- Grades1 to 12
- Cost$125 to $175
Online competitions
Competitions you can enter without travelling, either fully online or with an online qualifying round.
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatEither
WhereOnline
Writing
Adroit Prizes
A respected literary prize for secondary students, judged by working writers, with free entry available.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- Cost$15 to $15
PreparationA portfolio of poetry or prose ready for outside judging
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Coding
Battlecode
Write an AI that commands a team of virtual units against other students' AIs, with a high school bracket.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
PreparationConfident independent programming, and about a month of sustained work
FormatEither
WhereOnline
Coding
Bebras Challenge
A short online computational thinking challenge with no programming required, from age 8 upward.
Check site
- Grades1 to 12
- CostUp to $5
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Writing
Bennington Young Writers Awards
A three-category writing prize from a college known for its writing programme, with scholarship money attached.
Business
Blue Ocean Competition
A fully online entrepreneurship pitch competition with no written business plan required.
Science
Brain Bee
A neuroscience competition running from local chapters up to a world championship.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
53 days left
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatEither
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree to $400
PreparationReading Brain Facts or Neuroscience: The Science of the Brain
FormatIndividual
WhereBoth
Science
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Explain a hard scientific idea in a three-minute video, for a $250,000 scholarship package.
Check site
- Grades8 to 12
- CostFree
PreparationDeep understanding of one concept in physics, life sciences or mathematics
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Civics and social science
C-SPAN StudentCam
Make a short documentary on a national policy question, free, with a large cash prize pool.
6 days left
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatEither
WhereOnline
Scholarships and challenges
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
A $20,000 achievement-based scholarship for graduating seniors, awarded to 150 students a year.
Coding
Codeforces
Free short-format algorithmic contests several times a month, open to anyone with a rating attached.
133 days left
- Grades12 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
21 days left
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
PreparationImplementing algorithms under time pressure in C++, Java or Python
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Coding
Congressional App Challenge
Build an app, compete only against students in your own congressional district, and win a display in the U.S. Capitol.
Business
Conrad Challenge
A year-long innovation competition where teams build a product and a business around a real global problem.
Coding
CyberPatriot
Teams defend deliberately broken computer systems against a clock, from middle school upward.
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatEither
- WhereOnline
47 days left
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree to $499
- FormatTeam
- WhereBoth
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree to $250
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereOnline
Coding
CyberStart America
A free, game-based cybersecurity challenge with scholarships attached, open to US high school students.
Scholarships and challenges
Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Scholarships of up to $50,000 for a significant piece of work in science, technology, mathematics, literature, music or philosophy.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades1 to 12
- CostFree
PreparationA completed piece of work at or close to college graduate level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Business
Diamond Challenge
Pitch a business or social venture concept against teams from more than a hundred countries, for a prize pool above $100,000.
Art and design
Doodle for Google
Redesign the Google logo around an annual theme, with a scholarship and a day on the homepage at stake.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereBoth
Check site
- Grades1 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Engineering
eCYBERMISSION
Solve a problem in your own community using science or engineering, entirely online, for free.
Engineering
ExploraVision
Pick a technology, project it twenty years forward, and write the paper explaining how it gets there.
Check site
- Grades6 to 9
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
168 days left
- Grades1 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereOnline
Writing
Foyle Young Poets
A free international poetry award for 11 to 17 year olds, with a hundred winners chosen each year.
Music
From the Top Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
A scholarship award for outstanding young classical musicians with financial need, including a national radio appearance.
140 days left
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
325 days left
- Grades3 to 12
- CostFree
PreparationRepertoire ready for broadcast performance, plus demonstrated financial need
FormatIndividual
WhereBoth
Business
Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
A twelve-hour online startup sprint: the problem is revealed on the day and you pitch by the end of it.
Business
Harrington Foundation Accelerator
A free eight-week virtual accelerator ending in a live pitch, with real investment for the winner.
Debate and speech
Harvard Speech and Debate Tournament
One of the largest invitational tournaments in the country, over Presidents' Day weekend, with a full novice field.
Math
IM²C
A team modelling challenge with national rounds worldwide feeding an international judging round.
61 days left
- Grades9 to 12
- CostNot confirmed
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades7 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- Cost$100 to $2,000
- FormatEither
- WhereBoth
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
PreparationA strong result in COMAP's HiMCM or MidMCM
FormatTeam
WhereOnline
Academic
International Geography Bee
A buzzer geography competition with online qualifying, filling the gap left by the discontinued National Geographic Bee.
Check site
- Grades3 to 12
- Cost$10 to $500
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereBoth
Coding
International Olympiad in AI
The newest international science olympiad, with a scientific round and a practical machine learning round.
Check site
- Grades1 to 12
- CostFree to $500
PreparationProgramming plus an understanding of machine learning fundamentals
FormatTeam
WhereBoth
Business
InvestWrite
A free national essay competition on investing, judged on reasoning rather than returns.
173 days left
- Grades4 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Scholarships and challenges
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program
A five-year, individually advised scholarship for high-achieving students with financial need, applied for in grade 7.
Writing
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
A free global essay prize in seven academic subjects, judged by academics from Oxford and Princeton.
Check site
- Grades7 to 7
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
218 days left
- Grades7 to 12
- CostUp to $20
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Science
Junior Innovators Challenge
The premier middle school science research competition, entered by nomination from an affiliated science fair.
Math
MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge
Fourteen hours, one open-ended real-world problem, and a written mathematical model. Free, with six figures in scholarships.
Debate and speech
Model United Nations
Represent a country in simulated UN committees, negotiate resolutions, and compete for awards at hundreds of conferences.
Math
Modeling the Future Challenge
Analyse a real dataset, quantify a risk, and make a recommendation, mentored by a working actuary.
Coding
NASA App Development Challenge
Build software against a real NASA mission problem, free, with winning teams meeting NASA engineers.
Coding
NASEF Scholastic Esports
School-based esports leagues paired with a curriculum in production, broadcasting, analysis and game design.
Civics and social science
National Civics Bee
Write a short essay about a problem in your community, then defend it in a live civics quiz.
Business
National Economics Challenge
The only national economics competition for United States high school students, run in two divisions.
Check site
- Grades6 to 8
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereBoth
Check site
- Grades11 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- Cost$25 to $1,500
- FormatEither
- WhereBoth
Check site
- Grades11 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades6 to 8
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereBoth
146 days left
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereBoth
Academic
National History Bee and Bowl
Buzzer competition in history, run as both an individual bee and a team bowl, with online qualifying.
Check site
- Grades2 to 12
- Cost$10 to $800
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatEither
WhereBoth
Business
National Personal Finance Challenge
A team competition on earning, spending, saving, investing and managing credit, free to enter.
Writing
New York Times Student Editorial Contest
Write a 450-word evidence-based opinion piece on anything you care about, judged by Times editors.
Writing
NYT Student Podcast Contest
Make a five-minute podcast on any subject, free, judged by New York Times editors.
Writing
Ocean Awareness Contest
A free international contest accepting art, writing, film, music and interactive media on a yearly ocean and climate theme.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereBoth
Check site
- Grades7 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatEither
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades7 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatEither
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatEither
WhereOnline
Writing
Patriot's Pen
A short patriotic essay contest for middle school students, free, with national awards.
Science
Physics Olympiad (F=ma)
A 25-question mechanics exam that opens the pathway to the United States physics team.
Check site
- Grades6 to 8
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereBoth
52 days left
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree to $50
PreparationFluency with mechanics: kinematics, forces, energy and momentum
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Coding
picoCTF
A free capture-the-flag cybersecurity competition designed specifically for students with no security background.
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
PreparationComfort with a command line and basic scripting
FormatTeam
WhereOnline
Writing
Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Write about an elected official who took a politically courageous stand, for a $10,000 first prize.
Scholarships and challenges
Prudential Emerging Visionaries
Awards for young people using financial or social innovation to solve a problem in their community.
Math
Purple Comet! Math Meet
A free, online, team-based maths contest open to any school or club in the world.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
124 days left
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereOnline
Science
Regeneron Science Talent Search
The oldest and most prestigious science research competition for United States high school seniors.
Writing
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
The longest-running recognition programme for creative teenagers in the United States, across 29 categories.
Coding
Technovation Girls
A free global season where girls aged 8 to 18 build an app or AI project and pitch it as a venture.
187 days left
- Grades12 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereBoth
57 days left
- Grades7 to 12
- Cost$15 to $40
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
83 days left
- Grades3 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereOnline
Writing
The Concord Review
The only journal in the world that publishes academic history papers by secondary students.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- Cost$40 to $100
PreparationA research essay with endnotes and a bibliography, at a standard close to undergraduate work
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Environment
The Earth Prize
A global environmental sustainability competition for teenagers, free to enter, with a substantial prize pool.
Engineering
The Paradigm Challenge
Solve a real social problem however you like, from age four upward, with a large prize pool.
53 days left
- Grades7 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades1 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatEither
WhereOnline
Business
The Stock Market Game
Manage a virtual $100,000 portfolio against other school teams over a full trading season.
Science
USA Biolympiad
An open biology exam that narrows to twenty finalists and the four-person United States team at the International Biology Olympiad.
234 days left
- Grades4 to 12
- CostFree to $30
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- Cost$125 to $125
PreparationFamiliarity with a full first-year high school biology curriculum
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Coding
USACO
Free, worldwide algorithmic contests on a four-division ladder, and the route to Team USA at the IOI.
44 days left
- Grades6 to 12
- CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline
Art and design
Vans Custom Culture
Design and paint shoes as a school art team, competing for a large grant for your school's art programme.
Civics and social science
Voice of Democracy
Record a three-minute audio essay on a patriotic theme and compete for scholarships from local post to national level.
Coding
WAICY
A project-based global AI competition with tracks for art and video as well as technical builds.
Business
Wharton Investment Competition
Manage a virtual portfolio for a fictional client and defend your strategy to Wharton judges.
Debate and speech
World Scholar's Cup
A team academic competition combining debate, collaborative writing, a quiz bowl and a scholar's challenge, with rounds in dozens of countries.
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereBoth
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereBoth
52 days left
- Grades4 to 12
- CostFree to $100
- FormatEither
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereBoth
2 days left
- Grades6 to 12
- Cost$100 to $3,000
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereBoth
Writing
Write the World
Free monthly writing prompts with peer review and expert feedback built into the process.
Art and design
YoungArts
A national arts award across ten disciplines, and the sole route to a United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts nomination.
Engineering
Zero Robotics
Write code that controls a real satellite aboard the International Space Station.
Check site
- Grades7 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatIndividual
- WhereOnline
Check site
- Grades10 to 12
- CostFree to $35
- FormatIndividual
- WhereBoth
27 days left
- Grades9 to 12
- CostFree
- FormatTeam
- WhereOnline
Check site