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Preparation guides

Finding a competition is the easy half. These guides break each one into what to study, a plan that works backwards from the date, and the free practice material that already exists.

Math AIME Fifteen problems, three hours, integer answers only. Invitation required.

Grades1 to 12
CostUp to $25
PreparationA qualifying score on AMC 10 or AMC 12
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

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Math AMC 10 and AMC 12 The 75-minute exam that opens the door to the US math olympiad ladder.

Grades1 to 12
CostFree to $70
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

33 days left

Math AMC 8 A 40-minute, 25-question exam for middle schoolers and the natural first step into contest maths.

Grades1 to 8
CostFree to $30
RecommendedGrades 6 to 8
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

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Engineering American Rocketry Challenge Design a rocket that carries eggs to an exact altitude and returns them intact, to the second.

Grades6 to 12
Cost$100 to $1,000
FormatTeam
WhereIn person

85 days left

Math ARML Fifteen-student regional teams competing in relays and a power round over one intense weekend.

Grades1 to 12
Cost$100 to $800
PreparationComfort with olympiad-style problems, and a place on a regional team
FormatTeam
WhereIn person

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Math CEMC Contests Canada's national contest ladder, from grade 7 puzzles to the Canadian Computing Olympiad.

Grades7 to 12
CostUp to $20
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

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Science Chemistry Olympiad A local exam, a national exam, then a study camp that picks the four-person United States team.

Grades9 to 12
CostUp to $25
PreparationFamiliarity with a full first-year high school chemistry curriculum
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

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Coding Congressional App Challenge Build an app, compete only against students in your own congressional district, and win a display in the U.S. Capitol.

Grades6 to 12
CostFree
FormatEither
WhereOnline

44 days left

Business DECA Hundreds of role-play and written business events, competed through a school chapter up to an international conference.

Grades9 to 12
Cost$20 to $600
FormatEither
WhereIn person

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Business Diamond Challenge Pitch a business or social venture concept against teams from more than a hundred countries, for a prize pool above $100,000.

Grades9 to 12
CostFree
FormatTeam
WhereBoth

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Robotics FIRST Robotics Competition Build a 125-pound robot in six weeks, then compete in a stadium alliance game.

Grades9 to 12
Cost$500 to $8,000
FormatTeam
WhereIn person

66 days left

Coding International Olympiad in AI The newest international science olympiad, with a scientific round and a practical machine learning round.

Grades1 to 12
CostFree to $500
PreparationProgramming plus an understanding of machine learning fundamentals
FormatTeam
WhereBoth

170 days left

Writing John Locke Institute Essay Competition A free global essay prize in seven academic subjects, judged by academics from Oxford and Princeton.

Grades7 to 12
CostUp to $20
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline

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Math Math Kangaroo A friendly international puzzle contest that starts in grade 1.

Grades1 to 12
Cost$21 to $30
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

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Math Math Prize for Girls The largest cash prize in pre-college mathematics, open to girls and non-binary students.

Grades1 to 12
CostFree
PreparationAn AMC 10 or AMC 12 score above the year's cutoff
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

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Math MATHCOUNTS The national middle school math league, from your classroom to a televised countdown round.

Grades6 to 8
Cost$42 to $80
FormatEither
WhereIn person

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Math MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge Fourteen hours, one open-ended real-world problem, and a written mathematical model. Free, with six figures in scholarships.

Grades11 to 12
CostFree
FormatTeam
WhereOnline

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Debate and speech Model United Nations Represent a country in simulated UN committees, negotiate resolutions, and compete for awards at hundreds of conferences.

Grades6 to 12
Cost$25 to $1,500
FormatEither
WhereBoth

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Academic NACLO Solve puzzles in languages you have never seen, with no prior linguistics knowledge required.

Grades6 to 12
CostFree
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

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Civics and social science National High School Mock Trial Championship Argue a full fictional case as attorneys and witnesses in a real courtroom, judged by real judges.

Grades9 to 12
Cost$50 to $1,500
FormatTeam
WhereIn person

79 days left

Academic National History Day Original historical research presented as a paper, exhibit, documentary, performance or website.

Grades6 to 12
CostFree to $150
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatEither
WhereIn person

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Scholarships and challenges National Merit Scholarship Program The scholarship competition you enter by sitting the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year, whether you meant to or not.

Grades11 to 12
CostFree to $30
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

49 days left

Science National Science Bowl A fast buzzer competition across all sciences and maths, run free by the Department of Energy since 1991.

Grades6 to 12
CostFree to $50
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereIn person

72 days left

Writing New York Times Student Editorial Contest Write a 450-word evidence-based opinion piece on anything you care about, judged by Times editors.

Grades7 to 12
CostFree
FormatEither
WhereOnline

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Debate and speech NSDA National Tournament The largest academic competition in the world, reached by earning qualifying points on your district circuit.

Grades6 to 12
Cost$100 to $3,000
FormatEither
WhereIn person

184 days left

Science Physics Olympiad (F=ma) A 25-question mechanics exam that opens the pathway to the United States physics team.

Grades9 to 12
CostFree to $50
PreparationFluency with mechanics: kinematics, forces, energy and momentum
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline

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Coding picoCTF A free capture-the-flag cybersecurity competition designed specifically for students with no security background.

Grades6 to 12
CostFree
PreparationComfort with a command line and basic scripting
FormatTeam
WhereOnline

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Art and design Poetry Out Loud Memorise and perform published poems, from a classroom contest all the way to a national final in Washington.

Grades8 to 12
CostFree
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

176 days left

Math Purple Comet! Math Meet A free, online, team-based maths contest open to any school or club in the world.

Grades6 to 12
CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereOnline

184 days left

Academic Quiz Bowl (NAQT HSNCT) Buzzer-based team quiz across every academic subject, with a huge published archive of past questions.

Grades6 to 12
Cost$50 to $2,000
FormatTeam
WhereIn person

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Science Regeneron ISEF The world's largest pre-college science research competition, reached by winning your way up through affiliated fairs.

Grades9 to 12
CostFree to $50
PreparationAn ongoing research project and a win at an affiliated fair
FormatEither
WhereIn person

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Writing Scholastic Art and Writing Awards The longest-running recognition programme for creative teenagers in the United States, across 29 categories.

Grades7 to 12
Cost$15 to $40
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline

80 days left

Science Science Olympiad A 23-event team tournament covering everything from anatomy to bridge building, run at invitational, regional, state and national level.

Grades6 to 12
Cost$50 to $500
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatTeam
WhereIn person

Check site

Academic Scripps National Spelling Bee The most watched academic competition in America, reached through school, district and regional bees.

Grades1 to 8
CostFree to $225
FormatIndividual
WhereIn person

139 days left

Chess and strategy US Chess Scholastic National Championships National championships separated by grade, age and rating, so beginners are never paired against masters.

Grades1 to 12
Cost$30 to $200
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatEither
WhereIn person

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Science USA Biolympiad An open biology exam that narrows to twenty finalists and the four-person United States team at the International Biology Olympiad.

Grades9 to 12
Cost$125 to $125
PreparationFamiliarity with a full first-year high school biology curriculum
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline

41 days left

Coding USACO Free, worldwide algorithmic contests on a four-division ladder, and the route to Team USA at the IOI.

Grades6 to 12
CostFree
StructureDivisions by grade or level
FormatIndividual
WhereOnline

Check site