Regeneron ISEF: The Complete Guide for High School Researchers
Published · Subject: Research & Science · Grades: 9–12
Regeneron ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair) is the world’s largest and most prestigious pre-college science research competition. Each year, approximately 1,600 to 1,800 students from nearly 70 countries present original research projects to a panel of professional scientists. The top awards total several million dollars. Understanding what ISEF is and, critically, how students reach it — is essential before any student tries to aim for it.
You cannot apply directly to ISEF
The most important thing to understand about ISEF: students do not apply to it. ISEF is reached exclusively through affiliated fairs. A student must first win at an affiliated regional or state science fair, which then grants them the right to represent that fair at ISEF. No matter how strong a research project is, there is no direct application path.
The affiliated fair network spans the United States and dozens of countries. In the US, almost every state has at least one affiliated fair; many large states have several. Each fair has its own eligibility rules, application process, and judging timeline. The relationship between the local fair and ISEF is that the local fair serves as a qualifying event: a certain number of ISEF spots are allocated to each affiliated fair based on the fair’s size and tier.
Find your closest affiliated fair through the Society for Science affiliated fair directory. If you are in an area not served by an affiliated fair, contact Society for Science — some students have entered through fairs in adjacent regions.
The research categories
ISEF accepts projects in 22 categories of science and engineering:
- Animal Sciences
- Behavioral and Social Sciences
- Biochemistry
- Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Chemistry
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Embedded Systems
- Energy: Chemical
- Energy: Physical
- Engineering Technology: Statics & Dynamics
- Environmental Engineering
- Materials Science
- Mathematics
- Microbiology
- Physics and Astronomy
- Plant Sciences
- Robotics and Intelligent Machines
- Systems Software
- Translational Medical Science
Category assignments are made by the ISEF committee; students select their intended category when registering, but the committee may reassign a project if a different category is more appropriate. The category matters because projects compete within categories at the fair.
Rules and ethical review
ISEF has detailed rules governing allowable research methods, particularly for projects involving human subjects, vertebrate animals, potentially hazardous biological agents, and controlled substances. These rules are not optional additions to a project — they are prerequisites that must be in place before the research begins.
Many students who want to do human-subjects research (surveys, behavioral studies) fail to complete the required Institutional Review Board (IRB) process before starting data collection, which can disqualify a project entirely. The applicable forms and pre-approval process are documented on the Society for Science website. Read them before designing your study.
Vertebrate animal studies have the strictest requirements; many school settings cannot accommodate them. Students interested in animal research should identify an appropriate mentor and facility (university lab, veterinary clinic) before planning an ISEF-eligible animal study.
The judging structure
At ISEF, each project is judged by a team of professionals with expertise in the relevant category. Judging consists of a face-to-face interview with the student, review of the display and written materials, and evaluation against a rubric that weights scientific method, creativity, thorough treatment, skill, and clarity of presentation. The judging is not primarily about the display board — it is about the student’s ability to explain and defend their research.
Grand Awards are given within each category; Special Awards are given by sponsor organizations (NASA, NIH, DoD, corporations, universities, professional societies) that send their own judges to recruit for awards relevant to their missions. A student can win both category-level and special-award recognition for the same project.
How to start
The ISEF pathway is a multi-year commitment for most students who reach it. The sequence:
- Find your affiliated regional fair. Attend it as an observer (most affiliated fairs welcome observers) to understand the judging environment.
- Identify a research question in the summer or early fall, at least a full academic year before you intend to compete at the regional fair.
- Complete required ethical review forms before beginning any data collection.
- Work with a mentor (teacher, university researcher, professional) who can review your methodology.
- Enter your local or school-level fair to qualify for the affiliated regional fair.
- Win at the affiliated regional fair to earn an ISEF spot.
For a comprehensive guide on the research design process, see the how to start a science fair project guide on this site.
About this profile: Meli Review publishes independent contest profiles for students and families. ISEF rules, categories, and procedures are updated annually by Society for Science — always confirm current requirements on the official ISEF website before beginning a project. See also: High school research competitions directory.