Compete

128 competitions · 15 categories · every entry linked to its official source

Find the competition
you should be entering.

Every competition a student under 18 can enter, in one place. Search by subject, grade, cost or deadline, then use the preparation guides to actually get ready for it.

Never competed before Free to enter Online only Team competitions Preparation guides
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3dBreakthrough Junior Challenge 8dHMMT 18dCoca-Cola Scholars Program 24dYoungArts 27dWharton Investment Competition 33dAMC 10 and AMC 12 41dUSA Biolympiad 44dCongressional App Challenge

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One strong option from each of the biggest categories.

Browse by category

Every category page explains how that kind of competition actually works before it lists anything.

15 Math Timed problem-solving exams, proof olympiads and team math leagues. 19 Coding Algorithmic contests, app challenges, hackathons and cybersecurity events. 10 Robotics Build-and-compete robot leagues, drone racing and autonomous vehicle events. 23 Science Research fairs, subject olympiads and lab-based challenges. 22 Engineering Design-and-build challenges, bridges, rockets, planes and vehicles. 20 Business Pitch competitions, case studies, finance challenges and entrepreneurship. 19 Writing Fiction, poetry, essays, journalism and screenwriting prizes. 6 Debate and speech Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Model UN and oratory. 13 Art and design Visual art, photography, film, animation and design awards. 3 Music Performance competitions, composition prizes and ensemble festivals. 18 Academic Quiz bowl, geography and history bees, spelling and language contests. 9 Civics and social science Constitution, economics, law, and public policy competitions. 9 Environment Sustainability challenges, conservation projects and climate prizes. 2 Chess and strategy Scholastic chess championships and strategic games. 15 Scholarships and challenges Competitions whose main prize is money for education.

Deadlines coming up

See all upcoming deadlines

  1. 3d Breakthrough Junior Challenge Submissions are due no later than 15 September 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT. To be eligible for the scholarship you must also score at least five other submissions in the peer-to-peer review by 30 September 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT. Science
  2. 8d HMMT 20 September 2026 for both the November 2026 and February 2027 tournaments. Math
  3. 18d Coca-Cola Scholars Program The application opens Monday 3 August 2026 and closes at 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday 30 September 2026. Scholarships and challenges
  4. 24d YoungArts The 2027 application opened Tuesday 21 July 2026 and closes Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT. Art and design
  5. 27d Wharton Investment Competition Team roster due 9 October 2026; registration for 2026-27 has closed Business
  6. 33d AMC 10 and AMC 12 Regular registration closed 15 October 2026, which was the final deadline for new competition managers. Late registration closed 28 October 2026 and was open to returning competition managers only. Math
  7. 41d USA Biolympiad Two deadlines, both binding. The school must register and pay the $125 fee by 23 OCTOBER 2026. The final deadline for both schools and students to complete online registration is 15 NOVEMBER 2026. Student registration opened 7 August 2026. Science
  8. 44d Congressional App Challenge Submissions for 2026 close Monday 26 October 2026 at 12:00 pm ET. Coding

Browse by grade

Eligibility is the first thing that rules a competition out. Start with what you can actually enter.

Grade 123 Grade 224 Grade 328 Grade 433 Grade 534 Grade 674 Grade 785 Grade 887 Grade 9111 Grade 10111 Grade 11114 Grade 12116

Free to enter

See all 52 free competitions

Good first competitions

See all beginner-friendly competitions

Online competitions

See all competitions you can enter without travelling

Recently added or re-checked

The directory is maintained. Each entry records when it was last checked against the official source.

Common questions

What competitions can a 16 year old enter?

A 16 year old is usually in grade 10 or 11, which makes them eligible for most of this directory: the AMC 10 and AMC 12, USACO, FIRST Robotics, Regeneron ISEF, the Congressional App Challenge, the Diamond Challenge, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and most speech and debate circuits. See everything open to grade 11.

Are there free competitions for high school students?

Plenty, including some of the most respected ones. USACO, the Congressional App Challenge, Purple Comet, the Conrad Challenge and Technovation Girls all charge students nothing. Browse competitions with no entry fee. Note that a free entry fee does not always mean a free competition: robotics leagues in particular carry materials and travel costs, which each listing states.

I have never entered anything. Where do I start?

Pick something with a low entry barrier and a published archive of past problems or past winners, so you know exactly what you are walking into. The beginner list is filtered to competitions rated 1 or 2 out of 5 for difficulty.

How current is this information?

Every listing carries a verification date and a status: checked against the official site, partly verified, or not yet re-checked. Deadlines marked estimated have not been confirmed for the current cycle. Read how the data is maintained, and report anything that looks wrong.