The Honors Divisions of the STL Science Fair are an opportunity for 6-12th grade students who are completing advanced research on their own or with a mentor. By entering the Honors Division, students have the opportunity to advance to state, national, and international competitions with their projects.
Students interested in participating in the Honors Division should review the calendar and form guidelines before starting their project.
**Only projects competing at the Honors Division are eligible for advancement to TFJIC, ISEF, and the State Fair.**
Prepare for the Fair
Students interested in participating should review the following resources to ensure a successful project.
Senior Honors (9th-12th Grade)
-Advanced research projects.
-All projects must adhere to ISEF Guidelines and paperwork; some projects may require prior approval from the Academy SRC.
-Maximum of 3 students working on a project.
-Participants compete in two competition rounds. Round 1 = interviewed by judges at their project; Round 2 = top ten finalists give 10-15min research presentations to a panel.
-Top 3 projects proceed to ISEF Los Angeles for competition.
-Top 20 projects will advance to the State Fair
Junior Honors (6th-8th Grade)
-Advanced research projects.
-All projects must adhere to ISEF Guidelines and TFJIC paperwork; some projects may require prior approval from the Academy SRC.
-Maximum of 3 students working on a project.
-Participants are interviewed by judges during competition.
-Top 10% of projects are nominated for entrance into the Thermofisher Junior Innovator Challenge.
-Top 10 projects will advance to the State Fair.
Recognition and Awards
We celebrate the hard work of our participants! All Honors Division students are awarded a specialty purple ribbon for completing an Honors Division project. Additionally, Honors Division students are eligible for Society for Science special awards at the STL Fair, additional scholarships, and advancement to the next level of Science Fair.
Get Involved with the Science Fair
Become a Judge
Lend your expertise and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers! We invite professionals from all scientific fields to serve as judges. To judge in the Honors Division, you must have a terminal degree in your field or 5+ years of experience working in a science or engineering field.
Join the Safety Review Committees
Help ensure projects are completed safely and ethically by serving on the Safety Review Committees! We invite professionals from all scientific fields, but have a particular need for those in biomedical, medical, and behavioral sciences, computer science, and artificial intelligence.
The SRC and IRB are full for the 2027 Fair season.