Future City Competition
Location:
Regional rounds held across U.S. and international regions; High School finals (for top teams) take place in Washington, D.C.
Cost:
Middle school: $25 per organization (plus up to ~$100 team model budget), High school: $375 per team for Competition Access (or $300 for Program Access if not competing)
Contest Date:
Regional competitions held in January (e.g. Jan 2025), High school virtual qualification in January, finals for qualifying high school and middle teams February in Washington, D.C. for Feb 2026.
Application Deadlines:
Team registration opens in May or early summer,
Eligibility:
Middle school: grades 6–8; home‑school, public/private school, or recognized youth group. High school: grades 9–12. Teams have 3‑5 students plus one coach; high school teams may optionally include a mentor.
Future City is a hands‑on STEM competition where students research, design, and build a futuristic, sustainable city in response to an annual theme. Submission components include a written essay, physical (middle school) or digital (high school) model, project management plan, and a presentation with Q&A to engineering judges. Top regional teams attend national finals in Washington, D.C., competing for scholarships, cash awards, and recognition. The program builds real‑world problem‑solving, teamwork, engineering design, writing, and public speaking skills.
Please note: This information is compiled from publicly available sources and may change from year to year. Dates, locations, fees, and other details are subject to updates—please verify all information directly on the official competition website before applying.