Field
Humanities
Winning at the International Science and Engineering Fest (aka ISEF) is arguably the most prestigious and competitive scientific accomplishment that you can aim for at the high school level.
However, Regeneron ISEF can be difficult to understand, given it’s complex structure. From multiple qualifying fairs to neverending forms to deciding what category to compete in, there are thousands of ways to approach ISEF. In this guide, we will help you understand this mammoth competition and give you some winning tips.
What is International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR)
Regeneron ISEF is an international multi-stage science fair that attracts students from 80 countries across the globe. Even though ISEF technically refers to the event held in May involving only the finalists, colloquially people use the term when talking about participating in the entire sequence of fairs.
Source: Society for Science Website
While Regeneron ISEF (final event) takes place in May every year, the process of getting there begins 4-5 months earlier. Students have to qualify for the final event by winning at the different fairs in their geographical area. This sequence usually begins at the high school level (High School Science and Engineering Fair - HSEF) followed by the regional ISEF-affiliated fairs (RSEFs) and ultimately the ISEF. Based on your geographical area, there may be additional fairs (like state fairs or national fairs).
Regeneron ISEF is around a week long and while the location may vary from year to year, it is always held in the United States. The scientific exhibition constitutes the core of the week, but there are several other activities (networking sessions, panel talks) planned for the participants that make ISEF a fun-filled week of scientific exploration.
History
ISEF is run by the Society of Science, a 100+ year-old non-profit based in Washington DC. Founded in 1921 as Science Service by journalist Edward W. Scripps and zoologist William Ritter, the Society aims to communicate and advance the public understanding of science. Most people know them as the organization that runs the magazine, Science News and organizes the Science Talent Search (the oldest science and math competition in the US).
Society of Science has been managing the ISEF for over six decades now! Back when it started in 1950, ISEF was known as the National Science Fair. As the fair continued to grow and evolve over time, international competitors started joining and in 1965, in acknowledgment of its global scope, the competition became known as the International Science Fair, and the International Science and Engineering Fair in 1971. In recent years, the fair has welcomed participants from more than 80 countries, regions, and territories.
Some people still refer to the competition as the Intel ISEF. That’s because Intel was ISEF’s first title sponsor and was with ISEF for 30 years until Regeneron took over in 2016. ISEF is seen as a great arena for the recruitment of scientific talent and thus it is not surprising that it attracts significant sponsorships. In 2020, ISEF’s major sponsors included well-known names like Johnson & Johnson, National Geographic, etc.
What is the eligibility criteria to compete in Regeneron ISEF?
Any student in grades 9 through 12 or equivalent who has not reached age 20 on or before May 1 preceding ISEF is eligible.
You can present work that includes no more than 12 months of continuous research. You also cannot submit research performed more than 18 months before the Regeneron ISEF in which you will be competing.
English is the official language of the Regeneron ISEF. Student project boards and abstracts must be in English.
You can not include a study performed more than 18 months before the Regeneron ISEF in which you will be competing.
Team projects are limited to three members.
You can compete in only one ISEF-affiliated fair, except when proceeding to a state or national fair affiliated with the ISEF.
How competitive is Regeneron ISEF?
ISEF is extremely competitive. According to the CEO of the Society for Science & the Public, Maya Ajmera the ISEF is "The most powerful and diverse STEM talent pipeline in the world." Millions of students across the globe compete at various science fairs and the best of them compete at ISEF. Ultimately it is around 1700 finalists who reach the ISEF.
According to Tyler Moulton, Lumiere’s Publication Specialist, ISEF has been a magnet for the young scientific community for decades now. At Lumiere, we would approximate that making it to ISEF has at maximum a 2-5% acceptance rate at qualifying fairs, although this percentage varies from state to state and region to region. In some areas like Fairfax, VA, or the Bay Area, CA, there are at least 1-2 rounds of fairs before the RSEF that whittle down the competition.
Prize and College Admissions for Regeneron ISEF Winners
More than 600 individual and team awards are presented every year at the ISEF. 21 Category awards are given in first, second, third, and fourth place with a cash prize of $3,000, $1,500, $1,000, and $500 respectively in each of the categories.
Out of all the first-place winners in each category, there are 12 ISEF Top Awards that will be given to specific individuals. The top winner of the Regeneron ISEF receives an award of $75,000, with the next top two winners each receiving $50,000.
Additional awards worth approximately $4 million are provided through the Regeneron ISEF Special Awards program and include tuition scholarships, summer internships, scientific field trips, and laboratory equipment. They are provided by about 70 corporate, professional, educational, and government sponsors annually.
Performing well at ISEF can give your college application a massive boost. In fact, we believe that winning at ISEF practically guarantees you a great college admissions result (assuming decent performance in other areas of your profile). It is not surprising to see many past winners get into the top schools in the US. We just linked to a few past winners who went on to Stanford, MIT, and Harvard respectively.
The regional fairs also have prizes for students who perform well. In most of these fairs, the top prize involves a qualification to the ISEF. However, there are also other prizes based on where your regional fair is located. For instance, the Central New York Science and Engineering Fair awards dozens of merit awards, prizes, and scholarships.
Since ISEF is a behemoth to understand, in this section, we will break down the process into small segments based on the timeline that most students will end up following.
November-December: Reading (and Signing) the Fine Print
ISEF is notorious for its rules regarding participation and research. We will cover some important universal aspects, but you NEED to go through these rules on your own here. Going through the rules is not just important from a procedural point of view but also from a substantive one because it increases your understanding of the competition and its demands specific to you, your project, your school, and so on.
While some basic paperwork applies to everyone, most rules will vary based on the nature of your research. For example, every student has to complete a Research Plan/Project Summary and Approval Form (1B) and review the project with the Adult Sponsor (Checklist for Adult Sponsor). On the other hand, having a Qualified Scientist is a specific requirement for studies involving Biosafety Lab-2 (BSL-2) potentially hazardous biological agents and some other substances.
The rules might also vary based on the level of competition we are talking about. The rules of your ISEF-affiliated regional fair might be different from ISEF due to differences in federal and state laws (Affiliated fairs may have additional restrictions or requirements). You must check the rules of your affiliated fairs in detail.
The best way to look at the rules that might apply to you is to go through the Rules Wizard. They have a set of questions that you can answer and they give you a summary of your required paperwork. Some of these questions include:
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