Guide to Neuroscience Competitions for High School Students

If you're thinking about pursuing neuroscience, entering a competition is one of the best moves you can make. It's a way to keep learning about the brain well beyond what a classroom covers, and it shows colleges genuine, self-driven dedication to the field.

Below are the top neuroscience competitions open to high school students, with what each one involves and how to get started.

1. American Academy of Neurology — Neuroscience Research Prize

The AAN's Neuroscience Research Prize encourages high schoolers to explore the brain and nervous system through original research, rewarding students whose skill signals real potential for future scientific contributions. It also recognizes the science teachers who support them.

• Format: Written research report

• Prizes: Cash awards for top winners

• Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12 in the US, regardless of age. Work must be original and individual — group projects aren't eligible, though teachers may provide guidance. Projects don't need to take place in a formal lab.

• What you submit: A completed application, a 300-word abstract, your research report, and a bibliography. E-signatures from a parent/guardian, teacher, and mentor are required, so loop them in early to avoid missing the deadline.

This is one of the more rigorous options on the list, and the research skills it demands carry over directly into larger competitions. If you're aiming higher afterward, it's worth seeing how to get advice from a science fair winner to make your next project even stronger.

2. International Brain Bee

Founded in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski, the International Brain Bee's mission is to "build better brains to fight brain disorders." It runs as a three-stage competition: students start at a local Brain Bee, advance to nationals, and the top national competitor from each country represents them at the World Championship, where 40+ countries compete.

• Format: Oral and written exams

• Individual or team: Individual

Because the Brain Bee is exam-based rather than research-based, it rewards deep factual mastery of neuroscience — a different skill set from the project competitions here, and closer to what you'd build for something like the USAMO math olympiad if you enjoy high-pressure knowledge competitions.

3. Neuroethics Essay Contest

Run by the International Neuroethics Society (INS), this contest asks students and trainees to examine the ethical questions surrounding the mind and brain — in research, law, and policy. It's built to bring fresh perspectives into neuroethics and raise awareness of the discipline among the next generation.

You can enter in several categories depending on the kind of writing you prefer and the audience you want to reach: a general-audience essay (magazine or news style), an academic essay (journal style), or a video essay.

• Format: Essay (or video)

• Prizes: A one-year INS student membership, a registration waiver for the next INS Annual Meeting, and a travel stipend to attend in person.

• Individual or team: Individual

  
  

4. Brain Awareness Video Contest

The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) runs this annual contest to showcase neuroscience concepts educationally and entertainingly. Submissions center on a single neuroscience concept and run no longer than five minutes. SfN offers a how-to video on submitting, but the winning formula is consistent: make it unique, engaging, and quick to catch the eye.

• Format: Video (5 minutes max)

• Prizes: A top cash prize plus complimentary registration to attend the SfN annual meeting, with additional awards for runners-up and a People's Choice winner.

5. Neuroscience for Kids Poetry Contest

A more creative entry point, this contest is split into five age groups, each with its own poem requirements — for grades 9–12, your poem must be a limerick. Every entry needs a neuroscience theme: brain anatomy, brain function (memory, language, emotion, the senses), drug abuse, or brain health.

• Format: Poem

• Individual or team: Individual

• Key rules: One entry per person. Poems must be at least three and no more than ten lines, and typed or printed legibly on the official entry form.

Want More Prestigious STEM Competitions?

Neuroscience competitions are a fantastic starting point, but they're one slice of a much bigger landscape. Check out our full guide to 50+ prestigious STEM competitions for a complete map of what's out there — and if you're also building your broader profile, our guide on how to win a National Merit Scholarship pairs well with a strong competition record.

If you'd like a hand turning a competition idea into a standout project, schedule a call with our academic advisor.