Top 15 Hackathons For High School Students Planning to Major in CS

MLH is the world’s biggest student hackathon league. Every year, they sponsor 300 hackathons in over 90 countries. More than half a million people all over the world participate in MLH each year.

• Eligibility: Open to Everyone
• Cost: Varies depending on the specific hackathon. Some are free, while others may have a fee
• Difficulty level: Intermediate
• Coding experience required: Some experience is recommended, but beginners are welcome
• Time: Typically held over the weekend
• Location: Varies depending on the specific hackathon. MLH hosts events at universities around the world
• Application dates and deadlines: Deadlines vary depending on the specific hackathon. Check the MLH website for details

• Eligibility: Open to all (high school students, college students, professionals)
• Cost: Free
• Difficulty level: Advanced
• Coding experience required: A minimum of one year of coding experience is required
• Time: Typically 36 hours
• Location: Stanford University, Stanford, USA
• Application dates and deadlines: Deadlines vary but applications typically open a few months before the event

• Eligibility: Open to Everyone.
• Cost: Free
• Difficulty level: Intermediate
• Coding experience required: No prior experience required, but helpful
• Time: Typically 36 hours
• Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA (also has online events)
• Application dates and deadlines: Deadlines vary but applications typically open a few months before the event

• Eligibility: Open to college students, recent graduates (within 2 years)
• Cost: Free
• Difficulty level: Varies depending on the challenge
• Coding experience required: Yes, some coding experience is expected
• Time: Typically 24-36 hours
• Location: Varies depending on the event (possibly online or multiple locations)
• Application dates and deadlines: Deadlines vary but applications typically open a few weeks before the event

• Eligibility: Open to all, whether you’re a seasoned programmer or a complete beginner, you’re welcome to participate in a TensorFlow Hackathon.
• Cost: Free
• Difficulty Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
• Coding Experience Required: Basic
• Location: Online
• Application Dates: Varies
• Deadlines: Varies depending on the year

• Eligibility: Open to everyone, all ages and backgrounds are welcome. Participants under 18 must be registered by a parent or guardian.
• Cost: Free to participate.
• Difficulty Level: Varies depending on the chosen project. Some projects require basic coding skills, while others are suitable for beginners.
• Coding Experience Required: No prior coding experience is required, but some projects may benefit from it.
• Time: The hackathon is a 48-hour event held annually in October.
• Location: Held virtually and at locations around the world (local events vary each year).
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Registration typically opens in July/August leading up to the October event. Check the official website for specific dates each year

• Eligibility: Zero Robotics offers multiple programs for different age groups. Check their website for details on each program’s eligibility.
• Cost: Costs vary depending on the program. Some programs are free, while others have fees.
• Difficulty Level: Difficulty levels vary depending on the program. Programs are designed for different age groups and skill sets.
• Coding Experience Required: Coding experience requirements vary depending on the program. Some programs are beginner-friendly, while others require prior coding knowledge.
• Time: Programs run throughout the year, with varying durations depending on the specific program.
• Location: Zero Robotics offers both online and in-person programs (locations vary).
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Application deadlines vary depending on the program. Check the official website for official dates each year.

• Eligibility: Eligibility varies depending on the program offered by the FinTech Innovation Lab. Some programs may be targeted towards students, while others may be open to startups or industry professionals. Check their website for details on each program.
• Cost: Costs may vary depending on the program. Some programs may be free, while others may have fees associated with participation.
• Difficulty Level: Difficulty levels can vary depending on the program. FinTech Innovation Lab offers programs for different experience levels.
• Coding Experience Required: Coding experience requirements may vary depending on the program. Some programs may be suitable for beginners, while others may require some coding knowledge.
• Time: Program durations vary. Check the FinTech Innovation Lab website for details on each program.
• Location: Programs may be offered online or in-person (locations vary).
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Application deadlines vary depending on the program. Check the FinTech Innovation Lab website for details on each program

• Eligibility: Typically open to high school and university students worldwide (age restrictions may apply). Individual and team participation options are offered.
• Cost: There may be registration fees associated with participating in the Global Finance Olympiad.
• Difficulty Level: The Global Finance Olympiad is a challenging competition designed to test students’ knowledge and problem-solving skills in finance.
• Coding Experience Required: Coding experience is not mandatory, but some elements of the competition may benefit from it.
• Time: The Global Finance Olympiad is a multi-stage competition held throughout the academic year. Check the website for specific details on the competition timeline.
• Location: Online competition.
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Application deadlines typically occur in the fall semester. Check the Global Finance Olympiad website for specific dates

• Eligibility: Open to students, developers, designers, and anyone interested in creating solutions for the SDGs
• Cost: Free
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Coding experience required: Some coding experience is preferred, but not always required. There are often non-coding tracks available as well.
• Time: Dates vary depending on the event
• Location: Varies depending on the event (may be online or in-person)
• Application dates and deadlines: Deadlines vary depending on the event, but typically applications open a few weeks before the event

• Eligibility: Varies depending on the event, but typically open to students, developers, designers, and anyone passionate about making a positive change
• Cost: Varies depending on the event, but some hackathons may have a fee
• Difficulty level: Varies depending on the project
• Coding experience required: Varies depending on the event, but some coding experience is often helpful
• Time: Dates vary depending on the event
• Location: Varies depending on the event (may be online or in-person)
• Application dates and deadlines: Deadlines vary depending on the event, but typically applications open a few weeks before the event

• Eligibility: High school students (ages 13-18) in the US and Canada
• Cost: Free to participate
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Coding Experience Required: None
• Time Commitment: Self-paced, but there are week-by-week challenges
• Location: Online
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Rolling admissions throughout the year 

• Eligibility: High school students in the US (grades 9-12) on teams of up to 6 students with one coach
• Cost: Free to participate
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• Coding Experience Required: Yes, some coding experience is helpful
• Time Commitment: Varies depending on team practice and competition schedule
• Location: Online (qualifiers) and in-person (finals)
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Typically opens in early fall. Check website for specific dates.

• Eligibility: Anyone with an idea
• Cost: Varies (often free or low-cost)
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Experienced
• Coding Experience Required: Varies
• Location: Varies (global events)
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Varies (check local event website) 

• Eligibility: Girls ages 10-18
• Cost: Free
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Advanced
• Coding Experience Required: Varies (some challenges may be non-technical)
• Location: Global (online competition)
• Application Dates and Deadlines: Check Technovation Challenge website