If you’re a high school student who enjoys science or exploring how things work, winter is a great time to get started. You’ll get to apply what you’ve learned, try out new ideas, and tackle practical problems in biology, chemistry, physics, or environmental science. You might work solo or team up with friends to design experiments, analyze data, and present your findings to judges.
Many competitions also offer feedback on your projects, helping you improve your research, communication, and critical thinking skills. Besides building confidence and problem-solving skills, you’ll get to meet other students who share your interests. Most winter competitions are typically held between December and February, and they usually fit smoothly into your schedule.
Whether you’re serious about STEM or just want to try something new this winter, here are 13 winter science competitions for high school students worth exploring.
13 Winter Science Competitions for High School Students
1. FIRST Robotics Competition
Location: Multiple locations
Cost: $6,300 per season, with additional fees listed here; grants are available to help cover these costs
Cohort Size: No fixed cohort size; each team usually includes 10–20 students and two adult lead coaches
Dates: The new challenge begins on January 10 and runs through April
Registration Deadline: November 18
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12, aged 14–18
The FIRST Robotics Competition offers an opportunity for high school students interested in robotics. You’ll build and program an industrial-sized robot to compete in a yearly, fast-paced field game. While it’s more than just coding, knowing basics like prototyping, CAD, and programming in Java, C++, or LabVIEW can give you a head start.
Starting with a Kit of Parts, you and your team will design, program, and build your robot to tackle the themed challenge for the year. You’ll work closely with adult mentors, learning to problem-solve, collaborate, and manage a team. You’ll also create a team identity, raise funds, and help promote STEM in your community. Teams are usually linked to schools or local organizations, but if there isn’t one nearby, you can start your own. Top teams can earn scholarships and cash prizes, and you’ll have access to resources to guide your team through the season.
2. USA Computing Olympiad (USACO)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: This year, 4,276 U.S. students participated in the contest
Dates: December 13–16 (First Contest) | January 24–27 (Second Contest) | February 21–24 (Third Contest) | March 21–24 (US Open)
Registration Deadline: You can create an account and register on the official USACO website at any time
Eligibility: All high school students
The United States of America Computing Olympiad (USACO) is a web-based programming competition for high school students. You will solve algorithmic problems across divisions, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, with each level getting harder as you improve. Contests run from December to early spring, usually one per month, and the final US Open serves as the national championship. Each contest lasts four hours, except for the US Open, which lasts five hours, and you will submit solutions online. You’ll start in the bronze division, and high scorers move up divisions. USACO provides free training resources and past problems with solutions to help you practice. Top performers earn national recognition and may be invited to training camps to prepare for international competitions. The top four U.S. students can represent the country at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI). The top four female students will be selected to compete at the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI).
3. Davidson Fellows
Location: Virtual; the awards reception will be held in Washington, DC
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: No fixed cohort size; students can participate individually or in a team of up to two people
Dates: Students must submit their work by February 11
Registration Deadline: November 3 – February 11
Eligibility: Students who are 18 or younger by the application deadline, are U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents living in the U.S., or are stationed overseas on active U.S. military duty, and who have completed a major project in one of the submission categories
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship recognizes talented students, 18 or younger, for outstanding work in STEM, Humanities, and Outside the Box projects. The application has two steps: first, you will submit a brief project description to check eligibility. Then, you will provide your nominators’ info, send them their forms, and submit all category-specific requirements. Scholarships of $100,000, $50,000, and $25,000 are awarded to students who have completed significant work in various categories, including Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, and Outside the Box. “Significant work” means accomplishments that experts see as meaningful and with the potential to benefit society. It could be a creative use of existing knowledge, a high-impact new idea, an innovative solution with wide applications, or an advancement that others can build on.
4. USA Biolympiad (USABO)
Location: The open and semifinal exams are held online; the National Finals, including the training camp and awards ceremony, are hosted by a different institution each year
Cost: The registration fee is $125 per school, no matter how many students participate
Cohort Size: Around 12,000 students register each year
Dates: February 4 (Online Open Exam) | March 4 (Semifinal Exam); the National Finals take place from June 21 to July 2
Registration Deadline: August 7 – November 8
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12, or students not yet formally enrolled in college, who are permanent U.S. residents and attend a registered school
The USA Biolympiad (USABO) is a biology competition for U.S. high school students. The competition starts with the USABO Open Exam, a 50-minute multiple-choice test available to any biology student at a registered U.S. high school, hosted on the Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) platform. The top 10% of test-takers move on to the Semifinal Exam, which adds short-answer, multiple true/false, and free-response questions. The top 20 semifinalists advance to the National Finals, where you’ll work alongside leading biologists, attend guest talks, and take exams to compete for a spot on the USA Biolympiad Team. The four gold medalists from the finals earn the chance to represent the U.S. at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO), a global competition with teams from over 70 countries. This competition will help you develop critical thinking, lab skills, and biological reasoning, while exploring your curiosity in science.
5. ExploraVision
Location: Virtual; the awards weekend will be held in Washington, DC
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: No set cohort size; teams consist of 2–4 students, led by a teacher or coach, with an optional mentor
Dates: Projects must be submitted online by February 3; regional winners are announced on March 9, national winners on April 27, and the awards weekend runs from June 3–6
Registration Deadline: February 3
Eligibility: K–12 students under 21 who are U.S. or Canadian citizens, reside in the U.S., U.S. Territories, Armed Forces locations, or Canada, and are enrolled full-time in a public, private, parochial, virtual, or homeschool can apply
ExploraVision is a STEM competition for K–12 students. You’ll work in a team of 2–4 students, select a technology, research its functionality and purpose, and predict its potential evolution. You’ll explore the breakthroughs needed to make your idea real and consider its potential benefits and risks for society. Your team will write a paper and create web pages to explain your ideas. Finalists for grades 4–12 also build a prototype and an actual website to showcase their vision. Categories are based on the oldest team member: Primary, Upper Elementary, Middle, and High School, and each is judged separately. Through the project, you’ll practice problem-solving, teamwork, and communication. You’ll learn across subjects like STEM, English, research, and history. Prizes include $10,000 savings bonds for first-place team members and $5,000 for second-place winners, a trip to Washington, D.C. in June for national winners and their families, and a Chromebook for regional winners. You can check here for more information.
6. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Location: Virtual; the finals will be held in Washington, DC
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: About 2,500 students participate in the Regeneron Science Talent Search each year
Dates: The top 300 scholars are announced on January 7, the top 40 finalists on January 21, and the Regeneron STS Finals Week runs from March 5 to March 11
Registration Deadline: June 1 – November 6
Eligibility: Any student in their final year of high school in the U.S. or its territories can apply, regardless of citizenship; U.S. citizens living abroad may also be eligible
Regeneron STS is the nation’s oldest science competition for high school seniors, which provides them with a platform to present original research in science, math, or engineering. You’ll conduct an independent research project, write a report with data and results, and submit it as part of your application. Projects from any high school year are eligible, but only if you’ve collected data and can discuss your findings in the paper and essays. All eligible entrants receive a T-shirt, laptop stickers, and a free one-year digital subscription to Science News. Each year, 300 student scholars are chosen, each receiving $2,000, with their schools receiving the same amount. From those, 40 finalists earn an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they will compete for at least $25,000, share their research publicly, and meet scientists, engineers, and national leaders.
7. United States Invitational for Young Physicists Tournament (USIYPT)
Location: Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
Cost: Last year’s registration fee was $1,100 per team, which included up to four students and two faculty members; each additional student or teacher cost $400
Cohort Size: No fixed cohort size; each team can include 3–4 students from the same high school and up to two coaches
Dates: January 31 – February 1
Registration Deadline: This is an invitation-only tournament
Eligibility: The tournament is invite-only; all team members must be registered students at selected U.S. or international secondary schools
The U.S. Invitational Young Physicists Tournament (USIYPT) is an international physics competition that mixes research and debate. You will study four assigned problems with your team and present your solutions in “physics fights,” where one team presents and another asks questions, mimicking the kind of scientific discussions you’d see at professional conferences. This year’s problems include topics like Photometry of Flash Bulbs, Eddy Currents and Braking Forces, the Euler-Eytelwein Equation, and Multi-Bounce Kinematics. The two-day tournament features six or seven preliminary rounds, four final rounds, and a poster session. Teams will be judged on their understanding of theory, use of experimental evidence, and ability to communicate and debate effectively. Top-scoring teams will advance to the finals, while others will get to present their work in the Poster Session.
8. National Science Bowl (NSB)
Location: Regional rounds take place either online or in person at various locations across the U.S.; the National Science Bowl Finals are held in Washington, DC
Cost: Free of cost
Cohort Size: Around 10,000 students register each year; each team consists of 4–5 students and a coach
Dates: Regional rounds are held from January to March; the National Finals take place from April 30 to May 4
Registration Deadline: October 6 – November 23 (Regional Rounds); regional round dates vary, and students must register at least three weeks before their chosen event
Eligibility: Middle school and high school students
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl is a nationwide competition where middle and high school teams test their science and math knowledge. Teams usually have four students, one alternate, and a teacher acting as a coach. You’ll compete in a fast-paced Q&A format covering topics like biology, physics, chemistry, energy, Earth science, and math. High school questions span seven categories at roughly a college freshman level, and studying AP material or working with teachers and peers can help. Questions start easier in early rounds and get harder as the competition progresses, with regional questions being simpler than national ones. Regional winners are invited to the National event in Washington, DC, in April or May, where they attend seminars, explore the city, and compete in the national rounds.
9. Zero Robotics: Lost in Space High School Competition
Location: Teams compete in person at their schools or community organizations, with some online flexibility; the LIVE International Space Station Finals take place at MIT in Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: Around 10–20 teams are invited, each with 5–25 students and an adult advisor
Dates: January 13 – February 21
Registration Deadline: This is an invite-only tournament; you can fill out the request for consideration form by December 31
Eligibility: High school students
Zero Robotics gives high school students a hands-on introduction to robotics, programming, and space engineering by letting them program Astrobee Satellites. The program aims to make space and STEM concepts real and exciting through collaborative, competitive challenges. In the competition, you’ll program your satellite to control its speed, rotation, and direction as well as navigate obstacles and conserve fuel. The satellites run autonomously, so you won’t control them directly during the challenge. Each year’s game is based on a problem inspired by NASA and MIT. You’ll write, edit, and test your code online using a web-based simulator, and no downloads or special setups are required. After multiple virtual rounds, top teams will advance to a live final aboard the International Space Station, where an astronaut will run the competition and stream it back to MIT for everyone to watch.
10. Genes in Space
Location: Virtual; the location of the in-person final round varies every year
Cost: Free of cost
Cohort Size: No fixed cohort size; students can participate individually or in teams of two
Dates: Projects can be submitted anytime from January 5 to April 14, and winners will be announced in July
Registration Deadline: January 5 – April 14
Eligibility: U.S. students in grades 7–12
Genes in Space is a national science contest for students in grades 7–12, where you’ll get to design a DNA experiment for space. The winning experiment gets conducted on the International Space Station. You’ll pick a space biology topic that interests you and use the Student Resources page for ideas. Your project should focus on a molecular or genetic question that can be tested. You’ll define an open question, set a hypothesis or research goal, and choose an experimental approach using the Genes in Space Toolkit that astronauts use on the ISS. Finalists and awardees will receive complete P51 Fluorescence Biotechnology Kits for their schools, including viewers, micropipettes, and learning materials. The contest winner will attend Space Biology Camp to prepare their experiment for space travel. Once approved, the experiment will be conducted aboard the ISS. The launch date will be determined after the winners are announced.
11. MAA American Mathematics Competitions (AMC)
Location: Multiple locations
Cost: $55–$115 registration fee, depending on the date of registration
Cohort Size: No fixed cohort size; over 300,000 students participate in the AMC each year
Dates: Multiple competitions held
Registration Deadline: Varies based on competition
Eligibility: Participants must be enrolled full-time at an accredited school or be homeschooled in the U.S. or Canada
The AMC is a math competition for middle and high school students, which has different age and grade limits for each level. The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute test for students in grades 8 and below. It focuses on topics like counting and probability, basic geometry, estimation, proportional reasoning, spatial visualization, and interpreting graphs and tables. The AMC 10 is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice test for students in grades 10 and below. It covers elementary algebra, elementary number theory, basic geometry, area and volume formulas, and probability. The AMC 12 is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice test for students in grades 12 and below, covering the full high school math curriculum, including trigonometry, advanced algebra, and advanced geometry. If you excel on the AMC 10 or 12, you may be invited to additional competitions, which take place in February and March.
12. American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME)
Location: Multiple locations; you must take the AIME at the same location where you took their AMC 10 or AMC 12 exam
Cost: Free of cost
Cohort Size: No fixed cohort size; approximately 12,000–15,000 students qualify for the AIME each year
Dates: February 5 (AIME I) | February 11 (AIME II)
Registration Deadline: There’s no registration deadline since this is an invite-only competition; you can check the details here
Eligibility: This is an invite-only competition for high school students who performed exceptionally well on the AMC 10 or AMC 12; you can check the AIME thresholds here
The American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) is a tough math contest for high school students who scored very well on the AMC 10 or AMC 12. The exam has 15 questions and lasts 3 hours, with each answer being an integer from 0 to 999. The problems are more challenging than those on the AMC tests. There are two dates, AIME I and AIME II, but you can only take the test once. Eligibility depends on AMC results: the top 2.5% of AMC 10 scorers and the top 5% of AMC 12 scorers usually get invitations, though exact cutoffs vary by test difficulty. High scorers on the AIME are then invited to compete in the USA Mathematical Olympiad and Junior Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO and USAJMO).
13. IAC “Miami Winter” Tournament
Location: Ransom Everglades Middle School, Miami, FL
Cost: Registration costs $50 per Bee and $20 per Exam
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: March 7
Registration Deadline: February 23
Eligibility: K–12 students from any state can participate, as long as they haven’t played the same set of questions this academic year; high school students (grades 9–12) don’t need any prerequisites to join
The IAC “Miami Winter” Tournament is a buzzer-based competition for K–12 students. At the event, there will be three buzzer-based bees: the National Science Bee, the National History Bee, and the National Geography Bee. Each bee starts with three preliminary rounds, and each round consists of 30 questions. The top students from each division will advance to a final round where awards are determined. The top 50% of students in each division will qualify for the National Championships for their division, while the top one-third of students in each division will move on to the International Championships for that subject.
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 Science Talent Search (STS)