Securing Your Place at ISEF

The world’s premier pre-college STEM competition, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is hosted annually each May for grades 9-12. With an exceptionally low acceptance rate, admission to the competition is widely regarded by top universities as an indicator of academic excellence. How, then, do you position yourself to secure your place at ISEF? 

What is ISEF? 

The ISEF features 22 distinct categories that range from Animal, Plant, and Microbial Sciences to Mathematics and Systems Software. However, students cannot apply directly to the fair; they must first qualify through local science fairs. Essentially, every applicant and finalist advances through the same rigorous pathway. 

What is Required? 

To qualify, students must complete the following: 

1. Compete in an ISEF-affiliated fair with a team or individual science project. The best way to find affiliated fairs is through the Society for Science’s ‘Find a Fair’ website. Most fairs in the U.S. happen in January through March, but the 

application is often open in the fall. In California, entry deadlines range from the fall to spring, but the exact dates range per area of residence. We highly encourage students to check for their competition dates and deadlines early. 

2. The project must be backed by real-world results and hard data. There are two general project types: Science Inquiry and Engineering. Each one requires a slightly different approach. 

Science Inquiry Engineering 

Focuses on understanding ideas and concepts 

Focuses on creating useful, new technology

3. Students must make a professional poster board. 

The poster board section requirements may vary between the kind of project. Science Inquiry Engineering 

Background/Introduction 

Hypothesis/Research Question Variables, Methodology/Procedure Results 

Statistical Analysis 

Discussion/Conclusion 

Future Work/Applications 

Key References 

Background/Introduction Engineering 

Criteria/Objectives/Engineering Claim/Research Question Materials (for building projects) Methodology/Procedure Results 

Data/Statistical Analysis Discussion/Conclusion 

Future Work/Applications Key References 

4. The final requirement is a compelling and polished presentation. Their Judging Criteria emphasizes Creativity and Presentation, especially in the Presentation/Interview. Creativity is more than how inventive the project idea is and its potential impact, but has more to do with how interesting the storytelling around your topic is. To find the most ideal topic, consider completing your research on solving a challenge in your community. Judges hear about dozens of similar topics, but the ones that are the most compelling are the ones that show student initiative and motivation with real research outcomes. 

Tips and Tricks to Presentation 

• The actual research portion isn’t everything because the presentation is where the real understanding begins. 
• For most students presentations are nerve wrecking which may result in a scripted tone. Try practicing speaking out loud to develop a more natural cadence.
• The audience never knows what you are missing or choosing to leave out of your presentation. Trust that you’ve rehearsed enough to cover the main points in a logical way. 

If you’d like some guidance with creating an ISEF-worthy research project, here at SK Education Consulting, we are here to help. We even have our research program catered specifically to each student. 

Key Takeaways 

• The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is hosted annually each May for grades 9-12, but applications open in the Fall. ● Students need to compete in ISEF-affiliated fairs to qualify for ISEF. ● Projects can be broken down into Science Inquiry and Engineering. Follow the guidelines for each. 
• The presentation matters as much as the research, so practice articulating your research story. 

● If you’d like some guidance with creating an ISEF-worthy research project, here at SK Education Consulting, we are here to help.

[image from Plant Science Software Master List – CID Bio-Science]