25 Science Research Competitions for High Schoolers
What’s Covered:
- Why Should You Enter a Science Research Competition?
- 25 Science Research Competitions for High Schoolers
- How Do Science Research Competitions Affect My Admissions Chances?
Participating in a science research competition as a high schooler can not only allow you to explore one of your passions, but also make you a more competitive candidate during the college admissions process. There’s a wide variety of science research competitions designed for high schoolers, including the high-profile contests listed below.
Why Should You Enter a Science Research Competition?
Entering a science research competition demonstrates that you take initiative and that you care about academics beyond the grades in your courses, both of which are qualities that colleges appreciate in prospective students.
Participation in competitions is already a strong extracurricular activity that’s likely to make your application more memorable, and successes—like making the finals or winning—can open additional doors, to scholarships or even research programs with professors once you get to college.
If competition isn’t really your thing, another way to showcase your initiative and skills is to work on an independent research paper. There are a number of ways to do independent research, including working with a high school teacher, reaching out to local professors, or taking part in a structured research program.
For example, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program is one type of structured research program tailored for high school students. In the program, you work one-on-one with a researcher on an independent research project. The program is run by researchers from Harvard and helps create the structure for you to get started quickly doing your own research. Many of Lumiere’s alums have used their research in the structured program to then apply to research competitions like ISEF.
Whether you participate in a structured program first or dive right into a competition, engaging in research allows you to deepen your understanding of one of your interests, while simultaneously boosting your profile for college admissions.
25 Science Research Competitions for High Schoolers
1. American Academy of Neurology Neuroscience Research Prize
Grades: 9-12
Type: National
The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Neuroscience Research Prize competition challenges students to investigate problems regarding the brain or nervous system. The competition is only open to individual students—group projects are ineligible. Teachers are encouraged to provide guidance and support; however, they should allow students to demonstrate their own creativity.
Winners receive a monetary prize and the chance to present their projects at the AAN Annual Meeting.
2. NCF-Envirothon
Grades: 9-12
Type: State, National, and International
Envirothon is North America’s largest environmental education competition, with more than 25,000 students participating in the multi-level competition each year. Student teams are first challenged at state-level competitions, with the winners moving on to face top teams from across the globe at the annual international competition.
The international competition is a six-day event held in a different location each summer—for example, on an open range of the American West one year, and at a coastal community in eastern Canada the next. Participants have the chance to win thousands of dollars in scholarships.
3. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
Grades: 9-12
Type: Local, Regional, and International
The Regeneron ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college STEM competition—high school students representing all 50 states and more than 70 countries, regions, and territories, take part. Students showcase independent research and compete across 22 categories for awards ranging from $500 to $75,000.
This is not a group-based competition—individual students enroll in local school science fairs before advancing to upper-level competitions in hopes of reaching the national stage.
4. National Science Bowl
Grades: 9-12
Type: National
Hosted by the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., the National Science Bowl is a highly publicized competition that tests students’ knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics, including biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, energy, and math. Students compete in teams of four (plus an alternate) and have a teacher who serves as an advisor.
The National Science Bowl is one of the largest science competitions in the country—roughly 344,000 students have participated in it throughout its 34-year history.
5. National Science Olympiad
Grades: 9-12
Type: State and National
One of the nation’s premier STEM competitions, the National Science Olympiad is the pinnacle of achievement for the country’s top Science Olympiad teams. Teams compete annually for the opportunity to win prizes and scholarships, including a one-time $10,000 Science Olympiad Founders’ Scholarship. About 6,000 teams compete each year, beginning at the regional level in hopes of reaching the national competition.
6. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Grades: 12
Type: National
Established in 1942 and hosted by the Society for Science, the Regeneron Science Talent Search is considered the nation’s most prestigious high school science research competition. The competition tasks young scientists with presenting their original research before a panel of nationally recognized professional scientists.
Of the roughly 1,800 entrants, 300 Regeneron STS scholars are selected—they and their schools are awarded $2,000 each. From that pool of scholars, 40 finalists are then identified to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they compete for an additional $1.8 million in awards, with a top prize of $250,000.
7. Stockholm Junior Water Prize
Grades: 9-12
Type: Regional, State, National, and International
In this competition, students from around the world seek to address the current and future water challenges facing the world. Competition for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize occurs on four levels: regional, state, national, and international.
- Regional winners receive a certificate and a nomination to compete in the state competition.
- State winners receive a medal and an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the national competition.
- National winners receive a trophy, a $10,000 scholarship, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the international competition in Stockholm, Sweden.
- International winners receive a crystal trophy and a $15,000 scholarship, along with a $5,000 award for their school.
In order to participate, students begin to research and develop a practical project proposal either individually or with a group.
8. TOPSS Competition for High School Psychology Students
Grades: 9-12
Type: National
To participate in this competition, students must submit a video (up to 3 minutes long) that demonstrates an interest in and understanding of a topic in psychology that they think could benefit their local community and improve lives. Students must utilize at least one peer-reviewed research study on their topic, and must include a closing slide citing their source(s). Up to three winners are chosen to receive a $300 scholarship.
9. Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) National Competition
Grades: 9-12
Type: Regional and National
The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium National Competition is one of the country’s longest-running STEM competitions—participants submit and present scientific research papers, and compete for military-sponsored undergraduate scholarships.
The JSHS national competition is designed to emulate a professional symposium. Research projects are organized into categories such as Environmental Science, Engineering and Technology, and Medicine and Health. After competing regionally, about 250 students are chosen to attend an annual symposium to showcase their work.
10. MIT THINK Scholars Program
Grades: 9-12
Type: National
In the fall of each year, students who have thoroughly explored the background of a potential research project and are looking to get it off the ground can present their proposals to a group of undergraduate students at MIT. If selected, students will be able to carry out their project, while receiving up to $1,000 in funding. They’ll also be invited to a four-day, all-expenses paid trip to MIT’s campus.
Finalists participate in weekly mentorship meetings and will have the opportunity to present their findings to MIT students and faculty at the end of the program.
11. Conrad Challenge
Grades: 9-12
Type: National
Teams of two to five students are tasked with designing and detailing project proposals to tackle various problems in categories such as Aerospace & Aviation, Health & Nutrition, Cyber-Technology & Security, and Energy & Environment. In doing so, they will identify problems in the world and come up with feasible and innovative solutions, while working with judges and mentors along the way.
Finalists will be selected from the competing teams and invited to the Innovation Summit in Houston, where they will pitch their projects to judges and potentially receive numerous prizes and awards, ranging from scholarships to professional networking opportunities.
12. USA Biolympiad Competition
Grades: 9-12
Type: National and International
Students will undergo multiple rounds of testing that will eventually pinpoint 20 finalists—out of nearly 10,000 students annually—for selection into a residential training program to represent the USA in the International Biology Olympiad. This is one of the most prestigious and difficult competitions for high school scientists–it is the ultimate test for students devoted to the future of biology.
13. Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Grades: 9-12
Type: National
While not exclusive to STEM, the Davidson Fellows program offers various major scholarships for students interested in careers in sciences—scholarship categories include Science, Technology, and Mathematics. The program requires students to submit significant work that is recognized as meaningful and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society.
Scholarships range from $10,000 to $50,000.
14. Destination Imagination
Grades: 9-12
Type: Regional, State, National, International
Destination Imagination is another worldwide competition that covers a variety of subjects, but it specializes in science-based challenges. Students will form teams and choose from a list of different challenges to compete in, in categories such as Technical, Scientific, and Engineering.
Students will solve these challenges and present their solutions in regional competitions. Regional winners will move on to statewide competitions before being invited to the Global Finals, where students from 36 states, 7 Canadian provinces, and 24 countries compete for awards.
15. Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Grades: 9-12
Type: National and International
For students looking for a more creative, unconventional competition, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge tasks students with creating a short two-minute video in which they explain a complex scientific concept and demonstrate how it works in practice.
Winning applicants will need to demonstrate immense creativity and deep understanding of complex scientific concepts. Rest assured, the prize is worth the difficulty, with awards including a $250,000 college scholarship, a $100,000 grant to the winner’s school for the development of a science lab, and a $50,000 award to a teacher of the winner’s choosing.
16. Biotechnology Institute BioGENEius Challenge
Grades: 9-12
Type: State and National
Students from across the country are invited to participate in the Biotechnology Institute’s BioGENEius Challenge, where they’re able to complete a project in the category of Healthcare, Sustainability, or Environment. Their project must be extensive, and produce concrete results, and they will then compete in either a local or a virtual “At-Large” competition, with other student competitors from around the world.
17. Genes in Space
Grades: 7-12
Type: National
For students interested in the science of space and its overlap with our current understanding of the human genome, this competition combines the two worlds by tasking students with designing a DNA experiment that addresses challenges in space exploration and travel.
Finalists receive mentorship from Harvard and MIT scientists and present their proposals to win the grand prize. The Genes in Space winner will travel to the Kennedy Space Center to see their experiment launched into space, and actually conducted on the International Space Station.
18. Odyssey of the Mind
Grades: 9-12
Type: Regional, State, and International
Students form teams to compete in a variety of STEM-based challenges during this global problem-solving competition, which culminates in the World Finals. Challenges change annually and can range from designing vehicles to building small structures that can support hundreds of pounds. These challenges are designed to encourage creativity in the performative and presentational elements of competition.
19. U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
Grades: 9-12
Type: Regional, National, International
Students interested in chemistry can participate in the USNCO, in which they’ll take rigorous exams to prove their skills in the field. Top test-takers will be selected to attend a prestigious Study Camp, where they’ll compete for the chance to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad. Interested students can contact their local coordinator, who can be found through the program’s website.
20. ArcGIS Online Competition
Grades: 9-12
Type: Regional, State, and National
This competition tasks high schoolers with conducting a research project connected to their home state, and eventually presenting their data in an ArcGIS StoryMap. This is a multi-level competition–participants compete at the school, state, and national level as they pursue top honors.
21. AAPT High School Physics Photo Contest
Grades: 9-12
Type: International
This unique international competition is presented by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and challenges students to create visual illustrations of natural and contrived phenomena, along with a written analysis of what the images are demonstrating. More than 1,000 students take part in this competition annually.
22. DNA Day Essay Contest
Grades: 9-12
Type: International
This annual competition asks high schoolers from around the globe to examine, question, and reflect on important topics in genetics. The essay can be no longer than 750 words and the prompt changes yearly. First place takes home $1,000, second place $600, and third place $400.
23. The Biomimicry Institute: Youth Design Challenge
Grades: 9-12
Type: International
Through this science competition, students are introduced to biomimicry—an interdisciplinary approach to science and environmental literacy. Students work as teams with an adult coach to search for bio-inspired ideas to solve real-world problems in support of a healthier planet.
24. TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science)
Grades: 9-12
Type: State and National
During this aptly named competition, students must work in teams to apply their knowledge of math and science to real-world engineering challenges. The three-part, themed competition includes design/build, multiple choice, and essay components, and the theme changes annually.
Beyond the chance to win an award, participants build valuable, broadly applicable skills like teamwork, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.
25. Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest
Grades: 9-12
Type: National
While not a research competition per se, aspiring scientists will want to look into this science-related competition. Participants are tasked with creating a video between 30 seconds and three minutes long, either on their own or in teams of up to three members. Students compete in three categories: science in your world, science in the field or lab, and science in the future.
Winners receive a $2,000 cash prize and a paid trip for them and a parent or guardian to visit the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
How Do Science Research Competitions Affect My Admissions Chances?
The influence your participation in science research competitions can have on your college admissions varies—considerations such as how well you performed and the prestige of the event factor into how admissions officers view the competition. That being said, the four tiers of extracurricular activities provide a good general guide for understanding how colleges view your activities outside the classroom.
The most esteemed and well-known science research competitions are organized into Tiers 1 and 2. Extracurricular activities in these categories are extremely rare, demonstrate exceptional achievement, and hold considerable sway with admissions officers. Tiers 3 and 4 are reserved for more modest accomplishments—like winning a regional (rather than a national) competition—and carry less weight at colleges than their higher-tiered counterparts.
Generally, participation in a science research competition will be considered at least a Tier 2 activity. As stated before, this varies depending on the competition and your performance. For example, being a finalist or winner in something like the Regeneron Science Talent Search or the International Biology Olympiad—prestigious national and international competitions—is very likely to be considered a Tier 1 achievement.
However, lower-tiered extracurriculars are still valuable, as they show colleges a more well-rounded picture of you as a student, and highlight your desire to pursue your interests outside of school.
Curious how your participation in science research competitions affects your odds of college admissions? Collegevine can help. Our free chancing calculator uses factors like grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities—like science research competitions— to calculate your chances of getting into hundreds of colleges across the country! You can even use the information provided to identify where you can improve your college profile and ultimately bolster your odds of getting into your dream school.
Disclaimer: This post includes content sponsored by Lumiere Education.
