Must-Read for Participants: The 2026 ISEF Global Finals Are Approaching, and the 7-Day Schedule Has Been Released
When it comes to the most popular research competitions in recent years, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, known as ISEF, is undoubtedly one of the most influential. Often regarded as the ceiling of youth science and innovation competitions, ISEF has become a major academic goal for high school students pursuing STEM fields.
From May 9 to May 15, 2026, outstanding students from around the world will gather in Phoenix, Arizona, for Regeneron ISEF 2026. It is the world’s largest international STEM research competition for high school students.
The preliminary schedule for the 2026 ISEF Global Finals has been released.
Regeneron ISEF 2026 Global Finals Schedule
| Date | Key Events |
|---|---|
| May 9, 2026 | Check-in, registration, project setup, and safety review |
| May 10, 2026 | Project review and participant exchange activities |
| May 11, 2026 | Special award judging and judge interviews |
| May 12, 2026 | Final judging and preparation for public project display |
| May 13, 2026 | Public visitation day and project exhibition |
| May 14, 2026 | Award announcements and pre-event networking dinner |
| May 15, 2026 | Awards ceremony and closing of the competition |
What Is Regeneron ISEF?
Regeneron ISEF, officially the International Science and Engineering Fair, is sponsored by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. It is one of the world’s most prestigious youth science and engineering research competitions.
ISEF is open to students in grades 9–12 worldwide. It covers 22 subject categories across almost all major disciplines, including physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, social sciences, biology, and more.
In 2025, more than 60 countries and regions participated in the ISEF Global Finals. A total of 1,657 finalists and 1,328 projects competed, slightly fewer than the number of projects in 2024.
From the subject distribution of projects, biomedical science and environmental protection remained major themes. The five categories with the most projects were translational medicine, biomedical and health sciences, biomedical engineering, environmental and earth sciences, and computational biology. The more projects a category receives, the more intense the competition tends to be.
ISEF Eligibility and Qualification Pathways
ISEF uses a selective qualification system. No student can directly register for the Global Finals. Students must first stand out in affiliated fairs in their country or region before earning a place at ISEF.
Students may participate individually or in teams of no more than three members. To qualify for the finals, students need to achieve strong results in local ISEF-affiliated competitions and compete with outstanding peers from around the world.
Qualification pathways vary by region.
For U.S. High School Students
Before advancing to the ISEF Finals, students usually need to participate in affiliated fairs in their own state.
Using California as an example, students first compete in a local ISEF-affiliated regional fair. Winners then advance to the state-level competition, and top projects may qualify for ISEF.
Because each U.S. state has different academic standards, student populations, and levels of competition, the difficulty of qualifying can vary significantly.
For Students in Mainland China
Students in Mainland China may qualify through several recognized pathways.
| Pathway | Details |
|---|---|
| Sichuan Science and Engineering Fair | This annual affiliated fair is designed for students attending schools for children of foreign nationals in Mainland China. If a school won an ISEF finalist award or regional award at the 2025 fair, it may submit 4 projects, regardless of the number of awards received. Other schools may submit 3 projects. Each student has three opportunities to participate, in grades 9, 10, and 11. Students may begin preparing as early as the summer after grade 8. |
| Shanghai Youth Science Club Advanced Member Selection and Science Seed International Exchange Program | Students must register through the official Shanghai Youth Science Club platform. Outstanding winners may directly secure qualification for the ISEF Global Finals. |
| Chongqing Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition | This competition selects 5 outstanding youth research projects with strong scientific value, innovation, and social application potential, creating a pathway for Chongqing students to enter the international science and innovation stage. |
| Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Youth Science Fair, BTHYSF | Open to secondary school students from Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. A total of 10 projects are selected to participate in the ISEF Global Finals held in the United States each May. |
Why ISEF Preparation Should Start Early
Scientific research competitions require long-term preparation. Students need to invest consistent effort each week to produce strong results.
ISEF is especially competitive because of its large scale, high academic value, and global recognition. It is also one of the high-level research competitions recommended on MIT’s official website.
For students aiming to participate in ISEF, early planning is essential. A strong project usually requires topic selection, literature review, experimental design, data collection, analysis, report writing, presentation preparation, and repeated revision.
For high school students interested in STEM, ISEF is more than a competition. It is a platform to demonstrate scientific curiosity, research ability, innovation, and the potential to solve real-world problems.
