Open now: 5 contests for students (October 2026)

What closes when?

Invent something that fixes a real problem, then plan it as a business.

Who: Teams of 2 to 5, ages 13 to 18, from any country. One adult coach, 18 or older.
You do: Pick a topic: water, health, energy, cyber security, or air and space. Stage 1 is an online entry.
You get: Finalists go to a summit in April 2027. Last year's prizes included a paid trip and scholarships. This year's are not listed yet.
Costs: Stage 1 is free. Stage 2 is 499 US dollars a team. Financial aid is available.
Closes: Stage 1: 29 October 2026

Solve hard coding problems with your team for 24 hours.

Who: College students who are IEEE student members, 18 or older. Teams of 1 to 3.
You do: Code for 24 hours. Some problems ban AI tools this year.
You get: 1st: a trip to an IEEE conference. 2nd and 3rd: cash. A certificate for every team that scores.
Costs: No entry fee, but you must be a paid IEEE student member.
Closes: Contest day is 31 October 2026, starting 5:30 am India time. Register before then.

Build something with real NASA data in one weekend.

Who: All ages, anywhere. Teams of up to 6. Under 18? A parent or guardian registers you and stays with you.
You do: Pick one of NASA's challenges (out on 28 October). Join a local event, or the online one.
You get: A certificate for every project. Judges choose global winners.
Costs: Free.
Closes: The hackathon is 14 to 15 November 2026. Register by then.

Turn an idea into a business or a social project, and pitch it.

Who: Teams of 2 to 4 high school students, ages 14 to 18, from any country. One adult advisor, 21 or older.
You do: Write 3 to 5 pages and make a 60-second video. The best teams then pitch. Finalists must go to the USA in April 2027.
You get: In each of two tracks: 12,000, 8,000 and 4,500 US dollars for the top three.
Costs: Free to enter.
Closes: 14 January 2027, 5 pm US Eastern time (3:30 am on 15 January in India).

Plan a project that helps the environment.

Who: School students born between 2007 and 2014, anywhere. Alone or in teams of up to 5. Any language.
You do: Register, then send in your plan.
You get: Seven regional winners get 10,000 US dollars each to build their project. The top 35 teams get a mentor.
Costs: Free at every stage.
Closes: Register by 10 January 2027. Send your plan by 31 January 2027, 4:30 pm India time.

Pick one and finish it. One finished entry is worth more than three started.

Read the Costs row first. Two of these need money or a paid membership.

Teachers: Conrad and Diamond need an adult coach or advisor, and The Earth Prize encourages one. That adult can be you.

Conrad Challenge: Activation Stage and Rules, Space Center Houston, read 2 October 2026
IEEEXtreme 20.0 and Rules, IEEE, read 2 October 2026
NASA Space Apps Challenge and Participant FAQs, read 2 October 2026
Diamond Challenge: Competition and Participant toolkit, University of Delaware, read 2 October 2026
The Earth Prize: Rules, The Earth Foundation, read 2 October 2026