Inside the highly competitive university admissions landscape, extracurriculars are often the key differentiators. Educational competitions not only highlight your intellectual skills but also help demonstrate teamwork and problem-solving abilities. Discover our suggestions for the best competitions for high school students below!
STEM Competitions for High School Students
Technology Competitions
1. Davidson Fellows
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship competition awards generous $50,000, $25,000, and $10,000 scholarships to high-achieving students. Eligible students 18 years and younger who have completed “a significant piece of work” are eligible to apply. So, what counts as a “significant piece of work?” According to the Davidson Institute, they are looking for:
- Meaningful and original applications of existing knowledge
- Interdisciplinary discoveries
- Critical and innovative performances
And more!
Of course, students who have shown their accomplishments in other forms are also eligible to apply. The competition is open to individual students who meet the entry criteria and to teams of two, both of whom meet the entry requirements.
2. The Slingshot Challenge
The Slingshot Challenge is an initiative by the National Geographic Society that encourages young people aged 13 to 18 to plan innovative solutions to environmental problems. Participants can submit a one-minute video outlining their ideas for a chance to win up to $10,000 in funding to implement their projects.
3. Genes in Space
Do you have an idea for a genetics experiment that could address a challenge related to space exploration? The Genes in Space competition offers students the opportunity to participate in Space Biology Camp and to launch a DNA experiment into orbit for real!
Explore our full list of science competitions for high school students here!
Chemistry Competitions
1. American Chemical Society (ACS) High School Chemistry Olympiad
The ACS High School Chemistry Olympiad is one of the nation’s most prestigious chemistry competitions. This contest puts participants’ theoretical and practical knowledge of all aspects of the chemistry field to the ultimate test. The best part? The top performers get to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad!
2. International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)
One level higher than the ACS Olympiad is the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), the world’s premier chemistry competition for high school students. The event brings together teams of high school chemists from around the globe, all representing their home countries. The next event will take place in 2025 in the United Arab Emirates.
3. Chemical Educational Foundation’s The Challenge
Although it’s only open to middle school students in grades 5–8, the Chemical Educational Foundation’s The Challenge is an opportunity for budding scientists to explore their interests in STEM fields! Teams of 3–4 members compete in exciting, time-based rounds of questions and responses. Additionally, teams get to create original videos to “launch a start-up company” around community-based sustainability solutions.
Check out all of the best chemistry competitions for high school students here!
Neuroscience Competitions
1. American Academy of Neurology – Neuroscience Research Prize
The American Academy of Neurology is a research competition that awards the top three candidates with $1,000 prizes and the chance to present their work in front of the American Academy of Neurology! A panel of physicians and researchers judges submissions based on their hypotheses, methodologies, and data analyses.
2. International Brain Bee
The International Brain Bee is a multi-tiered competition based around oral and written neuroscience tests. Participants start by signing up for their local “bee,” where the top scorers advance to the national and, from there, international competitions. The competition was founded in 1998 and is growing every year!
3. The Art of Neuroscience
The Art of Neuroscience competition at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience was started in 2011 by a pioneering Dutch organization with the aim of inspiring neuroscientists to assess their work from a new perspective: art. In recent years, this one-of-a-kind competition has also accepted submissions from and granted awards to artists who have produced works inspired by the brain.
Discover our full list of neuroscience competitions for high school students here!
Astrophysics Competitions
1. Gerard K. O’Neill Space Settlement Contest
The Gerard K. O’Neill Space Settlement Contest is a fascinating competition that challenges high school students to design a settlement in outer space! Participants are invited to address the challenge from all angles, including space exploration and colonization, engineering, and community.
2. International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics
The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics is the ultimate international test of high school students’ knowledge of astronomy and astrophysics. The global competition brings together young scientists from around the world, encouraging friendly competition and collaboration among the brightest young astronomical and astrophysical minds.
3. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
Simply put, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is the largest science fair in the world. It’s an amazing opportunity for budding astrophysicists to present their research in the “Astronomy and Cosmology” subcategory.
Explore our recommended astrophysics competitions for high school students here!
Physics Competitions
1. International Physics Olympiad
The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is one of the most challenging high school physics exams in the world. The exam includes both theoretical (three questions) and practical/experimental (1–2 questions) tests. Just qualifying for the IPhO requires years of preparation. To get there, participants must climb through the local, regional, and national levels of competition. Ninety-two countries sent teams to the most recent edition of the IPhO!
2. F=ma Exam and U.S. Physics Team
The U.S. Physics Team is a group of talented and hardworking high school physicists who get to represent the United States at the IPhO. The F=ma exam is the qualifying examination that narrows the entire field of competitors down to the top 400 students. From there, just the top five scorers on the U.S. Physics Team exam make the cut to compete at the IPhO.
3. Beamline for Schools (BL4S)
The Beamline for Schools (BL4S) competition is an incredible opportunity for high school students to use a particle accelerator in a physics experiment! Teams submit written proposals, with diagrams, for an experiment they would love to conduct. Of course, it goes without saying that the experiment needs to require the use of a particle accelerator. The top teams win trips to either CERN in Switzerland or DESY in Germany to conduct their experiments for real!
Learn more about the top physics competitions for high school students here!
Math Competitions
1. InteGIRLS Math Competitions
InteGIRLS Math Competitions are fun math competitions organized by InteGIRLS chapters across the country. Competitions typically take place in the winter and spring and are open to school girls and nonbinary students.
2. American Mathematics Competition (AMC 10, AMC 12)
American Mathematics Competitions (AMC 10, AMC 12) are math competitions with long histories of highlighting young mathematical stars. Each one lasts 75 minutes and contains 25 multiple-choice questions. The AMC 10 competition covers topics up to 10th grade curricula, while AMC 12 goes through 12th grade (including topics like calculus and number theory). AMC 12 is also the starting point for American students interested in competing in the International Mathematical Olympiad.
3. American Regions Mathematics League (ARML)
The ARML is a dynamic, team-based math contest with five exciting rounds of play: team, power, individual, relay, and tiebreaker. This is a fun and challenging opportunity for budding mathematicians to put their math skills to the test in a collaborative format!
Read more about the best math competitions for high school students here!
Data Science Competitions
1. Kaggle Competitions
Kaggle Competitions is a reputable platform for online competitions and communities geared toward data scientists and machine learning practitioners. They offer a wide selection of ongoing competitions in various formats throughout the year. Regardless of your experience level, we highly recommend checking out these competitions!
2. National Science Bowl
The National Science Bowl is a student competition organized and hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy. It tests participants on a variety of scientific and mathematical topics, including data science. The competition has been held annually in late winter for 34 years!
3. DataCamp
DataCamp is an online learning platform for data scientists of all levels, including beginners. In addition to valuable resources and practice challenges, it organizes a variety of informal, online data science competitions throughout the year.
Explore our recommended data science competitions for high school students here!
Computer Science Competitions
1. Congressional App Challenge
The Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is an annual competition designed to encourage students to engage in coding and computer science by developing and submitting their own original apps. Open to students nationwide, the challenge aims to reach underserved, diverse, and rural populations, significantly impacting how Congress views computer science and STEM education.
2. American Computer Science League (ACSL)
The American Computer Science League (ACSL) organizes competitions for all levels of computer science ability; anyone who has a passion for computer science is encouraged to sign up! That said, the “Senior Division” is quite challenging. This level requires participants to solve problems related to Boolean Algebra and Digital Electronics and to solve at least one problem by programming in Python, C++, or Java. Competitions take place between November and March.
3. CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition
The CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, hosted by the Air Force Association (AFA), is uniquely specialized for a high school competition, assessing participating teams’ abilities to identify and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Teams of high school students compete online for one weekend a month in October, November, December, and January, and are judged based on how secure they are able to make each virtual operating system. The top teams over the course of the season win a group trip to Maryland, where they compete head-to-head with the other finalists for scholarships and national recognition.