Competitions & Challenges

About Competitions & Challenges

Academic competitions and challenges encourage students to extend their knowledge, explore new interests and develop critical thinking, creativity, perseverance and problem-solving skills. Tackling unfamiliar questions under time constraints can help students build confidence and strategies useful in high-stakes examinations, including VCE assessments. Participation may also provide pathways to state, national and international recognition.

Explore opportunities across mathematics, informatics, science, humanities and other disciplines, including university-organised competitions and outreach programs within their relevant subject areas. This section focuses on secondary students and opportunities open to both primary and secondary students.

Explore Competitions & Challenges

Planning for school participation

Schools may need internal registration deadlines earlier than organisers’ published deadlines. As a guide, allow at least 14 days before the event, or longer for excursions, venue bookings, risk assessments, parental permissions, supervision, transport and notifying teachers about student absences. Internal deadlines must also allow time to meet the organiser’s closing date.

Important information

Competition dates, fees and eligibility can change each year. Each completed listing will include verified event and registration dates, a suggested school deadline, a last-checked date and relevant preparation resources. Where dates have not been announced, they will be marked ‘Not yet announced’. Always confirm current information with the organiser.