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100+ Capstone Project Ideas & Picking the Right One for You
05/02/2025•42 minute read
Jump To
Types of Capstone Projects
Capstone Project Idea Brainstorming
Capstone Project Examples
Final Thoughts
- A capstone project is a long-term project you would take on in your senior year
- If you’re in high school, the ideas for capstone projects depend on the major you’re aiming for
- Capstone projects are the most important activity on your list
Types of Capstone Projects
Before we talk about the ideas, let’s talk about the different types of capstone projects.
Regardless of your majors, your capstone project could be any number of things, ranging from a physical product to an organization.
Let’s take a look at the different types of capstone projects in detail:
| Type of Project | Description |
|---|---|
| Public Speaking Series | Organize a series of mock trials, debates, panel discussions on relevant topics to your major (political, social, economic, legal etc). Lead teams in preparing arguments, conducting research, and engaging in persuasive public speaking. Scale this to be an inter-school tournament. Alternatively, host a series of conferences or public speaking competitions. |
| Competition | Found and lead an inter-school competition that allows you to challenge, train and lead your peers to victory (e.g. STEM, coding, hackathon, programming, robotic). |
| Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Design and lead engaging lesson plans or educational resources on a chosen subject, or on debating technique (e.g this could be instructional tutorial videos shared on youtube, or practice problem solving questions to prepare for a competition) |
| Innovative Practical Project | Design and build a functional project (e.g. engineering or architectural) that solves a real-world problem. This could include creating a new device, prototype, or mechanism to address a specific challenge. |
| App or Game Development | Develop an interactive mobile app that teaches specific discipline concepts to students in an engaging and user-friendly manner. Or create a mobile app that helps users track their own data (health, finance, otherwise). |
| Creative Works Collection | Create a collection of creative work (art, short story, poem, play, novel, etc.) or publish your own work as a book/magazine. Scale to build a team and include work from international contributors. |
| Website or Blog Development | Develop a website or blog focused on your intended major and incite discussion and debate around key themes. Monitor success in click rates, subscriptions, and members. |
| Podcast | Create a podcast series where you analyze and discuss works, figures, and events relevant to your discipline to provide a deeper understanding for your audience. |
| Documentary or Short Film | Produce a documentary or short film on a meaningful topic to you. Enter this for a documentary/film prize. |
| Exhibition | Whether in person or remote, curate and organize an exhibition featuring a theme or concept that is significant to you. You can turn this into a fundraiser or event, and track attendance numbers, conduct surveys with visitors to gather their feedback and impressions, and analyze sales data if applicable. |
| Community Service Project | Organize and execute a community service initiative to address a local issue. |
| Fundraiser | Organize a large scale fundraising event, such as a charity run, talent show, or auction, to raise funds for a local charity or community project. Track expenses, revenue, and the impact of the funds raised. |
| Campaign | Develop and implement a social media marketing campaign for a school club, event, or local business, or a general campaign to raise awareness about specific issues, either locally or globally. |
Capstone Project Idea Brainstorming
Many students find it difficult to come up with Capstone Project ideas out of thin air. We'll outline a process below to support you in this process.
Following this activity, we’ll also provide you with a list of ideas to browse through.
Step 1: Drafting
Take a look at the list of industry types listed below and how they correspond to the Venn Diagram to the right.
Your task is to write out what types of jobs exist at the overlap of these industries. Ask yourself, what kind of job deals with both finance and arts education? What kind of job could someone have that sits in the middle of the computer science field and finance?
Step 2: Intersecting Interests
Generate a list of 3 types of projects / activities that interest you. Examples are: drawing, rugby, gardening, star gazing, cooking, physics…
Next, think through the overlaps of this new Venn Diagram. What types of activities / projects would combine Activity A and Activity B?
Step 3: Brainstorming
Steps 1 and 2 have allowed you to practice generating project ideas that are interdisciplinary and you are ready to start generating full Capstone Project ideas using the chart below.
Notice how all of these projects combine multiple interests, contribute to the student’s community, and work to solve specific issues.
Another place to start generating Capstone Project ideas is to consider:
- What problems is my community facing?
- What skills do I have that can help to solve this problem? or at least a small part of it?
- What issues keep me up at night?
- What makes me really excited to get up in the morning?
The answers to these questions will lead you to some awesome Capstone Project ideas.
If you are still feeling stuck, keep reading to see a full list of capstone project from our students who got admitted into top universities including the Ivy League, Stanford, Northwestern, Rice and more.
Capstone Project Examples
Arts & Architecture
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Avenues Fashion Alliance | Society or Club | Co-Founder and Manager, Avenues Fashion Club. Organized student-run events to promote sustainable fashion and ethical design, including a second-hand clothing drive that collected over 500 garments. Collaborated with local designers to host workshops for students interested in fashion. Managed social media outreach, growing our platform to over 2,000 followers. |
| Digital Storytelling Channel | Documentary or Short Film | Created a YouTube channel focused on digital storytelling, directing and producing short films on social justice issues. My most notable work, Rochi Augello, explored the impact of displacement on indigenous communities and received 5,000+ views. Led a team of five in filming and post-production. |
| Creative Arts Journal | Creative Works Collection | Revived my school's literary magazine after a five-year hiatus. Led a team of 12 to design, edit, and publish a 40-page journal featuring student poetry, essays, and artwork. Implemented an online submission system that increased engagement by 60%. |
| Theater Arts Collective | Community Service Project | Performed at Joburg theater; promoted to Grahamstown National Festival. Directed, choreographed, and performed in multiple productions. Secured funding for costumes and stage props. |
| Education Bridge Program | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Tutoring 90+ underprivileged students in academic subjects & creative arts. Developed a curriculum integrating visual storytelling to foster creative thinking. |
| Community Arts Gala | Fundraiser | Created roaring '20s theme; designed social media campaign that raised $7,000+ for local arts education. Organized student showcases and silent auction. |
| Future Arts Foundation | Exhibition | Built community w/ 10 members; analyzed South African Theater. Curated an art exhibition featuring emerging young artists. Designed exhibition layout and promoted through digital marketing. |
| School Media Network | Documentary or Short Film | Led team of 9. Filmed footage & covered school events; presented monthly news segment to 1,500 students. Conducted interviews, produced 45-minute documentary screened at end-of-year assembly. |
| 2M Graphics (Digital Art Startup) | Start-Up | Founded Graphics Startup; produced posters, logos & animations for 50+ clients. Managed client outreach, expanded operations, and developed branding solutions. |
| Nepal School Build Project | Innovative Practical Project | Participated in the construction & painting of a Nepalese school. Created murals and an arts-based curriculum, integrating cultural themes into the school environment. |
Business, Finance & Entrepreneurship
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Student Professional Network | Website or Blog Development | Start-up made alongside five friends in 10th grade; created a platform connecting students with industry professionals. Reached 200+ users in first six months. Designed and maintained website. |
| Illumination Football Foundation | Start-Up | Created a charitable foundation that collected used soccer equipment and distributed it to underserved youth programs. Partnered with three local clubs to run donation drives. |
| Women in Business Leadership Network | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Founder, Women in Business (org to push women into finance & entrepreneurship). Organized speaker series featuring female executives. Reached 150+ attendees. |
| Spark Entrepreneurship Network | Society or Club | Member (11th); Ambassador & Leader (12th). Hosted startup pitch competitions. Expanded network to include 20+ high schools. |
| Startup Competition Series | Competition | Organized rounds of start-up competitions for 8 teams. Developed judging criteria. Managed logistics for event with 100+ attendees. |
| Education Policy Initiative | Campaign | Coordinator; representing IBEP, Brazil's Ministry of Education. Advocated for policy reform in STEM education. Presented proposals at national summit. |
| Global Teaching Initiative | Community Service Project | Recruit & coordinate 7 team members & 40 volunteers to create free business literacy programs for underprivileged youth. Impacted 500+ students. |
| Animal Welfare Initiative | Fundraiser | Led 60 volunteers to fundraise 20k SGD for wildlife conservation efforts. Organized social media campaigns & in-person donation events. |
| Business Insights Magazine | Creative Works Collection | Revista de Negocios de Profesional (Professional Business Review). Co-authored and published articles analyzing market trends. Reached 2,000+ monthly readers. |
| Investment Portfolio Project | Innovative Practical Project | Invested $5k from part-time jobs in stock market; researched financial strategies and portfolio management. Grew investments by 18% over two years. |
Environment/Sustainability
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Period Posse | Start-Up | Changed Poly's period products for sustainable ones; partnered with Health Office to switch to organic, biodegradable pads. Launched educational campaign about menstrual sustainability. |
| Green Earth Alliance | Society or Club | Grew club to 85 members; won $3K grant for school-wide recycling program. Partnered with local businesses to implement sustainable packaging alternatives. |
| Sustainable Farming Initiative | Innovative Practical Project | Educated 200+ students on nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Designed and maintained an organic garden on school grounds. |
| Eco-Tourism Initiative | Community Service Project | Hosted eco-friendly elephant tours; raised $5,000+ for wildlife conservation. Developed tourism guidelines promoting ethical animal interactions. |
| Community Impact Project | Fundraiser | Managed: book donation for RPTRA (100+ books), orphanage fundraising ($400+), and urban reforestation campaign. Organized community volunteer events. |
| Catalyst 2030 Youth | Public Speaking Series | Applied research to environment and sociology; presented findings at sustainability conferences. Hosted TEDx-style talk on climate resilience. |
| Tea Times | Website or Blog Development | President, Editor-in-Chief, Blog Creator for school’s sustainability blog. Published 50+ articles on climate change, green technology, and activism. |
| Students for the Environment | Campaign | High School Eco-Club, Spreading awareness & leading climate strikes. Advocated for school divestment from fossil fuels. |
| Unity Solar Project | Competition | Won 1st place in Unity category at renewable energy competition. Designed prototype for cost-effective solar panels. |
| Our Threatened Kin | Creative Works Collection | Author-Illustrator of wildlife poetry & educational children's book. Distributed 500+ copies to local schools. |
Engineering
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Irrigation System | Innovative Practical Project | Built an automated irrigation system using Arduino; programmed sensors to detect soil moisture levels and optimize water usage. Installed in community gardens, reducing water waste by 40%. |
| Robotics Club | Society or Club | Led design & programming of robots for regional competitions. Mentored underclassmen in CAD, circuit design, and mechanical engineering. |
| Renewable Energy Device | Start-Up | Designed a portable wind turbine for low-income households. Secured seed funding of $10,000 through a youth entrepreneurship competition. |
| Math & Physics Tutoring Program | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Created and taught an applied physics course focusing on real-world engineering applications. Helped 30+ students improve grades. |
| National STEM Challenge | Competition | Finalist in National STEM Innovation Challenge. Developed a bio-inspired drone modeled after insect flight. |
| Low-Cost Prosthetic Limb | Community Service Project | Designed an affordable, 3D-printed prosthetic arm. Partnered with NGOs to distribute devices to underserved communities. |
| Women in Engineering Summit | Public Speaking Series | Spoke at the Women in Engineering Summit on gender diversity in STEM. Organized a panel discussion featuring female engineers. |
| School Makerspace Lab | Fundraiser | Raised $15,000 to establish a makerspace at school. Designed space layout, secured equipment, and implemented safety training protocols. |
| Open-Source Engineering Blog | Website or Blog Development | Created an online platform sharing DIY engineering projects. Reached 10,000+ visitors and collaborated with university researchers. |
| Sustainable Urban Design Model | Documentary or Short Film | Produced a documentary on future smart cities, exploring AI-driven transportation and green architecture. Screened at a regional film festival. |
Health & Medicine
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Research Internship | Innovative Practical Project | Researched neurodegenerative diseases at XYZ Lab. Analyzed patient data, assisted in experiments, and co-authored a paper on early detection biomarkers. |
| Future Physicians Club | Society or Club | President of pre-med club; organized guest lectures, led clinical case studies, and coordinated hospital volunteering opportunities. Grew membership by 40%. |
| HealthTech Start-Up | Start-Up | Co-founded a mobile app that connects low-income patients with free telehealth services. Secured $20,000 in funding and reached 1,500+ users. |
| CPR & First Aid Workshops | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Certified CPR instructor; trained 200+ students in emergency response. Partnered with Red Cross to expand initiative to local schools. |
| Medical Innovation Challenge | Competition | Designed a wearable ECG monitor for detecting arrhythmias. Won 2nd place at National HealthTech Competition. |
| Hospital Volunteering Program | Community Service Project | Volunteered 200+ hours in pediatric and geriatric units. Assisted nurses, provided companionship to patients, and supported hospital fundraising efforts. |
| Public Health Advocacy Campaign | Campaign | Launched a social media campaign promoting vaccine awareness. Created educational infographics that reached 50,000+ people online. |
| Global Health Conference Speaker | Public Speaking Series | Presented research on antibiotic resistance at an international health conference. Networked with global experts and participated in policy discussions. |
| Medical Blog & Podcast | Website or Blog Development | Created a blog and podcast discussing medical breakthroughs, ethics, and healthcare disparities. Featured interviews with doctors and researchers. |
| Mental Health Awareness Fundraiser | Fundraiser | Organized a charity run that raised $10,000 for youth mental health resources. Partnered with local organizations to promote awareness. |
Humanities & Social Sciences
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Historical Memory Initiative | Innovative Practical Project | Conducted oral history interviews with Holocaust survivors. Compiled testimonies into an interactive digital archive used in local schools. |
| Model United Nations | Society or Club | President of MUN club; organized training sessions, led debates, and represented school at international conferences. Won Best Delegate at XYZ Model UN. |
| Social Justice Blog | Website or Blog Development | Created a blog analyzing contemporary human rights issues. Published 50+ articles, reaching an audience of 5,000+ readers worldwide. |
| Education Equity Workshops | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Designed and led workshops on racial and socioeconomic disparities in education. Trained 100+ students and teachers. |
| National Debate Championship | Competition | Competed in and won the National Debate Championship. Specialized in policy debate, researching public policy issues extensively. |
| Community Service Legal Aid | Community Service Project | Volunteered at a local legal aid clinic, assisting low-income families with paperwork and legal resources. |
| Social Change Fundraiser | Fundraiser | Organized a benefit concert raising $15,000 for refugee support organizations. Managed event logistics and artist outreach. |
| Public Policy Advocacy Group | Campaign | Led advocacy efforts for juvenile justice reform, meeting with local legislators and drafting policy proposals. |
| TEDx Speaker on Media Bias | Public Speaking Series | Delivered a TEDx talk analyzing media bias and misinformation. Presented research on cognitive biases in news consumption. |
| Anthropology Research Paper | Creative Works Collection | Published a research paper on indigenous cultural preservation in a peer-reviewed journal. Conducted fieldwork with indigenous communities. |
Technology & Computer Science
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Powered Tutoring App | Start-Up | Developed an AI-based tutoring app that provides personalized learning paths for students. Secured 1,500+ users and partnered with local schools. |
| Cybersecurity Club | Society or Club | Founder & President of school’s Cybersecurity Club. Organized capture-the-flag competitions, led ethical hacking workshops, and partnered with IT professionals for mentorship. |
| Open-Source Software Project | Innovative Practical Project | Built an open-source task management app used by 2,000+ people. Collaborated with developers worldwide to enhance functionality. |
| Coding for Kids Initiative | Community Service Project | Created a free coding curriculum for underprivileged students. Recruited and trained volunteers to teach Python and Scratch. |
| International Hackathon Winner | Competition | Led a team to victory in an international hackathon. Developed a machine learning model for predicting crop yields. |
| Tech Policy Blog | Website or Blog Development | Launched a blog analyzing the intersection of technology, ethics, and law. Published 30+ articles and interviewed tech policy experts. |
| Girls Who Code Chapter | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Started and led a Girls Who Code chapter, mentoring 20+ young women in Python, Java, and web development. |
| Data Privacy Advocacy Campaign | Campaign | Organized a social media campaign on digital privacy rights, reaching 10,000+ people and influencing local policy discussions. |
| Blockchain Research Paper | Creative Works Collection | Published a research paper on blockchain applications in supply chain transparency in an academic journal. |
| STEM Grant for Robotics Lab | Fundraiser | Wrote and secured a $25,000 grant to upgrade the school’s robotics lab with new hardware and software. |
Math & Theoretical Sciences
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematical Modeling Research | Innovative Practical Project | Conducted independent research on mathematical modeling of epidemic spread. Developed a differential equation-based model to predict infection rates. |
| Math Olympiad Team | Society or Club | Captain of school’s Math Olympiad team. Led practice sessions, developed problem-solving strategies, and won multiple regional and national competitions. |
| Cryptography & Number Theory Blog | Website or Blog Development | Created a blog explaining complex mathematical concepts like cryptography and number theory. Reached 5,000+ readers globally. |
| Math Tutoring Program | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Designed a free tutoring program for struggling students. Created a curriculum covering algebra, calculus, and probability. Helped 50+ students improve grades. |
| National Math Competition Finalist | Competition | Competed in the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), scoring in the top 5%. Specialized in combinatorics and number theory. |
| Community STEM Outreach | Community Service Project | Taught math and physics to underprivileged students. Designed hands-on activities to make abstract concepts more accessible. |
| Mathematical Art Exhibition | Creative Works Collection | Created a visual representation of fractals and topology in art. Hosted an exhibition showcasing mathematical patterns in design. |
| Data Science for Social Good | Start-Up | Used statistical modeling to analyze socioeconomic trends. Built a tool that helps NGOs identify areas in need of resources. |
| Women in STEM Speaker Series | Public Speaking Series | Organized and spoke at events featuring female mathematicians. Advocated for gender equality in STEM fields |
| Pi Day Fundraiser | Fundraiser | Organized a school-wide Pi Day event, raising $3,000 for STEM education programs. Hosted math games, competitions, and a pie-eating contest. |
Political Science, Law & International Relations
| Project Name | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Legislative Proposal | Innovative Practical Project | Drafted a bill on education equity and presented it to state legislators. Worked with policymakers to refine and advocate for the proposal. |
| Mock Trial Team | Society or Club | Lead attorney for school’s Mock Trial team. Won Best Attorney award at regional and state-level competitions. |
| Legal Reform Blog | Website or Blog Development | Launched a blog analyzing court cases and legal reforms. Published 50+ articles, reaching 10,000+ readers. |
| Civic Engagement Workshops | Educational Curriculum & Workshops | Designed and led workshops on voting rights and civic responsibility. Educated 200+ high school students about democratic participation. |
| National Debate Tournament | Competition | Competed in the National Public Forum Debate Tournament, specializing in constitutional law and international relations topics. |
| Pro Bono Legal Aid Initiative | Community Service Project | Volunteered at a legal aid clinic, helping low-income families with legal research and paperwork for immigration cases. |
| Fundraiser for Refugee Support | Fundraiser | Organized a benefit gala that raised $20,000 for refugee legal aid. Partnered with local organizations to provide housing assistance. |
| Political Advocacy Campaign | Campaign | Led a grassroots campaign advocating for climate policy reform. Collected 5,000+ petition signatures and lobbied local representatives. |
| International Policy Summit Speaker | Public Speaking Series | Spoke at an international conference on global governance and diplomacy. Presented research on international conflict resolution. |
| Research Paper on Human Rights Law | Creative Works Collection | Published a research paper on the effectiveness of international human rights treaties. Cited in legal journals and policy discussions. |
Final Thoughts
A capstone project is more than just a graduation requirement—it’s an opportunity to showcase your skills, explore your interests, and make a meaningful impact.
By following the brainstorming techniques we've shared earlier and going through the list of ideas, you can find a project that aligns with your strengths and aspirations.
If you need help with your capstone project, our expert strategists can help. Students working with Crimson are 7 times more likely to gain admission to their dream university, with our mentors guiding them through the right extracurriculars, app preparation, and capstone projects.
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