Updated: Jul 7
The purpose of this newsletter is to connect Aotearoa's students Years 7 - 13 (and their parents) with the varied, and often free, extra-curricular (EC) opportunities which arise from time to time. Join our mailing list.
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click the drop-down arrow below for more details about each item
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES (Term 3, 2026)
Arts, Culture, & Fashion
*National Secondary School Art Awards | Arts (visual art)
What? A nationwide Art competition to celebrate the imagination, skill, and creativity of Aotearoa New Zealand’s young artists.
Who? Years 11 - 13 Art students, nationwide.
When? Entries are open 27 July and close 14 August.
Where? Nationwide, online.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... An individual.
The competition is now in its 14th consecutive year.
Shortlisted finalists will be invited to send their work to be exhibited at The Arts House Trust, Pah Homestead where the winners will be chosen on Thursday 10 September by the Arts House Trust Curatorial Team and this year’s Guest Judge (announcement coming soon).
*Ngarimu Video and Waiata Composition Competition | Arts (Māori film & song)
What? A short film and waiata competition administered by Education NZ.
Who? Years 7 - 13 ākonga Māori.
When? Entries are open now and close 2 August.
Where? Nationwide, online.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... An individual, group, or school.
The purpose of the competitions is to inspire ākonga to explore, honour, and creatively express the legacy of Second Lieutenant Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion. This is done through waiata, haka, toi Māori and video storytelling that strengthens cultural identity, whakapapa, historical understanding, and pride in te ao Māori.
There is a significant cash prize pool for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place entries.
WoolOn Creative Fashion | Fashion
What? A fashion design competition, focussing particularly on the use of wool fibre.
Who? Anyone in NZ, nationwide (there are categories for U13, U18 and U25, and Novice).
When?
Entries are open now and close on 31 July. Garments are to be received by 14 August.
The awards ceremony takes place 29 August.
Where?
Entries are open to designers NZ nationwide.
Awards take place in Alexandra, Otago.
Cost? Free to enter. Tickets to the awards ceremony do come at a cost (discounted for entrants).
Apply as... An individual.
WoolOn is one of New Zealand’s iconic fashion events, encouraging both new and experienced designers to create visual, wearable pieces using New Zealand's most sustainable wool fibres.
Pink Plaster Challenge (WoolOn) | Fashion
What? A fashion design competition, incorporating the use of WoolAid donated pink wool plasters.
Who? Primary and Secondary Students, NZ nationwide.
When?
Entries are open now and close on 31 July. Garments are to be received by 14 August.
The awards ceremony takes place 29 August.
Where?
Entries are open to designers NZ nationwide.
Awards take place in Alexandra, Otago.
Cost? Free to enter. Tickets to the awards ceremony do come at a cost (discounted for entrants).
Apply as... An individual, pair or group.
48Hours | Arts (film)
What? NZ's largest guerrilla filmmaking competition. Teams of filmmakers having just 48 hours to write, shoot, and cut a film with a given genre and a a collection of assigned elements.
Who? School students of all ages (there are student prize categories).
When?
Entries are open now and close on 29 July.
The competition takes place 31 July - 2 August.
Where? There are four regions to register in:
Tamaki Mākaurau / Auckland
Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington
Ōtautahi / Christchurch
Across Aotearoa
Cost? $225 per team (earlybird, before 1 July) or $265 per team. As a school team, you're entitled to register an additional team for free.
Apply as... A group of students.
Album Art competition (Play it Strange) | Arts (design & visual art)
What? An album art competition, seeking 4 artworks to feature as the cover art for the Play It Strange competition albums.
Who? Secondary school students in NZ.
When? Entries are open now and close on 3 August.
Where? NZ nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... An individual.
OnScreen National Short Filmmaking Challenge | Arts (film)
What? A short filmmaking competition for young creatives in NZ.
Who? Students Years 7 - 13
Where? Nationwide.
When?
Registrations are open now, and final film submissions are due in September.
Register early and get access to free mentoring, workshops and filmmaking opportunities throughout the year.
Cost? Free.
Apply as... A group or an individual.
OnScreen is a challenge for kiwi students to create an original short film, documentary or music video of up to 7 minutes.
OnScreen is free to enter and open to all intermediate and high school students across Aotearoa. Its goal is to facilitate students learning new skills, trying new things and taking on creative leadership. Students are encouraged to run their production like a real film set and learn how to be a Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Cameraperson, Audio Technician, Editor, Lighting Technician, Performer and Animator.
The total prize pool is over $12,000, with various categories and age divisions.
Registrations are open now, and filmmaking tools, workshops and mentoring is available for students as soon as they register.
Play It Strange - National Songwriting competition | Arts (songwriting)
Play it Strange is a NZ organisation which encourages young songwriters to write, record and perform their own songs.
National Songwriting Competition 2026
What? A songwriting competition for junior aspiring song-writers in New Zealand.
Who? Students Years 9 - 13.
When? The deadline for entries is 26 July.
Where? Nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... An individual.
Enter this competition by submitting your details, a recording of your song and the lyric sheet. The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process.
This year's competitions will be judged by a panel of judges. All finalists will have their song recorded in a professional recording studio, and feature on to the 2026 Junior Songwriting Competition digital album (or another digital album). Prizes also include 1:1 mentor sessions with one of the competition judges, performance at Play It Strange's annual awards, a $10,000 music video package thanks to NZ on Air, and artist development sessions.
Environment & the Outdoors
*Outward Bound - Scholarships | Outdoors, Leadership
What? Partial scholarships for Outward Bound's one-week course and three-week course.
Who? Young New Zealanders aged 16 - 18.
When? Scholarship applications are open now for the September/October programmes.
Where? Malborough Sounds, South Island.
Cost? The scholarships are valued at:
$2,099 (one-week course);
$3,447 (three-week course),
which is 50% of the total course fee.
Apply as... An individual.
OB's transformative courses for young people deliver transferrable lessons that ripple into school, home life and beyond. They are a fantastic opportunity, delivered by guides with 60 years of experience who have taken over 70,000 NZers on OB experiences.
Leadership, Community, & Activism
*Christchurch Youth Council - General Membership | Leadership & Community (Local Government)
What? Membership on Christchurch's Youth Council board.
Who? Open to all students in Christchurch.
When? Applications are open now and close 7 July.
Where? Christchurch.
Cost? Free to apply.
Apply as... an individual.
Members will grow skills in leadership, public speaking, communication, finance, and more, as well as build a great experience for their CV and future mahi.
*Buzzly Challenges - Local Boards | Leadership & Community (Local Government)
What? A competition requiring students to give their perspective on the Local Board Plans 2026 - 2029.
Who? Open to students Years 7 - 13, nationwide.
When? Entries are open now and close 24 July.
Where? NZ, Nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... an individual.
70 x $20 cash prizes are available to be claimed by students!
Buzzly regularly delivers a bunch of competitions like this one, so it's worth keeping tabs on what they're up to.
Buzzly is all about bringing Aotearoa's young voices into the spotlight. Buzzly connects young people with real-world opportunities to make real impact. Through fun, creative challenges, Buzzly helps students share ideas, earn rewards, and see their voice turn into action that matters.
*Outward Bound - Scholarships | Outdoors, Leadership
What? Partial scholarships for Outward Bound's one-week course and three-week course.
Who? Young New Zealanders aged 16 - 18.
When? Scholarship applications are open now for the September/October programmes.
Where? Malborough Sounds, South Island.
Cost? The scholarships are valued at:
$2,099 (one-week course);
$3,447 (three-week course),
which is 50% of the total course fee.
Apply as... An individual.
OB's transformative courses for young people deliver transferrable lessons that ripple into school, home life and beyond. They are a fantastic opportunity, delivered by guides with 60 years of experience who have taken over 70,000 NZers on OB experiences.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting | Community (Politics), Activism
What? A three-day event providing an opportunity for high school students to immerse themselves in international relations and develop a greater understanding of world issues.
Who? Years 11, 12 and 13 students, anywhere in NZ.
When?
Registrations are open now and close on 7 August.
The event takes place 26 - 28 August.
Where? New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Cost? $200 (earlybird) or $225. Scholarships are available to cover the cost of the event fee, and also to cover flights/transport to and from Wellington.
Apply as... An individual.
Student CHOGM is Commonwealth Youth’s annual flagship event. The three-day event is rife with debate, discussion, and personal development.
During SCHOGM, students from across Aotearoa New Zealand will meet at a conference and represent a Commonwealth country, acting as their Head of Government or Foreign Minister. The conference is designed for students to steer through political crises, and grapple with grave concerns facing today's Commonwealth countries.
The GirlBoss Awards | Leadership & Community
What? A nationwide search for trailblazing young women in NZ, with over $15,000 in prizes up for grabs.
Who? Young women aged 11 - 18.
Where? Split into...
Canterbury Awards.
Nationwide Awards.
When? Applications for the awards are open now and close 2 August.
Cost? Free to apply or nominate.
Apply as... An individual.
The GirlBoss Awards highlight young women who are defying stereotypes and creating positive change in their communities. We're on the hunt for inspiring young leaders, facilitators, role models, and innovators who are pushing the boundaries and blazing new trails.
Awards categoies include the Trailblazer award, Inclusion award, Sport award, Arts & Culture award, Innovation award, Community award, and STEM award. Each category's winner will receive a $1,000 cash grant.
Mathematics
*Senior Mathematics Competition | Mathematics
What? A 90-minute Maths competition targeted to secondary students.
Who? Open to all, but targeted to Years 11 - 13 students.
When?
Entries are open now and close 24 July.
The competition takes place 28 July.
Where? NZ Nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... Individuals or groups of 2 - 3. Note, participation in the NZAMT Maths competition is via schools. If you are interested as a participant or parent, please contact your school to see if they intend to participate this year.
There is a $2,000 prize pool, and outside of that, the case competition is an excellent way to kickstart a career in commerce.
NZ Engineering Science Competition | Science (Engineering & Biomedical), Mathematics
What? A problem solving event for teams of senior secondary students with an interest in Maths or Science.
Who? Years 12 and 13 Maths or Science students.
When?
Registrations are open now and close 31 July.
The competition takes place 8 August.
Where? NZ nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... A group of 3 or 4 students from the same school. Note, you will need a teacher at your school to supervise you and manage registration.
The annual New Zealand Engineering Science competition is a problem solving event for teams of senior secondary students organised by the University of Auckland's Department of Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering.
On the day of the competition, teams will receive an open-ended science-related question. No specialist knowledge will be required to understand the question. However, a good range of problem-solving skills will be required to formulate an appropriate answer.
The Pullan prize for first place comes with $1,000 for each team member (and $500 for their supervising teacher). Two runner-up teams will be identified, with each team member getting $500 (plus $500 for the supervising teacher).
NZ Mathematical Olympiad | Mathematics
What? A NZ and international Maths competition.
Who? Secondary school students.
When?
Round 1: A take home exam which will be open 1 July - 15 July.
Round 2: A three hour exam in August or September (participation in Round 2 is by invitation only, based on the results of Round 1).
Where? NZ nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... An individual.
Participation in Round 1 is open to any New Zealand student. There is no need to pre-register for the NZMO1. To participate simply download the problems from this website once they are released and submit your solutions, rough work and contact details through the online form before the deadline.
Awards for the NZMO (gold/silver/bronze/honourable mention) will be made based on the results of Round 2.
In addition, the results of both rounds of the NZMO will be used to select about 30 students to participate the following year in:
January NZMOC Training Camp, to be held in January
Female and Non-Binary Camp, to be held in May
The training camp is the first step in the selection process to choose the team of six students to represent New Zealand at the International Mathematical Olympiad, (IMO).
Problem-solving, Innovation, & Business
*National Secondary Schools Case Competition | Problem-solving & Business
What? A case competition is centred around providing strategies to solve a business’s problems.
Who? Years 11 - 13 students with an interest in problem-solving or business.
When?
Registrations are open now and close 24 July. There is an online information session for interested participants/schools on 22 July.
The event takes place from 25th July - 28th August.
Where?
The Preliminary round and Semi-finals take place online, nationwide.
The finals take place in-person at the University of Auckland.
Cost? Free to participate. Teams outside of Auckland who reach the finals will be provided with subsidised flights and accommodation.
Apply as... A team of 4 students.
There is a $2,000 prize pool, and outside of that, the case competition is an excellent way to kickstart a career in commerce.
Tournament of Minds | Problem-solving
What? A problem solving program for teams of students from both primary and secondary years.
Who? Students Years 5 - 11.
When?
Registration closes Term 3, week 2. On the leadup to this, there are a number of workshops about TOM.
Regional finals take place across the country on 29 August.
Where? Nationwide.
Cost? $350 per school, and $75 per extra team.
Apply as... A group of students. Note that participation in this competition is via school only. If you are interested as a parent or student, check whether your school intends to participate this year.
Challenge disciplines include Language Literature, Social Sciences, STEM, and The Arts. A short, snappy, Spontaneous Challenge is also competed in on Tournament Day.
Teams of 5-7 students work collaboratively over six weeks to create a response to a given challenge in their chosen discipline. They then present their solution in a dramatic presentation at one of the Regional Tournaments in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, or Christchurch.
Winners of each division and discipline are then invited to attend the National TOM Tournament held in Wellington at the end of Term 3. Winners of the National Tournament are invited to attend the TOM International Final held in Darwin, Australia, in late October.
Samsung: Solve for Tomorrow | Technology & STEM, Problem-solving & Innovation
What? A competition encouraging young people to use STEAM and design-thinking to solve a problem in their community.
Who? Students Years 7 - 13
When?
Entries are open now.
Project Plan deadline (optional, for feedback): 12 June.
Entries close: 18 September.
Where? Nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... An individual or a group of students.
Solve for Tomorrow is a nationwide competition challenging New Zealand’s next generation of innovators to unleash their creativity and use STEAM to help improve their communities.
Delivered in partnership with MOTAT and TENZ, the finalists will share $24,000 in prizes, including prize money and Samsung technology for them, their teacher and school.
Science
*NZ International Biology Olympiad 26/27 programme | Science (Biology)
What? A year-long programme designed to foster interest and excellence in Biology of secondary school students in New Zealand.
Who? Secondary school students in NZ, studying Biology.
When?
Registrations are open now and close 10 August.
The first stage is the National Entrance Exam, which takes place 19 August (at your school under supervision).
Where? Open to students NZ Nationwide. The residential camp is held at one of NZIBO's partner universities nationwide, and the international Olympiad will be held in Poland in 2027.
Cost? $40 per student.
Apply as... An individual. Note that participation in the first stage of the programme (entrance test) is via school. If you are interested as a parent/student, find out whether your school intends to participate this year (and ask them to register).
Annually over 500 secondary school students from throughout New Zealand participate in this programme.
*RANZCOG Liam and Frankie Davidson Award | Writing, Science (women's health, psychology)
What? A creative opportunity for a student who is interested in medicine, health science, politics, law, psychology, or sociology to submit a piece on any aspect of women’s health that interests them.
Who? Open to Years 11 - 13 students.
When? Entries are open now and close 31 August.
Where? NZ, Nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... an individual.
Past entries include fictional stories, non-fiction essays or poems on topics ranging from disordered eating, gynaecological and reproductive issues to gendered violence.
All applications must include a completed application form and an original literary piece of not more than 1000 words on any topic of interest in women’s health (examples might include an opinion piece on a social issue, a short story or a report).
Up to two awards are offered each year; the winning entrant(s) will receive $1,000 in AUD or NZD as applicable, based on country of residence.
NZ Engineering Science Competition | Science (Engineering & Biomedical), Maths
What? A problem solving event for teams of senior secondary students with an interest in Maths or Science.
Who? Years 12 and 13 Maths or Science students.
When?
Registrations are open now and close 31 July.
The competition takes place 8 August.
Where? NZ nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... A group of 3 or 4 students from the same school. Note, you will need a teacher at your school to supervise you and manage registration.
The annual New Zealand Engineering Science competition is a problem solving event for teams of senior secondary students organised by the University of Auckland's Department of Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering.
On the day of the competition, teams will receive an open-ended science-related question. No specialist knowledge will be required to understand the question. However, a good range of problem-solving skills will be required to formulate an appropriate answer.
The Pullan prize for first place comes with $1,000 for each team member (and $500 for their supervising teacher). Two runner-up teams will be identified, with each team member getting $500 (plus $500 for the supervising teacher).
Prime Minister's Space Prize for Student Endeavour | Science (Space)
What? A prize for a student with a science, technology, or engineering project related to space or advanced aviation. The winner will receive $50,000 to use towards their tertiary education in NZ.
Who? Years 12 and 13 students in NZ.
When? Applications are open now and close 30 September.
Where? NZ nationwide.
Cost? Free to apply.
Apply as... An individual
Technology, Computer Science & STEM
Samsung: Solve for Tomorrow | Technology & STEM, Problem-solving & Innovation
What? A competition encouraging young people to use STEAM and design-thinking to solve a problem in their community.
Who? Students Years 7 - 13
When?
Entries are open now.
Project Plan deadline (optional, for feedback): 12 June.
Entries close: 18 September.
Where? Nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... An individual or a group of students.
Solve for Tomorrow is a nationwide competition challenging New Zealand’s next generation of innovators to unleash their creativity and use STEAM to help improve their communities.
Delivered in partnership with MOTAT and TENZ, the finalists will share $24,000 in prizes, including prize money and Samsung technology for them, their teacher and school.
Writing, Literature & Speech
*RANZCOG Liam and Frankie Davidson Award | Writing, Science (women's health, psychology)
What? A creative opportunity for a student who is interested in medicine, health science, politics, law, psychology, or sociology to submit a piece on any aspect of women’s health that interests them.
Who? Open to Years 11 - 13 students.
When? Entries are open now and close 31 August.
Where? NZ, Nationwide.
Cost? Free to enter.
Apply as... an individual.
Past entries include fictional stories, non-fiction essays or poems on topics ranging from disordered eating, gynaecological and reproductive issues to gendered violence.
All applications must include a completed application form and an original literary piece of not more than 1000 words on any topic of interest in women’s health (examples might include an opinion piece on a social issue, a short story or a report).
Up to two awards are offered each year; the winning entrant(s) will receive $1,000 in AUD or NZD as applicable, based on country of residence.
NZ Writers' College Short Story Competition | Writing
What? A short-story competition for emerging NZ writers.
Who? Unpublished writers aged 16 and up.
When?
Entries are open now and close 30 September (small entry fee).
Where? NZ nationwide.
Cost? $15 entry fee.
Apply as... An individual
The top three winners will collect cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250, and publication in an anthology of winning stories.
CAM Spelling Bee | Spelling
What? A spelling and vocabulary competition.
Who? Students Years 5 - 8
When?
Entries are open on 8 June and close 14 August.
The competitions take place 31 August - 18 September.
Where? NZ nationwide.
Cost? There is an entry fee per student - inquire to find out more.
Apply as... An individual or group of students. Note that participation in this competition is via school, and there is a small fee involved. If you are interested as a parent/student, find out whether your school intends to participate this year.