Science Without Borders Scholarship Challenge

The theme for the 2026 Science without Borders Challenge is “Microscopic Marine Life.”

Microscopic marine organisms may be tiny, but they play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our ocean and, by extension, the planet. To apply for this year’s contest, students should submit artwork that highlights the positive impact of microscopic marine organisms. Artwork should show how these organisms contribute to ocean ecosystems, support marine life, or impact the health of the planet.

The theme for the 2026 Science Without Borders Challenge is “Microscopic Marine Life.” This year, we invite you to create artwork that showcases the incredible world of microscopic marine organisms—tiny life forms that play a vital role in maintaining the health of our ocean and planet. Although invisible to the naked eye, these creatures are essential to ocean ecosystems, the global climate, and even the air we breathe!

To enter the contest, submit artwork that features the positive impact of microscopic marine life, such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria, protists, and other microscopic ocean organisms. Through your art, you’ll reveal the beauty, diversity, and importance of life at the smallest scale.

What is Microscopic Marine Life?

Microscopic marine organisms are tiny creatures that inhabit the ocean, many of which can only be observed with a microscope. Despite their size, they perform essential roles in ecosystems. These microscopic organisms come in many forms and can be grouped by their role in the food web:

Contest Rules & Information

1. There is no fee to enter the contest.

2. All entries must be received by March 2, 2026, at 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET). All submissions must be received by this date or they will be disqualified. No extensions will be granted.

3. Submissions must be made online. Email submissions are not permitted.

4. All students ages 11-19 who are enrolled in primary or secondary school, or the home school equivalent anywhere in the world may enter the Science Without Borders® Challenge. Students age 10 may participate as long as they turn 11 by March 2, 2026. College and university students are not eligible for this contest. Proof of age, identity, and/or eligibility may be required.

5. All artwork must be an original work by the contestant and shall not infringe on any copyrights or any other rights of any third parties. Do not copy an idea from a past participants’ work. Do not draw a character from a cartoon or movie. See the tips for success and grading rubric for more information on what the judges are (and are not) looking for.

6. Do not submit artwork to the Science Without Borders® Challenge that you have entered into another art competition or a previous Science Without Borders® Challenge.

7. The artwork must be 2D such as a painting or drawing. Acceptable media includes paint, pencil, marker, crayon, ink, felt, and oil pastel. Using magazines, newspapers, or other non-original work is also not permitted. Digitally created artwork, including photographs, are not accepted.

8. There are no minimum or maximum size requirements for the artwork.

9. All submissions must be made by an individual artist. Group submissions are not permitted.

10. Participants may submit only one art piece.

11. All eligible contest participants will receive a digital certificate. Make sure your description clearly explains how your artwork aligns with the theme. If the judges cannot see from your artwork and description that it follows the theme, your entry will be disqualified, and you will not receive a certificate.

12. Applicants must fill out all required information on the online Submission Form, including a photograph or scan of the original artwork. See Guidelines for Submitting Artwork.

13. All participants are required to have a teacher sponsor their artwork. This can be any teacher, from school or an after-school program. Students must provide the teacher’s name, current phone number, and email address on their submission form. Please notify your teacher in advance and get their approval, as we will be contacting them. Teacher sponsors are needed to confirm students’ ages and grades at registered schools to ensure they meet eligibility criteria. If teachers have questions, direct them to our page on teacher responsibilities. It’s important to note that a parent or guardian cannot act as a teacher sponsor unless they are the homeschool teacher of their child.

14. All participants must provide parent/guardian and teacher contact information even if they are 18 years or older. The contact information of the parent/guardian and teacher should not be the same. Participants who do not provide accurate information may be disqualified.

15. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Forms are required for all participants who are 11-12 years old. The form must be completed online.

16. Semi-finalists will be required to mail the original artwork in order to be eligible to win the Science Without Borders® Challenge. Original artwork will not be returned.

17. Do not include nudity or explicit content in artwork you submit to the Science Without Borders® Challenge.

18. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation reserves the right to disqualify artwork deemed offensive, plagiarized, or unrelated to the theme.

19. Entries that do not comply with all of the contest rules will be disqualified.

20. All winners and their parent/guardian and teacher will be contacted before the Foundation announces the winning entries.

21. All submissions may be used to promote the Science Without Borders® Challenge, education, ocean conservation, and the work of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation in all media worldwide in perpetuity. Artwork, art descriptions, and student information (i.e. name, country, age) may be used in publications and distributed to the media, unless a parent/guardian has indicated otherwise on the COPPA form.

22. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation promises to run this contest fairly, ethically, and with integrity.