A positive science fair experience starts with a strong project plan.

The more detail students put in their paperwork now the smoother the approval process will be and the more prepared they will be for their project. Remind students that filling out paperwork and planning ahead are key components of work in STEM.

Templates to guide research or engineering project plan creation can be found at www.scifair.com/resources . Make a copy of the templates to share with students.

Students should include the where, how, when and with whom where applicable. 

Details are especially important for:

• Sample collection 
• Disposal of materials, devices, or organisms 
• Tool or equipment use
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Schools with a large number of projects can contact us at info@scifair.com for tips on streamlining the process, or join us for virtual office hours using the links below. We're here to help.

Don't forget to 'mark ready' AFTER you've reviewed

When this box is checked, we know the project has teacher approval and it is ready to be assigned to a reviewer. Definitely review each document to make sure it is complete and legible before marking ready.

Instructions can be found in the zFairs tutorial HERE.

Please make sure student research plans are complete with information about their work. We provide templates that can be used in the link above. If you use a different format at your school make sure it is complete and thorough.

What are the deadlines for submitting the project approval forms?

All projects that will be participating in a Fair need approval by the Statewide SRC before participating in a Regional or State Fair. Submit forms at mahs.zfairs.com once the research plan is complete.

• Plan ahead, follow directions carefully and set a goal deadline for student projects that is no later than the deadlines below.
• Paperwork can be submitted on a rolling basis for review and approval. Submit when you are ready and before experimentation. Finish your submission within TWO WEEKS of creating your account in zFairs.
•  If your project requires forms 3, 4, 5, or 6 your paperwork must be submitted before you begin experimentation. SUBMIT EARLY and no later than December 15. 
•  Final deadline for ALL projects to be approved for regional or state fair participation is January 15th. Paperwork submitted closer to final deadline will take longer to review.
• Contact src@scifair.com if you have a large number of projects or a school fair after these deadlines.

Teachers must ‘MARK READY’ in the zFairs platform (Paperwork > Review) to signal that project paperwork is ready for review. Projects will not be reviewed until this box is checked. Incomplete projects will not be reviewed. 🎦 Tutorial here.

The Scientific Review Committee (SRC) will use this information to review projects to provide feedback, request revisions, and/or approve accordingly.

If the research plan is approved, how will I or the students know?

Once students have filled out and uploaded all their forms, teachers should review in zFairs and click the 'mark ready' box. MSEF will review the forms to make sure they are complete and then assign the project to a volunteer reviewer in the appropriate subject area. 

Students should expect a review to take 7-14 calendar days and should keep an eye on their email because sometimes back-and-forth for clarification and correction is necessary. It is the students responsibility to check back and be responsive to avoid disqualification.

The reviewer will hit the ‘accepted’ button when finished which sends a notice to the teacher and student. The project will show a green bar in the teacher dashboard once approved.

Updates to project plan after submission need to be communicated to src@scifair.com. Some changes may require re-approval.

Are there different forms for the regional or state fairs?

All the approval forms and permission forms are the same for students to progress between the regional and state fairs. We also use the same forms as ISEF at the High School level, however the 2025 Paperwork Packet includes a modified permissions form for each student.

Why do students need to fill out forms if they aren't going to proceed to a Regional or State Fair?

The forms are a way to ensure student and community safety, so the reason they exist is good practice regardless of their interest in participating in the Fairs. As one teacher told us "Even if they knew they weren't going to "win", filling out the forms lent a level of authenticity and seriousness to doing our own school fair."

Think of the Scientific Review Committee as the protectors of safe and sound science. 🦸

Need help finding information in the High School Manual?

We don't expect anyone to read every page of the manual! Take advantage of the table of contents and the 'search' or 'find' function The manual can be found at MAHS.zfairs.com or go to www.scifair.com/fairs/highschool

Once you open the manual you can jump around by clicking headings in the table of contents or use the to find a keyword. That can be as broad as words like 'approval' or as specific as 'fuel cell.' Let us know if you need any help.

How do teachers decide which students qualify for the regional and/or state fair?

Each school can send approximately 10 projects* to the Regional Fair. Some schools base this on top performing projects and some schools use a showcase model without judging. Students should be chosen based on interest and student performance.

State Fair participation is based on the top student projects at the regional level so distribution is not based on schools. However schools may still send a limited number* of ‘direct entries’ to the State Fair. This could be for students who did not advance at the regional fair or were not able to participate at the regional level due to conflict or illness. Students must still complete the paperwork according to regional deadlines.

*Final numbers are determined by region and state fair once participation numbers are known.

Need a different time? Use this link to schedule with me.

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Resources and Opportunities

• Join the Science Fair Ready Network to stay up to date on information and opportunities. Join our teacher-only Facebook group.
• Encourage students to sign up for our newsletter here or follow us on Instagram at @MassScienceFair.
• Let me know if you'd like help connecting to your regional fair contacts about the event or local opportunities. All the regional fair dates and contacts can be found at MAHS.zfairs.com.
• You can book an appt with me to plan for the year. 
• We'd love to visit your school or district fair! Please invite us.

We can't wait to connect with you.

Rebekah Stendahl

Program Director

rstendahl@scifair.com

Book with me

Advancing science and engineering literacy since 1949, the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair (MSEF) was founded by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, MIT professors, and a group of pioneering K-12 science educators. 

MSEF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

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