Collegiate Inventors Competition

Instructions and required content for the advisor or professional reference letter for the Collegiate Inventors Competition.

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DeadlineNot listed

Award amountPatent acceleration; Cash prizes (amount unspecified); Unrestricted cash prizes for winners; $2,000 or more (triggers 1099-MISC issuance)

Last checkedJun 24, 2026

PDF guide

Collegiate Inventors Competition Rules and Requirements

Official document outlining eligibility criteria, application requirements, and intellectual property policies for the Collegiate Inventors Competition.

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Award amount

$2,000 or more (triggers 1099-MISC issuance)

Eligibility

Full-time or part-time students enrolled in a U.S. college or university in the academic year ending June 2026; Teams must consist of members all enrolled as students in a U.S. college or university; Non-U.S. citizens eligible if enrolled in a U.S. institution and able to provide a W-9; Invention must be a reduced-to-practice idea or working model/prototype; Invention must be capable of being reproduced; Invention must not have been patented or disclosed by another party

Requirements

Finalist teams must have at least one representative present at the Final Round Judging and Awards Ceremony in October; Entry must be written in English; Entry must be the original idea and work of the student or student/adviser team

Application materials

General student information; Abstract; Description of the invention; Letter of recommendation from faculty adviser or professional reference; Literature/patent search and summary; Optional supporting materials (charts, graphs, videos, articles, samples)

How to apply

Submit application materials including invention description and adviser letter; Designate an adviser or professional reference if no faculty adviser is available

Important dates

Final Round Judging and Awards Ceremony: October

Contact

collegiate@invent.org

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