This competition works differently from most on this list: instead of a research paper or an application essay, you make a short (2 minutes or less) video explaining a challenging concept in physics, math, or life sciences in a clear, creative, engaging way. Judging rewards originality and how well you make a hard idea click for a general audience — filmmaking polish is not the point.
Past winning topics have covered things like general relativity, entropy, and quantum entanglement — several of which overlap directly with topics in this site’s Learn section, if you’re looking for a place to start.
The main prize is a $250,000 post-secondary scholarship, plus a $100,000 lab for your school and a $50,000 prize for your science teacher. Entrants also have to score several other submissions during a peer-review period after the deadline, so budget time for that too, not just filming.
Timing note: the exact 2027 deadline hadn’t been announced as of this writing — the date above is estimated from the usual mid-September pattern. Confirm the current deadline on the official site before you start filming.