Rules

Contest Theme: Neuroscience and Psychology

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Submit original research or a literature review, covering any topic in neuroscience and psychology.

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Eligibility:

High school students in any country in the upcoming 2026-27 academic year.

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Registration:

There are no registration fees for this contest. Simply fill out this form!

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Submission period:

April 31st (Pacific Time) to June 10th 11:59 pm (Pacific Time), 2026

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Paper Requirements:

Maximum of 15 pages; follow the citation and paper formats provided by the National High School Journal of Science

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Judging Criteria (each 25%):

(1) Originality: How original is this piece? Are there interesting implications or findings?

(2) Academic Voice: Does the paper represent a strong academic paper? Is it well formatted, well organized etc.?

(3) Impact on the community: Do the findings impact the community or the neuroscience/psychology field in any way?

(4) Academic Grounding: Are the results plausible, realistic etc? Is it well supported? Are sources cited? 

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Winner announcements: 

Winners will be announced by email by June 10th

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Prizes:

1st place: $75 USD + Personal Letter of Recommendation from Teen Neuroscience Alliance

2nd place: $50 USD + Personal Letter of Recommendation from Teen Neuroscience Alliance

3rd place: $25 USD + Personal Letter of Recommendation from Teen Neuroscience Alliance

Top 10% submissions: Gold award

Top 15% submissions: Silver award

Top 25% submissions: Bronze award

All participants: Certificate of Participation

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Winner Recognition:

Top 3 submissions + Gold Award winners will be recognized on website and social media