Applications are currently being accepted for the Bennington College Young Scientists Awards 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
About Bennington College Young Scientists Awards
The Bennington College Young Scientists Awards celebrate exceptional high school students in grades 9-12 who are thinking critically and creatively about STEM and whose work demonstrates originality, curiosity, and scientific inquiry.
The Bennington Young Scientists Awards recognize the next generation of scientists whose work challenges conventions, explores new ideas, and reflects a distinct point of view.
Whether you are curious about pollinator diversity in local gardens or the effects of drought stress on plant growth, we want to see work that demonstrates creativity, thoughtfulness, and a willingness to take risks and examine the natural world.
Benefits of Bennington College Young Scientists Awards
Cash Prizes (per category)
- First place: $2,000
- Second place: $1,000
- Third place: $500
Bennington College Young Scientists Awards Requirements
- There is no entry fee.
- Only one submission in this discipline award is allowed per student.
- Open to students in grades 9–12 worldwide.
- All entries must be original work and will be reviewed for authenticity.
- No AI should be used in any portion of your submission.
- Entries must be reviewed and approved by a sponsoring teacher or mentor.
- Grade 12 students must submit through the Common Application or Coalition Application process (no application fees required, non-binding, no supplemental essays required). Once the application is complete, we will send a follow-up email with YCA submission instructions. Since so many YCA participants also apply to Bennington, this approach allows students to submit their college and YCA applications through a single process.
- Students who have already graduated from high school are not eligible.
Application Date and Process
- Submissions must come in the form of one or more PDFs or digital photographs (JPEG, JPG, PNG, TIFF, etc.) of the work you created. Any physical copies of your original artwork cannot be considered or returned.
- You may submit up to five images of your work; however, a single high-resolution image is often more effective than multiple lower-quality images.
All entries must be reviewed and approved by a high school sponsor teacher. We will use your sponsoring teacher as a contact for the competition should we have any questions. For homeschooled students, please contact a mentor to sponsor your work.
Application Deadline
01 November, 2026
Opportunity Application
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Bennington College Young Scientists Awards
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