International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) — High School Competition

An international team-based synthetic biology competition for high school students. Teams design, build and test solutions to real-world problems using synthetic biology. Since 2025, iGEM has a dedicated High School Competition, with high-school teams participating in the Grand Jamboree alongside other iGEM teams.

Authentic research and R&D experience; synthetic biology; laboratory, engineering, computational and communication skills; teamwork and leadership; solving real-world problems; international Grand Jamboree experience; access to the global iGEM community.

Team-based. All participants must be at least 13 years old by March 31 of the competition year and enrolled in secondary or higher education. High School teams consist only of high-school students and students graduating high school in the current school year. iGEM recommends around 8–15 students, with no upper limit. Multiple schools, including schools from different countries, can form one team. Adult PIs are required to oversee registration, safety, payments and compliance.