XXXVII Certamen Jóvenes Investigadores 2026

This Contest promotes research among young people by awarding prizes to work done on basic or applied research, or prototypes related to any of the areas of the curriculum of Secondary Education, Baccalaureate and Vocational Training.

NUMBER

39 cash prizes for participating students

8 cash prizes for the tutors

Mentions of honor and participation in various scientific contests and congresses.

ENDOWMENT

• A special prize “Young Researchers”, endowed with 5000 euros
• Seven first prizes, of 4000,00 euros each to the best works in the different areas of knowledge
• Ten second prizes, of 3000,00 euros each to the best works in the different areas of knowledge
• Ten third prizes, of 2000,00 euros each to the best works in the different areas of knowledge
• Eleven accésits, from 1000,00 euros each to the best works in the different areas of knowledge
• Eight prizes for tutors, of 2000 euros each, for the works awarded with the first prizes and the special prize

Young people of Spanish nationality or with legal residence in Spain, enrolled during the academic year 2025-2026 in Spanish schools of Compulsory Education, Baccalaureate or Vocational Training.

Up to three young people may take part in this contest, individually or collectively, for work, of Spanish nationality or with legal residence in Spain, who have reached 15 years of age before December 31, 2025 and who have not reached 21 years of age by September 30, 2026.

The participants have been enrolled during the 2025-2026 academic year in Spanish schools of Compulsory Secondary Education, Baccalaureate or Vocational Training.

The participants will be coordinated by a teacher of the center to which they belong, who must be the one who makes the request and exercises tutoring functions (in case of associations, by a person who exercises animation or direction functions in them). The same person can present a maximum of three works and can only be selected as a finalist of the Contest with one work.

In the case of groups made up of students from two centres, the application must be submitted by a teacher from the centres, who will act as coordinator.

Those who have been awarded in previous editions of the Contest in the same area for which they participate in this edition will not be able to participate.

Excerpt from the Resolution of May 18, 2026 to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities, by which the awards of the XXXVII Contest “Young Researchers” of Introduction to Scientific Research are convened.

Applications must be submitted through the Electronic Office of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (universidades.sede.gob.es).

The deadline begins on 21 May 2026 and ends on 03 June 2026 at 2 p.m. CET.

They must submit the following documents:

• Scientific article, with the specifications and limitations indicated in the document “documentation to be presented”.
• Curriculum of the coordinator of the work, in PDF format, according to the model indicated here.
• Photocopy of the ID card of all participating students
• Certificate of enrollment for all participating students
• Certificate of contribution to the work of the participants and the use of Artificial Intelligence platforms or advanced language models.

These documents must be written in Spanish

En una primera fase, evaluadores expertos elaborarán informes individuales de cada uno de los trabajos presentados al certamen, de acuerdo a los criterios de evaluación que recoge la convocatoria, hasta un máximo de 80 puntos.

Los trabajos que obtengan una puntuación igual o superior a 50 puntos serán revisados por el Jurado, que seleccionará un máximo de 39 trabajos, más tres de reserva.

Los autores de los trabajos seleccionados deberán realizar la exposición y defensa de sus trabajos durante las jornadas de presentación de los trabajos que se llevarán a cabo en el Congreso de Jóvenes Investigadores, que se celebrará en el Centro Eurolatinoamericano de la Juventud (Mollina, Málaga), dependiente del INJUVE (si las circunstancias desaconsejasen su celebración presencial esta fase podría tener lugar «on-line»).