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CompetitionCERN (with DESY and ELSA)

CERN Beamline for Schools 2027 (propose a particle physics experiment)

Beamline for Schools is a physics competition in which teams of secondary school students propose an experiment to run on a particle accelerator beamline. Winning teams travel to CERN, DESY or the ELSA accelerator in Bonn to carry out their experiment. The 2027 edition has not yet opened; proposals can be submitted from December 2026.

By the Born to Engineer editorial team Checked

At a glance

Run by
CERN (with DESY and ELSA)[1]
Who it’s for
Teams of students in high or secondary school, or in the gap between school and university, coached by a teacher. Students must be aged 16 or over on the day the proposal is submitted; there is no age limit for taking part, but only students aged 16 or over on the first day of the stay can travel if the team wins.[2]
Entry
A teacher or school enters
Worth
Winning teams perform their experiment at a fully equipped beamline; travel, accommodation and experimental equipment are covered. All eligible proposals receive a participation certificate.
Cost
Participation in the competition is completely free of charge for all eligible students, teachers, and schools worldwide.[3]
Year groups
Year 12, Year 13
Where
UK-wide (Online proposal; experiments at CERN (Geneva), DESY (Hamburg) or ELSA (Bonn))
Format
Hybrid
Funding
Bursaries or funding available

Sources

4 sources

  1. CERN

    Beamline for Schools

    2027 edition will be announced soon.

    Checked 24 October 2026

  2. CERN

    BL4S FAQs

    For data privacy reasons, students need to be aged 16 years or older on the day that the team coach submits their proposal.

    Checked 24 October 2026

  3. CERN

    Beamline for Schools

    Participation in the competition is completely free of charge for all eligible students, teachers, and schools worldwide.

    Checked 24 October 2026

  4. CERN

    How to take part in BL4S

    From December 2026, you can submit your proposal

    Checked 24 October 2026

Details checked by the Born to Engineer editorial team. Always confirm dates on the provider’s site before applying.

Not open yet

Proposals can be submitted from December 2026; the 2027 deadline is shown as "XX March 2027" (date not yet published)[4]

Visit beamlineforschools.cern (opens in a new tab)

More competition opportunities

All opportunities

Sentinus Young Innovators 2026 (Young Engineer of the Year)

Closes in 6 days

CompetitionSentinus

Students choose a Sentinus engineering challenge (Retrofit Revolution, Flood Futures or Smart Streets) or their own idea and submit an online poster. Finalists are invited to Belfast to be judged by industry experts.

Worth
£1,000 for each category winner. The overall Sentinus Young Innovator wins a funded trip to the International Science and Engineering Fair 2027 in the USA, plus an accelerator programme and industry links.
Who
Individuals or teams of up to 3 for the Young Engineer category (there are also Young Scientist, Young Mathematician and Young Coder categories). Applicants must be aged under 19 on 1 July 2027.
Entry
Students or a school can enter
Deadline
Registrations close 31 October 2026. Online poster submission by 6 November 2026. Live finals on Thursday 26 November 2026 at Ulster University, Belfast.

Visit sentinus.co.uk (opens in a new tab)Details: Sentinus Young Innovators 2026 (Young Engineer of the Year)

Davidson Inventors Challenge 2026/27

Closes in 7 days

CompetitionUniversity of Cambridge Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, with IChemE

Teams pick a UN Sustainable Development Goal, research a real problem and propose a sustainable, innovative engineering solution. Each team gets a mentor and the process runs from November to a final in April.

Worth
An expert mentor for each team, webinars, and for the winners a cash prize, a trophy and a day at the department.
Who
Teams of Year 11 and Year 12 students from UK schools. Maximum of two submissions per school; up to 100 projects selected.
Entry
A teacher or school enters
Deadline
Team sign-up and initial project outline by 1 November 2026. Final reports mid March 2027, shortlisted teams announced early April, final at the Cambridge department in late April 2027.

Visit ceb.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)Details: Davidson Inventors Challenge 2026/27

STEM Racing Yorkshire and Humber: University of Leeds support and regional competition 2027

Closes in 19 days

CompetitionUniversity of Leeds Access and Outreach

The University of Leeds is a Centre of Excellence for STEM Racing for secondary schools and sixth form colleges in Yorkshire and the Humber. Teams get design support, free 3D-printed car manufacturing and a test track session before the regional competition at STEM Learning, York on 2 February 2027. A teacher must be the main contact.

Worth
Design support from a School of Mechanical Engineering academic, free manufacturing of up to 3 cars, an hour of exclusive test track access, and a chance to progress to the National and World Finals.
Who
Student teams aged 9 to 19 from schools and sixth form colleges in Yorkshire and the Humber (Entry Class ages 11 to 14, Development Class ages 11 to 19), entered by a teacher.
Entry
A teacher or school enters
Deadline
Design support by 13 November 2026; manufacturing designs by 27 November 2026; test track 14 December 2026; regional competition 2 February 2027

Visit accessandoutreach.leeds.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)Details: STEM Racing Yorkshire and Humber: University of Leeds support and regional competition 2027