Competitions · Season calendar

Research & Science Fairs Competitions:
Format, Dates & Prep for Irvine Students

2 research & science fairs competitions in school-year order; 2 have official dates for this season.

Photo: Roxanne Minnish / Pexels

Research & Science Fairs (2)

Mar11–172027Regeneron Science Talent SearchSTS is widely regarded as the most prestigious pre-college research honor in the United States, running since 1942 with multiple Nobel laureates among its alumni. Because it is limited to seniors and accepts only independent individual research, the signal is exceptionally strong — even reaching the Top 300 Scholars is a decisive line on an application. For Irvine families the timing sits right around early applications, making it the moment when two or three years of research work finally converts into a credential.HighOpen to students living in and attending their final year of secondary school (typically grade 12) in the US and its territories, regardless of citizenship; US citizens living abroad may also apply, but non-citizens attending American schools overseas are not eligible. The research must be independent, individual work — team research is not accepted, and splitting an experiment between two students still counts as team research. Work done alongside adult researchers at an institution is allowed, but the application must clearly delineate the student's independent contribution from the lab's collective work.Register by Nov 5
Mar122027Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (with the Orange County Science & Engineering Fair qualifying path)ISEF is the largest pre-college research competition in the world, and admissions readers treat it as hard evidence that a student can carry an independent research project end to end — far more weight than a school science fair. For Irvine families the path is unusually legible: place well at the local OCSEF, pass the selection interview, and your child represents Orange County internationally. That single credential strengthens essays, recommendation letters and demonstrated fit at once, which matters most for applicants targeting top STEM programs.HighISEF finalists must be in grades 9–12 (or equivalent) and must not have turned 20 on or before May 1 of the competition year. Each student may enter only one project; team projects are limited to three students. Continuous experimentation/data collection may not exceed 12 months and may not start before the officially specified month. Students must first win the right to advance at a Society-affiliated fair. For Irvine families that affiliated fair is OCSEF, which serves grades 6–12 at Orange County public and private schools; only grade 9–12 winners are eligible for the ISEF selection interviews.Register by Feb 1

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