A Leading Science Competition with 18,000 Participants
This Year’s Theme: "Saving the Earth"
Hanwha Group is launching an initiative to discover gifted students in science who will lead a “sustainable tomorrow.” Hanwha Group is hosting the “Hanwha Science Challenge 2026” and has officially begun recruiting participants.
The Hanwha Science Challenge is a leading national science idea competition for high school students, established in 2011 under Chairman Seung Youn Kim’s vision of “fostering Korea’s young Nobel Prize laureates in science.” Over the past 15 years, approximately 18,000 students have participated, making it a gateway for nurturing scientific talent in Korea.
In particular, the 2025 competition saw a record-high level of competition, with 758 teams (1,516 students) applying-an increase of about 30% compared to the previous year. Participating students demonstrated their capabilities as future talents by presenting various scientific solutions on the themes of climate change response and sustainability.
The theme for the 2026 competition is “Saving the Earth.” Participants will be asked to propose creative ideas based on scientific approaches that can enhance the sustainability of the planet. Each team must consist of two high school students and one supervising teacher, and applications from joint teams across schools or multiple teams from the same school are also permitted.
Applications must be submitted through the official website by April 8. After two rounds of preliminary screening, 20 finalist teams will be selected to compete in the finals, which will be held over two days from August 12. The awards ceremony will take place on August 14.
The total prize pool is KRW 200 million, making it the largest of its kind in Korea. The grand prize (one team) is KRW 40 million, the gold prize (two teams) is KRW 20 million each, and the silver prize (two teams) is KRW 10 million each, with a total of KRW 200 million in scholarships and awards to be given. Notably, the five teams that win silver or higher (10 students in total) will be offered an overseas study tour program.
The overseas tour is designed as more than just a field trip; it will provide opportunities for direct interaction with local master’s and doctoral researchers, allow participants to discuss their academic and career paths, and offer in-depth exposure to the latest research trends.
The Hanwha Science Challenge plans to continue serving as a platform that provides research opportunities to future scientific talent and discovers innovative ideas for a sustainable society.
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