What are IET Faraday® Challenge Days?
The IET Faraday® Challenge Days are cross-curricular STEM activity days held at schools, organisations and universities around the UK. Through our charitable arm, as well as external funding, we provide IET Faraday® Challenge Days at no charge to UK schools.
The IET Faraday® Challenge Days give students the opportunity to research, design and make prototype solutions to real-world engineering challenges.
How does it work?
Six teams of six Year 9 students are given an engineering task whereby they must produce a prototype solution that includes a working electrical circuit and is themed by the 2025/26 challenge partners, UK Research and Innovation. The teams document their journey and prototype their design, as well as deliver a presentation to their peers before the winner of the day is announced.
All the scores from every challenge day delivered across the U.K. are ranked, and the top team from each region is invited to a national final later in the academic year for cash prizes. All students who take part are awarded a CREST Discovery Award and an EDT Industrial Cadets Challenger Award.
The winners of each IET Faraday® Challenge Day will win a trophy for their school and gain a place on the national league table. The top 6 teams from across the UK will be invited to the National Final at the end of the season to compete for a cash prize of up to £1,000 for their school to spend on STEM activities.
How to Take Part
Teams should be made up of six students, aged 12-13 years old (England and Wales Year 8, Scotland S1/S2, Northern Ireland Year 9).
It is free to participate in the programme and the challenge days last the full school day. We can come to your school and all teams can be made up from your students, or we can invite students from other schools to make up teams, or you can attend an event at a different school or host organisation.
You can apply to take part in one of three ways:
Option A: host one of our Challenge Leader-led IET Faraday® Challenge Days at your school with the option to invite teams from up to five other local schools.
Option B: apply to be an invited school and take one team from your school along to another local event.
Option C: host one of our Challenge Leader-led IET Faraday® Challenge Days at your organisation/university and invite teams from up to six local schools.
Please note: each school can only take part once per season.
How to Apply
The deadline for applications is Friday 30th May 2025. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, so it is advised to get your applications in early. For more information and to register your school, click here.