Competitions

An investigative journalism competition run by Yale's undergraduate politics journal. Entries must be original reporting on a real, specific issue affecting the writer's local community, not opinion writing.

An annual open poetry contest run by the literary magazine Rattle. A winner and ten finalists are chosen through anonymised editor review and printed in the winter issue, and a separate Readers' Choice Award is then voted on by subscribers and entrants.

Meta's annual algorithmic programming contest, open to programmers worldwide of any skill level. A qualification round is followed by successive online elimination rounds leading to a final round.

One of the largest high school mathematics tournaments in the world, run by Harvard and MIT students and held twice a year, once at MIT and once at Harvard. Teams of up to six compete across individual, team and guts rounds.

An annual astronomy and astrophysics competition for high school students, with theoretical, data analysis and observational rounds. National teams are selected through each country's own astronomy olympiad.

A paid-entry writing competition run by Harvard's student newspaper with Crimson Education, judged across creative, argumentative and journalistic tracks. Entrants pick one of fifteen prompts and the top writers advance to a Global Final.

The longest-running recognition program for creative teenagers in the United States, judging original art and writing across 29 categories. Students first enter through a regional affiliate before national medalists are chosen.

A team cyber defense competition scored on how well a team secures a set of virtual operating systems against vulnerabilities. Top-scoring teams advance to an in-person National Finals round.

One of the largest poetry competitions in the world for young writers, free to enter on any theme or style. Winners are published in the Foyle Young Poets anthology and given Poetry Society membership.

An argumentative essay competition across ten subject categories in the humanities and social sciences. Entrants answer one of roughly thirty published questions, and shortlisted writers are invited to an academic conference and awards dinner.

A national arts award for US-based artists aged 15 to 18, judged by portfolio or audition across ten disciplines. Winners receive cash awards and ongoing professional support from YoungArts.

The largest monetary mathematics prize for young women, held annually at MIT. Around 300 contestants are invited based on their AMC score and sit 20 challenging problems in two and a half hours.

A buzzer-based history quiz competition covering world and US history across all eras and regions. Teams advance through regional tournaments to the National Championships by winning at least half their preliminary rounds.

The only quarterly journal publishing history research papers written by secondary school students. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis across four issue deadlines a year, and publication is the recognition.

The oldest science research competition for US high school seniors. Entrants submit an original, independent research project in science, mathematics or engineering along with a full application.

A team competition in which US high school students research monetary policy and current economic conditions. Strong submissions have a chance to be published in the Journal of Future Economists.

A global robotics competition for teams of two or three students, ages 8 to 19 (up to 22 in the Future Engineers category), plus a coach. Teams design, build and program a robot for the season's theme and qualify through their own country's national event.

An international creative contest on ocean and climate themes, open to art, writing, film, music and multimedia entries. Students respond to a new annual theme and a Gold Award is given in each age division.

The flagship FIRST robotics league for high school teams, who design, build and program a full-size competition robot during a short, intense build season. Teams compete at regional events before an international championship.

An annual science olympiad for students under sixteen, combining theory and practical tests across biology, chemistry and physics. Around 50 member countries send national delegations, selected through their own junior science olympiad.

A ten-week team investment challenge that uses the Wharton Investment Simulator. Teams are judged on the reasoning behind their strategy rather than their simulated portfolio return.

A global online competition inviting young people to propose original ideas addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Separate age tracks run for younger and older entrants.

An annual US art contest for K-12 students who redesign the Google logo around the year's theme. The National Winner's doodle appears on Google's homepage and the winner receives a college scholarship plus a technology grant for their school.

A national essay contest for US high school students on political courage. Entrants profile a US elected official, serving during or after 1917, who took a costly principled stand.

A year-long innovation and entrepreneurship challenge for teams of two to five students. Teams design a solution to a real-world problem in one of five categories and build out a business case and pitch.

One of the world's largest youth art contests, where children draw their vision of a future car. National contests run in dozens of countries and regions, and each country's winners advance to a World Contest in Japan.

One of the oldest and largest Model UN conferences for high school students, staffed by Harvard undergraduates. Delegations represent an assigned country or character across a range of simulated committees.

A global high school entrepreneurship competition with business and social-innovation tracks. Teams of two to four develop a venture concept, submit a written entry, and pitch live to advance.

A scholarship for students aged 18 and under who have completed a significant piece of original work at or near graduate level, judged by independent experts in the relevant field.

A long-running Latin examination that students worldwide sit through their own school at the level their teacher enters them for. Medals and certificates are awarded at multiple score bands.

A free international poetry and art contest on the watershed and natural place where a student lives. It is judged separately in poetry and art, with a Grand Prize in each age category.

The largest academic competition in the world by entrant count, spanning more than 40 speech and debate events. Students reach the National Tournament by qualifying at their district tournament series each spring.

A free capture-the-flag cybersecurity competition from Carnegie Mellon University's CyLab. The timed competition runs for about two weeks each spring and is open worldwide, with a separate ranked prize pool for eligible US middle and high school teams.

The final invitational round of the American Mathematics Competitions series. Students qualify through the AMC and AIME, sit six proof-based problems over two days, and top scorers are invited to the Mathematical Olympiad Program and considered for the US IMO team.

A free global sports analytics competition in which teams analyze real league data on a rotating sport theme to build predictions and a written analysis. Teams register with a teacher advisor and submit over roughly two months.

The largest pre-college science and engineering fair in the world. Students present an original research project after winning a place at a Society-affiliated regional, state or national fair.

The culmination of the DECA competitive year across marketing, finance, hospitality, management and entrepreneurship events. Members qualify by placing at their state or chartered association conference.

A global technology and entrepreneurship program for girls and gender-expansive youth, who build a mobile app or AI solution addressing a problem in their community. Teams submit a working app, a business plan and a pitch video.

A three-tiered neuroscience quiz competition for teens. Students who win their country's National Brain Bee go on to represent that country at the International Brain Bee World Championship.

A national personal finance competition for US high school teams. Teams build a financial plan for a given family scenario, starting with an online exam before advancing through state rounds to a national final.

A US team tournament spanning roughly 23 lab, study and build events each season. Teams advance from regional to state tournaments and then to the National Tournament.

A global team academic tournament combining debate, writing, a quiz bowl and a multi-subject test on an annual interdisciplinary theme. Teams advance from Regional Rounds to a Global Round and the Tournament of Champions at Yale.

A year-long historical research contest that runs from school affiliate contests to a national final. Students present their research as a paper, exhibit, documentary, website or performance on the year's theme.

A high school film festival held each year in New York City, screening student films and media arts projects. Selected filmmakers attend industry panels alongside the screenings and awards.

The oldest international science olympiad, held annually since 1959. Each country sends a team of up to six students to sit six proof-based problems in algebra, combinatorics, geometry and number theory over two days.

A theoretical and experimental physics competition for secondary school students who have not yet started university. National teams of up to five students, plus two team leaders, qualify through their own country's physics olympiad.

A theoretical and experimental chemistry competition for secondary school students, held annually since 1968. National teams of up to four students qualify through their own country's chemistry olympiad.

An annual biology competition for secondary school students, combining a written theory exam with hands on laboratory practicals. Each country sends a national team of up to four students selected through its own biology olympiad.

An annual competition for secondary school students who use logic and pattern recognition to work out the grammar, structure or script of an unfamiliar language. Students qualify by placing well in their own country's national linguistics olympiad.

The premier annual competitive programming olympiad for secondary school students. Contestants solve algorithmic tasks scored by an online judge over two five-hour on-site days, with national teams of up to four selected by their own country's informatics olympiad.