Competitions for Student STEM Projects (2024-2025)

Are your students choosing science and engineering projects for the science fair? They may be able to enter their projects in other national competitions, too!

Above: Student with science project display board at the 2023 Central New York Science & Engineering Fair (CNYSEF).

Enter Science Projects in National Competitions

Are your students choosing science and engineering projects for the school fair or a classroom assignment? In addition to showcasing their independent science projects at a school or local science fair, students may be able to enter their projects in other national competitions. These competitions offer students the chance to share their work with a broader audience, earn scholarships, win prizes, and gain recognition. Participation in STEM competitions may open doors to future academic and career opportunities.

Update! View challenge information for the 2025-26 school year.

Finding an Independent Science Project

To find projects of interest of projects that address real-world challenges, students can:

• Use the Topic Selection Wizard: Students take a short survey about their interests, and the Topic Selection Wizard recommends projects they may especially enjoy.
• Look for projects that connect with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Students can browse projects related to SDGs by clicking "Science Projects" on the navigation bar, selecting "By Global Goals," and choosing a goal. For more information, see UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Science Projects.
• Browse projects by specific areas of science: Students can browse projects by areas of science by clicking "Science Projects" on the navigation bar, selecting "By Area of Science," and choosing from more than 40 areas of science and engineering. For students who already have an area of science they know they are interested in, this is a great way to streamline the project search.

Tip! For students working on advanced science fair projects, see the steps outlined in this post.

Educators! The Science Project Pathways tool makes it easy to set up a schedule for science projects to help keep everyone on track.

Beyond the School Science Fair

With challenges like the ones listed below, students may be able to enter their science or engineering project in multiple competitions—at school and in a national competition, for example. Students interested in participating in challenges beyond the school science fair will need to keep the requirements and themes of individual competitions in mind as they choose and design their science and engineering projects. It will also be important to look carefully at registration and submission deadlines.

Find information below about the following competitions, challenges, and special awards:

• Broadcom Coding with Commitment® award
• Congressional App Challenge
• National STEM Festival
• eCYBERMISSION
• Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)
• Other Science Fairs

Broadcom Coding with Commitment® — awards for middle school coding projects

Broadcom Coding with Commitment® is a program of the Broadcom Foundation that encourages students to use coding to create innovative solutions to real-world problems they care about. The program looks for coding projects that align with the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Eligibility: Students in grades 5-8 participating in a Broadcom Foundation-supported science fair, competition, or STEM showcase

Student registration: No separate registration required

Learn more about Broadcom Coding with Commitment®

Get inspired by recent award recipients

Congressional App Challenge — a coding challenge for middle and high school students

Hosted by members of the U.S. House of Representatives, this challenge invites students to develop an app on any theme or topic. Students can use any programming language (e.g., C, C++, Javascript, Python, Ruby) and any platform (e.g., PC, tablet, mobile). Winning teams are invited to Capitol Hill to demo their apps to their Representatives at a celebration called #HOUSEOFCODE.

Eligibility: Middle and high school students compete in the U.S. district they live in or attend school in. Students can work alone or on teams of up to four.

Student registration: Online at congressionalappchallenge.us until October 24, 2024

Deadline for submission: October 24, 2024

Complete rules and important dates

National STEM Festival — for projects focused on real-world problems

Students create a project that addresses a real-world problem that aligns with one of the six challenge themes and use the scientific method or engineering design process to develop a solution. Challenge themes include Aerospace Innovation, Environmental Stewardship, Future Food, Health & Medicine, Powering The Planet, and Tech for Good.

Top projects from every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories will be selected as Challenge Finalists. Finalists will move on to the second round of competition by submitting a video explaining their project. Up to 150 National Champions will earn a trip to the National STEM Festival in Washington DC, in March 2025.

Eligibility: Students in grades 7-12 in the U.S.

Student registration: Online at nationalstemfestival.com through October 20, 2024

Deadline for submission: October 20, 2024

View the National STEM Festival FAQ

eCYBERMISSION — a virtual STEM competition

eCYBERMISSION encourages students to use STEM to solve real-life problems. Students work in teams of 2-4 to do a science or engineering project that focuses on a community problem. (An adult advisor is required.)

Eligibility: Students in grades 6-9

Student and educator registration: Online at ecybermission.com through February 26, 2025

Deadline for submission: March 5, 2025

View the ecybermission FAQ

Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) — for STEM research projects

JSHS promotes STEM research and experimentation at the high school level and helps students explore future research opportunities, professional development, and STEM career connections. To enter, students submit a written report about their STEM research to their regional JSHS. Finalists advance to the National JSHS competition.

Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 in the U.S.

Student registration: Varies by region. To get started, find your JSHS region at jshs.org/students/find-your-region

Deadline for submission: Varies by region

Learn more about JSHS

Other Science Fairs

To find science fairs in your area, see the Science Fair Directory.

Why Do Science Projects

Having students do science and engineering projects offers a wide range of benefits for students. For more information and to get inspired about doing science and engineering projects with K-12 students, see:

• Why Integrate Science Projects in the Classroom—A Teacher's Perspective
• Why Do Science Projects and Science Fairs?