Rules & Requirements

All projects must complete:

• TFJIC Middle School Approval Form
• Form 1A: Student Checklist and Research Plan

Special Situations:

• Worked with a Mentor > Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
• Worked in an Outside Lab > Form 2C: Regulated Research Institution

If your project involves Human Participants, Vertebrate Animals, Microorganisms, Human or Animal Tissue, or Hazardous Chemicals, Activities, or Devices, proceed to the “Junior Honors- Prior Approval“.

• Human Participants > Form 4: Human Participants and Human Informed Consent
• Bacteria or Fungi > State Fair Form: Fungi and Bacteria and Form 6A: Hazardous Biological…
• Hazardous Chemicals, Activities, and Devices > Form 6A: Hazardous Biological…

If any of the above categories apply to you, complete Form 3: Risk Assessment.

2027 Junior SRC Submission Deadlines:

• September 07, 2026
• October 05, 2026
• November 02, 2026
• November 30, 2026
• January 04, 2027

All projects must complete:

• Form 1A: Student Checklist and Research Plan
• Form 1B: Approval Form (w/ Section 1 signatures)
• Form 1: Adult Sponsor Checklist
• Form 2A: Student Support Disclosure Form

Special Situations:

• Worked with a Mentor > Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
• Worked in an Outside Lab > Form 2C: Regulated Research Institution
• Received project approval from an RRI > Form 1B: Approval Form (w/ Section 2 signatures)
• Continuation Projects (that were entered in the Honors Division) > Form 7: Continuation

f your project involves Human Participants, Vertebrate Animals, Microorganisms, Human or Animal Tissue, or Hazardous Chemicals, Activities, or Devices, proceed to the “Senior Honors- Prior Approval“.

Please reference the ISEF Forms Wizard or the STL Science Fair Flow Chart below to determine what additional forms you must complete.

2027 Senior SRC Submission Deadlines:

• September 21, 2026
• October 19, 2026
• November 16, 2026
• December 14, 2026
• January 18, 2027

At the Senior and Junior Honors Divisions, the following forms are REQUIRED for all studies using Human Participants: Form 4: Human Participants and Human Informed Consent

The Honors Division IRB MUST approve projects using Human Subjects. Forms must be submitted by 12P to be considered at the monthly IRB meeting.

2027 IRB Submission Deadlines:

• September 14, 2026
• October 12, 2026
• November 9, 2026
• December 7, 2026
• January 11, 2027

All Honors Division Projects will be judged based on an in-person interview with judges who have expertise in the category selected. Interviews can only be conducted in person and will occur the evening of March 9th and during the school day on March 10th.

State Fair nominees will be determined based on the interview round for the Junior and Senior Honors Division.

Thermofischer Junior Innovators Challenge (TFJIC) Nominees will be determined based on the interview round for the Junior Honors Division.

Based on the interview round for the Senior Honors Division, the top 10 scoring projects will be selected to participate in the Honors Division Final Round. The Final Round will take place on Friday, March 12th between 6-9P. Finalists must present in person to be considered for top prizes and ISEF spots. Each Senior Honors Finalist will give an 8- 10min research presentation to a panel of judges, who will have up to 5min to ask questions after the presentation. The three top-scoring projects from the Final Round will represent STL at ISEF.

Pre-Competition Virtual Submission | Deadline: Feb 19

• All Forms in MySciFair must be completed
• Digital Poster or Powerpoint file (no limit of slides)
• 3-5min video of participant(s) describing the project

Poster Drop Off | March 8th 7A-7P

• Trifold Poster Board (see display guidelines below)
• Any supplemental display materials (see display guidelines below)

Display boards can be a maximum 36” x 48” inch tri-fold board that can stand on its own. A title header board is acceptable but not required.

Posters at the STL Science Fair must be free of any self-promotion, product placement, and religious views (ie. Biblical Connections, Religious Justification). Posters displaying these elements may be removed from the Fair or have parts redacted prior to judging.

CHANGE in 2027: Materials may accompany the tri-fold board display, however, they must adhere to the Rules and Regulations, including fitting within a 12x24x12in space on the table in-front of the poster.

CHANGE IN 2027: DO NOT attach the approval forms to the trifold poster. All paperwork will be signed virtually within the MySciFair Platform.

Posters should include student name(s), school, and teacher/mentor name. The acknowledgement section should be limited to people and organizations directly involved in your research.

All projects have a sequence number in the MySciFair platform. The sequence number must be written in the BOTTOM RIGHT-HAND CORNER of the poster. Please double-check this number before drop-off. If the Sequence Number is illegible, the project may be judged incorrectly.