Free contests for kids 2026-27, by subject and age
Every row checked on the organizer's own page on Nov 3, 2026.
Yes, there are free contests for kids in 2026-27. The table below lists 17 that charge no entry fee or list no fee, with ages, deadlines and the organizer's own words on homeschool entry.
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Your kid has a poem, a drawing or an invention idea, and a deadline would turn it into a finished piece. The hard part is the search: fees hide in the rules, and many pages never say whether a homeschooler can enter. We read each organizer's own rules so you can pick one and put the date on the calendar.
Are there free contests for kids in 2026-27?
Yes. The table lists 17 contests for 2026-27 that charge no entry fee or list none, each checked on the organizer's own page on Nov 3, 2026. They cover poetry, art, math, science, civics and entrepreneurship. Each row gives the ages or grades, the deadline and the organizer's homeschool wording, sorted by deadline.
Free contests, sorted by deadline
| Contest | What your kid does | Suits the kid who | Ages or grades | Deadline | Fee | Homeschool, in the organizer's words | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFSPS Manningham Student Poetry Contest | Writes and submits poems | writes poetry | Grades 6 to 12 | Received on Submittable by Nov 15, 2026 | Free: "There is no entry fee." | Yes: "public or private school or homeschooled" | nfsps.net/manningham-student-poetry-contest |
| USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS), Round 2 | Solves a round of math problems and submits written solutions | likes hard math problems and has weeks to work on them | Middle and high school | Nov 30, 2026, web entry by 10 p.m. Eastern | Free: "There is no fee for participating" | Not named. Open to US citizens or residents | usamts.org/contest/problems |
| John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest | Writes an essay | likes history and civics and wants to argue a point in writing | Grades 9 to 12; correspondence and GED students under 20 and US citizens at schools overseas can also enter | Jan 11, 2027, 11:59 p.m. Eastern (opened Sept 1, 2026) | No fee listed | Yes. Open to students at public, private, parochial or home schools | jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest |
| International Festival of Owls Kids' Art Contest | Makes a piece of art | likes to draw or paint, including the youngest | 18 and under (age groups 0 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 to 14, 15 to 18) | Received by Jan 15, 2027 | Free: "There is no entry fee" | Not named. Open to any child 18 or younger | festivalofowls.com/kids-art-contest.html |
| C-SPAN StudentCam 2027 | Makes a short documentary video, alone or in a team of up to 3 | likes video and current events | Grades 6 to 12 | Jan 20, 2027, 11:59 p.m. PST | No fee listed | Yes: "or be home-schooled" | studentcam.org/rules |
| Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision | Works in a team of 2 to 4 on a science project | likes science and has friends to team up with | K to 12 | Jan 27, 2027, 8:00 p.m. ET (the coach submits) | Free: "no entry fee" | Yes: "home school" | exploravision.org/faqs |
| Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition | Pitches a business idea | has a business idea, ages 14 to 18 | Ages 14 to 18 | Feb 21, 2027, midnight local time | Free: "completely free" | Yes, named | blueoceancompetition.org/compete |
| eCYBERMISSION | Works in a team on a STEM project | likes science projects and has a team of 3 or 4 | Grades 6 to 9 | Registration closes Feb 24, 2027 | Free: "free to enter" | Yes. Homeschool teams register in the Team Advisor's state | usaeop.com/program/ecybermission |
| Sejong Writing Competition (sijo) | Writes a sijo poem | likes short poems and trying a new form | Pre-college, 18 and under | Feb 28, 2027, 11:59 p.m. CT | No fee listed | Not named. Open to residents of the US and Canada | sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current |
| Science Without Borders Challenge | Makes art about ocean science | loves the ocean and art | Ages 11 to 19 | Received by Mar 1, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET | Free: "There is no fee" | Yes: "home school equivalent" | livingoceansfoundation.org/science-without-borders-challenge/contest-rules-information |
| Ninth Circuit Civics Contest (REGIONAL: AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA and Pacific territories) | Writes an essay or makes a video on a civics theme | lives in the Ninth Circuit and likes civics | Grades 9 to 12 | Mar 5, 2027, 11:59 p.m. Pacific | No fee listed | Yes: "homeschooled students of equivalent grade status" | ce9.uscourts.gov/civics-contest |
| Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest | Writes an essay on economics and civics | likes to argue a point in writing | Grades 5 to 12 | Mar 12, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET | No fee listed on the contest page | Not named: "Students may submit on their own" | stosselintheclassroom.org/essay-contest |
| Purple Comet Math Meet | Solves math problems online with a team | likes math with friends; there is a mixed-team category for homeschoolers | Middle and high school | Contest window Apr 6 to Apr 15, 2027 | Free: "free to all participants" | Yes: "home-schooled students who are at a comparable level" | purplecomet.org/rules |
| Bill of Rights Institute Community Impact Contest | Enters alone or in a group of up to 5 on a civics theme, with a parent able to serve as the supporting teacher | wants to make a difference in their community | Ages 13 to 19 as of Jan 1, 2027 | Apr 19, 2027, 11:59 p.m. PT | Free: the rules say no purchase is needed | Yes. The rules (Section II.4) let homeschoolers enter | billofrightsinstitute.org/community-impact-contest |
| The Paradigm Challenge | Comes up with an idea to solve a problem, alone or in a team | likes inventing, including younger kids | Ages 4 to 18 | May 1, 2027, 11:59 p.m. PST | Free: "No purchase is necessary to register, enter, or win" | Not named. Open by age with parent permission | projectparadigm.org/rules |
| Bow Seat Blue Planet Awareness Contest | Makes art, writing, film or music about the ocean | loves the ocean and any creative form | Ages 11 to 18 | June 7, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET | Free: "There is no fee to enter" | Yes: "or the homeschool equivalent" | bowseat.org/programs/blue-planet-awareness-contest/rules-eligibility |
| Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest | Paints or draws a waterfowl design | likes to draw animals | K to 12 | Set by each state. Check with your state coordinator | No fee listed | Yes: "public, private or homeschool" | fws.gov/program/junior-duck-stamp/junior-duck-stamp-contest-information |
Can homeschoolers enter kids' contests?
Many can. Twelve of the 17 contests on this list name homeschoolers in their rules. The other five are open to every student or every resident in an age band without naming homeschoolers. The homeschool column sums up each organizer's eligibility wording, so you can check the exact line before you enter.
What free contests are there for younger kids?
Six on the list take younger kids. ExploraVision and the Junior Duck Stamp contest are open from kindergarten through grade 12. The Paradigm Challenge starts at age 4. The Festival of Owls and Sejong take kids 18 and under, and Owls has an age group from 0 to 5. Stossel in the Classroom starts at grade 5.
"A deadline turns a drawing on the fridge into a finished entry."
What free writing contests have cash prizes?
Three writing contests list cash on their own pages. Sejong's pre-college division pays $500, $400 and $300 for first, second and third. Stossel in the Classroom says it gives "over $12,000 to students". Bow Seat's contest, which includes writing, lists cash awards of up to $1,000. Manningham and the Ninth Circuit mention prizes without amounts.
What does a homeschooler put in the school field?
Most rules on this list do not say. eCYBERMISSION gives no school-field instruction, but homeschool teams register in the state where the Team Advisor lives. ExploraVision only asks for enrollment "in a public, private, parochial, virtual, or home school". For the other contests, the rules we read are silent, so email the organizer before you submit.
Can a homeschool co-op enter as a team?
Several team contests welcome it. Purple Comet has a mixed-team category "designed for homeschooled students". ExploraVision says team members "do not have to attend the same school or the same state". eCYBERMISSION homeschool teams register in the Team Advisor's state. Blue Ocean teammates can come from different schools, and Paradigm and Bow Seat allow groups.
Help them prepare
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Disclosure
- Outschool (affiliate link): live online classes for kids ages 3 to 18. For the kid who wants a teacher's help with a contest subject, such as writing or math (our pick).
- Compass Classroom (affiliate link): Christian video curriculum for middle and high school, made since 2010 and starting with Visual Latin, with live online classes listed for 2026-27. For the family that wants faith-based lessons with video for an older kid preparing an essay or civics entry (our pick).
- SchoolhouseTeachers (affiliate link): one family membership with hundreds of parent-led digital courses in core subjects and electives, Pre-K to 12. Most are printable PDFs, and many add audio or video. For the family with several kids who want practice in different contest subjects (our pick).
Closing soon
No contest on this list closes in December. Four close in January 2027: the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest (Jan 11), the Festival of Owls Kids' Art Contest (received by Jan 15), C-SPAN StudentCam (Jan 20) and ExploraVision (Jan 27).
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FAQ
Are there free contests for kids in 2026-27?
Yes. The table lists 17 contests for 2026-27 that charge no entry fee or list none, each checked on the organizer's own page on Nov 3, 2026. They cover poetry, art, math, science, civics and entrepreneurship. Each row gives the ages or grades, the deadline and the organizer's homeschool wording, sorted by deadline.
Can homeschoolers enter kids' contests?
Many can. Twelve of the 17 contests on this list name homeschoolers in their rules. The other five are open to every student or every resident in an age band without naming homeschoolers. The homeschool column sums up each organizer's eligibility wording, so you can check the exact line before you enter.
What free contests are there for younger kids?
Six on the list take younger kids. ExploraVision and the Junior Duck Stamp contest are open from kindergarten through grade 12. The Paradigm Challenge starts at age 4. The Festival of Owls and Sejong take kids 18 and under, and Owls has an age group from 0 to 5. Stossel in the Classroom starts at grade 5.
What free writing contests have cash prizes?
Three writing contests list cash on their own pages. Sejong's pre-college division pays $500, $400 and $300 for first, second and third. Stossel in the Classroom says it gives "over $12,000 to students". Bow Seat's contest, which includes writing, lists cash awards of up to $1,000. Manningham and the Ninth Circuit mention prizes without amounts.
What does a homeschooler put in the school field?
Most rules on this list do not say. eCYBERMISSION gives no school-field instruction, but homeschool teams register in the state where the Team Advisor lives. ExploraVision only asks for enrollment "in a public, private, parochial, virtual, or home school". For the other contests, the rules we read are silent, so email the organizer before you submit.
Can a homeschool co-op enter as a team?
Several team contests welcome it. Purple Comet has a mixed-team category "designed for homeschooled students". ExploraVision says team members "do not have to attend the same school or the same state". eCYBERMISSION homeschool teams register in the Team Advisor's state. Blue Ocean teammates can come from different schools, and Paradigm and Bow Seat allow groups.
How we check
We open each contest's own rules page and read the fee, the ages or grades, the deadline and the homeschool wording there. We quote the organizer's words in the homeschool column. Where a page names no fee, the row says "No fee listed". Where we could not read a fact, the row says Unconfirmed. We recheck deadlines before each update. Paid contests and contests with no 2026-27 deadline are on our high school guide at /competitions/. More free resources: /free-all-year/ and /curriculum/free/.
Sources
Each row's link above is its source, read Nov 3, 2026. Prize lines: Sejong, Stossel, Bow Seat, Manningham and Ninth Circuit prize wording from each contest's official page, read Nov 3, 2026. John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest: jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest, Confirmed, Nov 3, 2026. Bill of Rights Institute: official rules PDF, bri-open-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/BRI_Community+Impact+Terms+and+Conditions_Final+09.14.2026+1.pdf, Section II.4. Confirmed, Nov 3, 2026. Affiliates: outschool.com/about, compassclassroom.com/about/ and schoolhouseteachers.com, Confirmed, Nov 3, 2026. Team wording: purplecomet.org/faq, exploravision.org/faqs, the eCYBERMISSION 2026-2027 rules PDF linked from ecybermission.com/CompetitionRules, blueoceancompetition.org/faqs, projectparadigm.org/rules and the Bow Seat rules page, read Nov 3, 2026.
Last checked: Nov 3, 2026.