Follow these steps to create your Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest entry for a chance to win a cash prize!
1. Choose your video category
Science in your world
Being a scientist is simple—it’s really just following your curiosity about the world around you. The impact of science is everywhere: from brushing your teeth in the morning to the smartphone you plug in before you go to bed or the antibiotics you take when you’re sick. Teach us about a discovery that impacts your life or the ways you see science currently making a difference in it.
Science in action
Science is discovery in action! A scientist is not a person who memorizes facts in a science textbook. Rather, a scientist is someone who asks questions about the world and tests those questions through controlled experiments. And the best part is that research doesn’t need to be done in a lab! Show us some science in action by demonstrating an experiment.
Science in your future
The future is in your hands! Science will play an important role in finding solutions to the big challenges we all face. Science has already helped us in so many ways, from preventing disease to improving our daily life. Describe how science will affect the future or teach us about the way a current discovery will impact our future.
2. Read the rules
You can submit a video from January 12 to April 19, 2026. But hurry, only the first 300 submissions will be accepted.
Keep in mind:
- Submissions must come from students in grades 9–12, who are enrolled in a high school in the United States or its territories.
- Videos must be between thirty seconds and three minutes long (excluding credits).
- You can work on your own or team up with a couple of friends. If you’re working in a group, it must consist of exactly three people: one group leader and two additional group members.
- Students are not allowed to use copyrighted content in their videos unless they have received permission from the original creator, including visuals and audio from movies, television shows, video streaming platforms (such as Netflix or YouTube), music from streaming services (like Spotify or Apple Music). This rule extends to unpaid stock video, pictures, and audio (that have watermarks). Citing a copyrighted work does not grant permission to use it.
- You must read all the contest eligibility criteria, rules, and requirements [link]. When you fill out your submission form, you will be required to confirm that you have read and understood all eligibility criteria, rules, and requirements. Any submissions that do not comply with the eligibility criteria, rules, and requirements will be disqualified. Common reasons submissions have been disqualified are:
- Missing signatures from parents or legal guardians and group members.
- Missing video release forms signed by non-participants (family, friends, educators, community members, etc.,) if they appear or are heard in your video.
- More than three people in a group.
- Submissions are not received by 11:59pm EASTERN TIME on the date the submission period closes.
- Missing check mark acknowledging the eligibility criteria, rules, and requirements of the challenge.
- The video is longer than 3 minutes (excluding credits).
- Unauthorized use of copyrighted content.
3. Submit your video
After making your video, follow these steps to enter the contest:
Upload your video to YouTube and set the visibility to “unlisted.” Send the link to your video to 2020@nei.nih.gov along with the following required forms by April 19, 2026 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. But hurry, only the first 300 submissions will be accepted:
- Video release (PDF, 138KB)
- The appropriate registration form (for individual submissions [PDF, 1.2MB] or group submissions [PDF, 1.2MB])
- Please remember to sign your forms. Forms that are missing signatures will be disqualified. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian also sign.
- Group submissions, please remember that all members of the group must sign the form.
- Video Release (PDF, 138KB): The registration forms above include a video release section for individuals and group members only. For both individual and group submissions, you must also complete this additional video release form if any non-participants (family, friends, educators, community members, etc.,) appear or are heard in your video.
- Note: You may submit scanned copies or photos of your signed forms. However, all pages of each form must be fully visible and legible. Submissions with incomplete or unclear forms may be disqualified.
4. Get excited
The winning entry from each category will receive a cash prize!
How to win
NIH judges will review all submissions to make sure they follow contest rules. They will then score each video using the following guidelines:
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Scientific Context and Accuracy
The submission seeks to understand a scientific question and connects content to existing scientific knowledge.
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Relevance
The submission clearly communicates why the topic is important and relevant to the category it is submitted in.
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Engagement
The submission has a clear narrative, has a structure that is easy to follow, grabs the audiences' attention in a unique way, and maintains enthusiasm throughout the video.
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Creativity
The submission approaches a problem in an innovative way, whether by proposing a unique solution or providing an insightful analysis and presenting information in an original way that is unique to the submitter.
Additionally, up to 2 points will be awarded for video submissions that are eye-health related.
A total of 50 points is possible.
For any other contest questions, please email 2020@nei.nih.gov.