The Caltech EWB Science & Engineering Competition is a global online STEM competition for middle and high school students, organized by Caltech Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in partnership with AlgoEd. Teams of 2-5 students compete across three rounds to solve real-world science and engineering challenges, with finals judged by Caltech professors and industry experts.
Competition format:
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Preliminary Round (September 19, 2026) — Online test with multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and free-response questions; 1 hour; available across multiple time zones worldwide. Top 2 scores per team count toward the team total. Top 10 teams per category advance.
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Semi-Final Round (due October 3, 2026) — Teams develop and present a solution to a real science problem via a pitch deck within one week.
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Final Round (Live Zoom) — Top 5 semi-finalist teams present their refined solutions live to a judging panel of Caltech professors and industry experts.
Age categories:
- Middle School (Grades 6-8): General knowledge, real-world problems, critical thinking across math and science fundamentals
- High School (Grades 9-12): Biology, chemistry, physics, and math with emphasis on critical thinking and real-world applications
Awards: All participants receive certificates; preliminary round Honor and Merit awards; Semi-Finalist recognition; individual top-performer awards regardless of team standing.
The competition is part of the World STEM League, allowing students to compete across multiple competitions throughout the year and track improvement over time.
Registration fees: $35/student (priority, by June 17) · $45/student (regular, by Aug 17) · $55/student (late, by Sep 17).