STEM for BRITAIN 2026
The closing date for applications is Monday 24th November 2025.

The finals of the competition will be held in the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday 17th March 2026.

STEM for BRITAIN is a poster competition for early-stage researchers which is held in the Houses of Parliament. Applications are invited in five subject categories: Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Physics, Engineering, Mathematical Sciences and Chemistry. Finalists will be invited to an event in the Houses of Parliament where they will present their poster to Parliamentarians and the subject judges.

Prizes will be awarded in each subject category to the individuals who, alongside presenting excellent science and engineering, communicate their research in a clear and engaging manner:

• Gold – £1000

• Silver – £750

• Bronze – £500

All gold medal winners will also be judged for the Westminster Medal, awarded for the most excellent science communication.

In the Biological and Biomedical Sciences category, applicants are also invited to apply for the Physiological Society Prize and Nutritional Society Prize (£500 each).

Competition process

Applications open – Monday 8th September 2025 – Monday 24th November 2025.

Applicants are initially invited to apply by submitting an application form, abstract, lay summary, and reference in a nominated subject category. Please read our Guidance for Applicants before submitting your application.

Finalist Selection Process – November 2025 / January 2026

Judges review all submitted applications and select finalists in each subject category. Finalists will be notified by the end of January and are asked to submit a poster 2 weeks ahead of the competition date.

STEM for BRITAIN 2026 Finals – Tuesday 17th March 2026

Finalists present their poster to judges and parliamentarians in the Houses of Parliament. We encourage finalists to invite their local MPs to attend this event.

If you have any queries, please firstly check our Guidance for Applicants or contact us here.