Building a stand-out portfolio for college or scholarship applications doesn’t have to cost a fortune. National student competitions give K–12 students a chance to build real-world software, AI, and engineering projects while competing for tech gear, Capitol displays, and national recognition.
Here is a complete breakdown of 2 top-tier, 100% free national competitions, including key deadlines, eligibility rules, and prize details.
Fast-Facts Comparison Table
| Competition | Host / Sponsor | Target Audience | Cost | Main Prizes |
| Congressional App Challenge | U.S. House of Representatives | US Middle & High School Students | $0 | U.S. Capitol display, House.gov feature, #HouseOfCode invitation |
| ORISE STEM Solutions Challenge | U.S. Dept. of Energy / ORISE | K–12 Students | $0 | Back-to-School STEM Tech Kits (Chromebooks, Calculators, Beats) |
Detailed Competition Breakdown
1. Congressional App Challenge
- Hosted By: Members of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Cost: $0 (100% Free)
- Target Audience: Middle and high school students residing or attending school in participating U.S. Congressional Districts.
- Prizes: Winning apps are displayed inside the U.S. Capitol Building, featured on House.gov, granted copyright fee waivers, and invited to the #HouseOfCode celebration in Washington, D.C.
- How It Works: Students can enter individually or in teams of up to 4 to design and code a functional app on any topic using any programming language.
- Deadline: October 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time.
2. ORISE STEM Solutions Student Challenge
- Hosted By: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (U.S. Department of Energy)
- Cost: $0 (100% Free)
- Target Audience: K–12 students nationwide.
- Prizes: Back-to-School STEM Kits including Chromebooks, Beats Solo Headphones, TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculators, and backpacks for high school winners.
- How It Works: Identify a real-world problem, engineer a solution, and pitch your idea through a short 90-second video, infographic poster, or 5-slide presentation.
- Deadline: August 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
Direct Application Links
- Congressional App Challenge: Congressional App Challenge Registration Portal
- ORISE STEM Challenge: ORISE K-12 Student Competitions Hub
Are There Any Hidden Fees or Charges?
Zero. 100% Free to compete.
- No Registration Fees: Neither program charges an entry, registration, or evaluation fee.
- No Software Fees: Free tools and platforms can be used for coding and creating submissions.
- Note on Travel: For the Congressional App Challenge, travel to the optional #HouseOfCode event in Washington, D.C., is the responsibility of the winning student/family per U.S. House rules.
Who Can Apply?
1. Congressional App Challenge
- U.S. Residency Required: Yes. All competing students must be U.S. residents at the time of submission. They must either reside in or attend school in a participating U.S. Congressional District.
- U.S. Citizenship Required? No. International students / non-U.S. citizens can participate as long as they are currently living in or attending school in the U.S.
- Students Living Abroad: Generally ineligible unless they attend an eligible U.S. school program or reside in a participating U.S. territory district.
2. ORISE STEM Solutions Student Challenge
- U.S. Residency / School Enrollment Required: Yes. Applicants must be K–12 students residing and attending school in the United States, U.S. territories, or Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools abroad.
- U.S. Citizenship Required? No. International students living and attending K–12 school in the U.S. are eligible to submit entries.
- Students Living Abroad: Ineligible unless enrolled in a DoDEA school.
Both competitions do not require U.S. citizenship, making them open to international students, provided they are currently residing or attending school within the United States.
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