National Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition (CASTIC)
Catalog organization: China Association for Science and Technology and partner organizers
Compiled by: ExtracurricularHub Editorial Team — editorial policy
Last updated
What Is National Youth Science and Technology?
The opportunity historically marketed in English as the China Adolescents Science & Technology Innovation Contest (CASTIC) is now presented officially as 全国青少年科技创新大赛, the National Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition. It is an active national selection and development event, not a direct open-entry science fair. The school-age pathway is for ages 15-17; selected students advance through officially listed affiliated competitions whose organizers recommend participants under national quotas. In 2026, affiliated-event organizers submitted national recommendations May 10-31, after their own earlier competitions and public recommendation notices. The in-person 40th final ran July 25-29, 2026 at Xi'an Jiaotong University, with individual and team technical challenges, science talks, technical visits, growth-support matching, and international exchange. Domestic representatives came from every provincial-level region plus Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; 27 invited international delegations also participated. The completed cycle is closed. CAST has announced that the 41st competition will be hosted in Hebei in 2027, but no dates, affiliated-event list, quota, entry window, venue, or costs are yet published.
National Youth Science and Technology Key Facts: Cost, Deadline, and Eligibility
| Format | In person |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Ages 15–17 |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced |
| Listing last updated | August 30, 2026 |
Program details shown here reflect the current catalog record.
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How to Apply to National Youth Science and Technology
Open the application for National Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition (CASTIC)