Scholars’ Compass

🔬 Lumiere Research Scholar Program — Fall Cohort Work 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor from a top university (Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, MIT, and more) to write your own independent research paper — in almost any subject, from astrophysics to economics to law. 📌 What you get: ▪️ 12 weeks, 1-on-1 with a PhD/postdoc mentor in your field ▪️ Choose your own research topic ▪️ Option to pursue journal publication (Premium track) ▪️ Eligible for UC San Diego Extended Studies credit on completion 🗓 Application Deadline: August 23, 2026 🕐 Apply by end of day Aug 23 — to be safe, submit by early morning Aug 24, Astana time (UTC+5) ✅ Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12) and university students, worldwide — no restrictions 🎓 Financial aid: Need-based scholarships (up to full coverage) are available through the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation for qualifying low-income families — but spots are limited and competitive. 💰 Cost: Tuition ranges roughly from $2,600 (12-week track) to $8,400+ (extended fellowship track) depending on the program level. Confirm exact current pricing on their official site before applying. 🔗 Apply here: https://bit.ly/LumiereApplication 🔗 Program info: https://www.lumiere-education.com/ 🔗 Financial aid application: https://airtable.com/appK9HemdsQBzVefU/shrav6SXijpSQ0Zkp

🌱 BeEducation ищет преподавателей-волонтёров Новая образовательная платформа для сельских школьников Казахстана (6–11 классы) ищет амбициозных студентов и специалистов, готовых стать наставниками. 📖 О проекте: BeEducation — студенческая инициатива, миссия которой — дать каждому сельскому школьнику доступ к качественному образованию через бесплатных репетиторов и образовательные инструменты. Платформа (мобильное приложение) планирует запуск ближе к началу 2027 учебного года, как только соберётся достаточно преподавателей. ✅ Требования к преподавателям: - возраст от 16 лет - свободное владение казахским или русским языком ✅ Что вы будете делать: - Проводить онлайн-занятия - Создавать обучающие видео по своему предмету - Поддерживать и наставлять учеников 🎯 Что вы получите: - Опыт преподавания и лидерства - Усиление университетского портфолио - Возможность реально повлиять на чью-то жизнь 💰 Стоимость: бесплатно (волонтёрская позиция) 📅 Дедлайн: приём заявок идёт на постоянной основе 🔗 Подать заявку: https://forms.gle/wNT4sfLbtpYPhkZs7 ✉️ Контакт: beeducation.impact@gmail.com

I am accepting Common App Essay drafts for free feedback until August 6, 12:00 PM Astana time (UTC+5). Spots are limited, so submit as soon as possible.  Use this link to submit your essay draft: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczroPzLHO7HOkTBc9-Yx-FhmFJK6T-AmvNGgCZNIh4i-26XA/viewform?usp=dialog  Questions: scholars.compass01@gmail.com 

📚 Download our new SAT Vocabulary Workbook! Learning a new word isn't just about memorizing a definition — you also need to see it in context, know its synonyms and antonyms, and actually use it yourself. That's the only way it sticks. This workbook covers 100 high-frequency SAT words, organized into 5 tiers (must-know → challenge level), each with: ✅ Definition + pronunciation ✅ Synonyms & antonyms ✅ Example sentences ✅ Space to write your own sentence Grab it, work through a tier a week, and watch your Reading & Writing score thank you. 🎯 📥 Download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T-Hp4ZJRuic1u5j5OWg0E7TqF-dadWKY/view

💻 MLH GLOBAL HACK WEEK: DATA WEEK Major League Hacking is running a FREE week of data-focused workshops and challenges — perfect if you're curious about SQL, databases, or data visualization and want to build something hands-on. 🗓 When: September 11–17, 2026 💰 Cost: FREE ✅ Eligibility: Open to anyone, anywhere — no experience needed, beginner-friendly. • Minors (13–18) • Secondary/high school students • University students • Working professionals • Anyone else curious about data skills 📍 Format: 100% online — daily live workshops on Twitch, community on Discord What you'll learn: SQL programming, building/implementing a database, and creating data visualizations. 🔗 Register: https://events.mlh.com/events/14416-global-hack-week-data 🔗 More info: https://ghw.mlh.com/events/data-week

📐 Youth International Math Olympiad (YIMO) 2026 — Free Online Math Competition 🔹 Format: 20 problems — multiple choice + AIME-style integer answers — completed in a single contest window you choose 🔹 Divisions: — Rising Stars (AMC 10 to early AIME level) — High Achievers (early AIME to high AIME level) 🔹 Contest dates: August 29–30, 2026 — pick ONE window: — Window A: Sat, Aug 29, 9:30pm EST — Window B: Sun, Aug 30, 11:00am EST 🔹 Top 8 in each division advance to a final round (computational + proof-style problems) → Bronze/Silver/Gold awards 🔹 Eligibility: Open to students worldwide, all grade levels welcome 🔹 Cost: FREE 🎉 🔹 Requires: Parental consent form uploaded by the registration deadline ⏰ Registration deadline: August 27, 2026, 23:59 EDT → ~09:00 AM, August 28, Astana time 🔗 Register: https://www.yimo-official.org/

⚖️ 3 LegalEagleBee Competitions — Video, Brief & Case (Deadlines Aug 1–30) International students who love law, policy, and public speaking — LegalEagleBee (a student-run law/policy org) just opened three competitions. All are paid entry ($5.99–$10.99), open worldwide, and count toward college app portfolios. 1️⃣ 3rd Policy Video Competition 🎥 Film a 5–10 min policy video on one of 6 topics (transit funding, sanctuary cities, voter ID, homelessness, AI bias in child welfare, disability wages) 💰 Cost: $10.99 registration fee 📅 Register by: August 2, 8:59 AM Astana time 📅 Submit by: August 9, 8:59 AM Astana time 🏆 Prizes: $100 / $50 + grade-level & topic honorable mentions 🌍 Eligibility: High school & college students, worldwide 🔗 https://www.legaleaglebee.com/policy-video-competition 2️⃣ 2nd Policy Brief Competition ✍️ Write a 5–10 page policy brief (MLA/APA) on one of 5 topics (maternal health deserts, algorithmic rent pricing, forced arbitration, DV shelter language access, grad loan caps) 💰 Cost: $10 registration fee 📅 Register by: August 16, 8:59 AM Astana time 📅 Submit by: August 23, 8:59 AM Astana time 🏆 Top briefs published on LegalEagleBee's blog + shared with civil rights orgs 🌍 Eligibility: Grades 9–12 worldwide (gap year students welcome) 🔗 https://www.legaleaglebee.com/policy-brief-competition 3️⃣ 9th Judicial Court Case Competition 📚 Study 3 Supreme Court cases, then take a 100-question exam (1 hour, Google Forms) 💰 Cost: $5.99 registration fee 🗓️ Exam: August 31, 12:00–1:00 AM Astana time (theme: Technology) ⚠️ Note: this falls in the middle of the night for us — plan ahead if you're joining 🏆 $75 / $50 cash + many honorable mention categories (incl. top international students) 🌍 Eligibility: High school & college students, worldwide 🔗 https://www.legaleaglebee.com/case-competition-register-pre-payment

🧪 RadChem Olympiad 2026 ("Radical Chemists") — International Team Chemistry Competition 💰 Prize Pool: 2,400,000 KZT Solve real-world chemistry challenges as a team, then pitch your solutions to a professional jury. Hybrid format — online qualifiers, in-person final in Astana. 📅 Key Dates (Astana Time, UTC+5) - Registration Deadline: 6 August 2026, 23:59 - Qualifying Stage (Online): 8 August 2026 - Final (In-Person, Astana): 15–16 August 2026 🎓 Who can apply? Students who completed Grades 8–10 as of May 2026 👥 Team Format - Teams of 4–5 (only 3 required for the Qualifying Stage) - No team yet? Register individually — organizers will help match you with a group 🏆 Top 20 teams from Qualifiers advance to the Final. Cases are released 15 August; teams present to the jury and compete for awards on 16 August. 💵 Cost: No application fee mentioned in official materials — appears free to enter. 🤝 Sponsors: EduStream & Capital Education 🔗 Team Registration: https://forms.gle/jZNspQGTkBAdDB18A 🔗 Individual Registration (No Team): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPtZJW_KjXNQvbjnUHRS5uFBD8hWNYQvcfFOOfml1kV4Eg8w/viewform?usp=header 📸 More info on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DbLrojIs9qs/

🧬 QAZMEDICINE RESEARCH HACKATHON 2026 Why does the same treatment work for one patient, cause side effects in another, and fail completely for someone else? This hackathon is your chance to investigate. A research competition where medicine meets genetics, biochemistry, and critical thinking. Choose a disease, medicine, or treatment and dig into why patients respond differently — genetics, metabolism, immune system, microbiome, disease subtype, or environment. 🔬 What you'll do: — Work with real scientific research — Build your own evidence-based solution in personalized medicine — Present your findings to a professional jury — Add a serious research project to your academic portfolio 👥 Eligibility: Grades 7–12, individually or in teams of up to 4 🌍 Language: English (papers, presentations, and defense) 💳 Registration fee: 2,000 KZT per team 🏆 Prize pool: 500,000 KZT 📅 Timeline (Astana time): — Aug 10 — Qualification round: research paper submission — Aug 19 — Final round: live presentation & defense Only the top 10 teams advance to the final. Exact submission times aren't published yet — don't wait until the last minute. 🔗 Registration: link in bio → https://www.instagram.com/qazmedicine24/ 📖 Guidebook: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1E-pDMGkCO5KXkRlEkWJOzMoejZDXAoJ2 Note: registration also requires your team captain to repost the announcement to their Instagram story.

ThinkLab Research Competition 2026 🔬 ThinkLab Journal invites high school students and first-year university students from around the world to participate in the International ThinkLab Research Competition 2026 — an international online research competition. Participants may submit their original research in one of the following categories: • Natural Sciences • Social Sciences • Computer Science • Engineering & Technology • Mathematics • Language & Literature 💰 Total Prize Pool: $4,500 USD In addition to cash prizes, all participants will receive: • the opportunity to publish their research paper in the international peer-reviewed ThinkLab Journal • educational discounts and scholarships from Master Education and QOS Education 📅 Submission Deadline: August 10, 2026, at 8:00 PM (UTC+5) Detailed information, the official competition regulations, and registration are available on our website. Stay updated by following us on Instagram: @the_think.lab

📢 LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition 2026 Write a 1,500-word essay on a question set by real LSE professors — including a 2010 Nobel laureate in Economics — and get judged by the LSE Economics Department itself. 🎓 🏆 Why it's worth it: Questions set by Nobel laureate Sir Christopher Pissarides + 4 other LSE professors Prizes: certificates + cash/gift card awards for top entries Great evidence of academic interest for economics/PPE applications 60+ countries have participated since 2017 📝 Details: 🗓 Deadline: 1 September 2026, 23:59 BST → 04:59 AM, 2 September (Astana time) 💰 Cost: Free (one entry per student) 🎯 Eligibility: Open to all secondary school students worldwide (2026/2027 graduates recommended) 📄 Format: Choose 1 of 5 questions, max 1,500 words, English 🔗 Submit here: https://lsesueconsoc.org/competitions/ 🔗 Full details & questions: https://www.lsesuesec.org/essay-en/

🔥 Алматы, вас ждут крутые спикеры! 📐 Арман: НИШ → поступление сразу в 3 зарубежных вуза → Williams College на полном гранте → Harvard. Расскажет, почему Williams особенно силен в математике и кому стоит подаваться туда по Early Decision. 🧬 Кибриянур: олимпиадница из БИЛ → KAIST → сразу в докторантуру. Поделится, как построить сильную траекторию в STEM и выйти на PhD после бакалавриата. 🔬 Алинур: Hamilton College на полном гранте → исследования в MIT → Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Расскажет о поступлении, международной науке и карьере в биомедицине. 🤫 А еще вас ждет секретный гость: выпускник Stanford Medicine и основатель казахстанского AI-стартапа, привлекшего $4,1 млн инвестиций. У каждого спикера свой путь, а на встрече будут представлены все ключевые академические направления: математика, STEM, IT, медицина, биология, бизнес, социальные и гуманитарные науки. 📅 25 июля, 13:00–17:00 📍 Авторская школа Жании Аубакировой 🎟 Участие бесплатное, количество мест ограничено. Регистрация: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgaV3E0SLgU1F0a_AM-ssBtdYZfeBOficG9i7_cp9EVGqM2g/viewform Пост мероприятия: https://www.instagram.com/alinurr_aj/?hl=en

22 July 2026 is the deadline to register. Chemistry is now individual participation (not team-based). These are the updates. 🔗 Registration: https://iysb.science/ru/register 📄 Rules & regulations: https://iysb.science/ru/documents 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaz_ysb/ 📲 Telegram: https://t.me/ysbattles ✉️ aurelion.alliance@gmail.com

🎨 VISIONARY VOICES: GLOBAL AI CREATIVITY COMPETITION 🎨 🏆 Top prize: HP ZBook Laptop + Ray-Ban Meta Glasses + 1-yr Adobe CC & YouTube Premium + full SCAD summer program scholarship (up to $1,000 flight support) + AI mentorship — 15 winners total across 5 categories ⏰ Final deadline: August 31, 2026, 11:59 PM ET (September 1, 8:59 AM Astana time) 🎁 Next early-entry drawing: August 1, 2026, 11:59 PM ET (August 2, 8:59 AM Astana time) Create an image or video using AI (up to 5 images and/or 1 video under 60 sec) plus a short write-up on your process. 🖌 Categories: Still · Motion · Product · Fashion · Robotics ✅ Eligibility: Ages 14–18, currently in high school/secondary school (or international equivalent), open worldwide, entries in English, parent/guardian consent required 💰 FREE TO ENTER 📌 Organized by The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) — confirmed via official terms. Corporate partners listed (HP, Meta, Adobe, Google Cloud, YouTube) are named on the site but not independently verified elsewhere. 🔗 https://visionaryvoices.ai/ 🔗 Submit: https://visionaryvoices.ai/submission 📧 contact@visionaryvoices.ai

🤔 Did you know you could take a LaunchX entrepreneurship course... for FREE? MIT and LaunchX teamed up to put "Becoming an Entrepreneur" online at no cost. "Becoming an Entrepreneur" (MITx Online) — Built by MIT in partnership with LaunchX — Taught by MIT Professor Martin Culpepper & LaunchX founder Laurie Stach — Self-paced — NO deadline, start anytime — COMPLETELY FREE (optional $50 certificate, not required) — No prior experience needed, open to all ages 🔗 https://mitxonline.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITxT+LaunchX/ This free course will prepare you for business/entrepreneurship competitions, hackathons, startup challenges, etc. Also, apply for LaunchX's paid Fall programs — For high school students, ages 14–18 — Online programs from $1,995 to $6,495 depending on track — +$250 international fee for in-person programs if you're not a U.S. resident — ~30% acceptance rate — this is selective — Scholarships available ⏰ FALL 2026 DEADLINES (still open): 🔸 Financial Award Deadline: July 29, 2026 ($75 fee) 🔸 Final Deadline: August 12, 2026 ($75 fee) 🔗 Cost & program details: https://www.launchx.com/admissions/cost 🔗 All programs: https://www.launchx.com/programs

Sign up for a trial SAT lesson with an experienced instructor ‼️ Vlad Vintenbakh is originally from Astana but has lived in Singapore for 7 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics from Yale-NUS College. Vlad is a high scorer on the SAT (800/800 Math, 760/800 Reading & Writing) and has tutored it for over 6 years. Vlad’s teaching experience is versatile and ranges from regular individual sessions to accelerated group bootcamps. He believes in tailoring his approach to each student and regularly optimizes learning strategies, enabling students to reach their full potential. Contact details: - Telegram: @vintikbaks - WhatsApp: +6590514856

🔬 INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE TOURNAMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS — IYSB 2026 ⏰ Online qualifying exam: July 23, 2026 (just 8 days away!) 📍 Final round: August 23–27, 2026, Almaty (IITU campus) What it is: a team-based "science battle" format — students present, challenge, and defend scientific hypotheses in front of a jury. 🧮 Math (Almaty Math Battles) ⚛️ Physics (Youth Physics Battles) 🧪 Chemistry (First Chemical Battles) — individual format only 💻 Informatics (First Informatics Battles) — single league, all grades 👥 Teams of 3–4 (a team leader is required for foreign and out-of-city teams) 🎓 Leagues: Junior (completed grades 7–9) and Senior (completed grades 10–11/12) 🌍 Open to students from Kazakhstan and abroad 🏠 Free dormitory accommodation for international participants at the final 🔗 Registration: https://iysb.science/ru/register 📄 Rules & regulations: https://iysb.science/ru/documents 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaz_ysb/ 📲 Telegram: https://t.me/ysbattles ✉️ aurelion.alliance@gmail.com

💡 HIGH SAT scores can open doors to colleges in the 🇺🇸 US, 🇶🇦 Qatar, 🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, 🇨🇳 China, 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇪🇺 Europe (Bocconi & Luiss), and 🇰🇷 Korea. 📝 UPCOMING SAT TEST DATES — REGISTER NOW! 🗓 Aug. 22, 2026 — Register by Aug. 7, 2026 (Aug. 8, 8:59 AM Astana time) | Changes/Late Reg: Aug. 11, 2026 🗓 Sept. 12, 2026 — Register by Aug. 28, 2026 (Aug. 29, 8:59 AM Astana time) | Changes/Late Reg: Sept. 1, 2026 🗓 Oct. 3, 2026 — Register by Sept. 18, 2026 (Sept. 19, 8:59 AM Astana time) | Changes/Late Reg: Sept. 22, 2026 👉 Register & see all dates: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/dates-deadlines Here are free resources to help you prepare 👇 📱 SAT prep resource: sataday.app 📚 Free SAT Prep Platform – alikhanprep.kz 📐 Math SAT Materials – https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MgznoEMau7bKtdKemKWR1ORBwXjSRsb3 🎓 Online SAT Bootcamp – schoolhouse.world/sat-bootcamp 🙋 Schoolhouse – Free Online Tutoring – schoolhouse.world 📖 Khan Academy – Official Digital SAT Prep – khanacademy.org/digital-sat 💻 Bluebook – Official SAT Test App – bluebook.collegeboard.org/students

🌍 FREE participation — LCOY Kazakhstan 2026! Two days at Nazarbayev University in Astana focused on climate leadership, policy, and youth advocacy — outputs feed directly into the National Youth Climate Statement presented at COP31 UNFCCC. 📅 Dates: August 28–29, 2026 (accommodation covered Aug 27–30) 📍 Location: Nazarbayev University, Astana 🎯 Eligibility: Kazakhstani citizens, ages 16–30. Financial support is available for those aged 16–24. 💰 Cost: FREE for selected participants receiving the grant — organizers cover dormitory accommodation at Nazarbayev University (Aug 27–30), round-trip train tickets to Astana, meals, and coffee breaks during the conference ⭐ Priority given to candidates active in youth projects/initiatives on climate change, environmental protection, sustainable development, gender issues, human rights, healthcare, inclusion, startups, or digital technology ⏰ Application deadline: July 24, 2026, 23:59 (Astana time) 📩 Results announced: July 27, 2026 (by email) 🔗 Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBa0mBbJWZlWUEkv3w3vnVwb36MkZ3Yx1Nb76CDsVhxz1rfw/viewform 📄 Regulations (read before applying): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fJWshIID0evwLqSHa4WKOylMyWvhv5RX/view 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lcoy_kazakhstan/