Stockholm Junior Water Prize: A Complete Guide

A research study found that students who engage in intensive research often develop lasting independence, intrinsic motivation, and active participation in later coursework. These are qualities admissions officers consistently value. The Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP), one of the world’s most prestigious research competitions for high school students, provides an opportunity to demonstrate these strengths.

If you’re interested in water science, sustainability, and environmental impact and aiming for top universities, winning the Prize can strengthen your application. This guide explains how the competition works, how to qualify, and how to stand out.

• What Is the Stockholm Junior Water Prize?
• Stockholm Junior Water Prize Awards and Recognition
• How to Qualify for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize
• How to Get into the Stockholm Junior Water Prize
• How to Win the Stockholm Junior Water Prize
• Previous Stockholm Junior Water Prize Winners
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Is the Stockholm Junior Water Prize?

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) is an international water research competition for students aged 15–20 who are enrolled in secondary school. Established in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), it complements the Stockholm Water Prize and serves as a flagship youth event during World Water Week.

The competition focuses on research-based projects that address water challenges, including water quality, water resources management, water protection, water and wastewater treatment, water education, and social aspects of water. Projects may tackle issues at the local, regional, national, or global level and must use scientifically accepted research methods.

Each year, finalists from about 40 countries advance through national competitions to present their research at the international final in Sweden. For 2025, the international final was held in late August in Stockholm, with the award ceremony at Stockholm City Hall, presented by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

For 2026, U.S. participants enter state competitions by April 15, with state winners announced in May. The U.S. national competition follows in summer 2026, and the national winner advances to the international finals during World Water Week in August 2026.

Stockholm Junior Water Prize Awards and Recognition

The competition recognizes excellence through three main awards:

In some national programs—most notably the U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize—you may also earn cash prizes, trophies, and funded travel. If you become the U.S. national winner, you receive $10,000 and represent the country at the international finals.

While the financial awards are meaningful, the biggest value is the academic credibility, global exposure, and long-term network you gain.

How to Qualify for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize

To qualify, you must meet the eligibility requirements and submit the required research materials through your national organizer, progressing from local or state selection to international consideration.

Eligibility

You may participate if you are 15–20 years old, currently enrolled in secondary school (not university), and have completed a research-based water science project. You may compete individually or as part of a team, though no more than two students may represent a project internationally.

Required documents

Finalists must prepare and submit two core materials through their national organizer:

• Written Research Report. This report is the primary evaluation document. It must be written in English, include an abstract and a separate project description for the finalist catalogue, and clearly disclose any support or mentorship received. The complete report must not exceed 20 A4 pages, including all figures, tables, photographs, annexes, and preliminary materials.
• Digital Project Poster. This poster must be prepared before arrival in Stockholm and is used for public exhibition. It should present the project’s purpose, methods, and results clearly and may include illustrations or demonstration elements to support understanding.

National organizers are responsible for submitting all required materials, and detailed submission criteria are provided to them in advance.

Note: You can also consult the SJWP handbook for detailed instructions, requirements, and submission guidelines.

Contest fees

There is no international entry fee. Any costs or fees like travel and competition-related expenses for selected winners are supported by state organizations and national sponsors such as WEF, Xylem, and affiliated associations.

For example, CSWEA provides travel reimbursement for state finalists and covers additional event-related expenses according to its annual budget policy.

Registration deadline

There is no single global registration deadline. Each country sets its own timeline through its national organizer. In general, the competition runs throughout the school year, with national finals held between January and June and the international final taking place in late August.

For U.S. students, state competition entries are due by April 15, with state winners announced in May, followed by the U.S. national competition held in June.

How to Get into the Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Getting into the Stockholm Junior Water Prize follows a structured, multi-level process that moves from local, regional, or state competitions to national selection and, ultimately, the international final in Sweden.

Step 1: Identify your national organizer.

Start by finding the official national organizer for your country, typically listed on the SJWP website. Review their eligibility rules, deadlines, and submission requirements, as these vary by country. Your national organizer is your main point of contact throughout the competition.

Step 2: Complete an original water research project.

Design and carry out a research-based project that addresses a real-world water challenge, such as water quality, flood risk, wastewater treatment, water efficiency, or social dimensions of water. Use scientifically accepted methods, including clear research questions, data collection, analysis, and documented results.

Step 3: Apply at the local, regional, or state level.

Submit your project to the local, regional, or state competition run by your national organizer. This usually involves an online application and a research paper. Projects are evaluated by water professionals, and top entries advance.

Step 4: Compete at the national level.

If you advance, you present your work at the national competition, where judges assess research quality, originality, and relevance. Only one project per country is selected to represent the nation internationally.

Step 5: Prepare and submit international finalist materials.

As the national winner, you finalize your written research report and create a digital project poster for international judging and public exhibition. These materials must follow strict format and length guidelines and are submitted through your national organizer.

Step 6: Attend the international final in Stockholm.

International finalists travel to Stockholm during World Water Week, participate in educational and cultural activities, and present their projects for final evaluation before the award ceremony.

How to Win the Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Winning the Stockholm Junior Water Prize comes down to combining strong research, practical impact, and clear communication. The most successful projects follow these core strategies:

1. Focus on real-world impact.

Start with a specific water problem that affects people or ecosystems, such as unsafe drinking water, flooding, or inefficient wastewater treatment. Explain who is impacted and how your solution leads to clear environmental or social benefits. Many past winners focused on problems they observed firsthand in their own communities.

2. Use rigorous scientific methods.

Treat your project like a professional research study. Define a clear research question, collect reliable data, analyze results carefully, and explain your conclusions. Projects that include repeated testing, controls, and data analysis tend to score higher than one-time experiments.

For example, you might evaluate low-cost biofilters for removing nitrate pollution by testing several filter materials, running repeated trials under the same conditions, measuring nitrate levels before and after treatment, and using basic statistical analysis to determine which design performs best.

3. Keep innovation practical.

Judges value practical innovation, not complicated designs. Simple, low-cost solutions—such as affordable sensors, basic AI tools, or community-ready systems—often perform better than complex prototypes that are hard to scale. As 2025 winners Niklas Ruf and Jana Spiller from Germany explained when describing their low-cost flood warning system: “We chose a public science approach. The system is open source, so anyone can learn how it works and build it themselves. Our goal is to empower local communities to protect themselves.”

Their project succeeded because it addressed a real problem—flooding in small rivers—with a solution that communities could realistically deploy, illustrating exactly what the SJWP looks for in top entries.

4. Follow format rules and communicate clearly.

Your written research paper is the primary evaluation document and must meet all format and length requirements. It should be written in English, organized into clear sections, and include labeled figures and tables that explain your purpose, methods, results, and conclusions. Judges weigh the paper more heavily than the poster.

Your digital project poster should clearly summarize the project for public exhibition and follow submission guidelines exactly.

5. Use inspiration and community resources.

Reviewing past SJWP projects can help you understand expectations and identify gaps your work can address. You can also explore WaterTank, the SJWP community platform, to see how other students approached similar problems, exchanged ideas, and improved their projects through peer insight.

Previous Stockholm Junior Water Prize Winners

Below are the 2025 Stockholm Junior Water Prize–winning projects, the students behind them, and their real-world impact.

Across decades, Stockholm Junior Water Prize winners have advanced into engineering, environmental science, policy, and water technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the Stockholm Junior Water Prize good for college admissions?

Yes. At AdmissionSight, we view the Stockholm Junior Water Prize as a top-tier international research distinction. Advancing at the national level or reaching the international final signals strong research ability, scientific rigor, and real-world impact, all of which carry weight in selective admissions.

2. Is the Stockholm Junior Water Prize a STEM competition?

Primarily, but it is interdisciplinary. Projects often combine engineering, environmental science, data analysis, and artificial intelligence, and may also include policy or social-science components when addressing water challenges.

3. Can U.S. students participate?

Yes. U.S. students compete through the U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize, advancing from state-level competitions to the national final. The national winner represents the U.S. at the international competition in Stockholm.

4. How competitive is the Stockholm Junior Water Prize?

Very competitive. Students must first win at the national level, and only one project per participating country advances to the international final.

Takeaways

• The Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) is one of the most selective international research competitions for high school students.
• Each year, only one student project per participating country advances to the international finals, making selection extremely competitive.
• The competition is especially well suited for students interested in STEM, sustainability, environmental science, public policy, or AI-driven research.
• If you are aiming to stand out at highly selective universities, the SJWP represents one of the strongest research-based academic distinctions.
• Want to use competitions like SJWP to strengthen your college applications? Our Science Research Program helps you pick the right projects, compete strategically, and showcase your work effectively.