Top UK engineering competitions
Engineering and STEM competitions for school students, from design challenges to national science fairs.
We have compiled a list of some of the best Engineering Competitions available to students in the UK.
October 2026
January 2027
-
Samsung UK
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow
- For
- Students aged 11 to 18 at secondary schools and colleges across the UK and Ireland, alone or in teams of up to four
- Worth
- Mentoring, work experience with Samsung, Samsung tech and a place on the Piccadilly Circus screen
Open

March 2027
-
EUK Education (EngineeringUK)
The Big Bang Competition
- For
- Students aged 11 to 18 at state-funded schools, home educated or in a community group
Open

No fixed deadline
-
The IET (UK delivery partner)
FIRST LEGO League Challenge
- For
- Teams of up to 10 young people aged 9 to 16, through a school or youth group
Registration for the 2026-27 season is open; regional tournaments, then the UK final
Open

-
STEM Racing UK
STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools)
- For
- School teams of 3 to 6 students; secondary classes for ages 11 to 19
Schools register now; regional finals from 12 November 2026, National Finals in March 2027
Open

Not open yet
-
Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
Formula Student
- For
- University teams (one to aim for when choosing a university)
University teams register for 2027 later in the year; the 2026 event was at Silverstone in July
Not open yet

-
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
ICE CityZen competitions
- For
- The CityZen Award for ages 16 to 18; the Pollution Control Challenge for 14 to 16
- Worth
- Up to £2,000, shared between the team and the school
Runs in the autumn term; check this year's registration dates on the ICE website
Not open yet

-
James Dyson Foundation
James Dyson Award
- For
- University students and recent graduates of engineering and design, aged 18 or over
The 2026 round ran from 11 March to 15 July; 2027 dates not published
Not open yet
