Competitions and challenges

Phase 1 (Activation) of the 2026-27 Conrad Challenge runs August 27 to October 30, 2026; Phase 2 (Innovation) closes January 8, 2027, with the Innovation Summit April 21-24, 2027. Student teams pitch a commercially viable solution to a real-world problem.

The largest hackathon in the world, built entirely on open NASA and partner space agency data. Teams spend a weekend on a real challenge written by NASA experts, spanning software, data science, hardware, design and science storytelling. Alberta hubs ran in both Calgary and Edmonton in 2025. The 2026 edition runs November 14 to 15 with registration opening August 26, 2026, so check the site for the confirmed Alberta locations.

Canada's largest health science competition for high school students, run by a chartered HOSA association since 2014. Members enter one of about 30 events, from medical terminology to veterinary science and medical law, and the top three in each earn a place at the International Leadership Conference. You join through a chapter at your own school, or start one: five students, a president and a teacher advisor. The online Fall Leadership Conference runs November 15–22, 2026; SLC 2027 is in Toronto, March 1–3, and is high-school only.

Rigorous engineering challenge where high school teams design, program, and build industrial-size robots in a 6-week build season. Requires applied research in mechanics, CAD, and control systems. Many Alberta teams compete in the Canadian Rockies regional event.

Challenges like Energy Revealed, Eco 360 and Re-Energy prompt students to research local energy consumption or climate policy, then design and implement a data-backed emissions reduction strategy for their school or municipality.

Grade 9-12 teams design, build and program competition robots for game-based tournaments held locally across Alberta, fall through spring.

Distinct from the larger FRC, FTC teams design, build, and program smaller-scale robots using Java and Android-based technology. Requires applied research into control systems and computer vision. More accessible entry point than FRC with lower build costs.

The provincial association for school-based speech and debate in Alberta, running junior and senior tournaments in English and French across Language Arts, Drama, Social Studies and Science. Builds research, argument construction and public speaking skills, and sends qualifiers to national and international competitions. Students take part through a club at their school.

Team registration for the 2026 season is closed. iGEM's High School Competition is entered as a school team under a teacher acting as PI, not by individual students; teams design a synthetic biology project across the season for the international jamboree.

This challenge is not currently running. STEM Fellowship lists no active Big Data & AI Challenge cycle. Teams previously produced a peer-reviewed manuscript from open-data and AI research, with a finale in Calgary.

National innovation challenge where youth teams design and prototype STEM solutions to real-world problems. Teams receive access to industry mentors, workshops, and MindFuel's Connect2Innovate platform. 13+ years running with 5,000+ alumni.

Global tech education program where teams of young women identify a community problem, conduct user research, and build a mobile app or AI solution. Alberta participants can work remotely or through local hubs. Teams pitch to a panel of tech industry judges.

Applications close in mid-March each year, and the 2026 round closed 13 March. Teams of high school students propose an experiment to run on a real particle-accelerator beamline at CERN, and winning teams travel to carry it out.

A one-day engineering and geoscience challenge where high school teams solve timed, hands-on problems. Regionals feed the provincial finals.

National cyber defence competition for Grade 9-12 teams, running October to May. Your teacher registers the team between April and October, not students.

Environmental research and proposal competition. Students research a local watershed issue, write a detailed solution proposal, and compete for funding to implement their project in their community. Top Alberta entries advance to regional and national judging.

Multidisciplinary engineering competition where teams use CAD and CAM software to research aerodynamics, design, and race miniature compressed-air powered F1 cars. Alberta teams actively compete at national championships. Builds skills in design, manufacturing, and project management.

Canada's largest hackathon: 36 hours of building at Waterloo with 1,000+ students, travel, food and lodging covered. Applications reopen next summer.

Ethical hacking competition where teams research network vulnerabilities, cryptography, and server security, then compete in simulated real-time Capture the Flag (CTF) events. Regional and national levels with Alberta participation.

Registration for the regional qualifiers opens in early January. Alberta students compete in trades and technology contests at regionals, with winners advancing to the provincial competition and on to Skills Canada nationals.