The Big Science Competition, open to secondary students in years 7 to 10 across the world, provides an opportunity for participants to test their science knowledge and showcase their talents on the global stage. Every year, outstanding schools from Australia and many countries around the world gain big benefits that we just had to share!

In 2025 we had 52 global schools from a range of countries participate in our online international science competition for high school students, with students expanding their scientific knowledge and problem solving skills, practicing their written English and receiving a certificate to display in their portfolio.

This year your students can sit the Big Science Competition between 4 to 15 May 2026. The cost is AUD$9.35 per student. Registrations must come via schools, registered home schools or distance education facilities, or tutoring or education academies. Registrations close 28 April 2026 5pm AEST. Please register now so your students don’t miss out.

Register Here

We have been delivering the competition from our base in Australia for over ten years! It has grown to be one of the biggest and most well-known online science competitions in the world.

We asked educators and teachers what benefits the Big Science Competition, the best online science competition for high school students, has on their students and school.

Why the Big Science Competition Is the Best Online Science Competition for High School Students

The Big Science Competition (BSC) is more than just a 50‑minute online science challenge—it’s a powerful way for students to showcase their knowledge and skills on a global platform.

As your students go up against the world’s best young scientists, they gain confidence and motivation that will help build their future.

A teacher gave us this positive feedback, “Thank you for the opportunity to challenge our more capable Science students.”

A Global Benchmark for Science Learning

Teachers around the world value the BSC for its ability to test students against the world’s best young scientists, providing a clear picture of how their students compare globally. The competition allows schools to track performance against national averages, and top international schools report that these insights strengthen their teaching practice and curriculum alignment.

Last year, keen science teacher, Ilah Yumul, from the Ming Dao High School in Taichung City, Taiwan told us, “Our school participates in the Big Science Competition for the last 3 years to benchmark performance, assess students’ science competency, and provide a challenging academic experience.”

Expanding Students’ Scientific Knowledge

By participating in the BSC, students deepen their scientific understanding through questions grounded in real‑life scenarios spanning biology, chemistry, physics, Earth and environmental sciences. Many international educators highlight that the competition also encourages learners to expand their scientific knowledge and practice their written English, particularly in multilingual or bilingual school communities.

A teacher whose students’ participated last year told us, “This competition provides students with invaluable opportunities to challenge themselves and explore science in new and varied ways.”

You can purchase Big Science Competition Past Papers to help your students prepare for the competition and expand their education.

Accessible and Inclusive for Global Classrooms

The Big Science Competition is designed to be accessible for schools everywhere—international schools, distance‑learning providers, registered home schools and tutoring academies are all eligible to participate. The competition has become increasingly global, with 52 international schools joining last year alone, demonstrating strong engagement across continents.

This online science contest is an easy, flexible way to take your students’ learning global and get them recognised on a worldwide stage. Being a science competition with online registration makes it easy to register and host this virtual STEM challenge.

Ramya Sundaram is Head of Science at Tai Kwong Hilary College in Hong Kong, a school with over 500 students. When asked why the college has participated in the Big Science Competition for the last 4 years, the chemistry and math teacher says, “We want our students to improve their application skills in familiar and unfamiliar situations in science subjects.”

Recognition That Matters

Every student who sits the competition receives a certificate from Australian Science Innovations, celebrating their achievement and giving them something meaningful to add to their academic portfolio.

For teachers and facilitators, you can add the honour of hosting an Australian-based science competition to your resume for future roles and possibly international opportunities.

Teachers can proudly demonstrate the positive impact they are having on their class, preparing the students and their country for a future in the global science industry.

A teacher told us, “I find the Big Science competition so much more accessible and student-friendly compared to other competitions. It is easier to register, easier to run, and actually opens doors for students to experience other programs…”

Reaching Schools Across More Than 100 Countries

The Big Science Competition supports students and teachers in a wide range of countries and regions and is open to participants across the globe. We support learners from across the diverse regions listed below, ensuring accessible participation worldwide.

Our friends from schools across South & East Asia – including India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Cambodia, Taiwan, Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Timor‑Leste, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Bhutan, Pakistan, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka, who are always so proud to be part of this renown competition.

Always ready for a STEM challenge, students from Middle Eastern schools in the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman, who love to showcase their talents.

Come on board, students from African schools in Kenya, Botswana, Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Western Sahara, Algeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. We love to see your students impress with their passion for science.

Schools from the diverse regions of Eastern & Southern Europe and Central & Western Asia, supporting students in countries such as Montenegro, Moldova, Serbia, Slovakia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Kosovo, Lithuania, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Czechia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Cyprus, Albania, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. You have strong scientific thinking and global perspectives.

Our neighbours from schools across New Zealand and Pacific/ Oceania region schools including Fiji, Samoa, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Niue, Solomon Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Micronesia, and Papua New Guinea, who continue to grow their representation in the competition every year.

We welcome North & Central American schools, from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Mexico, Canada and USA, who never shy away from a challenge!

By engaging such a diverse range of learners, the Big Science Competition helps schools everywhere elevate STEM education and inspire students to confidently participate in science on a global stage.

 

Join our Online Science Competition for High School Students – Big Science Competition 2026