Best STEM Competitions for High Schoolers
Top stem competitions for high school students, ranked by prestige.
149 opportunities found
Regeneron ISEF 2026
RegeneronInternational Science and Engineering Fair - premier global STEM competition for high school students showcasing innovative research projects.
Elite Contest Coaching for Canada's Top Math Students
Spirit of MathMerit-based competitive math program for Grades 3-12 students competing in national and international mathematics contests.
Canadian Computing Competition (CCC)
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC), University of WaterlooFun programming challenge for secondary school students with beginner to advanced skills. Participants solve 5 algorithmic problems in 3 hours.
Zero Robotics High School Tournament
NASANational competition where high school students write code to direct autonomous satellites to divert a virtual comet from Earth's trajectory.
Stanford Math Tournament (SMT) 2026
Stanford UniversityIn-person math competition inviting ~800 students from across the US to compete at Stanford, with an online option available.
Regeneron Science Talent Search
Society for ScienceThe nation's oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school students, recognizing promising young scientists developing solu...
Science Talent Search (STS)
Society for ScienceCelebrating the 85th Science Talent Search, a premier science competition for high school students sponsored by Regeneron.
Congressional App Challenge
United States CongressMost prestigious prize in student computer science, transforming how Congress views STEM and coding.
ARML (American Regions Mathematics League)
American Regions Mathematics LeagueNational mathematics competition for high school students featuring team and individual rounds across multiple divisions.
AMC (American Mathematics Competitions)
Mathematical Association of America (MAA)Preeminent math competition for K-12 students with three levels (AMC 8, 10, 12) featuring 25-question multiple-choice tests to develop problem-solving...
United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) Challenges
United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT)Mathematical challenges including Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Mathematical Challenges with over 700,000 participants worldwide annually.
National Science Bowl
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)Nationwide academic competition testing students' knowledge in science and mathematics through fast-paced Q&A format.
MATE ROV Competition
MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education)Students design and build ROVs to tackle missions modeled after ocean workplace scenarios, with beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes.
Science Olympiad
Science OlympiadAcademic competition with 23 team events in STEM disciplines for middle and high school students, culminating in a national tournament.
Modeling the Future Challenge
Modeling the Future Challenge (SOA - Society of Actuaries)Real-world competition for high school students combining math modeling, data analysis, and risk management to analyze risks and make recommendations.
Regeneron ISEF Awards
Society for ScienceOver $7 million in awards, prizes and scholarships for 9th-12th grade finalists competing at Regeneron ISEF science competition.
CEMC - Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing
Centre for Education in Mathematics and ComputingMathematics and computing education programs and competitions for high school students.
International Mathematical Modeling Challenge (IM2C)
IM2C OrganizationInternational team competition promoting mathematical modeling and real-world problem-solving for secondary school students.
AFA CyberPatriot
Air Force Association (AFA)National cybersecurity competition for high school students to develop defensive cyber skills
Envirothon - Soil and Land Use Competition
National Envirothon Foundation (NCF)International environmental competition where high school students study soil characteristics, ecology, conservation practices, and land use planning.
MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) ROV Competition
MATE Center in partnership with Marine Technology Society ROV CommitteeStudents design and build underwater robots (ROVs) to tackle ocean workplace missions, developing STEM skills and professional competencies.
FIRST® Robotics Competition
FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)High school students design, program, and build industrial-sized robots to compete in themed games with adult mentorship and community engagement.
Aramco STEM Racing World Finals 2025
STEM RacingInternational STEM competition where high school teams design and race miniature cars, competing for world championship titles and awards.
Stanford Math Tournament (SMT)
Stanford University (run by Stanford students)Large university-run high school math tournament with ~800 participants, held on Stanford's campus in April.
Minnesota Envirothon
Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD)Outdoor field experience and academic competition for students ages 14-19 testing knowledge in Aquatics, Forestry, Soils & Land Use, Wildlife, and env...
Mathematical Association of America Student Programs
Mathematical Association of America (MAA)Youth programming and competitions including the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) to develop problem-solving skills and mathematical excellence...
FIRST® Tech Challenge
FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)Students design and build robots to compete in annual challenges, developing STEM skills and engineering innovation.
Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams
Lemelson-MIT Program at MITHigh school teams develop invention prototypes through hands-on STEM problem-solving and collaboration with community organizations.
Princeton University Mathematics Competition (PUMaC) 2025
Princeton University Math ClubAnnual mathematics competition for high school students run by Princeton University Math Club since 2006.
Society for Science Affiliated Fairs Network
Society for ScienceNetwork of local, regional, state and national science fairs across 70+ countries for 6th-12th grade students to compete and advance to ISEF.
American Computer Science League
American Computer Science League (ACSL)International computer science competition for pre-college students with regular season contests and end-of-year Finals.
CMIMC 2026 - Carnegie Mellon Informatics and Mathematics Competition
Carnegie Mellon UniversityHigh school math competition featuring individual and team rounds at Carnegie Mellon University with panels from renowned mathematicians.
CEMC Mathematics and Computing Contests
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC), University of WaterlooInternationally recognized mathematics and computing contests for Grades 5-12 designed to develop problem-solving skills and build confidence in math ...
Canadian National Mathematics League
Canadian National Mathematics LeagueNational mathematics competition for Canadian high school students with regional and national contests.
Future Problem Solving (FPS)
Future Problem Solving Program InternationalGlobal competition program empowering youth to solve real-world problems through various educational challenges and competitions.
RoboNation Programs
RoboNationPortfolio of robotics programs from K-12 to post-grad including underwater, aerial, and autonomous vehicle competitions.
ICPC Asia Pacific Championship
ICPC FoundationPremier programming competition for university students in Asia-Pacific region, a gateway to ICPC World Finals.
Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests (CSMC and CIMC)
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC), University of WaterlooTwo concurrent mathematics competitions for Canadian and international high school students to develop problem-solving abilities through 9 challenging...
FIRST Robotics Competition 2027 BIOCORE Season Registration
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)Updated registration process for FIRST Robotics Competition teams for the 2027 BIOCORE season with new dashboard and storefront features.
42nd Annual Science Olympiad National Tournament
Science Olympiad, University of Southern California (USC)The highest level of science competition for middle and high school teams across the nation, held at USC in Los Angeles.
College Board's Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) 2025-26
College BoardCollege-level courses and exams offered in high school. Qualifying scores earn college credit and/or advanced placement at nearly all US colleges and ...
Toshiba ExploraVision National Science Competition
Toshiba and NSTA (National Science Teachers Association)National science competition for high school teams to explore future technologies and innovative solutions to real-world problems.
Illinois Science Olympiad State Tournament
Illinois Science OlympiadState-level Science Olympiad competition for qualifying teams from Illinois regional tournaments, held in Urbana-Champaign.
National Science Olympiad 2026
Science OlympiadNational Science Olympiad tournament featuring competitions in STEM events across Division B and C at USC in Los Angeles.
Europe Women's Programming Contest 2026
ICPCIndividual algorithmic programming contest for women and non-binary students across Europe with online qualification and onsite finals.
JROTC National Robotics Championship
U.S. Army JROTCCadet-led teams design, build, and program robots to compete in VEX V5 Robotics challenges at the national championship.
PhysicsBowl
AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers)Annual competition for high school students answering 40 multiple choice physics questions in March/April.
2026 Science Olympiad National Tournament
Science Olympiad and University of Southern California (USC)National tournament for Science Olympiad teams, themed around Collaboration and innovation.
Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision
Toshiba and National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)A national STEM competition empowering students to imagine future solutions through research, design, and innovation.
STEM Racing
STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools)Global hands-on STEM competition where students aged 9-19 design, build, brand, and race miniature cars with real-world engineering and project manage...
BIEA International Youth STEM Innovation Competition (Chinese Region)
BIEA (British International Education Association)International STEM innovation competition for youth in the Chinese-speaking region, focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics proj...
Campfire Flagship
Hack ClubA competitive opportunity for high school students to showcase projects and innovations.
Math League Asia–Pacific Region
Math LeagueLeading program for developing mathematical thinking among primary and secondary school students through competitions and tournaments.
Purple Comet! Math Meet - High School Contest
Purple CometInternational online mathematics competition for high school students featuring challenging math problems.
Botball Robotics
NASA Robotics Alliance ProjectTeam-oriented robotics competition for middle and high school students involving design, build, programming, and documentation of robots.
2026 International SeaPerch Challenge
RoboNationUnderwater robotics competition where students design and build remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to complete real-world marine engineering challenges...
BEST Robotics Events
BEST RoboticsRobotics competition events hosted by various hubs across the United States
CMIMC Mini Events - Estimathon and Integration Competition
Carnegie Mellon University - CMIMCMind-bending math competitions including Estimathon (Fermi problems) and Integration Competition with live leaderboards and recognition for top scorer...
AAPT Contests and Competitions
American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)Various physics contests and competitions for high school students enhancing the physics community
picoCTF
Carnegie Mellon UniversityFree cybersecurity learning platform and competition covering foundational to advanced security topics including AI security and blockchain.
Botball Educational Robotics
KIPR (KInetic Intelligence and Robotics)Team-based robotics competition where middle and high school students design, build, and program fully autonomous robots using real engineering skills...
AtCoder Heuristic Contest 067
AtCoderProgramming contest focused on heuristic problem-solving. 4-hour contest to create better solutions to difficult optimization problems.
CEMC Mathematics and Computing Contests - School Registration
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC), University of WaterlooRegistration portal for schools to participate in CEMC mathematics and computing contests
SeaPerch Regional Competitions
SeaPerchRegional robotics competitions where teams compete in underwater robotics challenges with opportunities to qualify for the International SeaPerch Chal...
BEST Robotics 2026 Season
BEST RoboticsRegistration open for BEST Robotics 2026 season with multiple regional hubs offering kickoff, practice, and game day events.
JROTC Robotics Program
RECF (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation)Robotics competition program for Junior ROTC cadets from Army and Air Force programs nationwide.
Botball
KISS Institute for Practical Robotics (KIPR)Robotics competition program for high school students featuring team-based robot design, building, and programming challenges.
Destination Imagination
Destination ImaginationTeam-based creative project competition with STEAM focus offering unique educational experiences tailored to student needs.
VEX Robotics Competition (V5RC) for JROTC
REC FoundationVEX Robotics Competition for JROTC cadets across all military branches. Design, build, and program robots to compete at VEX Worlds and JROTC National ...
National Robotics Challenge
The National Robotics Challenge (NRC)Open-platform robotics competition for students grades 6-12+ emphasizing engineering creativity with low costs and no mandatory kit requirements.
The Tech Challenge
The Tech Museum of InnovationEngineering design competition where students solve real-world problems through collaborative team projects, culminating in an April showcase.
Assembly Language Programming
ACSL (American Computer Science League)ACSL competitive programming category focused on assembly language concepts and execution
STEM Racing Secondary
STEM RacingInternational STEM competition for students aged 11-19 to design, build, and race cars while developing engineering and project management skills.
NCF-Envirothon
National Conservation Foundation (NCF)North America's largest high school environmental education competition where students solve environmental problems across aquatic ecology, forestry, ...
California Mathematics League
California Mathematics LeagueState-level mathematics competition for middle and high school students in California with multiple grade-level contests.
Kattis Programming Contests
KattisOngoing competitive programming contests with varying difficulty levels and durations on the Kattis platform.
MINDS-i Robotics Competitions
MINDS-iTeam-based robotics competitions including drone events where students apply skills and creativity in a competitive environment.
ExploraVision Science Competition
Toshiba/NSTAVirtual/in-person STEM competition where K-12 teams pick a technology to improve, research, and submit creative project proposals.
WRO Our Future Innovators Category
WRO AssociationProject-based robotics competition where students create innovative solutions to real-world problems. Teams present their robot and project to judges.
2025 BEST Robotics Regional Championships
BEST RoboticsRegional robotics competitions including South's BEST, Denver BEST, and BEST of Texas championships for high school teams.
Technology Student Association (TSA)
Technology Student AssociationSTEM competition organization offering 40 high school competitions and 37 middle school competitions across various technology and engineering discipl...
FIRST LEGO League - BIOGLOW
FIRST InspiresTeams experience world ecosystems through BIOGLOW, part of FIRST CANOPY season with coding and innovation projects.
Kattis Programming Challenge Platform
KattisOnline programming competition platform with coding challenges and contests for students
Wolfram Challenges
Wolfram ResearchProgramming puzzles for the Wolfram Language to solve and compete
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) Programs
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF)STEM robotics competitions for students grades 3-12 promoting teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Destination Imagination Challenge Experience
Destination ImaginationA problem-solving competition where teams develop creative solutions to STEAM challenges and present at tournaments.
Mission 2026 Time Warp - Aerial Drone Competition
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF)An aerial drone competition featuring four missions: Teamwork, Autonomous Flight Skills, Piloting Skills, and Communications, designed to teach STEM s...
VEX Robotics Competition
VEX Robotics / REC FoundationAffordable education-based robotics competition platform inspiring interest in STEM with sports-like atmosphere and teamwork development.
RECF Robotics Competitions
RECF (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation)Student-led robotics competition where teams design, build, and program robots to compete in strategy-based games.
Wolfram Challenges: Programming Puzzles for the Wolfram Language
Wolfram ResearchProgramming puzzles and challenges for the Wolfram Language with competitive scoring and achievement levels.
CyLab Security Academy Competitions
CyLab Security AcademyTimed cybersecurity CTF competitions for US middle and high school students throughout the year with an annual flagship event.
Urban Schools Initiative
Science OlympiadScience Olympiad program providing support, training, and competition opportunities for students in urban schools through mentorship and regional comp...
Envirothon - Wildlife Study Area
National Conservation Foundation (NCF-Envirothon)Wildlife study area for Envirothon competition covering ecology, species identification, conservation, and habitat management.
Wisconsin Envirothon
Wisconsin Land+WaterAnnual statewide hands-on environmental science competition for middle and high school teams testing knowledge in aquatic ecology, forestry, soils, an...
National Writing Invitational - Scientific Writing Competition
National Writing InvitationalWrite an engaging 700-word explanation of a science, technology, engineering, math, or social sciences issue or question.
Army JROTC Raider Challenge
United States ArmyPremier competition for Army JROTC cadets featuring obstacle courses, rope bridges, strength tests, and first aid challenges.
ADC Pro - Advanced Drone Competition
RECF (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation)Educational drone competition for high school students focusing on drone piloting, autonomous flight, teamwork, and mission-based challenges.
Aquatic Ecology - Envirothon Competition
National EnvirothonStudy marine and freshwater ecology, assess aquatic ecosystem quality, identify organisms, manage watersheds, and mitigate pollution.
DoW STEM Programs
Department of War / Army Educational Outreach ProgramMultiple STEM competition and enrichment programs including eCYBERMISSION, GEMS summer program, and Junior Solar Sprint for middle and high school stu...
Ontario Envirothon
Forests CanadaEnvironmental competition for high school students in Ontario focusing on natural resource management and environmental science.
Texas Envirothon
University of Houston-Clear Lake Environmental Institute in cooperation with NCF-EnvirothonNorth America's largest high school environmental education competition focused on developing knowledgeable citizens for environmental stewardship.
CREATE Robotics
CREATE FoundationRobotics competition organization hosting U.S. Open tournaments for high school and middle school students.
NCF-Envirothon Annual Competition
National Envirothon Committee (NCF)Annual environmental science competition held in different U.S. states and Canadian provinces, addressing diverse environmental challenges.
2026 NCF-Envirothon Mississippi
NCF-EnvirothonEnvironmental science competition held at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi.
SkillsUSA Commercial Drones Competition
MINDS-i EducationTeam-based robotics competition where students apply engineering skills to commercial drone challenges in a real-world context.
Envirothon Asia Program
National Conservation Foundation (NCF)Environmental competition program in Asia including China and Singapore with hands-on outdoor experiences and academic study.
Envirothon Competition
EnvirothonEnvironmental science competition for high school teams across the US and Canada
BIEA International STEM Competition 2025/26
BIEA (British International Examinations Association)Global STEM competition challenging teams to design innovative solutions to reduce food waste across the supply chain.
Stanford University Mathematical Organization (SUMO)
Stanford UniversityBy-students-for-students math club hosting speaker series, tutoring, and the Stanford Math Tournament for high school students.
PLTW College Credits at the University of New Haven
University of New Haven / Project Lead The WayHigh school students from PLTW schools can earn college credit for eligible PLTW courses (2-3 credits each) through the University of New Haven.
AI Accelerator Program
Analytics VidhyaAI learning platform with daily challenges, competitions, and career opportunities to boost data science and machine learning skills.
National Crystal Growing Competition
Chemical Institute of CanadaStudents grow crystals and compete nationally for awards. 2025-2026 cycle uses aluminum potassium sulfate with flexible four-week growing period.
Competition Sciences
Competition SciencesPlatform hosting multiple STEM competitions including MATE ROV Competition and Future Problem Solving International
BEST Robotics
BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology)A robotics competition program empowering the next generation of STEM leaders through hands-on engineering challenges.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge
Thermo Fisher ScientificA challenge for junior innovators sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific
Global AI Debates
Global AI DebatesInternational debate competition on AI literacy for students ages 7-18, judged by experts from Harvard, MIT, and leading tech companies.
BIEA STEM 2022 Rebuild Challenge
BIEA (British Institute of Environmental and Applied Biology)Design sustainable school buildings for disaster-affected areas. Students create presentations with architectural plans and sustainable building conce...
Massachusetts Computer Science Olympiad (MACSO)
Brookline Computer Science InitiativeIn-person programming competition for Massachusetts high school students with online qualification stage and in-person finals.
International STEM Youth Innovation Competition
British International Education Association (BIEA)Annual international STEM competition for students aged 9-21 with rotating themes focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics innovat...
Destination Imagination Programs
Destination ImaginationTeam-based STEAM project competition and creative educational experiences with multiple program options for students.
Agentic AI Pioneer Challenge
Analytics VidhyaAI playground with daily challenges to test and boost data science skills, climb leaderboards, and unlock career opportunities
Math Kangaroo USA
Math Kangaroo USAInternational mathematics competition for K-12 students featuring problem-solving challenges, online classes, and engaging math activities.
BEST Robotics Regional Competitions 2025
BEST RoboticsRegional robotics competitions across multiple states including Denver BEST Region, South's BEST Region, and Texas BEST Region.
Junior Botball Challenge
KISS Institute for Practical RoboticsInteractive STEM program teaching robotics fundamentals through hands-on activities for students of all levels.
AI Battlefield
Analytics VidhyaTest your AI skills on the ultimate AI playground with daily challenges, leaderboard competition, and career opportunities.
Botball 2026 Season Registration - Full Kit
BotballComplete Botball robotics competition kit including registration, electronics, parts, 3D printer, and access to tournaments.
AAPT Photo Contest 2026
American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)Photo contest for high school students sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers
Math League
Math LeagueOnline and in-person math competitions for students grades 3-12, including summer tournaments and challenges.
Science Olympiad - Start a Team
Science OlympiadGuide for starting a Science Olympiad team at your middle or high school, including six steps for team building and competition preparation.
ESUS
Southern California Science OlympiadA Science Olympiad invitational tournament for high school students in Southern California.
Math League International Summer Challenge 2026
Math LeagueOnline math competition with seven grade levels featuring short answer and speed round contests held on August 16, 2026.
ALA-LA-MISS Mathematics League
ALA-LA-MISS Mathematics LeagueRegional mathematics competition for middle and high school students across Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Colorado Mathematics League
Colorado Mathematics LeagueMath competition league for high school students in Colorado with multiple contests throughout the season.
REC Foundation ADC Pro Drone Competition
REC FoundationEducational drone competition launching fall 2025 focused on drone technology, industry applications, and aviation career paths.
Math League Contests
Mathematics LeaguesMath competitions for high school students offered through schools across the US and Canada
Beaver Computing Challenge
Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC), University of WaterlooOnline multiple-choice contest introducing students to computer science concepts and problem-solving techniques.
Practice Problem: Loan Prediction III
Analytics VidhyaData science competition to predict loan approval using machine learning. Test your skills on a real-world business problem.
Purple Comet! Math Meet
Purple CometFree, annual, international online team mathematics competition for middle and high school students held since 2003.
BGSU NORTech Robotics Competition
Bowling Green State University (BGSU)Annual Northwest Ohio Regional Technology robotics competition for grades 6-12 students to compete in various robotics engineering challenges.
Botball 2026 - Returning Team Partial Reuse Kit Registration
BotballRegistration for returning Botball teams with partial reuse kit including electronics, metal parts, and access to tournaments.
Earth Science Week Contests
American Geosciences Institute (AGI)Four contests for Earth Science Week featuring photography, filmmaking, visual art, and writing categories.
Chem 13 News Exam Contest and Avogadro Exam Contest
University of Waterloo, Department of ChemistryOnline chemistry exams for Grade 11-12 students featuring 40 multiple-choice questions completed in 75 minutes, with scholarships available.
Texas Regional Volunteer - Junior Botball Challenge Day
Botball Educational Robotics ProgramStudents demonstrate computer science progress using autonomous robots by completing hands-on challenges at their skill level.
USESO 2026 Open Exam
United States Earth Science OrganizationRegistration for the 2026 USESO open exam competition in earth science for high school students.
Order Capital Round 2 (Codeforces Round 1104, Div. 1 + Div. 2)
Codeforces / Order Capital9-problem competitive programming contest in IMO mock format. 3-hour timed competition for all skill levels.
Plant the Moon Challenge: Summer Lab
Institute of Competition SciencesSelf-guided experiment growing vegetables in lunar or Martian soil simulant to explore plant growth in space conditions.
New Mexico Regional Junior Botball Challenge Day
Botball Educational Robotics ProgramA hands-on autonomous robotics event where students complete computer science challenges at their skill level using Botball robots.
Kettering University Robotics Programs and Events
Kettering UniversityRobotics competitions, field access, summer camps, and mentorship opportunities for high school and middle school students at Kettering University.
Zero Robotics
MITProgram real satellites aboard the International Space Station to compete in this robotics programming competition with live microgravity broadcasts.