G4C Student Challenge
An international game design competition from Games for Change inviting students ages 10-25 to build original digital games addressing a UN Sustainable Development Goals theme (recent themes include hunger, road safety, and biodiversity). The program supports entrants with in-school and after-school game-making courses, student game jams, and mentorship from game industry experts before the final submission and awards, which include scholarships and industry opportunities.
The largest international game design competition for young creators aged 10 - 25.
The program culminates in a game design competition through which students submit their original impact games and compete for prizes.
Free curriculum and resources for educators to engage students in meaningful learning.
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GameGala
Billed as the largest game-specific K-12 contest in the U.S., GameGala started in California in 2018 with 80 participants and has grown into a global virtual competition (hosted by the K12 Ventures Foundation) where students build original games solo or in teams of up to three. High schoolers compete in their own age division for placement awards and special recognitions like the Innovation Award and Best Teamwork.
Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation Essay Contest
An annual international essay contest run by the 501(c)(3) Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation (KHREF), inviting high school students in the U.S. and abroad to write on an assigned human rights prompt (a new question is posted each year). Winners in separate U.S. and international categories receive cash prizes up to $5,000.
International Psychology Olympiad (IPsyO)
A global competition in which high school students demonstrate psychology knowledge and research skills through a qualification test, a reading-based exam module, and a team-based research proposal presentation. Students from around 80 countries, including the US, have participated since its 2021 founding.
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
An international nonprofit organization that trains and supports amateur and student astronomers in observing and reporting variable star brightness data used in real astrophysics research. AAVSO offers free beginner tutorials (including a no-equipment-needed 10-Star Tutorial), webinars, mentorship, and community forums for students starting in observational astrophysics.
Code/Art Game Design Competition for Girls
A national game design competition for female-identifying and gender non-binary students in grades 3-12. Participants design and build an original browser-based game (Scratch, GameLab, p5.js, or MakeCode Arcade) and submit a written reflection, competing for cash prizes by grade division.
Daydream Silicon Valley
A free, teen-organized weekend game jam in San Jose where participants ages 12-18 design and deploy an original game to itch.io within 48 hours, with no experience required and beginner workshops offered on-site. Part of Hack Club's Daydream network of simultaneous teen game jams held in 100 cities, the event provides meals, merchandise, prizes, and travel reimbursement for those coming from farther away.