Top 5 Aerospace Engineering Competitions for High School Students
If you’re a high school student passionate about aerospace engineering, then you are probably looking to participate in aerospace engineering competitions. Competitions allow you to apply your theoretical knowledge in practical, real-world challenges. Many competitions will hone your leadership and project management skills while also allowing you to develop collaborative skills.
In this list, we have detailed 5 aerospace engineering competitions for high school students.
1. The American Rocketry Challenge
The American Rocketry Challenge is one of the largest rocket contests, involving over 5,000 students nationwide. In this competition, you will compete to design, build, and launch model rockets.
This program runs on an application basis and includes grants to aid in the development of a team’s rockets. An additional plus to this program is a series of prizes ranging in cash value from $1,500 to $20,000.
Location: Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia (for the National Fly-Off)
Cost: Costs may vary depending on the size of the team. The primary expenses for participants include registration fees and the development of the team’s rocket. Grants are available and must be applied for before December 1, 2024, per team.
Application Deadline: December 1, 2024
Submission Deadline + Competition Dates: April 6, 2025 (for presentation deadlines). Finals will be held on May 17, 2025.
Eligibility: Teams must consist of high school students who can attend the dates listed above. More information about the rules and eligibility can be found on the official website.
Student Launch is a 9-month-long challenge that tasks student teams from across the U.S. to design, build, test, and launch a high-powered rocket carrying a scientific or engineering payload. Teams work through the entire engineering design process, from conceptualization to final launch, with guidance and resources provided by NASA.
It is a hands-on, research-based engineering activity and culminates each year with a final launch in Huntsville, Alabama, home of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The activity offers multiple challenges, reaching a broad audience, including colleges and universities, as well as middle and high school-aged students across the nation.
As a high school student, you can participate in the Student Launch Initiative (SLI) Division, which caters to grades 6-12 and includes both formal and informal educational institutions.
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Cost: Costs vary depending on the need of each team and their materials..
Application Deadline: The timeline runs between April 30 – May 4, 2025. A more detailed format of each due date can be found in the student handbook, where the application process is subdivided based on location and team.
Submission Deadline + Competition Dates: May 4, 2025
Eligibility: This program is open to U.S. students and ranges in grades 6-12, college and university. The set of requirements and eligibility have not yet been released for the 2025 season; however, you are advised to keep up to date with their website.
3. Space Settlement Design Competition
The Space Settlement Design Competition is designed to simulate the experience of working in an aerospace industry proposal team, with students forming "companies" of up to 60 members and following an organizational chart similar to real companies.
Guided by industry managers acting as CEOs, participants receive technical and management training to meet design requirements set by a Customer organization. Teams develop comprehensive project plans, including structure, systems, interior space, community design, and costs. This competition will culminate with your team presenting your projects to a panel of judges!
Location: Varies.
Cost: Costs vary depending on the team and their funding.
Application Deadline: Not specified
Submission Deadline + Competition Dates: Varies based on location
Eligibility: Eligibility is based specifically on location and age. For regions, students in the USA and Canada are welcome to participate in the Semi-Final for the Region where they live, and/or in the International Qualifying Competition; students can choose to enter either or both in any year.
The Conrad Challenge is an annual fair that pushes students to create and build innovative solutions by applying their scientific, social and economic problems to solve real-world issues. It was founded in 2007 in honor of late NASA astronaut Charles Conrad, the third person to walk on the moon, in order to carry on his legacy of exploration and innovation to make a positive impact on society.
It is divided into four categories of social issues, namely Aerospace and Aviation, Cyber-Technology and Security, Energy and Environment, and Health and Nutrition. You will be required to create a business plan, marketing strategy, and a prototype of your solution and present these to a panel of judges.
Here are 8 tips to win the Conrad Challenge!
Location: Space Center Houston and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (for finalists)
Cost: $50 application fee + $425 participation fee per participant
Application Deadline: November 3, 2024 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates)
Submission Deadline + Competition Dates: April 23-26, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates)
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.
5. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
The largest and most prestigious research-oriented science fairs in the world, Regeneron ISEF is an annual science fair organized by the non-profit Society for Science. With affiliate state fairs all over the country and abroad, ISEF seeks to invite the best of the best in high-school STEM talent, helps you gain exposure to scientific research processes, and gives you an international stage to present your work.
If you are interested in aerospace engineering, you can submit projects in this research area! To learn more about ISEF’s structure, categories, prizes, and past winners, check out this detailed guide!
Location: Competitions in most major states. You can find them here.
Cost: It differs based on level and event but ranges from $500 to $6,000.
Application Deadline: Not applicable
Submission Deadline + Competition Dates: May 11-17, 2025 (tentatively, based on this year’s dates)
Eligibility:
Any student in grades 9 through 12 or its equivalent is eligible, provided they have not reached the age of 20 on or before May 1 preceding ISEF.
Research projects should encompass no more than 12 months of continuous research and must not include research performed more than 18 months in advance of the Regeneron ISEF competition.
English is the official language of ISEF, so all student project boards and abstracts must be presented in English for evaluation.
If you choose not to compete individually, be aware that team projects are limited to a maximum of three students. If you wish to collaborate, make sure that all team members can be included.
You must be chosen to attend by the judges of an ISEF-affiliated fair, allowing only the most outstanding projects to advance further in the competition. You can use the Society for Science site to find an affiliated fair near you, where you can sort through the over 400 competitions by your U.S. state or country of residence.
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Image Source - NASA Logo