Project Registration opens on August 24.
Review the registration guidelines, deadlines and other requirements provided below. This will help you prepare for filling out the form.
Extensions are only granted for special circumstances.
Project status is updated approximately weekly, depending on project registration activity. Status updates are posted by mid-September, and continue to be updated as needed until the project uploads begin.
Project Registration Deadlines and Tips
Required forms are now uploaded as part of the registration process. No paper mailings are required. Read below before starting your registration.
- Project Registration closes on November 15 for Independent Middle School and Independent High School Projects.
- All High School Project Registrations and Non-EZ Path Middle School Project Registrations close on December 1.
- EZ Path Middle School Project Registration and affiliated fair registrations close on February 15.
After project registration closes for your project category, forms requested by Registration and Scientific Review will continue to be accepted. Use your project registration account for submission.
It’s best to first preview the Online Registration form and prepare the required research plan information as a Word or Google doc so you can cut and paste into the registration form. Have your advisor look it over.
Sample PDF of registration form.
Note: Scroll Down This Page to Access Any Forms that might be needed for your research! EZ Path Projects don’t require any additional forms.
General Requirements
- Students may compete in only one Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) affiliated fair except when proceeding to the state fair from an affiliated regional fair as a finalist.
- All High School Students must register their projects with the fair as soon as they select their topic and no later than December 1, unless participation will be determined by a school fair. However, any non-EZ path high school projects must be registered no later than December 1.
- Non-EZ Path Middle School projects must submit their online registration including research plan for approval by December 1. This applies to all projects that could be selected by schools to compete at CSEF.
- Submit your project registration online. This must include your Research Plan. (ISEF Forms 1, 1A, and B are not required.) To finalize registration, students and parents must complete the Fair’s Release Form that is now part of your registration.
- Middle school student registration with Research Plan and completed Release Form must be submitted online within 10 business days of the school fair and no later than February 15.
- Students from school competitions must submit their registration by 11:59PM on Feb. 15. No registrations will be accepted after this deadline except with prior approval by the Registration Chair at registrationhs@ctsciencefair.org.
- Abstract submission deadline is 11:59PM on March 1. Get information about writing an abstract.
- Submit your Abstract Online
Independent Student Registration
- Students should first see if their school participates in the fair by contacting their school’s science coordinator or by checking school registration status on the school registration page.
- Students from schools not affiliated and not wishing to affiliate with the Fair or home schooled students can register as independent students directly with the CSEF.
- You must contact the Registration Chair to receive permission no later than October 15. The $50 registration fee and approval from the registration chair must be received by October 31.
- Completed project registrations with research plans must be received by November 15.
- If the number of students from a school not affiliated with the fair exceeds the fair’s affiliated school allocation, the fair committee will select projects based on the quality of the work proposed in the research plan. Affected students will be informed shortly after Dec. 1.
CSEF Registration & Research Plan
- If your research involves hazardous procedures or biological research, you will need to compete ISEF forms and upload them as part of your registration. Scroll down on this page for links to these forms.
- Once you submit the online form, a copy of the entire registration will be sent to you at the email address entered on the form. Save/print it for yourself and your advisor.
- All students are required to submit a research plan online with their registration.
- Projects involving biological and hazardous research require approval prior to starting starting research See ISEF Rules. The additional forms below must be submitted to the CSF Scientific Review Committee if the school or regional fair does not have such a committee.
- After you have completed your research, you are required to submit a project abstract by March 1st. Help with writing an abstract is available in the Student Guide in the Document Library
Additional International Science & Engineering Forms May Be Required For Your Project
Note: Taking the EZ Path is recommended for first time participants not familiar with science research concerns. You and your advisor can avoid complicated forms by choosing a topic that falls within the EZ Path guidelines.
Forms are required for potentially hazardous or biological research projects and will need PRIOR approval of your project by the CT Science & Engineering Fair (CSEF) Scientific Review Committee (SRC) or a local Institutional Review Board (IRB). If your research requires any of forms 2, 4, 5, or 6 DO NOT START YOUR PROJECT until approval has been received. The only exception is for research projects performed in research institutions in accordance with their rule committees.
For projects involving human subjects (even questionnaires), vertebrate animals (including your pets) biological work, or hazardous work, the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) forms will be required.
Review the list below and determine with the help of your advisor which ones, if any, you require. You can use the ISEF Forms Wizard to help to you through the process. Note: You do not need to submit ISEF forms 1, 1A, and 1B to register with CSEF. You will need whatever other forms the ISEF Forms Wizard finds are required for your work.
Before Starting Your Online Registration
It is Recommended That You Download Any ISEF Forms That You and Your Advisor Believe May Be Necessary To Complete Your Registration. Once the forms are filled out and signed, save them as a PDF file. Then upload the PDF file as part of your online registration.
ISEF Forms – Get forms Below or at the ISEF Forms Page
Forms that you and your advisor believe are required for your project need to be filled out, signed and uploaded as part of your online registration. If additional forms are requested by the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) after your registration is submitted, these should be uploaded as a returning user to your online registration account. Forms are also available through links within the online registration form.
If you have questions, please email Registration at registrationhs@ctsciencefair.org.
Forms labeled ISEF are directly linked to ISEF’s website.
ISEF Form 1 Checklist Adult Sponsor– Not Required – CSEF only requires this form for the top winning high school projects that are selected to compete at the Intel ISEF.
ISEF Form 1A Student Checklist– Not Required – CSEF only requires this form for the top winning high school projects that are selected to compete at the Intel ISEF.
ISEF Form 1B Approval Form– Not Required – CSEF only requires this form for the top winning high school projects that are selected to compete at the Intel ISEF.
ISEF Form 1C Regulated Research Institutional/Industrial Setting– This form must be completed after experimentation by the adult supervising the student research conducted in a regulated research institution, industrial setting or any work site other than home, school or field.
ISEF Form 2 Qualified Scientist– May be required for research involving human subjects, vertebrate animals, potentially hazardous biological agents, DEA-controlled substances and research conducted in a home setting. Must be completed and signed before the start of student experimentation.
ISEF Form 3 Risk Assessment Form– Must be completed and submitted with initial project registration.
ISEF Form 4 Human Subjects and Informed Consent– Required for all research involving human subjects. (IRB approval required before experimentation.)
ISEF Form 4 Human Informed Consent Sample– For completion by researcher and human subjects.
ISEF Form 5A, ISEF Form 5B Vertebrate Animal– Form 5A is required for all research involving vertebrate animals that is conducted in a Non-Regulated Research Site. (SRC approval required before experimentation.) Form 5B is is required for all research involving vertebrate animals that is conducted in a Regulated Research Site.
ISEF 6A Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents– Required for research involving microorganisms, rDNA, fresh/frozen tissue, blood and body fluids. SRC/IACUC/IBC approval required before experimentation.
ISEF 6B Human and Vertebrate Animal Tissue– Required for projects using fresh/frozen tissue, primary cell cultures, blood, blood products and body fluids. If the research involves living organisms, please ensure that the proper human or animal forms are completed.
ISEF 7 Continuation Projects– Required for projects that are a continuation in the same field of study as a previous project. This form must be accompanied by the previous year’s abstract and Research Plan.
Email to your teacher/advisor any ISEF forms needed for your project that require their teacher/advisor approval. We need advisor name and contact information. A signature is required. Electronic signatures are accepted.
Contact Information for Questions/Concerns: