What is Regeneron ISEF?

The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is the world’s premier high school science fair. Hosted by the Society for Science (aka the “Society”) and sponsored by Regeneron, it elevates original, high quality student science projects to the global podium by identifying the most promising young scientists. 

The contest covers 22 different STEM disciplines, from Chemistry to Software Design to Translational Medical Science. ISEF awards almost $9 million to winning students, with the grand prize having an award value of $100,000. If you can get recognized by ISEF, you are demonstrating to colleges that you have some serious STEM potential!

The process to make it to ISEF is very competitive: you first must qualify for one of your regional competitions, which are often organized by region within a state. For qualifiers, ISEF week typically takes place in May every year in a different U.S. city.

ISEF is distinct from the Science Talent Search (STS), another science contest hosted by the Society for Science, as it welcomes participants from 9th-12th grades. STS is only open to 12th graders.

‍How Do I Succeed in ISEF?

The road to ISEF week is a long, challenging process. In short, it requires an extensive research project that demonstrates authenticity, impact, and depth. Past winners produced projects that renovated drug production, reduced plastic waste quickly and affordably, and detected toxins in the air. All winners have practical applications that could be employed by society at large to make it a better place.

Once you think of an idea, the first step always begins with the regional contest.

‍Regional ISEF Contests

You can go on the Society’s website to determine where your regional ISEF-affiliated contest is, no matter where you are in the world. Typically, students participate in their school science fair before going on to represent their school at the regional competition. Once you register for your regional ISEF-affiliated contest, the game is on.

You can either compete on your own or with a team of up to three people. Each region has a predetermined number of winners that can go on to represent their region at ISEF week in May. Regional fairs typically take place in late winter to early spring.

These qualifiers are largely looking for the same things—creativity, passion, and originality—but with one added aspect: Regeneron ISEF winner potential. Regions are focused on sending their top representatives to the final contest in May to give their region the best chance of winning. You’ll want to make sure your project achieves that purpose.

‍What Should My ISEF Project Be?

You’re going to want your ISEF project to be something completely new, untested, or seemingly daunting for a high school student to try. Ask yourself these questions: does my project have an interesting angle that hasn’t before appeared in other high school contests? Does it have a clear connection to improving the lives of others? What need does it fill within your chosen domain of science?

The project idea is often one of the hardest, but most important, decisions to make in the process. It can’t be a project that hundreds of other people are trying across the country. Consider a dilemma you’ve identified in the world of science today (e.g. high life-saving drug prices, poor air quality, or agricultural sustainability) and how current stakeholders are trying to solve it. What are some obstacles to their solutions? Perhaps cost, resources, or time severely constrain our current answers to your question. Now think: how can I do it better?

Those engaging reflections on the significance of your project are what drive the winners to success. At your regional fair, you’ll also have to present your project to a panel of judges, just like at the final ISEF week in May. You want to demonstrate passion and an intricate knowledge about your project; you must clearly understand its implications and why your project is at the forefront of innovation for your field.

One important thing to keep in mind is that this must inherently be a student-driven project led by you. Adults may be involved in some supporting capacity, and you may need to use professional labs to carry out your experiments, but that should all be in the background. Judges are keen to identify which projects are truly student-led and which ones are not. Remain authentic to your cause and ensure that you can clearly articulate how you led your project, identifying outside support as necessary.

‍Going to ISEF: What Is It All About?

If you’ve been nominated by your regional contest to go to the global ISEF finals, then congratulations! That is an achievement in itself.

But the hard work doesn’t stop here. You want to take that same passion, curiosity, and originality to the panel of judges that assess you during finals week. At this point, you should have loads of data that support your conclusions. You’ll want to intricately understand your data and explain them to the judges. Show that you have developed a mature, well-thought out and repeatedly tested experiment that improves our world. The judges have PhDs and Masters degrees within their fields, so you can be assured that experts will be assessing you.

At ISEF, you will compete within your category of entry. That means that if you’re in the Chemistry category, you’ll be assessed against other Chemistry projects. 

ISEF judging takes place over a week. The venue will often have other fun activities for you to participate in while you’re there. It’s a large convention with many people, so you’ll have the opportunity to meet plenty of fellow young scientists and experts in various fields while you’re there.

‍The Awards: What Can I Win?

‍ISEF awards top prizes ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. These awards are intended to be used to fund your education. In addition to the top awards, the 1st-4th place contestants in each category will receive awards ranging from $600 to $6,000. 

‍Does ISEF Participation Look Good on College Applications?

Yes! As the world’s most prestigious science fair, any recognition by ISEF would be fantastic. It demonstrates to colleges your grit in overcoming challenging experiments and persistence in pursuing your passion. Furthermore, as a STEM contest, you’ll stand out beyond all the other STEM applicants at the colleges you are applying to. Considering that top U.S. universities always receive more STEM applicants than they can admit, you’ll be one of the few that can say you were recognized by ISEF for your scientific skills.

ISEF is a wonderful opportunity for personal growth and intellectual development within a STEM domain of your choice. While the road to ISEF finals is challenging, some good preparation, a meaningful project purpose, and a sophisticated experiment could take you there. 

Your ISEF Journey Starts with AtomicMind

Ready to take your ISEF journey to the next level? AtomicMind's expert mentors can help you develop a winning project idea, refine your research, and prepare you to impress any panel of judges — giving you the best possible shot at the world's biggest science stage."

About the Author: Dylan is a Head Advisor at AtomicMind based in Southern California. He graduated from Stanford University with a major in International Relations and a minor in French. His passion for learning and education shaped his current endeavor of helping students design their own unique path to college, which he does in addition to his hobbies of hiking, traveling, and reading.

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