Regeneron ISEF Awards

Scholarship Sponsored by Society for Science

ISEF Eligibility and Limitations — A clear guide (teacher-to-student)

Read these carefully — they’re the rules you’ll need to follow if you want to advance to ISEF.

1. How many projects your fair can send

• Each ISEF-affiliated fair may send only the number of projects allocated in its affiliation agreement. Check with your fair director for your local allotment.

2. Who can compete

• You must be selected by an ISEF‑affiliated fair and:
  • Be in grades 9–12 (or the equivalent); and
  • Be younger than 20 on May 1 immediately before the ISEF year.

3. Language requirement

• English is the official language of ISEF. Your project board and abstract must be in English.

4. One project per student; research timeframe

• Each student may enter only one project.
• Your project must represent no more than 12 months of continuous research and must not include any research done before January 2025.

5. Team projects

• Teams may have up to three members.
• If a team advances to ISEF, it must be the same members who competed at the ISEF‑affiliated fair, and every member must meet the ISEF eligibility rules.

6. Fair participation limits

• You may compete in only one ISEF‑affiliated fair, except when moving from a regional affiliated fair to a state/national affiliated fair as part of normal advancement.

7. What kinds of projects are not appropriate

• Demonstrations, literature reviews, library-only research, informational/explanatory models, and projects that don’t include original experimental or investigative work are not recommended or appropriate for ISEF. Aim for genuine inquiry and new data or analysis.

8. Use of Artificial Intelligence

• AI tools may be used as a resource, but you must acknowledge and cite any AI assistance. All materials you present (text on your board, abstracts, explanations) must be in your own words — not simply pasted from AI output.

9. Categories

• ISEF includes all sciences and engineering disciplines; projects compete in one of 22 categories. Review the full list of categories and sub‑categories and their definitions when choosing where your project fits.

10. Projects that are part of larger professional studies

• You may present a student project that is a portion of a larger professional study, but the work you present must be your own portion of that study. Be clear about your role and contributions.

Teacher tip: Start early, document everything, and keep clear records of dates and contributions — that makes it far easier to meet the eligibility and documentation expectations. If you have questions about any rule, ask your fair director before you submit.