Stockholm Junior Water Prize
An international water research prize with national competitions in over thirty countries.
Run by Stockholm International Water Institute, with the Water Environment Federation in the United States
Key facts
- Eligible grades
-
Grades 9 to 12
Public, private, independent and home-schooled students are all eligible in the US competition.Source, checked 2026-09-02
- Recommended preparation
-
A completed water-related research paper
Why: The entry is a research paper on improving water quality, water resources management or water and wastewater treatment, rated on methodology, subject knowledge and practical skills.Based on the published exam or entry format.The organiser publishes this as part of how you qualify or enter, so it is a real condition rather than our suggestion.
- Eligible ages
-
Must have reached the age of 15 by 1 August of the competition year
WEF states both a grade range and an age requirement, and both must be met.Source, checked 2026-09-02
- Individual or team
- Individual or team · Individual, or teams of up to two students.
- Where it runs
- In person · United States, International
- Entry cost
- FreeNo fee is mentioned on the WEF pages checked, but it is not stated explicitly either way.
- Registration deadline
- Set locally, not published as a single national date 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.
- Competition 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
- Highly competitiveNational-level field. Expect months of structured work, and usually a coach or a strong team.
- Prizes
- 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.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.
What Stockholm Junior Water Prize is
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 the competition 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 notes
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.
Is Stockholm Junior Water Prize right for you?
- Experience needed
- A completed research project. Many entrants adapt a science fair project rather than starting fresh.
- Time commitment
- Several months of research, then a paper and a presentation.
- What you actually do
- You submit a formal research paper and present your work to judges who are practising water professionals.
A good fit if
- Your science fair project touched water, sanitation or aquatic ecology
- You want an international stage with travel funded
- You want a less crowded route than ISEF
Probably not for you if
- Students without an original research project already underway
Common mistakes
- Stretching a loosely related project to fit. Judges are water professionals and can tell.
- Missing the state deadline, which is the only entry route and varies by state.
- Neglecting real-world applicability, which the judging criteria weight heavily.
How to register
- 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.
What skills you need
- Water chemistry or ecology
- Experimental design
- Scientific paper writing
- Presenting research to expert judges
Recommended resources
-
Stockholm Junior Water Prize
International rules, national organiser directory and past winning projects.
-
Water Environment Federation US competition
The US national organiser. Find your state member association here.
Past problems and materials
Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.
- Past winning papers
Summaries of past international and national winners.
Frequently asked questions
Can I enter the same project I took to a science fair?
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.
Is it open outside the United States?
Yes. More than thirty countries run national competitions feeding the Stockholm final. Find your national organiser through the Stockholm International Water Institute.
Reviews, tips and resources from other students
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