High school students can submit business ideas to UVM's 2027 Vermont Pitch Challenge through Feb. 15, 2027, with a four-year tuition-and-comprehensive-fee scholarship available to each member of the winning team.
The competition is open to students worldwide in grades 10 through 12. Entries are free, and students may compete alone or in teams of up to three, according to the submission instructions.
The scholarship has conditions. Winning does not guarantee admission to UVM, and the award depends on being admitted as a first-time, first-year undergraduate. Students must enroll in at least 12 credits a semester and keep a cumulative 3.0 grade-point average; renewal is reviewed each spring.
The official terms describe coverage of tuition and comprehensive fees, rather than all living expenses. The scholarship affects financial-aid eligibility and cannot be combined with another UVM merit scholarship.
Teams need an adult sponsor aged at least 21 with a direct academic connection, such as a teacher or counselor. Proposals may be written, three to five pages, or submitted as video or audio of up to four minutes.
Existing businesses may enter only if they meet the contest's limits on profits and outside funding. Businesses that have received venture-capital investment do not qualify.
Five finalists are expected to be announced in March 2027, with in-person pitches at UVM on April 13. Finalists must attend to win prizes. UVM provides $600 per student toward travel and accommodation; participants are responsible for costs beyond that amount.
Second- and third-place teams each receive $5,000, split among team members. Fourth- and fifth-place teams each receive $1,000. The 2027 announcement and official rules provide the application links and full eligibility requirements.