Applications Invited for Breakthrough Junior Challenge 2025

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About the Organization

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an annual, global science video competition for high-school students.

It was founded in 2015 by Julia and Yuri Milner.

About the Challenge

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an annual global competition for students to inspire creative thinking about science. Students ages 13 to 18 from countries across the globe are invited to create and submit original videos (2:00 minutes in length maximum) that bring to life a concept or theory in the life sciences, physics or mathematics. The submissions are judged on the student’s ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in engaging, illuminating, and imaginative ways. The Challenge is organized by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, and was founded by Julia and Yuri Milner as part of their Giving Pledge to support science and the communication of scientific ideas.

Challenge:

You get it. You’ve grasped an important scientific theory, concept or principle.

Now can you share your insight?

An inventive video can get across complex material that would take pages of text to communicate.

To take part in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, create a short video (2:00 – two minutes max) to explain a big idea in one of these fields:

• Physics
• Mathematics
• Life Sciences

Your film can take any form you like: animation, talking head, documentary, dramatic reconstruction, whatever. It’s worth keeping in mind that video is a dynamic visual medium – using diagrams, simulations, physical demonstrations etc. is a lot more effective than standing in front of a blackboard talking.

The videos will be judged according to the following criteria:

• Engagement
• Illumination
• Creativity
• Difficulty

If you’re looking for guidance, you can see some of last year’s top-scoring entries here and below. But remember, to show ‘creativity’ your film should be as original as possible.

Prizes:

If your video is chosen as the Winner, you will receive:

• $250,000 Post-secondary scholarship    
• $50,000 Prize for your teacher  
• $100,000 Breakthrough Science Lab

How to Apply

Application Submission Deadline:

You must submit your application and video no later than September 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time (West Coast USA).

To apply, fill in the forms here, answer a short questionnaire about yourself, your school and your chosen Challenge topic, and submit your completed video.

For more information please check the Link

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