How to Find Science Fairs and Other STEM Competitions

There are hundreds of science fairs, engineering fairs, and other STEM competitions held locally, nationally, and internationally every year. Some competitions require students to start at the local level and win in their category to advance. Other competitions are open to all students. The listings below include a collection of regional and state level science fairs for middle and high school students across the US. Each entry notes the city, state, website, and whether the fair can be entered by anyone ("open") or requires qualifying from another science fair ("qualify").

These fairs also have a Broadcom Coding with Commitment® award, which is available to students in grades 5-8. Broadcom Coding with Commitment highlights coding as an essential 21st-century skill, a language and design tool that empowers students to actively engage in solving the problems they are most passionate about in their communities.

Register with Science Buddies to receive occasional invitations to participate in STEM competitions. Local science fairs and engineering fairs can also be found by asking science/STEM teachers at nearby schools.

For a comprehensive list of fairs at the local, regional and state levels in the US, as well as a list of international fairs visit the Directory of Fairs Across the Nation and the World

Science Buddies Engineering Challenge

The Science Buddies Engineering Challenge is an annual K-12 engineering challenge open to students in the U.S. and around the globe. The goal is to inspire all students to try their hand at engineer. Materials are low-cost, and the time commitment is short. Participating schools and non-profit organizations are entered in a lottery for cash prizes. Students and educators can use project directions and lesson plans to explore previous Engineering Challenges.