The Ultimate List of Top 10 High School Hackathons in 2026

Hackathons are timed, competition-style events where teams collaborate to solve problems. They’re a fun, enriching way for high school students to sharpen their coding and critical thinking. Here are ten of the top high school hackathons to consider. Dates and details change each cycle, so confirm the current details with each. 

1. HackMIT

• Description: open to all skill levels. High school students take part in a weekend-long learnathon and hackathon at MIT, learning to code and building a computer science project with mentor support. Team formation and ideation sessions are included.
• Location & date: in person at MIT; early March.
• Eligibility: high school student; application due early February.
• Cost: free; travel reimbursed on a per-mile basis.
• Difficulty: beginner-friendly (no coding experience required).

2. Hack3

• Description: a 24-hour global high school hackathon. Students first attend workshops hosted by industry professionals, on topics from blockchain to machine learning on AWS, then work in teams to build a software project that solves a pressing issue.
• Location & date: virtual; late June.
• Eligibility: any high school student.
• Cost: free; need-based assistance is available for internet and equipment costs.
• Difficulty: beginner-friendly (no coding experience required).

3. PennApps

• Description: the oldest college and high school hackathon in the US. Each year over a thousand students gather on Penn’s campus for a weekend building software and hardware solutions to real-world problems. Teams of up to four are allowed.
• Location & date: in person at the University of Pennsylvania; mid-September.
• Eligibility: any college, university, or high school student 15 or older. Application due mid-to-late July.
• Cost: free; meals and snacks provided, travel reimbursed.
• Difficulty: fairly difficult, since the bar for admission is high. You’ll be competing against some of the brightest students nationally and internationally.
• Prizes: thousands of dollars in prizes; past top prizes have ranged from iPad minis to Nintendo Switches.

4. NASA International Space Apps Challenge

• Description: hosted by NASA, thousands worldwide come together for this global hackathon, tackling challenges in teams of one to six using free, open data from NASA and its partners. Each year has a different theme.
• Location & date: virtual; early October.
• Eligibility: anyone, but those under 18 must be registered by a parent or guardian. Applications typically close in late spring or early summer.
• Cost: free.
• Difficulty: fairly difficult. It’s extremely popular, with thousands of registrations per year and only a handful of global prizes.
• Prizes: global winners are invited to a Winners Celebration, visiting a NASA center for an award ceremony and meeting NASA leaders.

5. MHacks

• Description: run by the University of Michigan and started in 2013, MHacks brings together around a thousand participants each year and has partnered with sponsors like Google. Participants build software and hardware solutions in teams of up to four.
• Location & date: in person at the University of Michigan; mid-April.
• Eligibility: anyone 18 or older. Applications are rolling, so apply early as spots fill quickly.
• Cost: free; food provided. Overnight accommodations are not provided.
• Prizes: 1st, $3,000; 2nd, $1,500; 3rd, $500.

6. Stanford ACM ProCo

• Description: hosted by the Stanford Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), ProCo is an annual computer science contest for Bay Area high schoolers. Students compete in teams of up to three and solve 9-15 unweighted algorithmic problems in three hours. There are two divisions, Novice and Advanced, sharing one problem set, with placements decided within each division.
• Location & date: Stanford University; spring (around mid-April).
• Eligibility: high school students in the Bay Area.
• Cost: free.
• Difficulty: fair. Most competitors have at least a year of programming experience; advanced data structures aren’t required but can help.
• Prizes: vary by year; past prizes have included iPad minis and Nintendo 3DSes.

7. NASA App Development Challenge

• Description: open to middle and high school students. Teams tackle technical problems tied to deep space exploration missions. The minimum team size is five (no maximum), led by a sponsor or educator. Teams have 10 weeks to submit a video presenting their solution. Top teams advance to an interview round, and seven teams travel to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
• Location & date: virtual; video due around December, with the culminating event for top teams in Houston in mid-April.
• Eligibility: high school and middle school students.
• Cost: free; teams register in September.
• Difficulty: fairly difficult, with strong competition given the program’s breadth.
• Prizes: the opportunity to travel to the Johnson Space Center.

8. Los Altos Hacks

• Description: one of the largest high school hackathons in the world. This 24-hour event includes workshops, team mixers, and fun activities like Smash Bros tournaments and cup stacking. Participants hack in teams of four with mentor guidance.
• Location & date: Juniper Aspiration Dome; early April.
• Eligibility: any high school student.
• Cost: free; catered breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
• Difficulty: beginner-friendly (no coding experience required).
• Prizes: past prizes have included $1,000 cash, iPads, AirPods Pro, and 3D printers. Participants also receive swag.

9. Major League Hacking (MLH) Hackathons

• Description: MLH is the official student hackathon league, run by hackers for hackers. It powers over 300 weekend competitions each year, for beginner to veteran hackers, and partners with major brands.
• Location & date: varies.
• Eligibility: high school to college students.
• Cost: varies; almost all are free.
• Difficulty: varies; many are beginner-friendly.
• Prizes: vary.

10. Hack Club High School Hackathons

• Description: Hack Club is a global nonprofit network of high school computer enthusiasts. It maintains a list (linked above) of high school hackathons hosted by schools and organizations across the country.
• Location & date: varies.
• Eligibility: high school students; application processes vary.
• Cost: varies; almost all are free.
• Difficulty: varies; many are beginner-friendly.
• Prizes: vary.

Concluding Remarks

Hackathons are far from the only high school STEM competitions out there. Whether you’re set on computer science or still exploring, check out this list of 50+ curated STEM opportunities for high school students.

With options ranging across location, timing, and difficulty, you’re bound to find a hackathon that fits. Happy hacking! 👾