6 Cybersecurity Competitions for High School Students
Participating in competitions is a fantastic way for high school students to build skills, gain recognition, and enhance their college applications. Cybersecurity competitions, in particular, offer a unique chance to dive into the world of digital defense, a field that's becoming increasingly crucial in today's tech-driven world.
These contests test students on various concepts, including ethical hacking, network security, cryptography, and incident response. By engaging in these events, you'll develop problem-solving abilities, learn to think like a security professional, and gain hands-on experience that goes beyond classroom learning. Moreover, showcasing your achievements in cybersecurity can make your college application stand out, demonstrating your initiative, technical skills, and dedication to tackling real-world challenges.
Having said that, in this article, we will look at six cybersecurity competitions for high school students.
1. CyberPatriot’s National Youth Cyber Defense Competition
CyberPatriot's National Youth Cyber Defense Competition is the world's largest cybersecurity competition for students. Open to high school and middle school students, this competition challenges teams to find and fix vulnerabilities in virtual operating systems.
Teams consist of 2-6 students, one coach, technical mentors, and team assistants. Divisions include Open (general high school students), All Service (JROTC, Civil Air Patrol, Naval Sea Cadet Corps), and Middle School. No prior cybersecurity knowledge is required, and training materials are provided.
Location: Maryland
Cost: $205 for Open Division (discounts are provided for early registration by July 2023). Eligibility:
Must be in middle school or high school.
Students in JROTC programs have their own divisions.
Prize: Scholarship money (exact amount varies). The top team will have all expenses covered for the final round in Maryland.
Registration + Submission Deadline: April 1st to October 3rd, 2024
Competition Dates: From October 2024 to March 2025
The Conrad Challenge is an exciting opportunity for students interested in cybersecurity. Open to students aged 13-18, this global competition lets you become an entrepreneur and solve real-world problems using science, technology, and innovation. You’ll work in teams of 2-5, guided through stages from idea generation to final presentations.
There is no cost to enter, and participants can compete from anywhere in the world. The competition culminates in the chance to earn scholarships, entrepreneurial support, and the prestigious title of Pete Conrad Scholar. You don’t need prior experience, but using resources from the Student Resources Library can help.
If you are interested, you can look at our blog which covers this competition in detail!
Location: Space Center Houston and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (for finalists)
Cost: $50 application fee + $425 participation fee per participant
Eligibility: Open to all high school students Must be accompanied by an adult. You may enter as an individual or a team of up to 5 people.
Prize: Academic scholarships to esteemed universities and admission to entrepreneurial accelerators.
Competition Dates: From August 2024 to April 2025
3. National Cyber League Competition
In this competition, students will face real-world cybersecurity tasks such as identifying hackers from forensic data, pen-testing websites, and recovering from ransomware attacks. No fancy equipment is needed—just a browser! These challenges help build practical skills that are valuable in both academic and professional settings. Participants will receive a Scouting Report detailing their performance and skills, which can be a great addition to college applications and job resumes.
Preparation is critical, and the NCL provides practice challenges and a Practice Game to help students get ready. While no coding experience is necessary, a basic understanding of cybersecurity concepts can be beneficial.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $35 for registration ($45 for late registration).
Eligibility:
Must be at least 13 years old, enrolled in high school, collegiate institution, apprenticeship, or academic boot camp.
Open to U.S. and Canada residents.
Prize: Not specified
Registration Deadline: October 11, 2024 (late registration is open until October 15, but will come at an additional cost).
Competition Dates: From August 2024 to November 2024
4. High School Cybersecurity Competition - University of Buffalo
The Lockdown Cybersecurity Competition for High Schools at the University at Buffalo is a hands-on event where you'll defend a small network of systems from attacks. Teams of up to five high school students will be scored on service uptime and various timed tasks. There will also be a Cybersecurity CTF and other challenges.
To prepare, use the instructional videos on Google Classroom! Make sure to use a personal Google account. The main time commitment is on the competition day, but the preparation and teamwork are valuable experiences.
Location: Online +In-Person in University of Buffalo
Cost: Not specified
Eligibility:
Open to all high school students.
Prize: Not specified
Registration Deadline: January 1, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates).
Competition Dates: February 10, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates).
5. Cyber Quests
The US Cyber Challenge: Cyber Quests Spring 2024 offers an excellent chance for you to showcase your cybersecurity skills. This online competition is open to all and focuses on areas like OSINT, Log Analysis, Forensics, and git basics. You'll have three attempts to complete the quiz, which you must finish within 24 hours each time.
To participate, you'll analyze artifacts and answer quiz questions on various information security topics. The highest score achieved in the shortest time will determine your ranking. Winners can earn invitations to USCC Cyber Camps held across the country in the summer, along with potential awards and scholarships!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Not specified
Eligibility:
Open to everyone, but the competition is catered to beginners.
Prize: Not specified
Registration Deadline: February 9, 2025 - April 15, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates).
Competition Dates: From February to April 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates).
PicoCTF is a computer security game for middle and high school students where you solve challenges by hacking, decrypting, and reverse engineering. The CTF stands for “capture the flag,” the specific type of cybersecurity competition where you’re given challenges across several categories, each yielding a string or “flag” that is then submitted for scoring.
In this competition, you must form a team of up to five participants, and you'll have the competition period to solve as many challenges as you can. The team that solves the most problems in the shortest time wins!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Not specified
Eligibility:
Must be at least 13 years old. Do note that if you are under 18, you will need parental consent.
Must form teams of up upto 5 people.
Prize: Prizes include $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, and $1,000 for third. Middle school teams can win up to $500. Winners may also get the chance to visit Carnegie Mellon University.
Competition Dates: March 12 - March 26, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates).
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