Stockholm Junior Water Prize: How to Enter in the US

By Dr. Harman Brah, MD · Judge, California Science & Engineering Fair

To enter the Stockholm Junior Water Prize in the US, a student in grades 9 to 12 who will be 15 by August 1 of the competition year fills in the online entry form for their state and uploads a research paper on a water project. Students can enter alone or as a team of two, and they nominate themselves, so no science fair win is needed to start.

From there the path runs regional, then state, then national, then Stockholm. At every level, the paper carries more weight than the poster.

Who can enter

• Grades 9 to 12 at a public, private or independent high school, or home school
• Age 15 by August 1 of the competition year
• Residents of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
• Individuals or teams of up to two students

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) runs the US competition with its state Member Associations. In California, that is the California Water Environment Association (CWEA).

You do not need a science fair

WEF says it plainly: “It is not necessary for a student to have had a project in a science fair to enter.” Any student may self-nominate for their state competition.

Some local science fairs give regional awards. A regional winner still has to enter the paper online for state. Because there is no fair to qualify through, this competition is easy to miss.

The four levels

1. Regional: awards at local science fairs, in winter.
2. State: the online paper, in spring. A panel of water professionals reads the papers, and in some states interviews students at science fairs. Each state picks one winning project.
3. National: state winners are announced online the first week of May and are invited to nationals, held in May and June.
4. International: the US winner competes at World Water Week in Stockholm in August.

In the 2026 cycle, state entries were due April 15, 2026. All state winners did a virtual judging round in the first two weeks of May, and the top 20 finalists competed in person June 8 to 10 in Chicago. The 2027 dates were not posted as of late October 2026, so check wef.org before planning around them.

How to submit at the state level

• Fill in the online entry form and upload the research paper.
• There are no specific paper guidelines at state, but the file cannot be larger than 2MB.
• On a team, one member submits for both.

Why the paper matters more than the poster

WEF writes: “Unlike other science competitions, this competition weighs the quality of the scientific research paper much more heavily than the poster presentation.”

National papers follow the WEF National Paper Guidelines. A few that shape the work:

• No more than 20 pages, including figures, tables and annexes (the title page does not count), as a PDF no larger than 2MB.
• An abstract of no more than 180 words, written last.
• Acknowledgements that state clearly how much outside help the student received.
• Numbered conclusions, each one to three short sentences.

The guidelines single out the Discussion as the section judges read most closely. It should explain how the results matter to the water problem, how novel they are, how they compare with other work, and whether they could help local agencies or local people.

What judges look for

National judging uses six weighted criteria, for a maximum of 115 points. Relevance carries the most weight: does the project target an important water challenge and could it improve the environment or quality of life?

The guidelines also give direct advice. Show how the project contributes to a solution, not only the problem. A lake eutrophication survey on its own is weak, the guidelines say; adding the causes and how monitoring improves management makes it stronger.

What kind of project fits

Projects should aim to improve water quality, water resources management, or water and wastewater treatment. They must use accepted scientific methods for experiments, monitoring and reporting, including statistical analysis.

Water is a broad field. Runoff, algae, drought, stormwater, treatment, sensors and computational water models can all fit, as long as the project uses real data and honest statistics. 2026 state winners worked on topics such as phytoremediation, harmful algal blooms, biochar, constructed wetlands and wastewater pathogens.

California and the Bay Area

California received 42 submissions in 2026. The state winner was a two-student team from Lynbrook High School in San Jose, and third place went to a student at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley.

If your student already has a water paper

A strong science fair or Regeneron STS paper on a water topic is most of an entry already. The national guidelines cap the paper at 20 pages, like the STS report. Unlike STS, a team of two may enter.

The student does the work

Judges ask what help came from parents, teachers and professionals, and whether the student carried out the measurements. The guidelines ask students to show clearly that they did the research and the writing. Plagiarism can mean disqualification.

A mentor can help a student sharpen the question, check the statistics and push the Discussion further. The student runs the project, writes the paper, and says in the acknowledgements how much help they had.

Our mentors guide students through research papers like this one. See our research mentorship, or read about JSHS in Northern California, another competition built around the paper.

FAQ

Does my child need to win a science fair to enter the Stockholm Junior Water Prize?

No. WEF says a science fair project is not necessary. Any eligible student may self-nominate for their state competition by entering their paper online.

Can two students enter together?

Yes. Teams of up to two students may enter. One team member submits the entry for both.

How old do you have to be for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize?

In the US, students must be in grades 9 to 12 and will have reached age 15 by August 1 of the competition year.

When is the deadline for the US Stockholm Junior Water Prize?

In the 2026 cycle, state entries were due April 15, 2026. The 2027 dates were not posted as of late October 2026, so confirm on wef.org.

Is the poster or the paper more important?

The paper. WEF says the competition weighs the research paper much more heavily than the poster presentation.