STEM/STEAM Competitions

SEARINET is dedicated to empowering students in their pursuit of excellence within the fields of STEM and STEAM. With a mission to support all students, regardless of their background or level of experience, SEARINET offers a unique opportunity for young minds to engage in STEM/STEAM competitions. For those aspiring to major in STEM disciplines, these competitions serve as an invaluable platform for deepening their knowledge and passion. This list presents an array of STEM competitions that students can explore, participate in, and prepare for as they embark on their exciting journey towards fulfilling their future aspirations.

AI+IA for Sustainability

Are you an international student in grades 4-9 with a passion for protecting our planet? SEARINET is excited to launch the "Green Innovators: Design a Sustainable School Contest"! This is your chance to team up with classmates from around the world and unleash your creativity. Together, you'll design a plan to make your school a model of sustainability, reducing waste, saving energy, and promoting well-being for everyone!

Get ready to use your problem-solving skills, collaborate with your team, explore Intelligence Augmentation (IA) and maybe even use some cool Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to create an amazing presentation.

Level: grades 4-9 are eligible

Microsoft Imagine Cup

Microsoft Imagine Cup is the premier global student technology competition that offers students just like you the opportunity to unleash their passion and purpose to develop inspiring leading-edge technology solutions in one of four competition categories — Earth, Education, Health, and Lifestyle — that could make a difference in the world. Students can tap into their entrepreneurial side and actively take steps towards bringing their ideas to life and making their dreams come true. Applications open up in December.

Level: at least 16 years of age

FIRST® LEGO® League Championship

The largest robotics competition in the world, organized by FIRST® and the LEGO® Group. FIRST® LEGO® League competitions inspire the younger generation to build a better future by providing engaging challenges for students aged 4-6 (Discover Group), 6 -11 (Explore Group) and 9-16 (Challenge Group) from all across the world. These challenges are inspired by real-life problems that happen every day around us, requiring the participants to apply all the necessary knowledge and skills to assemble and operate the Robot, presented their solution to solve the problem and become a champion team.

Level: 4-16 years of age

Future Problem Solving Program

The purpose of Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS) is to facilitate students’ ability to design and achieve positive futures using an authentic creative problem solving model. GIPS is a competitive component of Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI). It is a team or individual activity in which participants research a series of global topics and learn the six-step Creative Problem Solving Process.

Level: Grades 4–12 are eligible to participate.

CoderZ League

CoderZ League is an online robotics and coding competition for students of all levels, from beginner to advanced. Students work in teams to program their virtual robots to complete a variety of challenges, such as navigating mazes, solving puzzles, and playing games. CoderZ League is a fun and engaging way for students to learn and practice computer science skills, such as programming, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Level: CoderZ League Junior is for students in grades 5-8, and CoderZ League Pro is for students in grades 7-12

Rube Goldberg Machine Contest

A Rube Goldberg Machine® is made from found or discarded household items. These contraptions come from landfill, rather than contributing to it and are essentially green machines! This content is open to US and international students and is free to participate for individuals and teams. The contest accepts rolling submissions with a deadline typically around March.

Level: grades 3-12

Future City Competition

Future City is a program of DiscoverE. DiscoverE is a nonprofit dedicated to providing global resources, programs, and connections between K-12 students and engineers and STEM professionals. In the Future City competition, students imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue.

Level: grades 6-12

EngineerGirl

The EngineerGirl website hosts a writing contest every year to engage students in grades 3-12 in learning about engineering and its impact on our world. The topic of the contest changes each year, but it is always focused on a relevant and important engineering topic. The EngineerGirl Writing Contest is a great opportunity for students to learn about engineering and to share their ideas about how engineering can make the world a better place. The contest is also a chance for students to win prizes, such as scholarships, engineering kits, and other STEM-related gifts.

Level: grades 3-12

World Robot Olympiad™ (WRO)

The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) is an international robotics competition that brings together young people from all over the world to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills through challenging and educational robotics competitions. The WRO aims to inspire a future generation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It is an exciting and fun way for young people to develop their technical skills, as well as their abilities to work in teams and think critically. The World Robot Olympiad, a worldwide competition in robotics aimed at youth, utilizes Lego Mindstorms produced by LEGO Education. Initially launched in 2004 in Singapore, this event now draws in excess of 28,000 teams from over 85 countries. Each year, the competition sees new and innovative designs, reflecting the evolving nature of robotics and the creativity of the participants.

Level: grades 6-9

Technovation Girls

Any girl or young woman (ages 8 - 18) interested in Technovation Girls is eligible to participate. Working in teams of 1 to 5, girls find a problem in their community and build a mobile app or AI project to help solve it. Along the way, they develop their collaboration, problem-solving, and leadership skills. Technovation is a global technology education nonprofit that applies a grassroots approach to empowering underserved communities, especially girls and women, to address local problems through cutting-edge technologies like mobile and AI.

Level: grades 2-12

Science & Engineering Fairs

National / International Fairs (12)

State Fairs in the US

Virtual Science Fairs

eCYBERMISSION
Toshiba ExploraVision Awards
Canada-Wide Virtual Science Fair
The 2000 NASA Goddard Space Center Virtual Science Fair
The 1996 Virtual Youth Science Forum (hosted by Washington State Univ.)
The 1995 Virtual Science and Mathematics Fair (hosted by Washington State Univ.)
The GREAT! Canadian Science Contest

Updated: Aug. 23, 2024

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STEM/STEAM Competitions

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