If you are a high school student looking to build and craft solutions to real life problems, we have you covered.
From learning to construct a robot, a bridge and even tackling sustainable problems, students are exposed to a number of competitions in engineering. These challenges are not only enjoyable; you will learn skills in collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving while connecting with peers and country and world level mentors.
Here are 10 engineering competitions for high school students that are bound to help jumpstart your journey:
1. International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
Eligibility: High school students ( not older than 20 years on or before May 1 of the competition year) Deadline: Varies by the affiliated fair. ISEF itself is held annually in May; for 2025, it will take place
Awards: Over $9 million in prizes, scholarships, internships, scientific field trips, and grand awards.
The International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is one of the world’s most prestigious science competitions for high school students. Every year, over 1,800 young innovators from more than 75 countries, regions, and territories come together to share their groundbreaking research. These students present their work to a panel of top-tier judges, including Nobel Prize winners and industry leaders, who are eager to see the next generation of scientific minds in action.
2. FIRST Robotics Competition
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 (typically ages 14–18).
Deadline: Applications open on May 14, 2025.
Awards: Scholarships, trophies, and recognition for engineering, innovation, and teamwork.
The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is more than just building robots, it’s a fast-paced, hands-on adventure in teamwork, creativity, and real-world engineering. High school students team up with professional mentors to take on a new challenge each season: designing, programming, and building a robot that can
3. American Rocketry Challenge
Eligibility: U.S. middle and high school students (grades 6–12)
Deadline: Registration typically opens in early June and closes by December 1 or when 1,000 teams have registered; qualification flights are due by early April.
Awards: Over $100,000 in prizes, including cash awards, trophies, and opportunities to compete in the International Rocketry Challenge.
The American Rocketry Challenge is the world’s largest student rocket competition, bringing together thousands of middle and high school students each year to take on real engineering challenges. In teams, students design, build, and launch model rockets that must hit specific flight goals, like reaching a target altitude and safely returning a payload, often raw eggs, without a crack.
Each year, the top 100 teams from across the country are invited to the National Finals in Virginia for a fly-off, where their rockets are judged on how closely they meet the technical requirements. The challenge is backed by major aerospace organizations and government agencies, giving students the chance to meet real engineers and industry leaders, and sometimes even compete internationally if they win
4. NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge
Eligibility: Middle school, high school, and college/university students
Deadline: The competition takes place annually in April; project proposals and reports for awards are typically due by September (proposal) and March (final reports).
Awards: Trophies for top teams in each division, plus special awards for innovation, drivetrain design, STEM engagement, teamwork, safety, and more.
The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge is an annual event where student teams design, build, and race human-powered vehicles, called rovers, over a course that mimics the rough terrain of the Moon or Mars. Inspired by real NASA missions, the competition pushes students to solve engineering problems like making their rover lightweight, maneuverable, and able to handle obstacles such as boulders and craters. Teams also have to create a working tool or device that could be used in planetary exploration.
5. VEX Robotics Competition
Eligibility: Middle school, high school, and college/university students
Deadline: Registration deadlines vary by region; the competition season typically runs from fall through spring.
Awards: Trophies, invitations to the VEX Robotics World Championship, scholarships, and special awards recognizing engineering, teamwork, and innovation.
The VEX Robotics Competition is a global program where students work in teams to design, build, and program robots for fast-paced, game-based engineering challenges. Each season introduces a brand-new game, pushing teams to develop robots that can handle unique tasks and strategies. Events start at the local level and progress through regional and national tournaments, all leading up to the VEX Robotics World Championship, which brings together thousands of students from over 50 countries.
6. Science Olympiad
Eligibility: U.S.middle and high school students
Deadline: Varies by state and regional chapter; registration typically opens in the fall with competitions held from winter through spring.
Awards: Medals and ribbons for event winners, trophies for top overall teams, and scholarships from sponsors.
Science Olympiad is a well-known, team-based competition that brings together students to tackle a wide variety of STEM challenges, from biology and chemistry to engineering and earth science. Each team, usually made up of up to 15 students, competes in as many as 23 different events, which can include hands-on lab experiments, written tests, and engineering tasks like building bridges, towers, or vehicles.
7. ExploraVision
Eligibility: K–12 students in the U.S. and Canada.
Deadline: Project submission typically due in early February (check each year for exact date).
Awards: Savings bonds (up to $10,000 at maturity), trips to Washington, D.C. for the Awards Weekend.
ExploraVision invites students to think like inventors and imagine the future. Working in small teams, you pick a technology that exists today, research its background, and then dream up how it could evolve over the next 20 years. Your team creates a detailed proposal, explaining the science behind your idea, the challenges it might face, and even designing a prototype or visual concept.
8. Bridge Building Contest
Eligibility: High school students
Deadline: Varies by regional event; international contest usually held in late April.
Awards: Trophies and Certificates
Bridge Building Contests allow students to design and build model bridges using materials such as balsa wood, basswood, or even popsicle sticks. The main challenge is to create a bridge that’s as light as possible but still strong enough to hold heavy loads, sometimes hundreds of times its own weight. To succeed, students have to think like real engineers, applying concepts from physics and materials science to make their bridges both efficient and sturdy.
9. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Eligibility: U.S. high school seniors (12th grade), including U.S. citizens living abroad.
Deadline: Typically early November
Awards: Over $1.8 million in total prizes.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) is the most prestigious and long-standing science research competition for high school seniors in the United States, often called the “Nobel Prize for high school students. Each year, more than 1,800 students submit a comprehensive application that includes a detailed research report, essays, and recommendations. From these, 300 scholars are selected, each receiving $2,000, along with a matching award for their school. The top 40 finalists are then invited to Washington, D.C., for a weeklong event where they present their work to leading scientists, compete for major scholarships (with the top prize being $250,000), and join an elite community of young STEM leaders.
10. Rube Goldberg Machine Contest
Eligibility: Elementary school, middle school, high school, and college students
Deadline: Varies by event. Host registration typically closes in early January, with team registration deadlines varying by region.
Awards: Trophies and medals. Some contests offer cash prizes.
The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest is all about turning engineering into a playful adventure. In this competition, teams dream up and build wildly complicated machines that accomplish a super simple task, like popping a balloon or watering a plant, but in the most roundabout, entertaining way imaginable. What makes the contest special is that it’s not just about whether your machine works. Teams are also judged on creativity, storytelling, and how well they bring their chosen theme to life.
If you are a high school student pushing yourself to stand out in college applications, RISE Global Education offers a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with mentors from top universities around the world.
Through personalized guidance and independent research projects that can lead to prestigious publications, RISE helps you build a standout academic profile and develop skills that set you apart. With flexible program dates and global accessibility, ambitious students can apply year-round. To learn more about eligibility, costs, and how to get started, visit RISE Global’s official website and take your college preparation to the next level!