Students are often motivated by the opportunity to win money and prizes in contests and competitions. While learning is its own reward, the added incentive of recognition and prizes can push students to perform their best. Here is a curated list of the best contests and competitions for students at different educational levels.
Contests and Competitions for High School Students
The Edit is a digital storytelling challenge that helps middle and high school students develop critical communication and collaboration skills. Students create their own 90-second video news reports on wellness topics and have the chance to win prizes like GoPros and gift cards.
AdCap Challenge
Students can submit their ideas to create meaningful change and promote healthier school communities. The winning projects receive funding to bring their ideas to life.
AFSA National High School Essay Contest
This essay contest delves into international relations, history, and writing. Winners receive cash prizes, full tuition to a Semester at Sea program, and a trip to Washington, D.C.
All American High School Film Festival
Student films screened at a prominent theater in Times Square have the chance to win over $500,000 in prizes and scholarships during this film festival.
ArtEffect Project
This project encourages students to celebrate unsung heroes through creative storytelling in various art forms. Winners can receive substantial prizes for their work.
Blue Ocean Competition
High school students can pitch their innovative business ideas for the chance to win prize money and receive feedback from experts.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Students present scientific ideas in video form for the chance to win college scholarships and prizes for their teachers and schools.
BUILD’s Design Challenge
Students in grades 7–12 use design thinking to solve real-world challenges, developing entrepreneurial skills and empathy in the process.
Congressional Art Competition
This nationwide visual art competition recognizes winners at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., with winning works displayed at the U.S. Capitol.
Conrad Challenge
Teams of students work together to design innovations that solve important problems, competing for scholarships, legal services, and other prizes.
C-SPAN’s StudentCam Competition
Students create documentaries based on an annual theme, with the opportunity to showcase their work nationally.
DECA Competitive Events
DECA prepares students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management through various competitive events held throughout the year.
International Compost Awareness Week Poster Contest
Students create posters for International Compost Awareness Week, with cash prizes and professional production opportunities for the winners.
Jane Austen Essay Contest
High school students can win scholarship money by writing essays on different Austen themes each year.
NAQT Quiz Bowl
This buzzer competition covers academic subjects and popular culture, with winners advancing to regional and national championships.
National Academic League
Student teams compete in academic challenges aligned with national standards, emphasizing cooperation and teamwork.
National History Day (NHD) Contest
NHD promotes critical thinking skills through project-based learning, with top entries advancing to state and national contests.
National Young Composers Challenge
Students compose music for ensembles, with winners having their compositions performed by professional orchestras.
New York Times Student Writing Contests
Monthly writing contests for students ages 13 to 19 cover various topics, offering opportunities for young writers and journalists.
PicoCTF Cybersecurity Competition
This computer security game challenges students to solve hacking challenges legally, providing hands-on experience in cybersecurity.
Princeton 10-Minute Play Contest
High school playwrights can submit short plays for a chance to win cash prizes and recognition from Princeton University.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
This prestigious recognition program awards scholarships to creative teens, showcasing their talents to leaders in the arts.
Solve for Tomorrow
Students and teachers collaborate on STEM projects that address community needs, competing for a share of $2 million in prizes.
Space Settlement Design Competitions
High school students simulate aerospace design teams, developing cooperation and communication skills with the chance to win a trip to Kennedy Space Center.
Stossel in the Classroom
Students can enter essay and video contests on entrepreneurship and innovation, competing for cash prizes and bonus awards for teachers.
United States Academic Decathlon
This scholastic competition challenges teams of high school students in various academic events, testing their knowledge and skills.
U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
High school students compete in chemistry exams, with winners advancing to study camps and international competitions.
World of 8 Billion Video Contest
Students create videos on global challenges, with cash prizes awarded for the best entries.
Contests and Competitions for Middle School Students
ArtEffect Project
The ArtEffect Project encourages middle and high school students to use creative storytelling to celebrate unsung heroes, offering prizes for outstanding projects.
BUILD’s Design Challenge
Students in grades 7–12 develop entrepreneurial skills and empathy by using design thinking to solve real-world challenges.
C-SPAN’s StudentCam Competition
This national contest invites middle and high school students to create documentaries based on an annual theme.
Future City Competition
Students in grades 6–8 imagine, research, and design futuristic cities in this project-based learning program.
The Hardest Math Problem
This contest challenges students in grades 6–8 to practice critical thinking and computation skills with the chance to win prizes.
NAQT Quiz Bowl
Quiz Bowl competitions test teams of students on academic subjects and popular culture, with winners advancing to regional and national championships.
National Academic League
Student teams in middle and high school compete in academic challenges, emphasizing teamwork and cooperation.
National History Day (NHD) Contest
NHD promotes critical thinking through project-based learning, with top entries advancing to state and national contests.
New Moon Girls
New Moon Girls publishes contributions from girls ages 8–14, with submissions more likely to be published if they align with upcoming themes.
New York Times Student Writing Contests
Monthly writing contests for middle and high school students offer diverse topics and requirements to engage young authors and journalists.
Ocean Awareness Contest
Students ages 11 to 18 learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, with prizes for recognizing climate change heroes.
PicoCTF Cybersecurity Competition
Students engage in legal hacking challenges to gain hands-on experience in cybersecurity in this computer security game.
Promising Young Writers Program
Teachers can nominate 8th-grade students to compete in this writing contest, with winners receiving certificates and recognition.
Ranger Rick Photo Contest
Kids 13 and under can submit nature-themed photos for a chance to win prizes and be featured in Ranger Rick magazine.
Rubber Band Contest
This contest challenges students in grades 5–8 to create inventions incorporating rubber bands, with cash prizes for the winners.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recognize creative teens with scholarships and opportunities to showcase their work.
Solve for Tomorrow
Students collaborate on STEM projects to address community needs and compete for prizes to benefit their schools.
Stossel in the Classroom
Essay and video contests on entrepreneurship and innovation offer cash prizes for students and bonus awards for teachers.
World of 8 Billion Video Contest
Students create videos on global challenges, with cash prizes awarded for the best entries.
Young Scientist Challenge
Students in grades 5–8 create innovative solutions to everyday problems in this competition, with finalists competing for prizes.
YouthPLAYS Prospective Authors
Authors 19 and under can submit one-act plays to the New Voices competition, focusing on themes that resonate with BIPOC teens and youth.
Contests and Competitions for Elementary School Students
Doodle for Google
Elementary students in grades K–5 can submit doodles for a chance to be featured on the Google search page.
New Moon Girls
New Moon Girls publishes contributions from girls ages 8 to 14, with a focus on upcoming editorial themes.
Ranger Rick Photo Contest
Kids 13 and under can submit nature-themed photos for a chance to win prizes and be featured in Ranger Rick magazine.
Contests and Competitions for Students of All Ages
90-Second Newbery Film Festival
This annual video contest challenges young filmmakers to summarize Newbery award-winning books in 90 seconds, with winning entries screened at events nationwide.
Celebrating Art
This contest is open to K–12 students attending public schools, homeschool, and art studios, offering prizes and supplies.
Constituting America: We the Future
This annual contest invites students and teachers to submit entries in various categories, with scholarship prizes and awards for creativity.
Discovery Award
Students in grades 4–12 can research and develop projects featuring unsung heroes, with the chance to win prizes and recognition.
EngineerGirl Writing Contest
This essay contest explores the impact of engineering on the world, offering cash prizes and interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students in grades 3 and up.
Invention Convention
This project-based learning curriculum challenges students to identify and solve problems, culminating in prestigious annual competitions.
NASA CineSpace Short Film Competition
Aspiring filmmakers create short films using NASA footage, competing for cash prizes and the opportunity to screen their films at a film festival.
NASA Langley Student Art Contest
This art contest is open to K–12 students in the U.S., with the chance to showcase their art inspired by NASA.
National History Bowl
This history quiz competition challenges teams of students under 19 to compete in buzzer-based events, with winners advancing to national championships.
