Science awards for high school students recognize the quality and impact of your work, rather than simply your participation in a program or course. Unlike enrichment programs or summer courses that focus on learning new concepts, science competitions and awards evaluate a finished scientific product, such as a research paper, a functional prototype, or an algorithmic solution. Winning an award shows that your work has been reviewed by experts and meets professional standards of originality, and clarity of presentation.
What do awards for high schoolers involve?
Applying for science awards involves completing a structured research or technical project from start to finish. In many cases, you’ll begin with a systematic literature review to understand existing research and identify a question or idea that is original and worth exploring. You will then move into experimental design or computational modeling, utilizing industry-standard tools such as Python for data processing, R or MATLAB for statistical inference, and LaTeX for technical document formatting. The submission process typically involves producing a formal research report, a scientific poster, or an oral defense. Evaluations are based on your ability to defend your methodology and demonstrate a deep understanding of the subject. To know more on the strategic benefits of these competitions, see the Horizon guide on science awards.
1. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Prize: Up to $250,000
Submission Deadline: November 6
Cost: Free
Location: Washington, DC (Finals)
Eligibility: High school seniors in the U.S. or U.S. citizens abroad
This competition requires the submission of an original scientific research report and an analysis of your leadership potential in STEM. As part of the selection process, you must undergo proctored interviews with professional scientists to demonstrate foundational knowledge in subjects such as cell biology, physics, or mathematics. Success depends not only on the quality of your project, but your ability to analyze complex challenges and communicate scientific ideas clearly.
2. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
Prize: Awards up to $75,000 from an $8m pool
Submission Deadline: Varies by regional fair
Cost: Free (Registration varies by local fair)
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Eligibility: Grades 9–12 who win at a Society-affiliated regional fair
In this competition, you’ll present an independent research project to doctoral-level judges in one of 21 categories, including areas such as Systems Software and Animal Sciences. The evaluation process includes a formal oral defense and a professional display of your research methodology and findings. Projects are typically judged multiple times at the local level before advancing to the international stage.
3. Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Prize: $10,000 – $100,000 scholarships
Submission Deadline: February 18
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual / Washington, DC
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or residents aged 18 or younger
This scholarship recognizes students who have completed a substantial piece of work that makes a meaningful contribution to fields such as Philosophy, Engineering, or Music. To apply, you must submit a formal report and a video presentation, accompanied by professional nominations from experts familiar with your work. Evaluation is based on the impact of your work in comparison to current professional standards in the field.
4. USA Biology Olympiad (USABO)
Prize: Medals and International Olympiad (IBO) placement
Submission Deadline: November 8
Cost: Free for students ($125 for schools)
Location: Virtual / University locations for finals
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
This multi-stage examination tests advanced knowledge of plant anatomy, genetics, and cell biology through a series of challenging examinations. Students who perform well in the early rounds attend a ten-day training camp that includes laboratory practicals in areas such as biochemical analysis and dissection. At the conclusion of the program, the top four students are selected to represent the United States at the international level.
5. USA Physics Olympiad (USAPhO)
Prize: U.S. Physics Team placement
Submission Deadline: January 21
Cost: $15.50 for students
Location: Online
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or residents in high school
The USA Physics Olympiad begins with the F=ma exam focusing on classical mechanics and algebraic problem-solving. Qualifying students move to a comprehensive exam covering additional subject areas such as electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and modern physics. The competition tests your ability to apply calculus-based physics to advanced theoretical models, while working under strict time constraints.
6. U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO)
Prize: National study camp and IChO placement
Submission Deadline: January 23
Cost: $12 – $25
Location: Local ACS chapters and colleges
Eligibility: High school students (U.S. citizenship for national round)
Hosted by the American Chemical Society, this chemistry competition challenges high school students through a series of local and national exams covering topics such as kinetics, electrochemistry, and organic chemistry. Top-performing students advance to a two-week study camp held at the University of Maryland. You will work with complex chemical datasets and develop specialized laboratory skills through hands-on training.
7. USA Computing Olympiad (USACO)
Prize: Training camp and IOI placement
Submission Deadline: Rolling (January – March)
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Eligibility: All high school students
This competition consists of four online contests where you solve advanced algorithmic programming problems using languages such as C++, Java, or Python. You must write code that passes hidden test cases within specific memory and time limits across divisions such as Gold and Platinum, with higher divisions featuring increasingly difficult challenges. High-ranking participants are invited to a summer camp to compete for the International Olympiad in Informatics.
8. BioGENEius Challenge
Prize: International recognition at BIO Convention
Submission Deadline: May 13
Cost: Free
Location: New York, NY (Finals)
Eligibility: Grades 9–12
This competition lets high school students conduct original biotechnology research in areas such as Global Healthcare and Sustainability. As part of the competition, you’ll present a digital poster and abstract to industry experts and academic researchers. You must demonstrate both the scientific merit of your biotechnology application and its potential for commercial implementation.
9. Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP)
Prize: $15,000 and international travel
Submission Deadline: April 15
Cost: Free
Location: Chicago, IL / Stockholm, Sweden
Eligibility: High school students (15+) with water-related projects
This prize focuses on research related to wastewater treatment, resource management, and water quality. To apply, you must submit a formal research paper adhering to professional citation and formatting standards. Entries are evaluated on research methodology, subject knowledge, and the practical implementation of proposed scientific solutions to water crises.
10. Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision
Prize: $10,000 savings bonds
Submission Deadline: February 9
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual / Washington, DC
Eligibility: K–12 students in teams of 2–4
In this competition, you select a current technology and project its development and societal impact ten years into the future. Your submission includes a formal research paper, an abstract, and sample web pages that illustrate your future vision and explain how technology may be presented or used in the future. You must identify the specific scientific breakthroughs required for your technology and analyze potential consequences, including its social, ethical and environmental impacts.
11. Singularity: AI Essay Contest by Veritas AI
Prize: Up to $2,490 in scholarships
Submission Deadline: April 26
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school students (9–12) worldwide
This contest challenges high school students to write an analytical essay on the risks and future possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI). Essay prompts are developed by researchers from Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As a participant, you will explore topics related to AI ethics and technological trends, synthesizing complex sociological and technical data into a well-supported and persuasive argument.
12. Congressional App Challenge
Prize: Display in U.S. Capitol
Submission Deadline: November 1
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual (by Congressional District)
Eligibility: Middle and high school students in participating districts
This competition lets students design and code an app that addresses a real-world problem through programming languages such as Kotlin or Swift. Projects often combine programming skills with UI/UX design to create applications that are practical and easy to use. Winning apps are featured on the House of Representatives website and displayed in the United States Capitol building.
13. Intel’s AI Impact Creators
Prize: $5,000 and Intel laptop
Submission Deadline: September
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Eligibility: Students aged 13–18
This global competition focuses on building AI projects that address real-world social and community challenges, such as tools for heart health check-ups or coding summarizers. To compete, you must develop a functional AI-driven solution that demonstrates technical capability and meaningful community impact. The program offers recognition and mentorship from Intel-powered professionals in the field.
14. VEX Robotics Competition
Prize: Awards and trophies
Submission Deadline: Rolling (May – June)
Cost: Free (for schools in REC Foundation)
Location: Multiple / Global Finals
Eligibility: High school students
In this competition, teams design and program robots to compete in game-based engineering challenges using platforms such as RobotC or VEXCode. Each round includes an autonomous period, where the robot operates entirely through pre-programmed instructions, and a controlled driving period, where team members manually operate the robot in real time. Throughout the process, you’ll develop skills in areas such as motor planning, sensor feedback mechanisms, and mechanical design to optimize robot performance across multiple rounds of competition.
15. CyberPatriot’s National Youth Cyber Defense Competition
Prize: Scholarship money
Submission Deadline: October 3
Cost: $205 / team
Location: Maryland (Finals)
Eligibility: Middle and high school students
This competition lets you take on the role of a newly hired IT professional tasked with managing the network of a small company. Working in a simulated cyber security environment, you’ll use virtual operating systems such as Linux and Windows to find and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The competition assesses your knowledge of core networking concepts, including IP addressing, subnetting, and network protocols under simulated attack conditions.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source: Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair