U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize

This is a real program, but some details for the current cycle are not published or not yet confirmed. Check the official source before you plan around it.

Award

Published U.S. national award: $10,000 per winning project and a paid trip to Stockholm. WEF lists a $15,000 international award plus $5,000 for the winner's school, expressly subject to change. The 2027 international prize terms are unconfirmed.

Deadline

2027 competition dates are not published. The latest official eligibility page still lists April 15, 2026 for state entry, virtual national judging in May 2026 and in-person finals June 8 to June 10, 2026.

How to apply

Under the latest published rules, submit the state online form and a research paper (maximum 2 MB); one team member submits information for both. Regional science-fair recognition is optional and self-nomination is allowed. State winners submit a national paper following national guidelines, attend virtual judging and, if selected in the top 20, in-person finals. The national winning project must send at least one member to Stockholm or the prize passes to the runner-up. Current 2027 application stages and portal are unconfirmed.

What you'll need

• A finalist round or selection weekend

Who can apply

The latest rules allow grade 9-12 students who conduct water-related scientific research and reach age 15 by August 1 of the competition year. Individuals and two-person teams may enter; state competition is limited to residents of the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. Current 2027 rules are not yet published.

Good to know

The U.S. award is per project. National finalists must be available for required judging, and the U.S. winning project must be represented at the international competition.

Details

ResearchSTEMSelf-nomination allowed