The Canadian National Brain Bee is a neuroscience competition for high school students, grades 9 through 12. Students study brain and neuroscience research topics including memory, sleep, intelligence, emotion, perception, stress, aging, brain imaging, neurology, neurotransmitters, genetics, brain disease, and more. To compete in the Canadian National, students must first compete in a regional brain bee competition in Canada. The top place winner of each official regional brain bee will advance to the Canadian National level of competition. Finally, the top place champion of the Canadian National Brain Bee will advance to the next level of competition: the International Brain Bee.

The 2026 Canadian National Brain Bee competition is hosted in two exciting phases. Regional brain bee winners were invited to compete in the first phase, which was held virtually on Friday, April 24, 2026. Congrats to Adunola Oyenola who was the Haifax representative in this round.

The top 3 competitors from the first phase won travel and accommodation to compete in the second phase of the Canadian National: the Final Showdown, which is being held in person at the 2026 Canadian Association for Neurosciences annual meeting in Montreal on May 20th, 2026 from 12:00 – 1:30 PM.