Competitions
Browse verified academic, arts, service, and STEM competitions for high-school students.
Stars highlight editor-reviewed programs and award results with documented competitive recognition.
This is a rough guide, not an admissions rating. Opportunities without a star can still be valuable.
AI-assisted research may be used; publication is editor reviewed.
371 verified published opportunities
NASA Earth System Science Award is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA GeneLab is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA GLOBE Observer is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge is a nine-month engineering program in which teams design and build a human-powered or remote-controlled rover for difficult simulated lunar terrain and mission tasks. Selected teams complete NASA-style Design, Operational Readiness, Mission Readiness, and Excursion Readiness reviews before they can compete. The 2026–27 cycle closes proposals September 17, 2026 and culminates April 21–24, 2027 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA reports that the 2025 event included 75 teams and more than 500 students from 20 states, Puerto Rico, and 16 countries.
NASA Lunabotics is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA SEES is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA Space Settlement Contest is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA Student Launch is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA Student Launch is a nine-month engineering challenge in which teams design, build, test, and launch a high-powered rocket carrying a science or engineering payload. Selected teams complete Preliminary Design, Critical Design, Flight Readiness, and Launch Readiness reviews with NASA and industry experts, then analyze flight and payload data in a post-launch assessment. The 2026–27 proposal deadline is September 14, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Central, and Launch Day is April 10, 2027 in Huntsville, Alabama.
NASA Student Launch Award is a named high-school recognition published by NASA; students should record only the result they actually received.
NASA TechRise Student Challenge is a named high-school participation pathway published by NASA, with details that vary by current cycle and local organizer.
NASA TechRise gives U.S. student teams a chance to design an experiment for a commercial suborbital flight. Teams in grades 6–12 develop and submit an experiment concept with an educator; 60 winning teams receive $1,500 to build the payload, technical support from Future Engineers, and a reserved spot on a NASA-sponsored flight. Winners spend the spring semester building and testing with professional guidance. The 2026–27 challenge is expected to open in September 2026 and will use a high-altitude balloon as its suborbital vehicle.
