You do not memorise the dictionary. Start with the free official Words of the Champions list, then study by language of origin so you can reason about unfamiliar words from their source language patterns." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://spellingbee.com/enrollment", "https://spellingbee.com/faq/what-do-schools-receive-enrolling", "https://spellingbee.com/rules" ], "caveats": "Enrolment for 2026-27 opened 18 August 2026 and closes 29 January 2027, at $199 per school through 30 November 2026 rising to $225 from 1 December, all published by Scripps. Some regional programmes close earlier than the national date. The 2027 Contest Rules were due in late autumn 2026 and had not been published at the time of checking, so the exact age cut-off date for 2027 is unconfirmed. The $50,000 champion prize is long-standing but was not confirmed against a 2027 Scripps source." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/scripps-spelling-bee/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "seaperch", "name": "SeaPerch", "full_name": "SeaPerch International Challenge", "organizer": "RoboNation", "categories": [ "robotics", "engineering" ], "tagline": "Build an underwater robot from PVC pipe and motors for well under a hundred dollars, then race and manoeuvre it.", "summary": "SeaPerch is the lowest-cost underwater robotics competition available to schools. Teams build a remotely operated vehicle from PVC pipe, waterproofed motors and pool noodles, following a published build guide, then compete in an obstacle course and an underwater challenge course. The materials cost is a fraction of any other robotics league, which makes it a realistic option for a school with no budget.", "how_it_works": "Two components: a Pool Competition demonstrating high-speed manoeuvrability, navigation and object manipulation, and Design Documentation presenting the team's work and vehicle design. Each season has a new theme and tasks. Teams build the ROV from a kit of low-cost, easily obtainable parts.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Elementary, middle and high school students are eligible to compete", "status": "verified", "source": "https://robonation.org/app/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/2024-SeaPerch_Team-Handbook_v1.0.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Stated in RoboNation's team handbook. The previous listing omitted elementary school. Divisions and eligibility at regional competitions are set by the regional coordinator and may differ from the International Challenge.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "RoboNation defines eligibility by school level, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Separate middle and high school divisions. Teams register through a school or community organisation with an adult coach.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Regional competitions run in the US and some other countries; the full list was not confirmed on the pages checked." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "For the International Challenge, teams are limited to a maximum of 12 team members including students and chaperones, with a maximum of 4 chaperones. So a team with 4 chaperones may bring at most 8 students.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Very low: kits are typically under $200 per vehicle", "usd_min": 50, "usd_max": 300, "note": "Not confirmed. Kits are purchased through the RoboNation Shop; RoboNation recommends about one kit per 2 to 4 middle or high school students, or 4 to 6 elementary students. Regional and international registration fees were not stated on the pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each regional competition. 2027 dates not published." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates not yet published. For reference, the 2026 International SeaPerch Challenge was held the weekend of 30 May 2026 at the University of Maryland, College Park, with the pool competition on Saturday 30 May and Sunday 31 May.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and international challenge qualification", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Not stated on the official pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://seaperch.org/", "register_steps": [ "Download the free build guide and check what a kit costs for your region.", "Find your regional competition through the SeaPerch site and register with an adult coach.", "Build the vehicle, then test it in water early. Waterproofing failures are the most common problem and only show up wet.", "Write the technical design report as you build rather than afterwards." ], "skills": [ "Basic soldering and wiring", "Waterproofing", "Buoyancy and trim", "Piloting", "Technical writing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "SeaPerch official site", "url": "https://seaperch.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Free build guides, curriculum, regional directory and competition rules." }, { "title": "SeaPerch build manual", "url": "https://seaperch.org/build/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "The complete free construction manual with parts list." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past challenge courses and rules", "url": "https://seaperch.org/", "note": "Published free by RoboNation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "mate-rov", "first-lego-league", "vex-iq", "botball" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How much does it actually cost?", "a": "A SeaPerch vehicle is built from PVC pipe, small motors and basic electronics, and kits have typically cost under $200. It is by a wide margin the cheapest robotics competition in this directory." }, { "q": "How is it different from MATE ROV?", "a": "SeaPerch is an introductory build with a published guide and a simple vehicle. MATE ROV is an open engineering challenge with industry-style documentation and much more advanced vehicles. Many teams do SeaPerch first." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://seaperch.org/" ], "caveats": "The low-cost build model, free build guide, division structure and regional-to-international format follow RoboNation's published description. Current kit prices, regional dates and entry fees were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/seaperch/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "f1-in-schools", "name": "STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools)", "full_name": "STEM Racing, formerly the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge", "organizer": "STEM Racing (F1 in Schools), with national organisers", "categories": [ "engineering", "business" ], "tagline": "Design, manufacture and race a miniature air-powered car, and run the team like a racing outfit. Rebranded from F1 in Schools to STEM Racing in 2024.", "summary": "F1 in Schools asks teams to design a miniature car in CAD, manufacture it from a standard balsa block, and race it down a twenty-metre track powered by a compressed air canister. The engineering is only half of it: teams also produce a design portfolio, secure sponsorship, build a brand and pit display, and present to judges. It runs in dozens of countries with a world final.", "how_it_works": "Teams design, analyse, manufacture, test and race miniature air-powered cars using professional CAD software. Cars may only be manufactured from the official F1 Model Block, which is checked at scrutineering.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "The organiser defines eligibility by age, not grade. Not converted.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 11 to 19", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.f1inschools.com/faq.html", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Three classes: Entry Class for ages 11 to 14; Development and Professional Classes for ages 11 to 19. Age classes are set by each national organiser and may differ from the UK FAQ used here.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "National organisers run age classes. Check your country's organiser, since class boundaries and rules differ.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, active in more than 40 countries through national organisers.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.f1inschools.com/faq.html", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Several hundred to a few thousand dollars, often sponsor-funded", "usd_min": 200, "usd_max": 3000, "note": "Set by each national organiser. Not stated on the official FAQ checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each national organiser. 2026-27 dates not confirmed." }, "event_dates": "Regional and national finals through the school year, world finals typically alongside a Formula 1 race weekend.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "National titles, world finals qualification and scholarships", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "Not stated on the official pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.f1inschools.com/", "register_steps": [ "Find your national organiser through the international site, since everything below the world final runs nationally.", "Form a team and assign the required roles explicitly. The role structure is part of the judging.", "Get the current technical regulations. The car dimensions and materials are tightly specified and cars are scrutineered.", "Approach sponsors early. Fundraising is scored, not just practical." ], "skills": [ "CAD design", "Computational fluid dynamics", "CNC manufacturing", "Project management", "Marketing and sponsorship", "Verbal presentation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "F1 in Schools international site", "url": "https://www.f1inschools.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "National organiser directory, technical regulations and competition structure." }, { "title": "Autodesk Fusion for students", "url": "https://www.autodesk.com/education/edu-software/overview", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free student licences for the CAD and simulation software widely used in this competition." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Technical regulations and past world final results", "url": "https://www.f1inschools.com/", "note": "Regulations are published free and are the design brief." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "rocketry-challenge", "first-tech-challenge", "invention-convention", "vex-robotics-competition" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it available in my country?", "a": "F1 in Schools runs in dozens of countries through national organisers. Find yours through the international site; the national organiser sets rules, classes, fees and dates." }, { "q": "Do we need a CNC machine?", "a": "Cars are machined from a regulated block, and national organisers or partner schools commonly provide machining access. Ask your national organiser how manufacturing is handled in your region before assuming you need equipment." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.f1inschools.com/" ], "caveats": "The car specification concept, team roles, multi-criteria judging and national-to-world-final structure follow the programme's published description. Costs, age classes, fees and dates are set nationally and were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/f1-in-schools/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "stockholm-junior-water-prize", "name": "Stockholm Junior Water Prize", "full_name": "Stockholm Junior Water Prize", "organizer": "Stockholm International Water Institute, with the Water Environment Federation in the United States", "categories": [ "environment", "science" ], "tagline": "An international water research prize with national competitions in over thirty countries.", "summary": "The Stockholm Junior Water Prize recognises high school research that improves water quality, water management or water and wastewater treatment. Each participating country runs its own national competition, and national winners travel to Stockholm to compete for the international prize during World Water Week. In the United States the Water Environment Federation runs state competitions feeding a national final.", "how_it_works": "A research paper on a water-related project aimed at improving water quality, water resources management, or water and wastewater treatment. Entries are rated on relevance, methodology, subject knowledge, practical skills, creativity, and paper and presentation.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.wef.org/membership--community/students--young-professionals/sjwp/sjwp-eligibility-and-entry-requirements/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Public, private, independent and home-schooled students are all eligible in the US competition.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Must have reached the age of 15 by 1 August of the competition year", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.wef.org/membership--community/students--young-professionals/sjwp/sjwp-eligibility-and-entry-requirements/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "WEF states both a grade range and an age requirement, and both must be met.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Age limits are set nationally. In the United States, entrants must generally be at least 15 by 1 August of the competition year and not have graduated before a stated date.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "The US competition is run by the Water Environment Federation with its state Member Associations. Other countries run their own national competitions feeding the same international final.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.wef.org/membership--community/students--young-professionals/sjwp/about-the-stockholm-junior-water-prize/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Individual, or teams of up to two students.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No fee is mentioned on the WEF pages checked, but it is not stated explicitly either way." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "The 2027 state entry deadline has not been published. For the 2026 cycle, regional winners and self-nominated students had to enter the state competition by 15 April 2026." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates not published. For the 2026 cycle, the national competition was a two-phase event in May and June: all state winners took part in a virtual national judging round, then about 20 finalists attended the in-person National Finals during the WEF/WateReuse Industrial Water Solutions Conference in Chicago, 8 to 10 June 2026. The international competition is held each August at World Water Week in Stockholm.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "The US national winner receives a $10,000 cash prize and a crystal trophy, and represents the United States at the international competition in Stockholm.", "max_usd": 15000, "detail": "The international winner receives a substantial cash prize and a crystal sculpture. The US national winner receives a cash award and the trip to Stockholm. Confirm current amounts with the organisers." }, "official_url": "https://www.wef.org/sjwp/", "register_steps": [ "Conduct original research on a water-related question. Projects entered at a science fair are frequently eligible here too.", "Find your state competition through the Water Environment Federation member association for your state.", "Submit the research paper by your state's spring deadline.", "State winners advance to the US national competition in June." ], "skills": [ "Water chemistry or ecology", "Experimental design", "Scientific paper writing", "Presenting research to expert judges" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Stockholm Junior Water Prize", "url": "https://siwi.org/stockholm-junior-water-prize/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "International rules, national organiser directory and past winning projects." }, { "title": "Water Environment Federation US competition", "url": "https://www.wef.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The US national organiser. Find your state member association here." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning papers", "url": "https://siwi.org/stockholm-junior-water-prize/", "note": "Summaries of past international and national winners." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "regeneron-isef", "envirothon", "genius-olympiad", "earth-prize" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I enter the same project I took to a science fair?", "a": "Usually yes, and many entrants do. Check your state's rules, since some require the paper in a specific format regardless of what the fair accepted." }, { "q": "Is it open outside the United States?", "a": "Yes. More than thirty countries run national competitions feeding the Stockholm final. Find your national organiser through the Stockholm International Water Institute." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://siwi.org/stockholm-junior-water-prize/" ], "caveats": "The national-to-international structure, water research focus and World Water Week final follow the organisers' published description. Age rules, state deadlines and prize amounts vary by country and were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/stockholm-junior-water-prize/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "technovation-girls", "name": "Technovation Girls", "full_name": "Technovation Girls", "organizer": "Technovation", "categories": [ "coding", "business" ], "tagline": "A free global season where girls aged 8 to 18 build an app or AI project and pitch it as a venture.", "summary": "Technovation Girls is the world's largest technology entrepreneurship programme for girls. Teams of one to five work with a volunteer mentor through a season that runs from autumn to spring, learning coding and entrepreneurship, then submitting an app or AI project together with a business pitch. The programme is free, runs in dozens of countries, and provides the entire curriculum, so it works for teams with no prior coding experience.", "how_it_works": "Teams identify a problem in their community and build a mobile app, web app or AI-powered tool to address it, plus a business plan and a pitch video shared via YouTube or Vimeo as unlisted or public. The code and any AI training data must be submitted. Judging runs in three rounds: Quarterfinals, where every submitting team is a quarterfinalist, then Semifinals, then Finals at the Technovation World Summit.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Technovation sets divisions by age, not grade.", "min_grade": 3 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 8 to 18 as of 1 August of the season year. Three divisions set by the age of the OLDEST student on the team: Beginner 8 to 12, Junior 13 to 15, and Senior 16 to 18.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://iridescentsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002714613-Eligibility-for-participation-students", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The lower bound is 8, not 10 as some third-party listings still say. Because division follows the oldest member, adding one older teammate moves the whole team up a division.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 3, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to girls and non-binary students worldwide. Teams need an adult mentor, who Technovation trains and does not require to have a technical background.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Global.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://technovationchallenge.org/program-overview/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Open to girls and to transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming participants who want to be part of a female-identified environment. Someone assigned male at birth who also identifies as male cannot enter the competition, though the curriculum is free for anyone of any age or gender to use.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://iridescentsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002714613-Eligibility-for-participation-students", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Boys wanting a comparable competition can use the curriculum and submit to co-ed contests such as the Congressional App Challenge or Invention Convention." } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 1 to 5 students. A student may only join one team. Students may take part for multiple seasons until they turn 18 and may keep the same teammates and mentors, but cannot submit the same materials to the competition across multiple years.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "All curriculum and materials are free. Technovation notes it does not provide technology, and there may be a cost to the partner or volunteer running a local programme, so a school-run club is not necessarily free to the school." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2026-27 dates were not published at the time of checking; registration notification sign-up was open. For reference, the previous season ran registration 13 August 2025 to 18 March 2026, with submissions due 20 April 2026 at 5 p.m. PDT. Note the registration and submission deadlines are separate and about a month apart." }, "event_dates": "Season runs roughly October to April, with regional and global judging following submission.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships, cash awards and an invitation to the global summit", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "Educational scholarships and stipends rather than open cash. In a recent cycle, 15 global finalist teams pitched at the World Summit with each member receiving a $500 educational stipend, and two special awards for Climate Change and Combating Hunger were open to every submitting team at $500 per member. Amounts were not confirmed for the current cycle." }, "official_url": "https://www.technovation.org/", "register_steps": [ "Register on technovation.org when the season opens, usually in October.", "Form a team of one to five students, or ask to be matched with one.", "Find a mentor, or use the platform to be matched with a trained volunteer. No technical background is required of them.", "Work through the free curriculum together and build your project. Technovation recommends starting no later than January.", "Submit the app or AI project, pitch video and business plan before the spring deadline." ], "skills": [ "Coding in any language or block tool", "Problem identification", "Business planning", "Pitching", "Team collaboration" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Technovation official site", "url": "https://www.technovation.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the full curriculum, mentor matching and the season calendar." }, { "title": "MIT App Inventor", "url": "https://appinventor.mit.edu/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free block-based app builder used widely by Technovation teams with no coding background." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "congressional-app-challenge", "diamond-challenge", "conrad-challenge", "usaco" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to know how to code?", "a": "No. Technovation provides the full curriculum and teams commonly start with no coding experience. Block-based tools such as MIT App Inventor are widely used." }, { "q": "Do I need a mentor?", "a": "Yes, each team works with an adult mentor, but Technovation matches teams with trained volunteers and no technical background is required of the mentor." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.technovation.org/" ], "caveats": "The free programme, age range of 8 to 18, team size of 1 to 5, mentor model and the autumn-to-spring season structure follow Technovation's published description. The current season's exact dates and prize amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on technovation.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/technovation-girls/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "concord-review", "name": "The Concord Review", "full_name": "The Concord Review", "organizer": "The Concord Review", "categories": [ "writing", "academic" ], "tagline": "The only journal in the world that publishes academic history papers by secondary students.", "summary": "The Concord Review has published serious history research essays by secondary school students since 1987. It is not a contest in the usual sense: you submit a long academic history paper, and if the editor accepts it, it is published in a quarterly journal that university admissions offices genuinely recognise. Acceptance rates are low and the standard is close to undergraduate.", "how_it_works": "A research essay on any historical topic, ancient or modern, domestic or foreign, with endnotes and bibliography included at the end of a single uploaded file. Acceptance is on a rolling basis, and authors whose essays will be published are notified by letter the month before publication. Issues appear in September, December, March and June.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Concord Review publishes the academic work of secondary school students of history writing in English. It does not publish a numbered grade range on the pages checked.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No age limits are published.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open to secondary students worldwide. Papers must be written while you are still in secondary school.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International. TCR has published authors from many US states and dozens of countries.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://tcr.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A submission fee, historically around $70, which includes a subscription", "usd_min": 40, "usd_max": 100, "note": "A submission fee is required and is paid after completing the online form. The amount was not visible on the pages checked. Every author who submits and pays receives the next four issues in eBook form; the Print Edition costs an additional $30 plus shipping. The separate National Writing Board evaluation service has its own fee, reported at $100." }, "deadline": { "display": "Four rolling deadlines, one per quarterly issue. For the Summer issue, 1 February at 11:59 p.m. EST. For the Fall issue, 1 May at 11:59 p.m. EDT. For the Winter issue, 1 August at 11:59 p.m. EDT. For the Spring issue, 1 November at 11:59 p.m. EST.", "iso": "2026-11-01", "status": "confirmed", "note": "These deadlines are for consideration in a specific issue, not a cut-off: an essay remains eligible for the next three issues after submission, so missing one cycle does not end its chances." }, "event_dates": "Quarterly issues published through the year.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "The Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize, worth about $3,000, is awarded annually to a small number of students already published in the journal. There is no separate application: publication makes an essay automatically eligible.", "max_usd": 3000, "detail": "The primary reward is publication in a journal that university admissions offices recognise. The Emerson Prize is awarded annually to a small number of published authors and carries a cash award." }, "official_url": "https://tcr.org/", "register_steps": [ "Read several published papers first. They are available through the journal and they set the standard clearly.", "Write a history research paper with primary sources, full endnotes and a proper bibliography. Length is typically 5,000 to 10,000 words.", "Submit through the official site with the submission fee.", "Papers are reviewed on a rolling basis against quarterly issue deadlines." ], "skills": [ "Historical research using primary sources", "Long-form academic writing", "Citation and endnoting", "Argument construction sustained over thousands of words" ], "resources": [ { "title": "The Concord Review", "url": "https://tcr.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Submission guidelines, fees, and information about published papers and the Emerson Prize." }, { "title": "Library of Congress digital collections", "url": "https://www.loc.gov/collections/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free primary source archives, essential for the kind of sourcing the journal expects." }, { "title": "Chronicling America historic newspapers", "url": "https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free searchable newspaper archive, an outstanding primary source for many topics." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Published papers", "url": "https://tcr.org/", "note": "Past issues show the expected standard. Reading three before you start is the most useful preparation." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "national-history-day", "john-locke-essay", "jshs", "profile-in-courage-essay" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is this a competition?", "a": "Not in the usual sense. You submit a paper and it is either accepted for publication or not. There is no ranking, no event, and no scoring rubric. The Emerson Prize, awarded annually to a few published authors, is the competitive element." }, { "q": "Why does it cost money to submit?", "a": "The Concord Review is a small independent journal funded partly by submission fees, which have historically included a subscription. Fee assistance has been available, so ask if the cost is a barrier." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://tcr.org/" ], "caveats": "The publication model, paper length expectations, rolling submission process and Emerson Prize follow the journal's long-standing published description. The current submission fee, issue deadlines and prize amount were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/concord-review/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "earth-prize", "name": "The Earth Prize", "full_name": "The Earth Prize", "organizer": "Earth Foundation", "categories": [ "environment", "business" ], "tagline": "A global environmental sustainability competition for teenagers, free to enter, with a substantial prize pool.", "summary": "The Earth Prize is an international environmental sustainability competition for students aged 13 to 19. Teams develop a project or venture addressing an environmental problem, supported by a free online platform of learning resources and mentoring during the competition period. It is free to enter, fully online, and open worldwide, which makes it one of the most accessible international competitions for students outside the United States.", "how_it_works": "Teams submit a Problem Definition, a 50-word Motivation Statement and a Fresh Idea structured in eight building blocks. Teams selected as Scholars then produce a Final Idea and a Pitch Video with an assigned mentor. Regional Winner selection weights the Final Idea at 80% and the Pitch Video at 20%, with a social media engagement campaign also counted.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Earth Prize sets eligibility by age and education level, not grade. Open to secondary education students; not open to tertiary education students. Eligible institutions are schools or educational programmes.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 13 to 19 inclusive. The rules define this by birth year: open to students worldwide born between 2006 and 2012.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.theearthprize.org/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The birth-year definition is the operative rule and is stricter than a loose 13-to-19 reading. Check your own birth year against the current cycle's range.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide. Teams need a teacher or school supervisor to register.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Participants are accepted from anywhere in the world with no geographic restrictions. From the 2026 cycle onward, registrations and submissions may be made in any language, with an integrated AI tool to support participants.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.theearthprize.org/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "An individual student or a team of up to five students. Educators are no longer required to participate or to create a team, so students may form and submit a team independently. There is no limit on how many teams a school may submit as long as each works independently.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee is described anywhere in the rules or FAQ." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 registration is open but its closing date was not confirmed on the pages checked. For reference, the 2026 cycle ran registration from 1 September 2025 to 10 January 2026, with the submission deadline extended to 28 February 2026." }, "event_dates": "Phased: a Registration and Submission phase in the autumn and winter, a Scholars phase for selected teams who produce a Final Idea and Pitch Video, then a Regional Winners phase with a live Q&A and mentoring, ending in public voting for the Global Winner. In the 2026 cycle the Scholars phase ran 16 February to 9 March 2026 and the Regional Winners phase 10 March to 14 April 2026.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Seven Regional Winners are selected, one from each participating world region, and the prize is divided evenly among them. The Global Winner is chosen from those seven by public online voting. Three Mentors of the Year receive $2,500 each.", "max_usd": 100000, "detail": "Prize funding is split between winning students and their schools, with regional and global awards. The Earth Foundation has publicised a total prize pool of $200,000 in recent editions. Confirm current amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://www.theearthprize.org/", "register_steps": [ "Ask a teacher to act as your supervisor, which is required for registration.", "Register on theearthprize.org during the autumn window.", "Use the free platform resources and mentoring during the competition period.", "Submit your project before the winter deadline." ], "skills": [ "Environmental problem analysis", "Solution design", "Project presentation", "Team collaboration", "Written communication" ], "resources": [ { "title": "The Earth Prize official site", "url": "https://www.theearthprize.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, rules, the learning platform and past winning projects." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning projects", "url": "https://www.theearthprize.org/", "note": "Published summaries of previous winners by region." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "genius-olympiad", "ocean-awareness-contest", "diamond-challenge", "conrad-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it open outside the United States?", "a": "Yes. The Earth Prize is genuinely international, runs entirely online, is free to enter, and awards regional prizes across continents, which makes it one of the better options for students outside the US and Europe." }, { "q": "Do we need a scientific background?", "a": "No. Projects can be technological, social, educational or entrepreneurial, and the platform provides sustainability learning material during the competition period." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.theearthprize.org/" ], "caveats": "The age range, free entry, team structure, online format and prize-splitting model follow the Earth Foundation's published description. The current cycle's deadlines and exact prize pool were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on theearthprize.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/earth-prize/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "paradigm-challenge", "name": "The Paradigm Challenge", "full_name": "The Paradigm Challenge", "organizer": "Project Paradigm, with the American Red Cross and other partners", "categories": [ "engineering", "environment", "business" ], "tagline": "Solve a real social problem however you like, from age four upward, with a large prize pool.", "summary": "The Paradigm Challenge invites students to address a real social problem with any kind of solution: an invention, an app, a campaign, a piece of art, a piece of writing. The annual theme changes and has covered home fires, waste reduction and biodiversity. Three age divisions run from age seven upward, and the prize pool reaches into six figures across roughly a hundred winners, which makes the odds unusually good.", "how_it_works": "Any format that addresses one of the challenge areas: posters, videos, inventions, public messages, community events, websites, mobile apps. Finalists are judged on effectiveness, feasibility, originality, presentation and collaboration; for single-member teams, collaboration is judged on work with non-team members.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Project Paradigm sets eligibility by age, not grade. Not converted.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 4 to 18 on the date the entry is submitted. Three age divisions: 4 to 8, 9 to 13, and 14 to 18. The age of the oldest team member on the submission date determines the team's division.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.projectparadigm.org/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The previous listing gave divisions of 7 to 10, 11 to 14 and 15 to 18, which was wrong. Entrants need a parent's or legal guardian's permission and must not be residents of a US-sanctioned country.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide. Entries may be individual or in teams of up to three, with an adult mentor listed.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Worldwide, excluding residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, the Crimea region and other US-sanctioned countries.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.projectparadigm.org/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "There is no minimum or maximum team size. Single-person teams are permitted. Participants may be on more than one team, teams may submit more than one entry, and members may win more than one cash prize.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No fee is mentioned in the official rules excerpt; third parties describe it as free." }, "deadline": { "display": "The current entry period runs from 10:00 a.m. PST on 2 May 2025 to 11:59 p.m. PST on 1 May 2027. Anyone who entered a prior Paradigm Challenge must submit new entries in this period.", "iso": "2027-05-01", "status": "confirmed", "note": "The Challenge has used a 1 May deadline with public voting from June to August. Confirm the current cycle on projectparadigm.org." }, "event_dates": "Finalists are selected throughout the cycle as entries come in, and all Finalists are announced on or before 1 June 2027. First place team members in each age division, up to four, with a parent or guardian each, receive a four-day, three-night trip to Los Angeles for the Prize Ceremony.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Project Paradigm selects at least 100 entries as Finalists. First, Second and Third Place winners are chosen in each of the three age divisions. The top entries win up to $100,000, and teachers associated with the top 100 entries win grants of up to $5,000.", "max_usd": 100000, "detail": "Prizes have ranged from a grand prize in the tens of thousands down to smaller awards, distributed across roughly a hundred entries and three age divisions. The breadth of the prize list makes the odds far better than most competitions of this scale." }, "official_url": "https://www.projectparadigm.org/", "register_steps": [ "Read the year's theme and pick a problem you have actually seen, not an abstract one. Judges score effectiveness and feasibility.", "Choose a format that suits you. An invention, an app, a campaign, a video and a piece of writing are all acceptable.", "Register with an adult mentor listed and submit before the spring deadline.", "If you reach the finalist round, mobilise your community for the public vote." ], "skills": [ "Problem identification", "Solution design", "Presentation", "Feasibility thinking", "Collaboration" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Project Paradigm", "url": "https://www.projectparadigm.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The current theme, rules, divisions, judging criteria and past winning entries." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning entries", "url": "https://www.projectparadigm.org/", "note": "Published galleries of previous winners across all three divisions." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "invention-convention", "earth-prize", "exploravision", "ecybermission" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How young can you enter?", "a": "The youngest division starts around age seven, which is unusually young for a competition with prizes at this scale. Most competitions in this directory start at grade 6 or later." }, { "q": "What are the odds?", "a": "Better than almost anything comparable. The Challenge has distributed prizes across roughly a hundred entries per year rather than naming a single winner, and it runs three separate age divisions." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.projectparadigm.org/" ], "caveats": "The open solution format, three age divisions, public voting round, judging criteria and roughly $100,000 distributed across about a hundred winners follow the programme's published description. The current theme, deadline and prize breakdown were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/paradigm-challenge/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "stock-market-game", "name": "The Stock Market Game", "full_name": "The Stock Market Game", "organizer": "SIFMA Foundation", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "Manage a virtual $100,000 portfolio against other school teams over a full trading season.", "summary": "The Stock Market Game gives teams a virtual $100,000 and a real-time market simulation, and runs them against other teams in their state or region over ten to fourteen weeks. It has run since 1977 and is used in classrooms across the United States. Because it is teacher-administered and inexpensive, it is one of the easiest finance competitions for a school to start.", "how_it_works": "A curriculum-based investing simulation in which student teams manage a hypothetical $100,000 portfolio of stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds and ESG investments. Sessions run from 3 to 9 months. No prior knowledge of economics or finance is needed to administer it. Financial education materials, instructional videos and professional development events are included.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 4 to 12", "status": "verified", "source": "https://sifmafoundation.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 4 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The SIFMA Foundation sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 4, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Registration is through a teacher and is administered by state or regional coordinators, so availability and pricing vary.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, administered through state coordinators.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.stockmarketgame.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "A low per-team fee, often free through state programmes", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 30, "note": "Set by each state coordinator, not nationally, and it varies a great deal. Georgia charges $10 per team for 2026-27; Minnesota's coordinator has waived team fees entirely for 2026-27 through partner funding. Ask your state coordinator before assuming a cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Registration deadlines are set by each state coordinator ahead of each session." }, "event_dates": "Autumn, spring and summer sessions, each running ten to fourteen weeks.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Regional and state recognition, with prizes varying by coordinator", "max_usd": 1000, "detail": "Set by each state coordinator and redesigned recently in at least one state. Georgia's overall state winner receives a $150 Amazon gift card per student." }, "official_url": "https://www.stockmarketgame.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your state or regional coordinator through the official site.", "A teacher registers teams of two to five students for the current session.", "Teams research and trade during the session using the provided platform.", "Consider entering the linked InvestWrite essay competition, which rewards reasoning rather than returns." ], "skills": [ "Investment research", "Risk and diversification", "Reading financial news", "Team decision making", "Basic economics" ], "resources": [ { "title": "The Stock Market Game", "url": "https://www.stockmarketgame.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "State coordinator directory, session dates, teacher resources and the trading platform." }, { "title": "SIFMA Foundation InvestWrite", "url": "https://www.investwrite.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The linked essay competition, judged on reasoning rather than portfolio returns." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "investwrite", "wharton-investment-competition", "national-economics-challenge", "national-personal-finance-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it free?", "a": "Often. Many state coordinators offer The Stock Market Game free or heavily subsidised to schools in their state. Check with your state coordinator rather than assuming a national price." }, { "q": "Does winning mean I am good at investing?", "a": "Not necessarily, and the organisers know it. A ten-week session rewards concentrated risk, which is why the linked InvestWrite essay competition exists to judge reasoning rather than returns." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.stockmarketgame.org/" ], "caveats": "The simulation format, team size, session structure and state coordinator model follow the SIFMA Foundation's long-standing published description. Fees, session dates and prizes are set by state coordinators and were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/stock-market-game/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "tournament-of-champions", "name": "Tournament of Champions", "full_name": "J.W. Patterson Tournament of Champions", "organizer": "University of Kentucky", "categories": [ "debate" ], "tagline": "The championship of the national debate circuit, entered only by collecting bids at qualifying tournaments.", "summary": "The Tournament of Champions, hosted by the University of Kentucky each April since 1972, is widely regarded as the most rigorous high school speech and debate competition in the world. Entry is earned rather than applied for: students collect bids by reaching deep elimination rounds at over 100 designated qualifying tournaments across the United States and internationally, and two bids earn a place.", "how_it_works": "You compete on the national circuit through the season. Designated qualifying tournaments award bids to students who reach a specified elimination round, with the depth required scaling to the tournament's size and prestige. Two bids qualify you outright; students with one bid may apply for an at-large place. The tournament itself runs over a weekend in April in Lexington, Kentucky.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No first-party University of Kentucky TOC page was reachable for this check. Secondary sources describe it as a high school tournament without giving a grade range.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "No age limits found in any source.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Qualification is by bids earned at designated tournaments, or by successful at-large application for students with one bid.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "A quoted 2024 TOC rule states that all competitors must represent the degree-granting school where they are currently enrolled, that independent entries are not allowed, and that competitors need prior approval from their principal or head of school. Quoted second-hand; confirm on the official invitation." }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Primarily United States national circuit. Not confirmed." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Tournament fees plus the substantial cost of circuit travel", "usd_min": 200, "usd_max": 6000, "note": "Not found in any source. Season-long travel to bid tournaments is the dominant cost and is substantial." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Not confirmed. Bid accumulation runs through the season." }, "event_dates": "Held annually in April at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. The 2026 tournament ran 11 to 13 April.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "The most prestigious title in high school debate", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Championship titles; no cash prize schedule found." }, "official_url": "https://ci.uky.edu/debate/toc", "register_steps": [ "Compete on the national circuit and reach the required elimination round at designated bid tournaments. Two bids qualify you.", "If you have one bid, prepare an at-large application, due at the same time as entries.", "Enter through Tabroom by the March deadline, including all required forms.", "Pay tournament fees by the April deadline." ], "skills": [ "Advanced argument theory", "High-volume evidence research", "Speed and clarity", "Adapting to expert judges", "Season-long endurance" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Tournament of Champions official page", "url": "https://ci.uky.edu/debate/toc", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Key deadlines, qualification rules, results history back to 1972 and outreach information." }, { "title": "Tabroom", "url": "https://www.tabroom.com/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Entry, bid tracking and results for the circuit tournaments that award bids." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "TOC results history since 1972", "url": "https://ci.uky.edu/debate/toc", "note": "Published archive of results across all events." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nsda-nationals", "harvard-speech-debate", "model-un", "we-the-people" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I get a bid?", "a": "By reaching a specified elimination round at one of the designated qualifying tournaments, of which there are over 100 in the United States and internationally. How deep you must go depends on the tournament's size. Two bids qualify you outright." }, { "q": "Can I enter with one bid?", "a": "Yes, through the at-large application process, which is submitted alongside entries in early March. At-large places are competitive and limited." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://ci.uky.edu/debate/toc" ], "caveats": "The bid qualification model, the over-100 qualifying tournaments, April timing at the University of Kentucky and the 2026 deadlines (9 March entries and at-large applications, 1 April fees) are published by the TOC. The 2027 dates and deadlines had not been posted at the time of checking." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/tournament-of-champions/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "us-chess-scholastic-nationals", "name": "US Chess Scholastic National Championships", "full_name": "US Chess Federation Scholastic National Championships", "organizer": "United States Chess Federation", "categories": [ "chess-strategy" ], "tagline": "National championships separated by grade, age and rating, so beginners are never paired against masters.", "summary": "US Chess runs a family of national scholastic championships through the year: the National K-12 Grade Championships, the National High School, Junior High and Elementary Championships, and several others. Their defining feature is stratification: sections are divided by grade, by age and by rating, so a beginner competes against other beginners and receives objective rating feedback after every game.", "how_it_works": "Seven rounds of Swiss pairings at G/90;d10 at the Grade Championships. Players are paired using the rating supplement for the month of the event, and all ratings are reviewed by the Tournament Review Group, which examines current ratings and ratings over the previous 12 months. Chess sets and score sheets are provided but players must bring their own clock and know how to set, pause and operate it. Up to two half-point byes are available if requested before round 1.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Kindergarten through grade 12. At the Grade Championships each grade has its own section and players must play in their corresponding grade section.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://new.uschess.org/us-chess-grade-k-12-national-championships-2026", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "US Chess sets sections by grade and rating, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "You need a current US Chess membership. Sections are by grade and rating, so there is an appropriate section at every level including complete beginner.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "US Chess membership is required for every player, valid through the month of the event. The 2026-27 Regulations revised the definition of a school and of school organisations such as public school districts, private schools and charter schools, to clarify team eligibility.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://new.uschess.org/news/2026-2027-scholastic-regulations", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "United States.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://new.uschess.org/national-events-calendar", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Membership plus entry fees, typically $50 to $150 per event", "usd_min": 30, "usd_max": 200, "note": "Entry fees vary by event and registration date and were not captured on the pages checked. Separately, US Chess membership is required, and hotel rates at national events run roughly $172 to $229 per night at the host hotels. The real cost of these events is travel and lodging rather than entry." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set per event. Online registration for the main tournament closes in advance unless otherwise advertised; some side events such as Bughouse are on-site registration only." }, "event_dates": "Confirmed: the Grade (K-12) National Championships 2027 are 3 to 5 December 2027 at Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando. Treat the 2027 Spring dates with caution: US Chess's own National Events Calendar lists the High School (K-12) National Championships 2027 twice, at 24 to 26 March and at 2 to 4 April, both at the Renaissance Schaumburg in Illinois. It also lists Middle School (K-8) 2027 for 28 to 30 April in Dallas, while a third-party calendar gives 14 to 16 May in Round Rock, Texas. Confirm directly with US Chess before booking travel or hotels.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and, for top sections, scholarships", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "Trophies and medals rather than cash. The 2026-27 Regulations refine guidance on how many individual and team awards US Chess orders." }, "official_url": "https://new.uschess.org/national-events-calendar", "register_steps": [ "Join US Chess. Membership is required to play rated events and is what gives you a rating.", "Play local rated tournaments first to establish a rating. This determines which section you enter nationally.", "Register for a national scholastic championship through the US Chess events calendar, taking the early registration discount.", "Check the section rules carefully, since grade and rating restrictions differ between the K-12 Grade Championships and the High School and Junior High Championships." ], "skills": [ "Opening preparation", "Tactical calculation", "Endgame technique", "Clock management", "Composure across a multi-day event" ], "resources": [ { "title": "US Chess national events calendar", "url": "https://new.uschess.org/national-events-calendar", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The live calendar of national scholastic championships. This is the page to work from; US Chess's own older 'Scholastics' menu link still points at a site last updated in 2015." }, { "title": "2026-27 Scholastic Regulations", "url": "https://new.uschess.org/news/2026-2027-scholastic-regulations", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The current regulations governing sections, eligibility and tiebreaks. Read this before entering a national event." }, { "title": "National K-12 Grade Championships", "url": "https://new.uschess.org/k12-2026-championships", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Details, entry and hotel information for the K-12 Grade Championships." }, { "title": "Join US Chess", "url": "https://new.uschess.org/join-us-chess", "kind": "Official", "free": false, "note": "Membership is required to play rated events and is what gives you a rating." }, { "title": "Upcoming rated tournaments", "url": "https://new.uschess.org/upcoming-tournaments", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Find local rated events to establish a rating before entering a national section." }, { "title": "Lichess", "url": "https://lichess.org/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Completely free, no paid tier: play, puzzles, studies and analysis. The best free chess resource that exists." }, { "title": "ChessKid", "url": "https://www.chesskid.com/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": false, "note": "Chess training built for younger children with age-appropriate moderation. Free tier available." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past national championship results and crosstables", "url": "https://ratings.uschess.org/", "note": "US Chess publishes ratings and event crosstables. Look up any player or past event." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "world-youth-chess", "naqt-hsnct", "academic-decathlon", "math-kangaroo" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can a complete beginner enter?", "a": "Yes. Sections are divided by grade and rating, and the lowest rating sections are specifically for beginners. Play a few local rated tournaments first so you have a rating and enter the correct section." }, { "q": "How does the Swiss system work?", "a": "Everyone plays every round and nobody is eliminated. After each round you are paired against someone with a similar score, so the games stay competitive throughout and you get a full weekend of chess regardless of how you start." }, { "q": "What should I study to improve fastest?", "a": "Tactics puzzles daily and reviewing your own losses. Below expert level these produce far more improvement per hour than opening study, which is where most improving juniors misspend their time." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://new.uschess.org/scholastic" ], "caveats": "The championship family, section stratification by grade and rating, Swiss system format and membership requirement follow US Chess's long-standing published structure. Current entry fees, event dates, locations and scholarship offerings were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on the US Chess events calendar." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/us-chess-scholastic-nationals/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "usabo", "name": "USA Biolympiad", "full_name": "USA Biolympiad (USABO)", "organizer": "Center for Excellence in Education", "categories": [ "science" ], "tagline": "An open biology exam that narrows to twenty finalists and the four-person United States team at the International Biology Olympiad.", "summary": "USABO is the United States selection process for the International Biology Olympiad. It starts with an Open Exam that any registered high school student can sit at their own school, narrows to a Semifinal Exam for high scorers, then to twenty National Finalists who attend a residential training camp, from which four are chosen to represent the United States internationally. The content goes well beyond a school biology course, particularly in molecular biology, genetics and physiology.", "how_it_works": "A four-tier series. The Open Exam is a 50-minute online nationwide multiple-choice exam with one response per question and NO penalty for guessing, proctored in person at a registered school or authorised test centre. The Semifinal Exam uses multiple choice, multiple true/false and short answer. Both are administered ONCE only, on the Synap platform, on the published date and time. Test Administrators must complete an online Test Administrator Certificate including the revised 2026 USABO Honor Code.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12. AP courses are not required for success in the exams.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.cee.org/registration-open-2027-usa-biolympiad", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "For International Biology Olympiad eligibility: be 15 years old as of 1 January 2027 and not turn 19 before 31 July 2027.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usabo-trc.org/usabo-rules-and-regulations", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The age rule governs progression to the international team, not entry to the Open Exam.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "The Open Exam is available to high school students registered through a school or authorised USABO Test Center. The Semifinal Exam is restricted to grades 9 to 12 students who are US citizens or legal permanent residents.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "A school must register and pay before any student can be registered. If your school is not participating, use the 'My school is not participating in the 2027 USABO' feature on the USABO homepage to be matched with a host school. Every request must be approved by USABO, and there is no guarantee a host will be found. If you progress, the HOST school rather than your school of record is recognised as supporting you.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usabo-trc.org/usabo-guidelines-and-eligibility", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Apply for a host school early: matching is not guaranteed and the school-level deadline comes first." }, "geography": { "text": "United States. Nearly 12,000 students take part annually.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usabo-trc.org/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "US citizenship and green card are NOT required for the Open Exam, but ARE required for a student to progress to the Semifinal Exam.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usabo-trc.org/usabo-about-exams", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This is an important distinction: an international student at a US school can sit the Open Exam and earn recognition, but cannot advance." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "A flat $125 registration fee per school, covering all participating students from that school, due by 23 October 2026.", "usd_min": 125, "usd_max": 125, "note": "Per school, not per student, so the cost per student falls sharply the more a school enters." }, "deadline": { "display": "Two deadlines, both binding. The school must register and pay the $125 fee by 23 OCTOBER 2026. The final deadline for both schools and students to complete online registration is 15 NOVEMBER 2026. Student registration opened 7 August 2026.", "iso": "2026-10-23", "status": "confirmed", "note": "Missing the October school deadline blocks every student at that school, regardless of the November date." }, "event_dates": "The Open Exam is normally administered in late January or early February. The full 2027 calendar is published on the USABO site.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Recognition rather than cash: Open Exam Honorable Mention Certificate for the top 20% and Certificate of Merit for the top 30%, Semifinal Recognition of Academic Excellence, then Finals medals and international team selection.", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prizes. Open Exam recognition includes an Honorable Mention Certificate for the top 20 percent and a Certificate of Merit for the top 30 percent. Twenty finalists attend the National Finals at Harvard University, and four are selected for the International Biology Olympiad team." }, "official_url": "https://www.usabo-trc.org/", "register_steps": [ "Ask a biology teacher to register your school as a USABO testing centre before the autumn deadline.", "Sit the Open Exam at your school during the winter window.", "If you score highly enough nationally, you will be invited to the Semifinal Exam.", "Top twenty scorers become National Finalists and are invited to the training camp." ], "skills": [ "Molecular and cell biology", "Genetics", "Plant and animal physiology", "Ecology and evolution", "Data interpretation", "Exam technique under time pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "USABO official site (also: campbell biology)", "url": "https://www.usabo-trc.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, exam dates, rules and free past exams. The standard reference text the exam content tracks. Any recent edition works." }, { "title": "International Biology Olympiad past papers", "url": "https://www.ibo-info.org/", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Free past papers from the international competition, harder than USABO but excellent semifinal preparation." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "USABO past Open and Semifinal exams", "url": "https://www.usabo-trc.org/", "note": "Published free by the Center for Excellence in Education." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "usnco", "physics-olympiad", "brain-bee", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I register for USABO myself?", "a": "No. A school or approved testing centre must register and administer the Open Exam. Ask a biology teacher to register the school before the autumn deadline." }, { "q": "Is high school biology enough preparation?", "a": "No. USABO content goes substantially beyond a standard high school course, particularly in molecular biology and physiology. Most students who advance have worked through a university-level text such as Campbell." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "verified", "sources": [ "https://www.cee.org/registration-open-2027-usa-biolympiad", "https://usabo-trc.org/whats-new-2027-usabo", "https://usabo-trc.org/usabo-about-exams" ], "caveats": "Every fact here was checked for the 2027 cycle: the $125 flat per-school fee due 23 October 2026, the 15 November 2026 final registration deadline for schools and students, the online proctored format, the 50-minute multiple-choice Open Exam, the 120-minute three-part Semifinal restricted to grades 9 to 12 US citizens and permanent residents, the National Finals at Harvard, the four gold medallists going to the 38th International Biology Olympiad in Warsaw in July 2027, and the top 20 and 30 percent certificate thresholds. Past Open and Semifinal exams from 2003 to 2024 with keys are in the Teacher Resource Center, which requires a registered school account." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/usabo/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "usaaao", "name": "USAAAO", "full_name": "United States Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad", "organizer": "USAAAO", "categories": [ "science" ], "tagline": "Two rounds of astronomy and astrophysics exams leading to the US team for the international olympiad.", "summary": "USAAAO selects the United States team for the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics. It runs two rounds of proctored written exams: a First Round open to any registered high school student, and a National Astronomy Olympiad exam for qualifiers. The syllabus is essentially first-year university astrophysics, but the First Round is accessible to a motivated student who has done physics and trigonometry.", "how_it_works": "Three rounds of proctored exams with multiple choice and free response questions, held in February, April and June. Proctoring is in person during a specified time interval. The First Round is multiple choice; students above a cutoff are invited to the National Astronomy Competition, a roughly 2.5-hour free response exam over the full IOAA syllabus; a Third Round exam follows. Final rankings weight the NAC at 40% and the Third Round at 60%, and the top 5 represent the US at the IOAA. A scientific calculator and the provided table of constants are allowed.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school students", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usaaao.org/faqs/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "USAAAO addresses its registration guidance to high school students and publishes no numbered grade range.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "USAAAO publishes no age limit on the pages checked.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Anyone may sit the exams, but international team selection requires US citizenship or permanent residency.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States. Proctored in person at the student's school or an approved site.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usaaao.org/registration/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Any student is welcome to participate, but only US citizens or permanent residents can represent the US at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usaaao.org/2025/12/27/registration-opens-soon/", "checked": "2026-09-02" } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "$30 per student, or $20 per student if at least 5 students from the same school register.", "usd_min": 20, "usd_max": 30, "note": "A separate financial aid form is available for students unable to pay; you do not fill out both. The previous listing described the fee as free or nominal, which was wrong." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 registration close not published. The 2026 close was 31 January." }, "event_dates": "2027 dates not yet published. For reference, the 2026 cycle ran: registration 1 to 31 January, First Round 9 February, NAC 13 April, Third Exam 22 June, online training May to September, and the IOAA 25 September to 5 October 2026 in Hanoi, Vietnam.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Team selection and medals", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prizes. Team selection and free online training for qualifiers." }, "official_url": "https://usaaao.org/", "register_steps": [ "Register on usaaao.org during the autumn window.", "Work through the published past exams, which are free.", "Sit the First Round online under proctored conditions.", "Qualifiers are invited to the National Astronomy Olympiad exam." ], "skills": [ "Mechanics and gravitation", "Optics and radiation", "Spherical astronomy and coordinate systems", "Stellar physics", "Logarithms and orders of magnitude", "Estimation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "USAAAO official site", "url": "https://usaaao.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, syllabus, and past exams with solutions." }, { "title": "International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics past papers", "url": "https://www.ioaastrophysics.org/", "kind": "Past problems", "free": true, "note": "Free international papers, considerably harder than the First Round but the eventual target." }, { "title": "Astronomy: Principles and Practice, and OpenStax Astronomy", "url": "https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy-2e", "kind": "Book", "free": true, "note": "OpenStax Astronomy is a free full university textbook covering most of the conceptual syllabus." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "USAAAO past exams", "url": "https://usaaao.org/", "note": "Published free with solutions." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "physics-olympiad", "usabo", "usnco", "science-olympiad" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need a telescope?", "a": "No. USAAAO's rounds are written exams. Observational skills matter only at the international olympiad, and the team receives training for that." }, { "q": "How does it compare to the physics olympiad?", "a": "The field is far smaller, which makes qualification statistically easier, but the astrophysics content is unfamiliar to most students. The mechanics and optics overlap heavily with physics olympiad preparation." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://usaaao.org/" ], "caveats": "The two-round structure, international team pathway and exam format follow USAAAO's published description. Current fees, registration windows and exam dates were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/usaaao/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "usaco", "name": "USACO", "full_name": "USA Computing Olympiad", "organizer": "USA Computing Olympiad", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "Free, worldwide algorithmic contests on a four-division ladder, and the route to Team USA at the IOI.", "summary": "USACO runs a season of algorithmic programming contests in four divisions: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. You are given a small set of problems, you write programs that solve them, and an automated grader scores your submissions out of 1000 against hidden test cases. It is free, open to students anywhere in the world with only a free account, and it is the single most recognised programming credential a pre-college student can hold.", "how_it_works": "Web-based algorithmic programming contests during the academic year, usually four in total from December through early spring. A normal contest runs four continuous hours; the US Open runs five. You may schedule that block anywhere within a Friday-to-Monday contest weekend, and your timer starts when you log in and download the problems. The final contest, the US Open, carries more weight and serves as the national championship exam.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Pre-college students", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usaco.org/index.php?page=details", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "USACO does not publish a grade range. The online contests are open to anyone with a free account. Training camp and USA team selection for the IOI are limited to US pre-college students.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "USACO publishes no age limits for the online contests.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "The online contests are open to anyone from any country at no cost. Training camp and selection for the USA IOI team are limited to US pre-college students.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open worldwide. USA students are typically ranked separately from 'observers', meaning everyone else participating. Training camp and USA team selection are limited to US pre-college students.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://usaco.org/index.php?page=details", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual. You must work alone.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "USACO states participation is free and open to all. A free usaco.org account is the only requirement." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no registration deadline. You create an account and compete within any contest window. The binding constraint is the contest window itself, and the 2026-27 windows have not been published." }, "event_dates": "2026-27 dates have not yet been published by USACO. For reference only, the 2025-26 season ran online contests on 9 to 12 January, 30 January to 2 February and 20 to 23 February, with the US Open on 28 March. Do not plan around those dates: USACO changed its structure in 2025-26, dropping the December contest that older guides still describe, and making the US Open a proctored in-person invitational whose results are the primary basis for training camp invitations.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Promotion, finalist status and IOI team selection", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prizes. The pathway leads to a training camp and selection for the US team at the International Olympiad in Informatics." }, "official_url": "https://usaco.org/", "register_steps": [ "Create a free account at usaco.org. That is the entire registration process.", "Read the rules page before your first contest. Generative AI and pre-written templates are banned and violations carry a lifetime ban from all USACO activities.", "Practise on the free archive of past problems first so the submission system is familiar.", "During a contest window, click through from the homepage and start when you are ready. Your timer starts the moment you open the problems.", "For Gold and Platinum, start at 12:00 ET on the Saturday if you want a certified score." ], "skills": [ "C++, Java or Python", "Sorting and searching", "Graph algorithms", "Dynamic programming", "Complexity analysis", "Debugging under time pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "USACO official site and problem archive", "url": "https://usaco.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, rules, the season schedule, and years of past problems with official analyses and a live judge." }, { "title": "USACO Guide", "url": "https://usaco.guide/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "A free, community-built curriculum organised by division, with ordered modules and practice problems. The standard starting point." }, { "title": "USACO training pages", "url": "https://train.usaco.org/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "The original official training programme. Older in style but still the recommended first pass through the fundamentals." }, { "title": "Codeforces", "url": "https://codeforces.com/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Frequent short contests. Useful for volume once you are past Bronze, though the problem style differs from USACO." }, { "title": "Competitive Programmer's Handbook by Antti Laaksonen", "url": "https://cses.fi/book/book.pdf", "kind": "Book", "free": true, "note": "Free PDF covering the full Silver to Platinum algorithm syllabus clearly and concisely." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Complete USACO contest archive with official analyses", "url": "https://usaco.org/index.php?page=contests", "note": "Every past contest, free, with solutions and the ability to submit code for judging." }, { "title": "CSES Problem Set", "url": "https://cses.fi/problemset/", "kind": "Practice", "note": "Free 300-problem set covering the standard algorithm syllabus, widely used alongside USACO practice." } ], "videos": [ { "title": "William Lin, competitive programming", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@tmwilliamlin168", "channel": "William Lin", "note": "Screencasts of contest solving by a former IOI medallist. Watching someone think in real time is the fastest way to learn contest pacing." }, { "title": "Errichto", "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@Errichto", "channel": "Errichto", "note": "Algorithm lectures and contest analysis pitched at Silver through Platinum." } ], "similar": [ "congressional-app-challenge", "acsl", "picoctf", "cemc-contests" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is USACO free?", "a": "Yes, completely. The online contests are free and open to students anywhere in the world; a free account on usaco.org is the only requirement. Only the training camp and USA IOI team selection are restricted to US pre-college students." }, { "q": "What language should I use?", "a": "C++ is the most common choice for speed and its standard library, but Java and Python are fully supported. Bronze and Silver problems are reliably solvable in Python; at Gold and Platinum the time limits start to favour C++." }, { "q": "How long does it take to reach Gold?", "a": "There is no fixed answer, but a student starting with solid programming ability and studying consistently commonly takes a season or two. Students who start in the off-season and work through the official training material in order progress considerably faster than those who begin in December." }, { "q": "Can I use AI tools to help during a contest?", "a": "No. Generative AI and pre-written templates are explicitly banned, you must work alone, and violations carry a lifetime ban from all USACO activities. Read the rules on usaco.org before your first contest." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://usaco.org/", "https://usaco.org/index.php?page=details" ], "caveats": "Free entry, the four divisions, the multi-day contest windows, the certified-score rule requiring a 12:00 ET Saturday start for Gold and Platinum, and the proctored US Open are published by USACO. The 2026-27 season dates had not been posted at the time of checking; the dates shown reflect the 2025-26 pattern." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/usaco/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "vans-custom-culture", "name": "Vans Custom Culture", "full_name": "Vans Custom Culture Art Competition", "organizer": "Vans", "categories": [ "arts" ], "tagline": "Design and paint shoes as a school art team, competing for a large grant for your school's art programme.", "summary": "Vans Custom Culture invites high school art programmes to customise blank shoes around set themes, with the prize going to the school's art department rather than the individual. The programme has awarded large grants to winning schools, which makes it one of the few art competitions where the reward directly funds the art programme that produced it.", "how_it_works": "A national customisation competition in which art classes decorate blank Vans shoes around announced themes, submitted as photographs, with a public voting round narrowing the field.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "High school art students at public and private schools.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://customculture.vans.com/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Vans has consistently described this as a high school competition without publishing a numbered grade range.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Vans publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Entry is by school art programme rather than individual, and registration is limited to a set number of schools each year on a first-come basis.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "United States public and private high schools, per historical descriptions." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Was free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Historically free, with Vans supplying blank shoes to registered schools. Not confirmed as current." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No current cycle found. Registration historically opened in January with a school cap." }, "event_dates": "Registration in winter, design and submission in spring, voting and finals in late spring.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "$50,000 to the winning school's art programme, $15,000 to runners-up", "max_usd": 50000, "detail": "Amounts have varied significantly between cycles and none is confirmed as current. The tenth-year competition offered a $75,000 grand prize with $10,000 to four runner-up schools; other cycles have been reported at $50,000 and $15,000. Prizes go to the school's art programme rather than to students. Do not rely on any figure until Vans publishes a current one." }, "official_url": "https://customculture.vans.com/", "register_steps": [ "An art teacher registers the school at customculture.vans.com as soon as registration opens in January. Places are capped at 1,500 schools and fill fast.", "Blank canvas shoes are shipped to the registered school.", "Students design around the year's announced themes as a class.", "Submit photographs by the deadline, then mobilise your community for the public voting round." ], "skills": [ "Painting and illustration", "Surface design on an unusual medium", "Group collaboration", "Photographing artwork well" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Vans Custom Culture", "url": "https://customculture.vans.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, themes, rules and past winning designs." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning designs", "url": "https://customculture.vans.com/", "note": "Published galleries of previous finalists." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "doodle-for-google", "congressional-art-competition", "scholastic-art-writing", "youngarts" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I enter as an individual?", "a": "No. Custom Culture is entered by a school art programme, and the prize is a grant to the art department rather than to a student. Individual artists should look at the Scholastic Art Awards or YoungArts." }, { "q": "Does it cost anything?", "a": "Vans has provided the blank shoes free to registered schools. Your school covers paint and supplies. Registration places are capped, so registering the day it opens matters more than the cost." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-30", "confidence": "partial", "sources": [ "https://customculture.vans.com/" ], "caveats": "The January registration window, the 1,500-school cap, provision of blank shoes, the themed design brief, the public voting round and the $50,000 winner and $15,000 runner-up grants are consistently described by Vans and its partner Americans for the Arts. This is a corporate programme that has changed format between years and the most recent detailed accounts found were not from the current cycle, so confirm at customculture.vans.com that the competition is running this year before planning around it." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/vans-custom-culture/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "vex-iq", "name": "VEX IQ Robotics Competition", "full_name": "VEX IQ Robotics Competition", "organizer": "REC Foundation", "categories": [ "robotics" ], "tagline": "A snap-together robotics league for elementary and middle school, with cooperative rather than head-to-head matches.", "summary": "VEX IQ uses a snap-together plastic kit that needs no tools, which makes it workable for elementary students and for teams without a workshop. Its notable design choice is that qualification matches are cooperative: two teams work together toward a shared score rather than against each other, which changes the social dynamic of the competition considerably for younger students.", "how_it_works": "Teams build a robot from the VEX IQ kit for the season's game and compete at tournaments in teamwork matches, where two teams combine for a shared score, plus individual robot skills challenges. Judges also review an engineering notebook and interview the team. Results qualify teams for regional and world championship events.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Elementary and middle school students.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VEX_Robotics", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 3, "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Set by birth date relative to the World Championship. Reported for 2026-27: elementary level for students born after 1 May 2014, typically grades 3 to 5 plus 6th graders who will be 12 or younger at Worlds; middle school level for students born after 1 May 2011, typically grades 6 and 7, with 5th graders allowed to play up. Confirm against the official manual.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 3, "max_grade": 8, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Separate elementary and middle school divisions.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VEX_Robotics", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Several hundred dollars per team", "usd_min": 200, "usd_max": 1200, "note": "Not published on the pages checked. Season registration plus event fees and the IQ kit." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No single deadline; event entry runs through the season." }, "event_dates": "Regular season roughly September 2026 to March 2027, extending to May for teams advancing to a World Championship.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Trophies and World Championship qualification", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards including Excellence and Teamwork Champions; no cash prizes found." }, "official_url": "https://www.vexrobotics.com/iq/competition", "register_steps": [ "Register the team with the REC Foundation through RobotEvents.", "Order the VEX IQ kit and the season's game elements.", "Sign up for nearby tournaments on RobotEvents.", "Start the engineering notebook at the first meeting." ], "skills": [ "Building without tools", "Block or Python programming", "Cooperative strategy", "Documentation", "Presenting to judges" ], "resources": [ { "title": "VEX IQ competition page", "url": "https://www.vexrobotics.com/iq/competition", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Game information and kit details." }, { "title": "RobotEvents", "url": "https://www.robotevents.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration and tournament calendar." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "first-lego-league", "vex-robotics-competition", "first-tech-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How is VEX IQ different from FIRST LEGO League?", "a": "Both target the same age range with snap-together kits. VEX IQ runs many more tournaments per season and includes driver-controlled matches; FIRST LEGO League robots run fully autonomously and the season includes a substantial research and presentation project." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.vexrobotics.com/iq/competition" ], "caveats": "Age range, cooperative teamwork match format and kit-based structure follow the REC Foundation's published description. Current fees and tournament dates were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/vex-iq/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "vex-robotics-competition", "name": "VEX Robotics Competition", "full_name": "VEX V5 Robotics Competition", "organizer": "REC Foundation", "categories": [ "robotics", "engineering" ], "tagline": "The largest robotics competition in the world by team count, with tournaments running most weekends.", "summary": "The VEX V5 Robotics Competition is the biggest robotics league in the world measured by number of teams. Its distinguishing feature is tournament density: instead of two or three events a year, VEX teams can compete most weekends of the season, iterating their robot between events. That feedback loop makes it the fastest way to improve as a robotics team, and the smaller kit-based robots keep costs well below FRC.", "how_it_works": "The 2026-27 V5RC game is Override, played on a 12-foot square field. Two alliances of two teams each compete in matches of a 15-second autonomous period followed by a 1 minute 45 second driver-controlled period. Teams also keep an Engineering Notebook, which feeds judged awards.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Middle and high school. VEX V5 Robotics Competition covers both, with separate middle school and high school divisions at the World Championship.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VEX_Robotics", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 6, "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "VEX sets eligibility by birth date relative to the World Championship rather than a simple age range. Reported by a competition academy for 2026-27: high school students born after 1 May 2007, so 19 or younger at VEX Worlds 2027; middle school students born after 1 May 2011, so 15 or younger. Confirm against the official game manual, since these cut-offs decide which division you may enter.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Separate middle school and high school divisions. VEX IQ serves elementary and middle school with a simpler kit.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, with over 20,000 registered teams across more than 50 countries.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VEX_Robotics", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States", "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Roughly $1,000 to $3,000 per team for the first season", "usd_min": 300, "usd_max": 3000, "note": "Not published as a single figure for V5RC on the pages checked. For scale, the related VEX AI Robotics Competition lists season registration at $200 for the first team and $150 for each additional team in the same organisation. Event entry fees, the robot kit and consumables are separate and are the larger cost. RECF has been collecting $10 per team registration at Signature Events since 2025-26." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "No single deadline. Registration runs through the season and event entry is per tournament. One structural date worth knowing on the RECF side: Signature Events held before 1 August 2026 or after 28 February 2027 are given no spots to the RECF World Championship, so a late event may not advance you." }, "event_dates": "The regular season runs roughly September 2026 to March 2027, extending to May for teams advancing to a World Championship. The 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship was held in St. Louis, 21 to 30 April 2026; 2027 details were being released through events.vex.com.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Scholarships and World Championship qualification", "max_usd": 20000, "detail": "Judged and performance awards including the Excellence Award; no cash prize schedule found." }, "official_url": "https://www.vexrobotics.com/v5/competition", "register_steps": [ "Register the team with the REC Foundation through RobotEvents.", "Order the V5 competition kit and the season's game element kit.", "Sign up for local tournaments on RobotEvents. Enter early in the season even if the robot is unfinished; the iteration is the point.", "Keep an engineering notebook from the first meeting, since it is judged and cannot be reconstructed later." ], "skills": [ "Mechanical design", "C++ or Python programming", "Autonomous routines", "Driver skill", "Technical documentation" ], "resources": [ { "title": "VEX Robotics Competition official page", "url": "https://www.vexrobotics.com/v5/competition", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Game information, kit details and the competition structure." }, { "title": "RobotEvents", "url": "https://www.robotevents.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Team registration and the tournament calendar. This is where you actually sign up for events." }, { "title": "VEX Library", "url": "https://kb.vex.com/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free official documentation, tutorials and programming guides." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "first-tech-challenge", "vex-iq", "first-robotics-competition", "mate-rov" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How does VEX differ from FIRST?", "a": "The biggest practical difference is tournament frequency. VEX teams can compete most weekends and improve the robot between events, while FIRST teams typically attend two or three events a season. VEX also uses a standard kit, which lowers cost and levels the field but limits fabrication freedom." }, { "q": "Can a small team compete?", "a": "Yes. VEX teams are commonly three to six students, which makes it viable where a large FRC team is not." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.vexrobotics.com/v5/competition", "https://www.robotevents.com/" ], "caveats": "Format, divisions, kit-based structure and the tournament model follow the REC Foundation's published description. Current registration fees, kit pricing, tournament dates and scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on robotevents.com." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/vex-robotics-competition/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "voice-of-democracy", "name": "Voice of Democracy", "full_name": "VFW Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Program", "organizer": "Veterans of Foreign Wars", "categories": [ "civics", "writing", "scholarship" ], "tagline": "Record a three-minute audio essay on a patriotic theme and compete for scholarships from local post to national level.", "summary": "Voice of Democracy asks students to write and record a three-minute audio essay responding to an annual patriotic theme. Entries are judged first at local Veterans of Foreign Wars post level, then district and state, with state winners competing nationally for scholarships. The audio format is unusual and rewards students who can write for the ear as well as the page.", "how_it_works": "Write and record an audio essay on the year's patriotic theme. The recording must be no shorter than 3 minutes and no longer than 5 minutes, within 5 seconds. It must be in your own voice and in English, with no music, singing, poetry or sound effects. You must be the sole author, and the entry form states that inappropriate use of ChatGPT or other AI tools is not allowed. Essays must be anonymous: do not include your name, address, school or anything revealing your race, sex, religion or national origin. Judging is content 35 points, delivery 35 points, originality 30 points. Hearing and speech impaired students should contact the national office for special instructions.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 9 to 12 as of the 31 October deadline, enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or a home study programme.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://vfwnj.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp?pid=93067", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The VFW sets eligibility by grade, not age.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to students in the United States and to dependents of US military personnel overseas. A companion programme, Patriot's Pen, runs for grades 6 to 8 as a written essay.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States, its territories and possessions, plus dependents of US military personnel overseas.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://vfwnj.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp?pid=93067", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "US citizenship is not required, but students must be lawful US residents.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://vfwnj.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp?pid=93067", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Stated by VFW state departments. Worth knowing, since many US scholarship programmes do require citizenship." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No entry fee is described at any level." }, "deadline": { "display": "Entries are due to your sponsoring local VFW Post by midnight on 31 October 2026 for the 2026-27 competition.", "iso": "2026-10-31", "status": "confirmed", "note": "You submit to a local Post, not to the VFW nationally, so you must first find a participating Post. Some Posts set earlier internal cut-offs." }, "event_dates": "Entries in the autumn, judging through the winter, national finals in Washington, D.C. in spring.", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "The national first-place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship, the T.C. Selman Memorial Scholarship, paid directly to their American university, college or vocational/technical school. Each Department (state) first-place winner receives a scholarship and an all-expenses-paid Parade of Winners trip to Washington, D.C. in March.", "max_usd": 35000, "detail": "Scholarships are awarded at post, district, state and national level. The national first-place award has historically been in the tens of thousands of dollars. Confirm current amounts with the VFW." }, "official_url": "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships", "register_steps": [ "Find a participating VFW post near you through the VFW site.", "Read the current year's theme, which is announced well in advance.", "Write an essay that runs three to five minutes when read aloud, then record it as audio.", "Submit the recording and entry form to the local post by the deadline." ], "skills": [ "Persuasive writing", "Writing for the spoken voice", "Audio recording", "Reading aloud with expression", "Structuring an argument in three minutes" ], "resources": [ { "title": "VFW youth scholarships page", "url": "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Theme announcement, rules, entry forms and the post locator." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past themes and winning entries", "url": "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships", "note": "The VFW publishes past themes and often features winning entries." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "profile-in-courage-essay", "national-civics-bee", "nyt-student-editorial", "coca-cola-scholars" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need recording equipment?", "a": "No. A phone recording is acceptable as long as the audio is clear. Judges score content and delivery, not production quality." }, { "q": "Where do I submit?", "a": "To a participating local VFW post, not to the national organisation. Use the post locator on the VFW site, and contact the post early since some set internal deadlines ahead of the national one." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships" ], "caveats": "The audio-essay format, grade range, post-to-national judging structure and the historical 31 October deadline follow the VFW's long-standing published programme description. The current theme, exact deadline and scholarship amounts were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm with your local VFW post." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/voice-of-democracy/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "waicy", "name": "WAICY", "full_name": "World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth", "organizer": "Inventive Learning", "categories": [ "coding" ], "tagline": "A project-based global AI competition with tracks for art and video as well as technical builds.", "summary": "WAICY invites students to build and present AI projects across several tracks, including an AI Showcase for applied projects, AI-generated art, and AI video. It is deliberately broad: students with no machine learning background can enter creative tracks, while technical students can build applied systems. It runs globally with regional and international rounds.", "how_it_works": "Students showcase creativity and innovation using AI through projects, art, videos and more. An annual global competition since 2018.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "WAICY defines eligibility by age, not grade. It is not converted here.", "min_grade": 4 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 6 to 18", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.waicy.org/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Stated on WAICY's own site and FAQ. Open to students worldwide.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 4, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Divisions by age. Check the current edition's divisions, which have varied between years.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open to students around the world. Remote participation is permitted.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.waicy.org/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "both", "team_size": "Not confirmed", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "A registration fee in some editions, with waivers available", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 100, "note": "Not confirmed. WAICY's own site did not state a fee on the pages checked. Third-party guides describe entry as free, while at least one regional partner has charged a local participation fee with waivers available. Confirm with the organiser or your regional partner before assuming." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2026-27 dates not published on the official pages checked." }, "event_dates": "Submissions in winter, regional judging in spring, international final following.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Awards, recognition and international finals placement", "max_usd": 2000, "detail": "2026-27 awards not published on the official pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.waicy.org/", "register_steps": [ "Check the current edition's tracks and divisions on the official site.", "Pick a track honestly. The creative tracks are genuinely open to students with no machine learning background.", "Build the project and record a clear video explaining the problem, the approach and what you learned.", "Submit before the winter deadline." ], "skills": [ "AI tools and concepts", "Project scoping", "Video presentation", "Creativity", "Ethical reasoning about AI" ], "resources": [ { "title": "WAICY official site", "url": "https://www.waicy.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Tracks, divisions, deadlines and past projects." }, { "title": "Machine Learning for Kids", "url": "https://machinelearningforkids.co.uk/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free block-based machine learning tool designed for students with no coding background." }, { "title": "Teachable Machine", "url": "https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com/", "kind": "Tool", "free": true, "note": "Free browser tool for training image, sound and pose models with no code." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past project showcases", "url": "https://www.waicy.org/", "note": "Published examples of previous entries by track." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "ioai", "technovation-girls", "congressional-app-challenge", "nasa-adc" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need to know machine learning?", "a": "Not for every track. The AI art and video tracks are open to students with no technical background, and free no-code tools such as Teachable Machine let beginners train real models for the showcase track." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.waicy.org/" ], "caveats": "The track structure, project format and age range follow WAICY's published description. Fees, deadlines and divisions have varied between editions and were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm on the official site." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/waicy/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "we-the-people", "name": "We the People", "full_name": "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution", "organizer": "Center for Civic Education", "categories": [ "civics" ], "tagline": "A simulated congressional hearing where your class testifies as constitutional experts before a panel of judges.", "summary": "We the People is a class-based constitutional competition. A whole class divides into six units, each responsible for one area of constitutional history and philosophy, and each unit testifies before a panel of judges in a simulated congressional hearing: a prepared four-minute statement followed by six minutes of unscripted follow-up questioning. It is the closest thing in secondary education to appearing before a real committee.", "how_it_works": "A simulated congressional hearing in which students testify before a panel of adult judges acting as members of Congress, giving a prepared statement then answering follow-up questions. At the National Finals, classes qualify for the top ten on combined scores from the first two days; the national winner is determined by doubling third-day scores and adding them to the first two days' totals. Final rounds are held in hearing rooms on Capitol Hill.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "The National Finals is for high school teams. The separate National Invitational accepts both high school and middle school teams.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people/national-competitions/invitational", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Center does not publish numbered grade ranges. Some states also run upper elementary and middle school showcases.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The Center for Civic Education publishes no age limits.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "This is a class competition rather than a club: the whole class competes as one entity, which means it usually requires a teacher to run it as part of a course.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "A National Finals team is composed of all students enrolled in a course where We the People is implemented at the school they represent, so it is a whole-class team rather than a selected squad. Club teams from schools without an established programme may compete at state level under state rules and may advance to the National Finals if they meet the team eligibility requirements. Teams must have completed at least one in-school or local hearing before the National Finals.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://civiced.org/we-the-people/national-competitions/finals/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "geography": { "text": "Every US state, district and territory.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://civiced.org/we-the-people/national-competitions/finals/rules", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "The National Invitational has no minimum or maximum team size, and the fee is the same regardless. Each team must answer all six unit questions, dividing into six groups with at least three students each where possible; in small teams students may cover more than one unit.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "The National Invitational charges a participation fee of $2,000 per team regardless of team size, covering materials, awards and technology. Travel and lodging are separate and arranged by the team.", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 1000, "note": "The National Finals fee was not stated on the pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set through state coordinators; National Invitational teams sign up via an Intent to Compete form. No single national deadline published." }, "event_dates": "2026-27 dates not yet published. For reference, the 2026 National Finals ran 17 to 19 April 2026 in Washington, D.C., with the awards ceremony on 19 April, and the 2026 National Invitational ran 15 to 16 May 2026.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "National championship and recognition", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Awards for top teams and for best scores in individual units. At the Invitational, teams outside the top three remain eligible for unit awards. No cash prizes described." }, "official_url": "https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people", "register_steps": [ "Ask a government or history teacher whether the school runs We the People. It requires a teacher to run it as a class.", "If not, the teacher contacts the state coordinator through civiced.org to start a programme.", "The class works through the official textbook, with students assigned to one of six units.", "Compete at the state level; state champions advance to the national finals." ], "skills": [ "Constitutional history and philosophy", "Legal reasoning", "Prepared and extemporaneous public speaking", "Answering hostile questions", "Deep collaboration within a unit" ], "resources": [ { "title": "We the People official page", "url": "https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Programme description, curriculum, state coordinator directory and competition materials." }, { "title": "National Constitution Center Interactive Constitution", "url": "https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free clause-by-clause commentary from leading scholars representing opposing interpretations. Excellent for follow-up question preparation." }, { "title": "Oyez", "url": "https://www.oyez.org/", "kind": "Research", "free": true, "note": "Free archive of Supreme Court cases with audio, summaries and opinions." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past hearing questions", "url": "https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people", "note": "The Center for Civic Education publishes the unit questions used at competition, which are the entire preparation brief." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "national-mock-trial", "national-civics-bee", "model-un", "national-history-day" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can I do this without my school running it?", "a": "Rarely. We the People is structured as a class competition where an entire class competes as one entity, so it needs a teacher running it as part of a course. If your school does not, the realistic path is asking a government teacher to contact the state coordinator." }, { "q": "What is the hardest part?", "a": "The follow-up questioning. The prepared four-minute statement can be rehearsed; the six minutes of unscripted questions from lawyers and academics cannot, and that is where units separate. Practice hearings with adult volunteers asking hard questions are the highest-value preparation." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people" ], "caveats": "The six-unit structure, simulated hearing format, prepared statement and follow-up question timings, and the state-to-national progression follow the Center for Civic Education's published description. Current state deadlines, material costs and national finals dates were not confirmed during the last check. Confirm with your state coordinator." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/we-the-people/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "wharton-investment-competition", "name": "Wharton Investment Competition", "full_name": "Wharton Global High School Investment Competition", "organizer": "The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania", "categories": [ "business" ], "tagline": "Manage a virtual portfolio for a fictional client and defend your strategy to Wharton judges.", "summary": "The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is unusual among stock market games because it is not about returns. Teams of four to seven students manage a virtual portfolio of $100,000 on behalf of a fictional client with a defined risk profile and goals, and are judged on how well their strategy serves that client. Teams submit a written report and the strongest advance to regional and global finals held at Wharton.", "how_it_works": "Teams build a long-term investment strategy for a real Wharton alum client whose financial scenario is written for the competition, then manage a virtual portfolio on the Wharton Investment Simulator. Two deliverables are required: an Investment Policy Statement and a Comprehensive Final Report. Judging is on the quality of strategy, research, analysis and communication, NOT on how much the portfolio grows.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Current high school students worldwide.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/competitions/investment-competition/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Wharton describes participants as high school students rather than publishing a numbered grade range. Third-party guides say grades 9 to 12.", "min_grade": 9 }, "ages": { "text": "The designated student team leader must be at least 16 years old by 28 September 2026.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/competitions/investment-competition/register-now/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This applies only to the team leader, not to other members. It is easy to miss and can force a late change of leader.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open worldwide. Teams must be registered and supervised by a teacher or approved adult adviser.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Registration must be completed by an advisor who is a teacher or educator at the same high school as the students. Students cannot register themselves. An advisor may supervise up to five team accounts and may only register once. Advisors from the previous cycle must register again.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/competitions/investment-competition/register-now/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Registration requires the school-issued email plus the principal's or head of school's name and email." }, "geography": { "text": "International. The 2024 edition drew 1,818 teams from 66 countries.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/competitions/investment-competition/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 4 to 6 students from the same high school, who must remain actively involved throughout. Students may not participate on more than one team. Each team shares a single Wharton Investment Simulator account, and accounts are created per team rather than per student.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No participation fee. Travel to the Global Finale, if you reach it, is the only likely cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Registration closes Friday 11 September 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET, by which point all team accounts must be created. The official team roster is then due Friday 9 October 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET.", "iso": "2026-09-11", "status": "confirmed", "note": "A third-party listing gives an 8 December 2026 application deadline, which is wrong and would cause you to miss the competition entirely. Only the team leader's details are needed at registration; other members are confirmed on the October roster deadline." }, "event_dates": "Registration opened 10 August 2026. Competition materials and the client case study are released 15 September 2026 via SurveyMonkey Apply. The simulator practice period runs 15 to 25 September 2026, after which all practice portfolios are deleted. Competition and trading run 28 September to 4 December 2026. Semifinals are virtual and the Global Finale is hosted at the Wharton School in Philadelphia, with finalists unable to travel able to take part virtually.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Students on the 10 global finalist teams have the course fee waived for Wharton's online course Understanding Your Money. The global champion team's school may fast-track one team to the following year's semifinals, provided all deliverable requirements are met.", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "No cash prizes. The award is recognition and the experience of presenting at Wharton. Some regional partners add their own prizes." }, "official_url": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/high-school-investment-competition/", "register_steps": [ "Find a teacher or approved adviser willing to register and supervise the team.", "Assemble four to seven students. Larger teams have an advantage because the written report is substantial.", "Register through the Wharton Global Youth site before the autumn deadline.", "Trade the virtual portfolio through the competition platform during the trading period, documenting your reasoning as you go.", "Submit the written report explaining your strategy in terms of the client's goals and risk profile." ], "skills": [ "Investment analysis", "Risk assessment", "Client-focused reasoning", "Written argument", "Team decision making" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Wharton Global High School Investment Competition", "url": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/high-school-investment-competition/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Rules, timeline, client brief and judging criteria." }, { "title": "Wharton Global Youth articles and glossary", "url": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/", "kind": "Course", "free": true, "note": "Free finance and business explainers written for high school students by the same programme." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winning team reports", "url": "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/high-school-investment-competition/", "note": "Wharton publishes information about past winning strategies, which shows what the judges actually reward." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "national-economics-challenge", "deca", "fbla", "diamond-challenge" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we win by making the most money?", "a": "No, and this is the most important thing to understand about this competition. Teams are judged on how well their strategy serves a specific fictional client's goals and risk tolerance. A conservative portfolio that matches a risk-averse client can beat a high-return one that does not." }, { "q": "Can teams outside the United States enter?", "a": "Yes. It is a global competition with regional finals in several parts of the world." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/high-school-investment-competition/" ], "caveats": "The client-based judging model, team size, free entry and global structure follow the competition's long-standing published description. Current registration deadlines, trading period dates and regional arrangements were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/wharton-investment-competition/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" }, { "slug": "world-robot-olympiad", "name": "World Robot Olympiad", "full_name": "World Robot Olympiad", "organizer": "World Robot Olympiad Association", "categories": [ "robotics" ], "tagline": "An international robotics competition running in over eighty countries, with categories from age six upward.", "summary": "The World Robot Olympiad runs national competitions in more than eighty countries feeding an international final that moves country each year. Categories include RoboMission, where autonomous robots complete table challenges; RoboSports, a two-versus-two robot game; and Future Innovators, an open project category. Its geographic spread makes it the most internationally accessible robotics competition in this directory.", "how_it_works": "Four categories: RoboMission, RoboSports, Future Innovators and Future Engineers. In RoboMission a new field and mission are developed each year for each age group, with surprise rules or extra challenges on competition day. Future Innovators is project-based: teams research the season theme, build a functioning robotic solution and present it at a booth, judged on the solution plus innovation and entrepreneurship. Every team and coach must sign the WRO Ethics Code.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "WRO defines eligibility by age, not grade. Not converted.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Students aged 8 to 19. In the Future Engineers category students may be up to 22.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://wro-association.org/", "checked": "2026-09-01", "note": "Category-specific: RoboSports is defined as ages 11 to 19 and Future Engineers as 14 to 22 in the official rules. The Elementary, Junior and Senior sub-groups within RoboMission and Future Innovators have their own age boundaries, published in each season's general rules; those exact boundaries were not confirmed on the pages checked, so read the current rules PDF for your category.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Age groups are Elementary, Junior and Senior with specific birth-year cutoffs published each season. Rules are consistent internationally but registration is national.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Tournaments are organised in over 95 countries.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://wro-association.org/", "checked": "2026-09-01" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "A team consists of 2 or 3 students, guided by a coach. A team may participate in only one WRO category per season, and a student may be on only one team. The construction and coding of the robot may be done only by the team members. The minimum age of a coach at an international event is 18.", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Varies by country, plus robot kit and travel", "usd_min": 50, "usd_max": 2000, "note": "Set by each national organiser; not stated on the official pages checked." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by each national organiser; not published centrally." }, "event_dates": "2027 season games and rules had not been published at the time of checking. For reference, the 2026 season theme was 'When Robots Meet Culture' and its official international games and rules were published on 15 January 2026.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "National titles and international final qualification", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Not stated on the official pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://wro-association.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find your national organiser through the World Robot Olympiad Association site.", "Choose a category and age group. The rules are published internationally in January and are identical worldwide.", "Register a team of two or three with a coach through your national organiser.", "Build and program for the season's challenge, then compete nationally." ], "skills": [ "Autonomous robot programming", "Mechanical design", "Sensor calibration", "Debugging without remote control", "Presenting to judges in the innovation category" ], "resources": [ { "title": "World Robot Olympiad Association", "url": "https://wro-association.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "National organiser directory, season rules and category descriptions." }, { "title": "Season rules and challenge documents", "url": "https://wro-association.org/competition/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Published free in January each year and identical across all countries." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past season rules and results", "url": "https://wro-association.org/", "note": "Published free by the association." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "first-lego-league", "robocup-junior", "vex-iq", "botball" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Is it available in my country?", "a": "It runs in more than eighty countries, which makes it the most geographically available robotics competition in this directory. Find your national organiser through the association site." }, { "q": "Are the robots autonomous?", "a": "Yes in the main challenge categories. Robots must complete the table missions with no remote control, which is the key difference from leagues such as VEX and FIRST Tech Challenge." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://wro-association.org/" ], "caveats": "The category structure, age groups, team size, January rules release and national-to-international model follow the association's published description. Fees, national deadlines and the current international final host were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/world-robot-olympiad/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "world-scholars-cup", "name": "World Scholar's Cup", "full_name": "The World Scholar's Cup", "organizer": "The World Scholar's Cup", "categories": [ "debate", "academic" ], "tagline": "A team academic competition combining debate, collaborative writing, a quiz bowl and a scholar's challenge, with rounds in dozens of countries.", "summary": "The World Scholar's Cup runs a global season built around an interdisciplinary curriculum that changes each year. Teams of three compete in four events: team debate, a collaborative writing challenge, the Scholar's Challenge multiple-choice exam, and the Scholar's Bowl, a multimedia team quiz. Regional rounds feed a Global Round and then a Tournament of Champions at Yale. The tone is deliberately less cut-throat than most debate circuits.", "how_it_works": "An interdisciplinary academic team programme built on an annual theme, with a written individual test, collaborative writing, team debate and a team quiz event. For 2026 a new no-devices policy applies in Team Debate.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The World Scholar's Cup sets divisions by age, not grade. Not converted.", "min_grade": 6 }, "ages": { "text": "Junior division is students up to 13 years old, with no bottom cut-off though most participants are at least 10. Senior division is 14 and older. Division is fixed by age on 1 January of the season: for 2026, any student who turned 14 by 1 January 2026, meaning born before 1 January 2012, competes as a senior. Skittles events run in select countries for students 10 and younger, who are also welcome in the standard junior division.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.scholarscup.org/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The upper limit of senior eligibility is the last year of a student's pre-university schooling, such as high school, A-levels or the IB Diploma Programme. Students enrolled in such an institution on 1 January of the calendar year keep eligibility through the Global Rounds and the Tournament of Champions. Larger events add further age bands such as Super Junior; the Da Nang 2026 Global Round's first wave was exclusively for scholars not yet 12 as of 1 January 2026.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 6, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Teams of three, which may be from the same school or formed independently in some rounds. Divisions are by age.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, with regional rounds hosted in cities worldwide and Global Rounds in a different set of cities each year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.scholarscup.org/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams are generally three students, who may come from the same school or different schools. Schools can field unlimited teams at regional rounds, but any given team may participate at only one regional round per season.", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "The World Scholar's Cup is a not-for-profit organisation and all its materials are free to participants. There is usually a small tournament fee that varies by round, to cover tournament expenses including staff travel.", "usd_min": 100, "usd_max": 3000, "note": "The organiser does not publish a fee schedule. Third-party sources report regional round fees of roughly $15 to $25 and Global Round registration of around $825 to $950, plus your own travel and accommodation. Treat those figures as unconfirmed but budget for the Global Round being a major cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Each round has its own registration window; no single season deadline is published." }, "event_dates": "The 2026 regional season is underway and Global Rounds run through the year; the Da Nang Global Round runs 11 to 16 September 2026 in two waves. 2027 season dates were not published on the pages checked.", "difficulty": 2, "prizes": { "display": "Medals, trophies and advancement", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Medals and trophies rather than cash; no prize schedule on the pages checked." }, "official_url": "https://www.scholarscup.org/", "register_steps": [ "Find a Regional Round near you on the official site.", "Form a team of three. Teams often mix strengths deliberately, since the four events reward different skills.", "Register through your school or, where permitted, independently.", "Study the year's curriculum, which is published free and spans six subject areas.", "Compete at the Regional Round; qualification for the Global Round follows." ], "skills": [ "Interdisciplinary knowledge", "Team debate", "Collaborative writing", "Rapid recall", "Working with two teammates under pressure" ], "resources": [ { "title": "World Scholar's Cup official site", "url": "https://www.scholarscup.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "The year's curriculum, round calendar, registration and sample materials." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past curricula and sample Scholar's Challenge questions", "url": "https://www.scholarscup.org/", "note": "Published free by the organisers." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "model-un", "nsda-nationals", "naqt-hsnct", "academic-decathlon" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do I need debate experience?", "a": "No. Debate is one of four events and the format is designed for teams with mixed experience. Many teams include a strong writer, a strong quiz player and a strong debater rather than three specialists in one thing." }, { "q": "How expensive is it?", "a": "Regional Rounds are relatively affordable; Global Rounds and the Tournament of Champions involve international travel and accommodation and become expensive quickly. Financial assistance exists, so ask about it before ruling the programme out." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.scholarscup.org/" ], "caveats": "The four-event format, team size, division structure and the Regional to Global to Tournament of Champions progression follow the programme's published description. Current fees, round dates and locations were not confirmed during the last check and vary by region. Confirm on scholarscup.org." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/world-scholars-cup/", "difficulty_label": "Some preparation needed" }, { "slug": "world-youth-chess", "name": "World Youth Chess Championship", "full_name": "FIDE World Youth Chess Championship", "organizer": "FIDE, the International Chess Federation", "categories": [ "chess-strategy" ], "tagline": "The international age-group championship, entered through your national chess federation.", "summary": "FIDE runs world championships for youth age groups, typically under 8 through under 18, in open and girls sections. You do not enter directly: your national federation nominates players, usually based on results at the national youth championship. It is the international ceiling of junior chess and the pathway on which most grandmasters were first identified.", "how_it_works": "Each national federation selects its representatives, normally the national champion in each age group plus additional qualified players. The championship itself is an eleven-round Swiss tournament held over about two weeks at a host city that changes each year. Titles and international rating points are at stake, and strong performances can earn FIDE titles.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "FIDE sets categories by age, not grade. No conversion is made.", "min_grade": 1 }, "ages": { "text": "Three categories, Open and Girls in each: U14, U16 and U18. A player must not have reached their 14th, 16th or 18th birthday respectively before 1 January of the championship year.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.fide.com/wp-content/uploads/FIDE-World-Youth-Chess-Championships-2026.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "The cut-off is 1 January of the event year, not the event date, which is a common misreading. FIDE separately runs World Championships for U7, U9, U11, U13, U15 and U17, and previously U8, U10 and U12, under different regulations. This listing covers the U14, U16 and U18 World Youth Championships.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 1, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Entry is through your national federation, not directly. Selection criteria are set nationally and usually depend on national championship results.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "International, through FIDE member federations.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/D0406", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Players compete for and are registered by their national federation.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://www.fide.com/wp-content/uploads/FIDE-World-Youth-Chess-Championships-2026.pdf", "checked": "2026-09-02" } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "in_person", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Entry, accommodation and international travel, sometimes federation-funded", "usd_min": 500, "usd_max": 5000, "note": "Registration, entry and administrative fees plus accommodation are charged by the organiser and were not captured for 2027. All travel expenses must be paid by the participant or their federation; the Organizing Committee is explicitly not responsible. Late registration doubles the relevant fee, and after late registration closes no invited or personal-right places are held. Players entering as Official Representatives or on personal right have historically had hotel, registration, entry and administrative fees reimbursed by their federation, which is worth asking about." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "Set by FIDE per edition and enforced through federations. For reference, the 2026 edition required federation registration by 7 April 2026, and FIDE states organisers are not required to accept late registrations. Your own federation's internal deadline will be earlier still." }, "event_dates": "Held annually, typically in the second half of the year, at a host city announced by FIDE.", "difficulty": 5, "prizes": { "display": "World titles, medals and FIDE title norms", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "World champion titles and medals in each category. No cash prize schedule was confirmed." }, "official_url": "https://www.fide.com/", "register_steps": [ "For US students, start at the US Chess international youth events page, which explains how players are selected and supported.", "Outside the US, contact your national chess federation for its selection criteria.", "Compete in your national youth championship, which is normally the selection event.", "If selected, your federation handles the FIDE entry. Ask early about funding, since support varies enormously between federations." ], "skills": [ "Deep opening preparation", "Calculation under long time controls", "Endgame mastery", "Physical and mental stamina across a two-week event", "Preparing against specific opponents" ], "resources": [ { "title": "FIDE official site", "url": "https://www.fide.com/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Event calendar, regulations, ratings and the national federation directory." }, { "title": "US Chess international youth events", "url": "https://new.uschess.org/international-youth-events", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "For US students this is the practical entry point: it explains how US Chess selects and supports players for FIDE youth events." }, { "title": "Lichess", "url": "https://lichess.org/", "kind": "Practice platform", "free": true, "note": "Free play, puzzles, opening studies and analysis at every level." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past championship results and games", "url": "https://www.fide.com/", "note": "FIDE publishes results and games from past world youth championships." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "us-chess-scholastic-nationals", "arml", "aime", "usaco" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I qualify?", "a": "Through your national federation, which nominates players based on its own criteria, usually national youth championship results. There is no direct entry to FIDE events at this level." }, { "q": "Who pays for it?", "a": "It depends entirely on your federation. Some fund their national champions fully; others expect families to cover entry, accommodation and international travel. Ask your federation before assuming either way." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://www.fide.com/" ], "caveats": "The age group structure, federation nomination model and Swiss format follow FIDE's long-standing practice. The current year's host city, dates, fees and each federation's selection criteria were not confirmed during the last check and vary considerably. Confirm with your national federation." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/world-youth-chess/", "difficulty_label": "Elite" }, { "slug": "write-the-world", "name": "Write the World", "full_name": "Write the World monthly writing competitions", "organizer": "Write the World", "categories": [ "writing" ], "tagline": "Free monthly writing prompts with peer review and expert feedback built into the process.", "summary": "Write the World runs a new writing competition roughly every month across genres including flash fiction, poetry, journalism, environmental writing and op-ed. What distinguishes it from other contests is the built-in feedback loop: entrants submit a draft, receive commentary from a guest expert reviewer, and may revise before final judging. For a young writer, the feedback is often worth more than the prize.", "how_it_works": "A different genre each month: poetry, science fiction and fantasy, flash fiction, journalism, screenwriting, fairytales and myths, op-ed, memoir and others. A distinctive feature is the draft and revision cycle: writers can submit a draft, receive peer and expert feedback, then revise before the final deadline. Judged by guest authors, editors and writing professionals.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Write the World sets eligibility by age, not grade.", "min_grade": 7 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 13 to 19.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://blog.writetheworld.org/monthly-writing-competitions-for-teenagers", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 7, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "unconfirmed", "note": "Open worldwide to young writers aged 13 to 19. You join the platform directly with no school involvement.", "school_affiliation": { "text": "Not confirmed", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null, "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "Reported requirement, not confirmed on Write the World's own pages: entrants must be actively enrolled in an educational institution, which may be a school, college, university, after-school programme or homeschool setting, with exceptions requiring written authorisation. Worth confirming if you are between schools or on a gap year." }, "geography": { "text": "International, open to teen writers worldwide.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://blog.writetheworld.org/monthly-writing-competitions-for-teenagers", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "online", "regions": [ "International" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "Both the platform and the monthly competitions are free." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "There is no single deadline. Competitions begin on the first Monday of each month and each has its own closing date, so check the schedule for the one you want to enter." }, "event_dates": "A published schedule runs well ahead. Announced competitions include Flash Fiction (August 2026), Short Story (September 2026), Creative Writing on Justice (October 2026, sponsored by the Supreme Court Historical Society), Environmental Writing (November 2026, sponsored by Patagonia), People's Choice Award (December 2026), Opinion Journalism (January 2027), YA Romance (February 2027), Songwriting (March 2027) and Nature Poetry (April 2027).", "difficulty": 1, "prizes": { "display": "Small cash prizes and publication", "max_usd": 100, "detail": "Cash prizes plus features on the Write the World blog and social media. Specific amounts vary by competition and were not confirmed on the pages checked. Most competitions name a best entry, runner-up and best peer review." }, "official_url": "https://writetheworld.org/", "register_steps": [ "Create a free account on writetheworld.org.", "Choose the current month's competition and read the prompt and word limit.", "Submit a draft before the peer review deadline so you receive feedback.", "Revise using the feedback and submit the final version before the closing deadline." ], "skills": [ "Writing across genres", "Responding to feedback", "Revision", "Giving useful peer critique" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Write the World", "url": "https://writetheworld.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Free platform membership, current competitions, prompts and published winning entries." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Published winning entries", "url": "https://writetheworld.org/", "note": "Winners and runners-up from every past competition are published on the platform." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "nyt-student-editorial", "foyle-young-poets", "scholastic-art-writing", "bennington-young-writers" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Why enter a competition with such small prizes?", "a": "The feedback. Entrants receive commentary from a guest expert reviewer on their draft and can revise before final judging, which is a form of coaching that most competitions do not offer at any price." }, { "q": "How often can I enter?", "a": "A new competition opens roughly every month across different genres, so you can enter continuously through the year." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://writetheworld.org/" ], "caveats": "The free membership, monthly competition cycle, draft-and-revise feedback structure and age 13 to 19 eligibility follow the platform's long-standing published description. Current prompts, deadlines and prize amounts change monthly and were not confirmed." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/write-the-world/", "difficulty_label": "Open to beginners" }, { "slug": "youngarts", "name": "YoungArts", "full_name": "National YoungArts Foundation Awards", "organizer": "National YoungArts Foundation", "categories": [ "arts", "music", "writing" ], "tagline": "A national arts award across ten disciplines, and the sole route to a United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts nomination.", "summary": "YoungArts recognises young artists across ten disciplines including visual arts, photography, film, design, writing, classical music, jazz, voice, dance and theatre. Winners receive cash awards, access to a residential programme of masterclasses with established artists, and lifelong professional support. It is also the exclusive nominating body for the United States Presidential Scholars in the Arts, which cannot be applied for directly.", "how_it_works": "An online application with video recordings, audio recordings, documents or portfolio images depending on discipline. Ten disciplines: Classical Music, Dance, Design Arts, Film, Jazz, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, Voice and Writing. Applications are evaluated through blind adjudication by discipline-specific panels of artists over multiple rounds.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "Grades 10 to 12, as an alternative to the age criterion.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://youngarts.org/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 10 }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 15 to 18, or in grades 10 to 12, assessed on 1 December 2026 for the 2027 competition.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://youngarts.org/faq/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "YoungArts states the two conditions as alternatives, so meeting either the age or the grade range qualifies you. The assessment date is 1 December, not the application date.", "min": null, "max": null }, "min_grade": 10, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "Open to United States citizens and permanent residents aged 15 to 18, or in grades 10 to 12. This is the only route to a Presidential Scholar in the Arts nomination.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "United States.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://youngarts.org/grants-and-awards/", "checked": "2026-09-02" }, "citizenship": { "text": "Must be a United States citizen, a permanent resident, or otherwise legally able to receive taxable income in the United States, which in practice means holding a Social Security number.", "status": "verified", "source": "https://youngarts.org/grants-and-awards/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "This is stricter than simply attending school in the US and rules out many international students." } }, "format": "individual", "team_size": "Individual", "location": "hybrid", "regions": [ "United States" ], "cost": { "display": "A modest application fee with waivers available", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 35, "note": "An application fee is required, with a fee waiver available on submission of documentation. A $35 figure is reported by a third-party competition database but was not confirmed on the YoungArts pages checked. Note that the fee applies per application, so applying in more than one discipline costs more." }, "deadline": { "display": "The 2027 application opened Tuesday 21 July 2026 and closes Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT.", "iso": "2026-10-06", "status": "confirmed", "note": "YoungArts stresses not waiting until deadline day: the deadline includes processing your payment or submitting fee waiver documentation, not just uploading work." }, "event_dates": "National YoungArts Week is held in the winter following the autumn application close.", "difficulty": 4, "prizes": { "display": "Cash awards between $250 and $10,000. Winners with distinction are invited to National YoungArts Week. All award winners receive lifetime access to professional development, mentorship and the YoungArts network.", "max_usd": 10000, "detail": "Cash awards at Finalist, Honorable Mention and Merit levels, plus the residential programme of masterclasses. YoungArts is the exclusive nominating agency for United States Presidential Scholars in the Arts. Confirm current award amounts on the official site." }, "official_url": "https://youngarts.org/", "register_steps": [ "Choose your discipline and read its specific submission requirements, which vary considerably between, say, classical music and writing.", "Prepare the portfolio, recording or manuscript to the stated technical specifications. Recording quality matters for performance disciplines.", "Apply online before the autumn deadline, using a fee waiver if you need one.", "Results are announced in the winter, with Finalists invited to the residential programme." ], "skills": [ "Discipline-specific artistic practice", "Portfolio curation", "High-quality documentation or recording", "Artist statement writing" ], "resources": [ { "title": "YoungArts official site", "url": "https://youngarts.org/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Disciplines, submission requirements, deadlines, fee waivers and past winners." }, { "title": "Discipline-specific application guidelines", "url": "https://youngarts.org/apply/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Each discipline has its own technical requirements. Read yours before preparing anything." } ], "past_materials": [ { "title": "Past winners and their work", "url": "https://youngarts.org/", "note": "YoungArts publishes information about past award winners across all disciplines." } ], "videos": [], "similar": [ "scholastic-art-writing", "from-the-top-jkc", "all-american-film-festival", "mtna-competitions" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "How do I become a Presidential Scholar in the Arts?", "a": "You cannot apply directly. YoungArts is the exclusive nominating agency, so applying to YoungArts is the only route. Presidential Scholars in the Arts are selected from among YoungArts award winners." }, { "q": "Which disciplines are covered?", "a": "Ten disciplines spanning visual arts, photography, film, design, writing, classical music, jazz, voice, dance and theatre. Requirements differ substantially between them." }, { "q": "Is there a fee?", "a": "There is a modest application fee, and fee waivers are available for students who need them. Cost should not be the reason you do not apply." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://youngarts.org/" ], "caveats": "The ten disciplines, the age 15 to 18 and grade 10 to 12 eligibility, the award levels and the exclusive Presidential Scholars in the Arts nominating role follow YoungArts' long-standing published description. Current application fees, deadlines and award amounts were not confirmed during the last check." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/youngarts/", "difficulty_label": "Highly competitive" }, { "slug": "zero-robotics", "name": "Zero Robotics", "full_name": "Zero Robotics", "organizer": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology with NASA", "categories": [ "engineering", "coding" ], "tagline": "Write code that controls a real satellite aboard the International Space Station.", "summary": "Zero Robotics is a programming competition where student teams write control algorithms for free-flying robotic satellites. Early rounds run in a simulator; finalists have their code run on actual hardware aboard the International Space Station, with astronauts overseeing the match and the results streamed live. There are few competitions where student code executes in orbit.", "how_it_works": "Teams write autonomous code for Astrobee in a simulation environment that mimics the real robots, then advance through phases of virtual competition. The 2026 challenge, Galactic Greenhouse, required programming Astrobee to run a vegetable-growth system aboard the station: planting, watering on schedule, harvesting and clearing failed plants, while allocating time efficiently, prioritising tasks dynamically and responding to crew instructions given by hand gesture. The high school track emphasises strategy, multi-objective optimisation and robust autonomy under uncertainty.", "eligibility": { "grades": { "text": "The High School Tournament is for grades 9 to 12. A separate Middle School Program runs in the summer.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/zero-robotics/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min_grade": 9, "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "ages": { "text": "Ages 14 to 20, and not enrolled in college, university or any other post-secondary education.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/zero-robotics/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "min": null, "max": null, "note": "Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "min_grade": 9, "max_grade": 12, "grade_range_status": "verified", "note": "The high school tournament runs in autumn. A separate middle school summer programme runs in partnership with local organisations. Availability varies by country and region.", "school_affiliation": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null }, "geography": { "text": "Open to teams from the United States and member states of the European Space Agency.", "status": "unconfirmed", "source": "https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/zero-robotics/", "checked": "2026-09-02", "note": "International teams should note that Zero Robotics cannot provide visa invitation letters or any personalised visa support. Visa applications must be handled by your school administration and the relevant US consulate. Source note: the only reference found for this was a third-party listing or encyclopedia, not the organiser. Eligibility must come from the organiser, so this is marked unconfirmed until a first-party page confirms it." }, "citizenship": { "text": null, "status": "unconfirmed", "source": null } }, "format": "team", "team_size": "Teams of 5 to 20 students with a primary mentor. European Space Agency teams beyond 10 students must justify the larger team in their application. Advisor registration is the only step required at registration time: student names are collected later in the season, after registration closes.", "location": "online", "regions": [ "United States", "Europe", "International partners" ], "cost": { "display": "Free", "usd_min": 0, "usd_max": 0, "note": "No registration or competition fees at any stage; MIT, NASA and the ISS National Lab sponsor the programme. Travel to the Finals is the only likely cost." }, "deadline": { "display": "Set locally, not published as a single national date", "iso": null, "status": "unknown", "note": "2027 dates not published; the only tournament listed as active at the time of checking was the 2026 Middle School Program. For reference, 2026 high school registration ran to 21 November 2025, and the Middle School Program has used a 1 May registration deadline." }, "event_dates": "Simulation rounds through autumn, with the ISS final in winter.", "difficulty": 3, "prizes": { "display": "Code executed aboard the International Space Station", "max_usd": 0, "detail": "Medals, trophies and individual recognition awards rather than cash prizes." }, "official_url": "https://zerorobotics.mit.edu/", "register_steps": [ "Check the official site for the current season and whether your region is participating.", "Register a team with a teacher or mentor as the point of contact.", "Work through the tutorials in the browser-based simulator, which requires no installation.", "Compete in the simulation rounds on the published schedule." ], "skills": [ "C or C++ programming", "Control algorithms", "Physics of motion without gravity", "Optimisation under constraints", "Collaborative code review" ], "resources": [ { "title": "Zero Robotics official site", "url": "https://zerorobotics.mit.edu/", "kind": "Official", "free": true, "note": "Registration, the browser simulator, tutorials and the tournament schedule." } ], "past_materials": [], "videos": [], "similar": [ "usaco", "rocketry-challenge", "first-robotics-competition", "robocup-junior" ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Do we need any hardware?", "a": "No. Everything runs in a browser-based simulator, and only the finalists' code runs on the real satellites, which is handled by the organisers and NASA." }, { "q": "Is it available outside the United States?", "a": "It has run with European and other international partners, but regional availability has varied between seasons. Check the official site for the current year." } ], "verified": { "date": "2026-08-29", "confidence": "unverified", "sources": [ "https://zerorobotics.mit.edu/" ], "caveats": "The simulator-to-ISS structure, free entry and team format follow the programme's published description. The current season's availability, schedule and regional participation were not confirmed during the last check, and this programme's schedule has varied between years. Confirm on zerorobotics.mit.edu before planning around it." }, "page": "https://competeu18.org/competitions/zero-robotics/", "difficulty_label": "Competitive" } ] }