文部科学省・特許庁・日本弁理士会・独立行政法人工業所有権情報・研修館 (MEXT, Japan Patent Office, Japan Patent Attorneys Association, INPIT)
A national product-design contest co-hosted by MEXT, the Japan Patent Office, the Japan Patent Attorneys Association and INPIT, where high school, KOSEN and university students submit their own unpublished designs. Winners file a real design registration application with a patent attorney's support, with fees paid by the organizers.
高校生バイオサミット事務局（慶應義塾大学先端生命科学研究所） (Bio Summit in Tsuruoka / Keio University Institute for Advanced Biosciences)
A national bioscience research contest for high school and kosen students held each summer in Tsuruoka, Yamagata, home of Keio University's Institute for Advanced Biosciences.
東京大学先端科学技術研究センター LEARN（個別最適な学び寄付研究部門）・ポルシェジャパン株式会社 (RCAST, The University of Tokyo LEARN and Porsche Japan)
A selective, largely funded five-day inquiry programme for junior high and high school students run by the University of Tokyo's RCAST LEARN lab with Porsche Japan, combining a learning-through-travel journey across Japan and a hands-on machine-repair programme.
Japan's flagship robot contest for kosen students: each college builds robots for a new task every year and competes in eight regional contests, with the best teams advancing to the national final broadcast by NHK.
A free, year-long Saitama University program for science-minded high school students, with monthly specialist seminars, study alongside international and university students, and research support, leading to a selective advanced research course.
公益財団法人米日カウンシル－ジャパン (U.S.-Japan Council (Japan)) – TOMODACHIイニシアチブ, 支援: ボーイングジャパン株式会社 (Boeing Japan), 運営: 一般社団法人コード・フォー・ジャパン (Code for Japan)
An entrepreneurship and STEM program for students from high school to graduate school: online prep seminars, a 3-day hackathon in Tokyo, mentoring, a final presentation, and a US trip for top participants. The 2027 (17th) edition has not been announced yet.
A five-day residential spring seminar on Ikei Island, Okinawa, for about 25 junior high and high school students with a strong interest in the mathematical sciences. Researchers give high-level lectures and students join evening seminars. The 2027 edition has not been announced yet.
芝浦工業大学 (Shibaura Institute of Technology) / 高校化学グランドコンテスト実行委員会
A national chemistry research contest for high school and kosen students, hosted by Shibaura Institute of Technology, with travel support for finalists and invitations to overseas science fairs for top teams.
東京大学生産技術研究所 次世代育成オフィス (Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo) UTokyoGSC-Next事務局
A free University of Tokyo STEAM research program in which about 70 high school students develop research plans through workshops at the Institute of Industrial Science, then carry out their own research in UTokyo labs the following year.
Toyo University's annual tanka (31-syllable poem) contest, running since 1987, for poems expressing students' everyday outlook and feelings; 100 winning poems are announced each January. The 41st call has not been published yet.
読売新聞社・日本学生協会（JNSA）基金 (The Yomiuri Shimbun and JNSA Foundation)
Japan's largest English speech contest for junior high students: students write and memorise their own 5-minute English speech, compete in prefectural contests and the top representatives go to the national stage in Tokyo. The 2027 (79th) guidelines are not yet published.
Grade 9
Cost not published
Partial fundingApplications not open yetNomination required
東京大学先端科学技術研究センター 先端教育アウトリーチラボ (RCAST Advanced Education Outreach lab, The University of Tokyo)
A free program at the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) that supports about 10 secondary students or teams with their own research themes, pairing them with graduate-student supporters and, where appropriate, RCAST faculty and labs.