Top 10 Science Fairs for High School Students
Science fairs are a great way for STEM-inclined high school students to work on their practical skills. If you are a STEM enthusiast, and wondering how to take your interest in science to the next level, the project-focussed, vibrant, and impact-based ethos of a science fair is a great choice.
Organized at school, district, state, national, and international levels, science fairs also grant you access to a large network of passionate peers and professional scientists, train you in the standards of scientific research, and add an edge to your college application.
How we selected the science fairs
Exposure, academic depth, and networking are important to look out for. We have selected ones that offer a well-curated judges panel, a wide variety of categories to apply in, and generous prizes and scholarships to deserving students. We’ve also prioritized fairs with a historic legacy of science innovation in their region. Based on these criteria, we have compiled a list of the top 10 science fairs.
1. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
The largest and most prestigious research-oriented science fairs in the world, Regeneron ISEF is an annual science fair organized by the non-profit Society for Science. With affiliate state fairs all over the country and abroad, ISEF seeks to invite the best of the best in high-school STEM talent, helps you gain exposure to scientific research processes, and gives you an international stage to present your work.
More than 1800 students from over 75 countries compete for scholarships, grants, and awards from its $8m prize pool. Both individual and team projects compete for prizes, devising projects across its 21 categories.
This program is truly unmatched in the level of exposure it grants. In addition to enabling a student-centric conversation about impactful ideas, it also lets you experience the city, and participate in several social activities with peers and mentors. The ISEF alumni network puts several opportunities in the path of students who demonstrate the knowledge and the zeal to make the best of them. To learn more about ISEF’s structure, categories, prizes, and past winners, check out this detailed guide!
Competition Dates: May 11-17, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.
Cohort Size: 1800
Prizes: Grand Awards are presented in each of the 21 ISEF Categories, in addition to several
Special Awards: Finalists and top students from affiliate science fairs across the country
Eligibility Criteria: High school students (grade 9-12)
The Genius Olympiad is a high school project fair which aims to recognize and reward innovative solutions to real world problems, especially those pertaining to the environment. This olympiad is founded and organized by Terra Science and Education, and is hosted by the Rochester Institute of Technology.
This olympiad covers a wide range of STEM and non-STEM categories such as robotics, writing, music, art and short films. However, each of these categories has to be tied to an environmental issue, as mentioned before. Also keep in mind that the science, business, or short film project requires a team of two to present.
Competition Dates: June 10-14, 2024
Cohort Size: Around 750 projects by around 1300 students(according to 2023’s event)
Prizes: Three categories of medals - gold, silver, and bronze. There are also honorable mentions.
Eligibility Criteria: Open to all international and U.S. students studying in grades 9-12 (between 13-17 years of age). Must be accompanied by an adult.
The Conrad Challenge is an annual fair that pushes students to create and build innovative solutions by applying their scientific, social and economic problems to solve real-world issues. It was founded in 2007 in honor of late NASA astronaut Charles Conrad, the third person to walk on the moon, in order to carry on his legacy of exploration and innovation to make a positive impact on society.
It is divided into four categories of social issues, namely Aerospace and Aviation, Cyber-Technology and Security, Energy and Environment, and Health and Nutrition. You will be required to create a business plan, marketing strategy and a prototype of your solution, and present these to a judges panel.
Competition Dates: From August 2023 to April 2024
Cohort Size: 2,800 students from 50 different countries.
Prizes: Academic scholarships to esteemed universities and admission to entrepreneurial accelerators.
Eligibility Criteria: Open to all international. students between 13-18 years of age. Must be accompanied by an adult. You may enter as an individual or part of a team of up to five people.
4. California Science and Engineering Fair
This massive science competition strives to nurture California’s future scientists and engineers. In its 72nd edition held on April 11, 2023, over 896 participants presented 743 projects, competing in categories like toxicology and zoology. While the fair is open to affiliate fair winners across California, there is a rigorous vetting process to filter for original, finished, and novel ideas.
Winning projects at the CSEF are a blend of scientific rigor and out-of-the-box thinking, such as innovative water filtration methods or a tele-rotary arm. You can view a full list here.
Competition Dates: March, 2024
Cohort Size: 896 (Total cohort size, including junior division, in 2023)
Prizes: Total award pool over $60,000. Top senior projects go to ISEF. The Project of the Year Award winner receives $5000.
Eligibility Criteria: Affiliate regional winners, exceptions are sometimes made if a student resides in an area with no affiliate schools.
5. Alabama Science and Engineering Fair (ASEF)
Scheduled to be held at Auburn University in April of 2024, this prestigious ISEF-affiliated fair curates a judging panel of scientists and engineers from across the state of Alabama. Student projects from across 12 categories—from medicine, health, and translational medical science to robotics systems and communication technology—are evaluated based on their innovation and impact.
In the past, participants have worked on exciting and impactful ideas like Madhussalini Balaji’s platform that replicates the visual system using large-scale neural modeling, producing synthetic sight for visually impaired people.
Competition Dates: April, 2024
Cohort Size: No data available
Prizes: ASEF hands out over 150 awards, including external corporate special awards and category placement awards. The total prize pool is over $15,000. The top three Senior Division Projects move on to compete at ISEF.
Eligibility Criteria: Winners of the regional high-school fairs across Alabama
6. Southern Arizona Research Science and Engineering Fair
Guided by their values of innovation and equity, this week-long science fair is a good option for high school students in Arizona. It features a flexible entry process, selecting projects from full-scale affiliate research schools, schools that only let specific grade levels participate, as well as independent students with a passion for STEM. All projects are assigned one of twelve featured categories, including applied technology, sustainability, and renewable energy.
Across senior and junior divisions, over 2000 entries are brought into the arena, and nearly $100,000 is awarded in prizes, scholarships, and trip allowances for those who qualify for the international level.
Competition Dates: March 4 - March 9, 2024 (Fair Week). Project registration closes on February 25, and judging occurs between March 2 and March 6.
Cohort Size: 2000 (including middle and high-school participants)
Prizes: $100,000 prize pool & winners move on to ISEF.
Eligibility Criteria: Students from affiliate/non-affiliate Arizona schools
7. Colorado Science and Engineering Fair
The Colorado State Science Fair, Inc. allows students to participate in a meaningful science-based project and encourages them to solve problems in their area of interest. They offer both digital and physical project categories and abide by high ethical and academic standards.
In addition to partaking in an exciting STEM context, students also take tours of CSU campus locations, participate in a poster art contest, and attend an end-of-program pizza party! Top entries from this competition move on to ISEF.
Competition Dates: April 11 - 13, 2024
Cohort Size: No data available.
Prizes: Grant Awards, Student Choice Awards, Technical Writing Awards, Pioneer of Science Awards, and Special Awards and Scholarships are handed out at the end of the exhibition.
Eligibility Criteria: High school students attending a school in Colorado selected for CSEF by their Regional Science Fair.
8. Minnesota Academy of Science’s Science and Engineering Fair
Every year, the Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS) gathers hundreds of STEM lovers from Minnesota schools to host one of the country’s oldest and continuously running science fairs.
With a return to an in-person format this year, the fair will require both an online submission and an in-person exhibit.
Given the number of participants, award-winning projects must feature substantial contributions to your area of interest. Last year’s ISEF finalist from SSEF, Yash Dagade, designed a clean energy farm with a novel vertical airborne wind turbine, receiving the feedback that his work was on the “cutting edge of something great”.
Competition Dates: March 22, 2024
Cohort Size: up to 500
Prizes: There is a $20,000 prize pool across junior and senior divisions
Eligibility Criteria: Winners of school or district fairs in Minnesota, independent entries are also allowed.
This ninety-year-old program by The Ohio Academy of Science is an opportunity to celebrate and highlight students who show an exceptional interest in STEM innovation. Students, after participating in local and district Science Days, can qualify for State Science Day and compete for a massive prize pool.
Apart from exposure to many creative projects across categories, students also receive a keynote talk, engage in team activities, and take tours of Ohio State’s departments and labs.
Competition Dates: Registration will happen between March 5 and March 28.
Cohort Size: 1000+
Prizes: $400,000 in awards and scholarships
Eligibility Criteria: Winners of local and district-level Science Days
10. Chicago Exhibition of Student STEM Research
The Citywide Exhibition at Illinois Tech is designed to encourage students in Chicago Public Schools to develop an original research project, essay, or symposium paper on novel STEM topics.
For 2023, the theme of the fair was, ‘Powering Infinite Explorations’. It invited innovative work in the health science category, with three of those projects advancing to the international level. Students from this fair are also selected to represent the Chicago Public Schools at the Illinois Junior Academy of Science Exposition (IJAS) at Millikin University. Backed by IJAS’s Astronomy Department, they also offer the unique category of aerospace science.
Competition Dates: March 13 to 16, 2024. The tentative application deadline is April 14, 2024.
Cohort Size: No available data
Prizes: Over $95,000 in STEM Scholarships
Eligibility Criteria: Chicago public school seniors who have participated in A Regional, Network, or Citywide STEM Exhibition.
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Image Source: Genius Olympiad Logo