Regeneron Science Talent Search vs Elite Contest Coaching for Canada's Top Math Students

Comparing two elite STEM opportunities. Both are competitions for high school students.

Regeneron Science Talent Search Elite Contest Coaching for Canada's Top Math Students
Prestige Tier Tier 1 — Elite Tier 2 — Highly Competitive
Type Competition Competition
Organization Society for Science Spirit of Math
Acceptance Rate Approximately 0.2-0.3% (2% of ~2,000 applicants become Top 40 finalists; 15% become Top 300 scholars). Highly selective with ~2,000 projects submitted annually. Highly selective; approximately 12-16 students accepted per level/division (likely 5-10% acceptance rate given typical competition interest, though exact numbers not published)
Applicants Approximately 2,000 projects submitted per year; historically 147,000 students have competed since 1942 Not publicly disclosed; competitive nature suggests significant applicant pool
Deadline 2026-11-05 Rolling
Cost to Apply Free $0
US Only Yes No / International
Grades High school seniors only Grades 3-12 (Separate teams by division: Elementary, Middle School, High School)
College Impact Regeneron STS is considered one of the most prestigious high school science competitions and carries significant weight in college admissions, particularly for top-tier universities (Ivy League, MIT, ... Strong but context-dependent: Math competition honors and honor roll placements are viewed positively by college admissions officers, particularly for STEM programs and competitive universities, as th...