Judging Folders are OPEN

Students now have access to their Judging Folders. Check your email! Contact the Fair Administrators to request access if you can not access the folder via your Project Page; please include your project code. You may use the link on your Project Page and follow the newly posted Step 7 through Step 10 for instructions.  Links were sent to the email address you used when you registered. Deadline to upload your Abstract is February 27 at 8:00pm. Projects without abstracts will be withdrawn. We highly encourage students to upload their Abstracts (interactive PDF here) sooner rather than later.

Individual Judging Folders will be available on your Project Page around February 21. A link will be sent to the email address used at registration. Please follow the newly posted Steps 7–10 for next steps.

Students may need to request Editor access to their Judging Folders in order to upload new or revised project materials after March 3rd. Contact your Fair Administrator to request access; please include your project code.  

Each judging folder must include a Project Abstract. Some projects may also require additional forms, as outlined below:

• Project abstract (interactive PDF or Word document). Download, complete and save as a PDF. 
• Form 1C: Regulated Research Institutional / Industrial Setting Form. High School students with a professional mentor (RRI projects) must upload Form 1C, which is completed after the research is done.
• Form 7: Continuation Projects Form.

Join us for the Speak Your Science: Oral Presentation Workshop on February 26, 2026 (6:30–7:30 p.m., via Zoom). This workshop is part of our student-led pilot program designed for first-time STEM fair participants, this session offers guidance to help newcomers feel confident and prepared. A Zoom link will be provided to you before the Workshop.

Focused specifically on oral presentation skills for Judging Day at the Synopsys Championship, students will learn how to clearly explain their research, structure a concise presentation, highlight key findings, and respond confidently to judges’ questions. Participants will also hear practical advice from experienced student researchers to build the communication skills needed to present with clarity and confidence. The workshop will also feature a speaker panel of successful fair alumni who have won at ISEF; they will share their experiences, offer insights on what sets strong presentations apart, and participate in a live Q&A session with attendees.

Please request changes to your project title, field of study, etc. – or to withdraw from science fair – by 8PM on Friday, February 20. After that, the database will close, meta-information will be locked, and judging assignments will begin. 

• Check Project Status with the button on the home page. After February 20 any Incomplete project will become Not Qualified.
• Is the Field of Study accurate? and the category (RRI or non-RRI)? 
• Is the title correct, are student names spelled correctly, and is it listed by the correct teacher/sponsor name?
• If the project is Incomplete, upload whatever information has been requested to your Forms Folder. Inform the reviewer (or whoever made the request) by email with your project code in the subject line.
• If you need to withdraw or make changes, send email to Fair Manager, using the Fair Administration link on the SCVSEFA contact page.

Science fairs aren’t just about cool projects—they’re about thinking like a scientist. In every strong project, there’s a clear problem or claim, a procedure that tests it, and data that backs it up. A Zoom link will be provided to you before the Webinar. Slide presentation is available here.

We’ll break down how to collect and analyze data so your results actually mean something, not just “it worked” or “it didn’t.” You’ll see how graphs, patterns, and evidence help you prove your claim—or revise it.

We’ll also demystify the abstract: the short summary judges read first. Think of it as the trailer for your project—what you tested, how you tested it, and what you discovered—all in a few powerful sentences.

By the end, you’ll know how to turn your experiment into a clear, convincing science story.

Regeneron Science Talent Search has announced the 2026 Regeneron STS Scholars, who are the Top 300 entrants in this prestigious pre-college competition. Fifty-five students from California have been honored, including 20 students from Santa Clara County schools and 15 students who competed in the 2025 Synopsys Championship. Congratulations to them and especially to Kevin Lu from Bellarmine College Preparatory School and Max Hung Huang from Leland High School, who are two of the 40 Finalists invited to Washington, D.C., in March to participate in final judging, display their work to the public, meet with notable scientists and compete for awards.

The deadline applies to both (a) submission of all applications and forms and (b) payment of the application processing fee. Initial administrative review of your forms and SRC review and approval will continue after this deadline.

To confirm that your application is successfully submitted, look for your Project Code under the “Payment Submitted” section. If you do not see your Project Code then please ensure you have completed Step 5 (Pay & Submit). We strongly encourage you not to wait until the last minute to submit your payment! To check whether your project has been accepted, click Check Project Status and follow the link for your teacher/sponsor.

If you see Incomplete but haven’t received an email, first check your Spam Folders and then contact Fair Administration via the Contact page and include your 3-character Project Code. 

We kindly ask all students and teachers to allow the staff and SRC ample time to review the recent submissions.

Important Notice: If you are a returning student or require SRC pre-approval, the November 14 deadline has passed and you are not eligible to participate in the 2026 Synopsys Championship. Please do not submit payment at this time, and we encourage you to keep next year’s deadlines in mind.

Category Judge registration is now open for the 2026 Synopsys Championship on March 10, 2026! Category Judges must be present in person from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM in South Hall, San Jose Convention Center. Both returning and new judges must register here.

We need and welcome judges in all fields of study. We are looking for scientists, computer scientists, engineers and others who enjoy talking to enthusiastic young people about scientific inquiry and engineering challenges. Category Judges should have at least a Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or in education (with a concentration in a technical field). See the Category Judging page for details.

We are thrilled to report that we received a large number of applications before the deadline! With that in mind, we kindly ask all students and teachers to allow the staff ample time to review the submissions. If your project page indicates “Project Status: Payment Submitted,” you can rest assured that your submission was made on time.

To help expedite the review process, please ensure your Forms Folder includes the following PDFs:

• Project Page
• Form 1, Form 1A, Form 1B
• Hold Harmless
• Media Release
• Ethics Statement
• Research Plan
  *Some projects may also require: Additional Forms such as Form 7, 3 Form 1C, 2, 4 etc.

Additionally, please double-check the following:

• All forms have the necessary signatures.
• The correct boxes are checked on the Adult Sponsor Form 1.
• The signature dates on Form 1, Form 1B, Permission/Hold Harmless, and Form 3 are dated prior to the start of your experimentation.

Lastly, it may be several weeks before an SRC reviewer is able to evaluate your project for approval. Staff have to review before SRC can review/approve. We appreciate your patience as we work through the many submissions that came in just before the deadline.

Thursday, November 20, 7:00 to 7:45 PM

Video call link: ttps://meet.google.com/azn-memm-pjv

This is a pilot programme that will be run by high school students for first-time STEM fair participants.