The “Jugend forscht” competition is regarded as the best-known competition for young talent in science and technology in Germany. It was founded in 1965 and aims to inspire young people to take an interest in research and innovation at an early age. The initiative is aimed in particular at school pupils and apprentices who develop their own research questions and tackle them scientifically. The focus is on independent experimentation and the independent development of solutions to scientific or technical problems. The competition forms part of Germany’s STEM promotion landscape, i.e. the promotion of skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Projects may be drawn from seven subject areas: the world of work, biology, chemistry, earth and space sciences, mathematics/computer science, physics and technology. As a result, the competition covers a broad spectrum of scientific topics.
Young people up to the age of 21 are eligible to take part. School pupils must be in at least Year 4, whilst university students may be in no later than the first year of their first degree. Apprentices are also eligible to participate. The competition is divided into two age groups: ‘Jugend forscht junior’ is aimed at school pupils from Year 4 up to the age of 14, whilst ‘Jugend forscht’ is for young people aged 15 to 21. Participants may work alone or in teams. A prerequisite is the submission of a specific project in which a scientific question is formulated, experimentally investigated and documented.
The competition round begins every year in the summer. After selecting a topic and preparing their projects, participants must register their work online by 30 November. This is followed by the submission of a written report setting out the research question, methods, results and conclusions. The competition is then organised in several stages: in the regional competitions, all projects first compete at regional level. The regional winners qualify for the state competition in their respective federal state. The state winners then compete against one another in the national final at the federal competition.
During the competitions, participants present their projects at an exhibition stand and present them to the jury. The assessment is based on several criteria, including scientific quality, the originality of the work, as well as the presentation and the ability to explain the project. Over the decades, ‘Jugend forscht’ has developed into an important platform for young scientists. Many former participants have gone on to pursue careers in science, research or technology companies.
One example of the practical implementation of the competition at regional level is the 2026 “Jugend forscht” regional competition at Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences. The university organises the competition in collaboration with the Seeoner Kreis regional business association, thereby providing a platform for young talent from the region. The competition took place on 25 and 26 February 2026 and brought numerous school pupils from Upper Bavaria and neighbouring regions to Rosenheim. In 2026, more than 80 school pupils took part in the regional competition with over 50 research projects. The competition was also characterised by a high number of new participants: according to the competition organisers, around three-quarters of the pupils were taking part for the first time . This underlines the competition’s great appeal and growing importance in the region.
The projects covered various subject areas – from biology and physics to computer science and engineering. A total of eight projects qualified for the state final in Bavaria after being awarded first prizes by the jury.
Among the award-winning projects were, for example:
- a project on fluorescent chestnuts and potential applications in the field of biology
- a study on the structure of snake skin
- a project on electromagnets and permanent magnets in the field of physics
In addition to the first prizes, special prizes were also awarded, for example for distinctive scientific approaches or innovative methods. Furthermore, the jury nominated a school from the region for the ‘Bavarian Research School of the Year’ award. For Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences, hosting the competition offers the opportunity to introduce young people to science and technology at an early stage. At the same time, the pupils gain an insight into a university environment and can present their projects to an expert jury. In the broader context of STEM education, “Jugend forscht” fulfils several important functions: it promotes competition and scientific thinking, independent work and problem-solving skills. It also provides a platform where young talents can present their ideas publicly and receive feedback from experts. Finally, it strengthens the links between schools, universities, industry and research institutions.
Particularly at a time of growing demand for skilled workers in technical and scientific fields, the promotion of young talent plays a central role. Competitions such as “Jugend forscht” therefore make an important contribution to securing innovation and scientific progress in Germany in the long term.
Photo: copyright of Janine Jess/TH Rosenheim
