The science competitions your students can enter this year

Science meets art

If you have some students who would be hooked by the artistic side of science, check out these competitions:

• RSB Photography competition (ages under 18; opens March 2023; £500 top prize)
• RPS Science Photographer of the Year (ages under 18; deadlines TBD)
• RSB Nancy Rothwell Award for specimen drawing (ages 7–18; opens March 2023; prize includes set of drawing pencils and a small cash prize for both the student and school)
• Science Without Borders challenge; for artwork highlighting a marine species on the brink of extinction (ages 11–19; closes 6 March 2023; prize of up to $500)
• British Science Week poster competition; this year’s theme will be ‘connections’ (ages 3–14; March–April 2023 TBC)

Local to Newcastle?

Newcastle Secondary School SciFair is the first university-run city-wide secondary school science fair. Sci-Fair is a whole day event that will occur during British Science Week at Newcastle University, at which students will present their models, posters or PowerPoint presentations about a scientific topic of their choosing. SciFair is open to ages 11–16. There are multiple prizes to be won on the day to recognise student’s efforts. There is limited capacity so students should not start their projects before it has been approved; once project proposals have been approved students will have until March to complete their projects.

Science writing competitions

Keep a look out for the questions and prompts for the following essay competitions and more creative science writing prizes that will appear throughout the year. Ideal additions to UCAS applications, they’ll get students thinking about science, too.

• The Oxford Scientist Schools’ Science Writing Competition (700-word magazine article; ages 15–18; deadline likely to be July 2023; prize includes £50 and being published in the magazine)
• Association of British Science Writers’ Young Science Writer of the Year (800-word journalistic essay; ages 14–16 in certain areas of the UK; to open in January 2023; prize includes up to £1000 and ABSW membership – and the winning essay will be published on the BBC news site!)
• TechFest STEM Next Essay competition (3000-word research project; likely to run June–Sept 2023; prizes include up to £150 of Amazon vouchers)
• Newnham College, Cambridge (2000-word academic essay; age 16–18 women at state school only; deadline likely to be March 2023; winners receive up to £400 to split with their school)
• Robinson College, Cambridge (2000-word academic essay; ages 16–18; deadline likely to be July 2023; winners receive £50 book tokens)
• Peterhouse College, Cambridge Kelvin Essay Competition (academic essay making an argument; ages 16–17; deadline and prizes TBD)
• Pembroke College, Oxford North West Essay Prize (2000-word academic essay; age 16–18 state school students in NW of England only; to open in summer 2023; prize of up to £100 in book tokens)

Deadlines passed:

Top of the Bench

Age: 14–16
Registration opens: now (regional heats)
Closes: January 2023

Top of the Bench (TOTB)is an annual practical chemistry competition that has been running for over 20 years. It’s a long-standing favourite for students and teachers, and is a great chance for students to put their teamwork and practical skills to the test.

Regional heats will be led by RSC local sections between October and January, with the winning team from each heat progressing to the national final held, in the spring, at a UK university (where there is also a session for teachers to explore resources and ideas for the classroom with one of the RSC’s education coordinators).

First prize is awarded to the best overall school performance, with five teams receiving runners up prizes. Plus, there’s the opportunity to win the Jacqui Clee Award, which is given to the student who has demonstrated an outstanding individual contribution.

Teams must consist of four students: two from year 9/S2; one from year 10/S3; one from year 11/S4.

Find more information, including past papers and how to apply, on the TOTB homepage.

Schools’ Analyst

Age: 16–17
Registration opens: now
Submissions open: January 2023
Closes: Friday 24 February 2023 

The Schools’ Analyst Competition is returning to schools in 2023, with teams endeavouring to find out who is sabotaging entries at The County Bake Off!

Run by the Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund and the Royal Society of Chemistry, it allows students to expand their chemistry knowledge and skills through practical analytical experiments. Students must be in Year 12 (England, Wales, NI)/S5 (Scotland)/5th Year (Ireland).

Schools and colleges register their interest to host a heat and, if randomly selected, can now enter up to 25 teams of three students to compete to be crowned the overall school winner. Each winning school team will then compete within their region to find regional winners. Regional winners receive a cash prize for themselves and their school.

Register your interest to host a heat in your school through the RSC events website by 24 February 2023. To host the competition, you only need standard school laboratory equipment and some consumables (a bursary is available for those who need it).

Equipment boxes will be delivered to successful applicants by 31 March 2023 and results must be submitted by 19 May in Ireland (to ensure schools have the chance to award winners before the summer holidays) and 16 June elsewhere.

MathWorks Math Modeling challenge

Age: 16–19 (England and Wales only)
Registration opens: now
Closes: Friday 24 February 2023 

The M3 Challenge is an internet-based applied maths competition that inspires participants to pursue STEM education and careers. Working in teams of three to five, participants have 14 consecutive hours to solve an open-ended maths-modelling problem focused on a real issue during the challenge weekend, 3–6 March 2023.

The problem typically has a socially conscious theme – equity, the environment, conservation or recycling, energy use, health, and other topics that young people care about. The challenge gives students the opportunity to experience the vital role applied maths plays in society and its value to gain insight into multi-faceted, real-world problems. For example, 2022’s problem centred around modelling the impacts of remote work.

Free access to resources including modelling and coding handbooks, videos and sample problems help teams prepare for success.

The competition’s final presentation and awards ceremony event will be held in New York City in late April – an all-expense paid experience for the nine finalist teams. These top teams will be awarded scholarships toward the pursuit of higher education, with members of the overall winning team receiving $20,000 (»£17,000) each.

For rules, resources and to register, visit the competition website.

Cambridge Chemistry Race

Age: 16–18
Registration opens: Mon 5 December 2022
Closes: February 2023

In the Cambridge Chemistry Race, teams of 3–5 students solve as many theoretical problems as they can over the course of two hours – ranging from easy riddles to tasks of A-level difficulty and complex chemical problems.

Once a team has solved a question, the examiner verifies their answer and hands them the next question. Points are awarded based on the number of successful attempts. Whoever gets the most points wins!

Students are allowed to use a calculator, books, notes, and printed literature. The challenge aims to test problem-solving skills and chemical understanding rather than knowledge. Explore past questions and solutions here to get an idea of what’s in store.

Schools may only enter one team each and places are first come first served.

The competition is run in collaboration with the University of Cambridge’s Department of Chemistry. This year, it is joined by the University of Oxford too, so students may compete in either city. The competition will take place on Saturday 4 February 2023. Learn more on the competition website.

Imperial College Science & Innovation Competition

Age: 4–adult
Submission deadline closed: Friday 20 January 2023

The purpose of the Science & Innovation Competition is to motivate young people to engage with science, to encourage them to work as part of a team and to engage them in a fun activity that is motivated by their curiosity and drive.

Teams of 2–4 people must develop a new and innovative scientific solution to help achieve one of the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainable Development. To enter, teams will be asked to create a 5-minute film that describes the science behind their idea.

The final event takes place in March 2023 at Imperial College’s main campus in South Kensington, date to be confirmed

Learn more on the website.

UK Chemistry Olympiad 

Age: 16–18 (recommended)
Closed: 9 January 2023

Run by the RSC, The UK Chemistry Olympiad is designed to challenge and inspire older secondary-school students, by encouraging them to push themselves, boost their critical problem-solving skills and test their knowledge in real-world situations. Explore past papers to get an idea of the types of questions involved.

There are three rounds that culminate with the prestigious International Chemistry Olympiad, which this year will hosted in Zürich, Switzerland. Round 1, a written test taken in your school, is scheduled to take place on Thursday 26 January 2023. Students then receive bronze, silver or gold certificates depending on their scores.

Up to 30 students will be selected to move on to round 2 – a training weekend, this year scheduled for 1–4 April 2023 at the University of Nottingham. As a result of the weekend, four students will then be chosen to represent the UK in the international competition on 16–25 July 2023.

Step one is to register your school or college. Do this and find out more information about preparing on the Olympiad homepage.

Quantum on the Clock

Age: 16–18
Closed: 8 July 2022

The Institute of Physics’ QQQ group’s Quantum on the Clock competition is open to all A-level or equivalent students in the UK and Ireland. Students are tasked to create a three-minute video about any aspect of quantum science or technology. Entries can be individual or in teams of up to four students.

Cash prizes are on offer for the winners and runners-up, with the judging focusing on creativity, clarity, engagement and accuracy. The ‘best individual’ and ‘best team’ winners will also receive year subscriptions to Physics World  and an expenses-paid invitation to a prize-giving ceremony at the Photon 2022 conference dinner, which will take place from 30 August until 2 September 2022.

To find out more and apply, watch this video and go to the Quantum on the Clock website.

Unsung Heroes of Science video competition

Age: 16–18
Closed: 17 May 2022

The Unsung Heroes of Science video competition  from Hertford College, University of Oxford is open to all 16 –18 students around the world. Entrants are tasked with making a two-minute video sharing the story of a scientist whose contributions were overlooked. Entries can be submitted by individuals or in teams of up to three.

Professor Alison Woollardwill be judging the competition and looking for engaging content and brilliant ideas, so you can film and edit the video with whatever equipment you have, including mobile phones. Shortlisted videos will be shared by the organisers, with the most viewed winning the Audience Award. All UK-based shortlisted participants will be invited to a prizegiving event in the summer. Winners of the competition in the UK will get to go behind the scenes at the Royal Institution’s (Ri) Christmas lectures  and runners up will be awarded annual Ri memberships.

Watch the video, find out more information on the competition website and submit your entry by 17 May.

Clean Tech Competition

Age: 15–18
Closed: 22 April 2022 (registration); 29 April 2022 (paper submission deadline)

The Clean Tech Competition research and design challenge asks students to identify a problem with our natural world and resource use that they want to change, innovate a sustainable solution and submit a research paper to the judges. This year there is no topic restriction; entries simply need to have one goal: create a sustainable solution for an environmental issue.

This is a great opportunity to refine research, analysis and literary skills.

Each team should be made up of one to three students, who must be 15–18 years old on the submission deadline, 29 April 2022. Once the papers have been submitted, the top 10 teams from the global pool will be selected to progress to the virtual global finals. They will present their research and prototypes to the judges, and will receive handsome cash prizes, with the first team also earning a continued mentorship from an expert in the field. 

Find out more and register on the competition website.

Royal College of Science Union (RCSU) Science Challenge

Age: 14–18
Closed: 11 February 2022

Imperial College London’s RCSU Science Challenge is all about science communication – requiring students to demonstrate their skills in debate and reasoning and teach the public about science and its consequences.

Questions on a given theme are set by eminent scientists – who even read the shortlisted entries, so there’s a real chance students’ work will be seen by world-leading academics. You can find last year’s (Covid-related) questions on the website.

There are both individual and team categories, and students can answer one of the questions in either written or video form of up to 1000 words or four minutes respectively. Winners receive cash prizes, plus there are non-cash prizes for the runners up.

Shortlisted candidates will be informed on 14 March 2022 and invited to the grand final on 21 March 2022 at the Royal Institution, where they will deliver a short presentation. Find more information about taking part on the challenge website.