REGENERON ISEF 2026
QUAD CHART
BY Whitney Holden, Ph.D
SRC Chair, Arkansas State Science Fair
International Rules for Pre-college Research
“ISEF Rules”
Dr. Brian Monson
Associate Dean for STEM
Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts
Display & Safety
New for 2026.
- Max height for a display has been reduced to 8’ from 9’. All materials must fit in a box 30” X 48” X 96”
- All graphics*, including clip art, must have a credit statement – full URL to page where found or citation to journal article
- This includes graphics created by the student. These must include the app used to create it and the year.
Rule Changes
Human Subjects
- All subjects under 18 must have written parental consent to participate. No exceptions.
- Studies conducted at a residential facility must have both IRB approval and permission form
the admin of the facility. - All subjects under 18 must have written parental consent to participate. No exceptions.
- Studies conducted at a residential facility must have both IRB approval and permission form the admin of the facility.
Vertebrate Animals
- Cephalopods are now considered vertebrates
- Students cannot fish with barbed hooks.
Biological Agents
- No research on prions or prion-like agents – includes engineering organisms to express prion-
like compounds - All insect or vector-borne pathogens are automatically BSL-2
- Water samples collected from harmful algal blooms are now BSL-2
- Students cannot culture micro-organisms at home.
Hazardous Chemicals
- Students must obtain and read the SDS for every chemical they use & demonstrate this in the Research Plan. The GHS hazard ratings from section 2 of the SDS must be considered in the risk analysis part of the Research Plan.
- Follow all the safe handling guidance on the SDS
- The person supervising the project must have training and knowledge of chemical safety
- If done at home, all cookware & utensils must not be retuned to regular household use.
- Disposal section of research plan must be much more detailed.
Forms for Every Project
- Form 1 – filled out by teacher or sponsor
- Form 1A – by student
- Research Plan – there’s a template and instructions in the rule book
- Form 1B – parent/guardian permission + documentation of approvals
- Must be competed before work begins
Forms for Special Projects
- Form 1 C – only required if student works at a research institution. Only one dated after completion
- Form 2 – Qualified scientist form. Some hazardous projects require supervision by more than a teacher. Usually done at universities.
- Form 3 – required if student uses chemicals or a hazardous device. Supervisor must have training in that field.
- Form 4 – required for projects with human subjects. Must have a sample informed consent form attached.
- Form 5A or B – required if vertebrate animals are used. May need a veterinarian to sign
- Form 6A or 6B – required for PHBA use
Safety
Regulations
Not Allowed at
Project or Booth
Note: In the case in which a Finalist’s Project includes an item that is prohibited from display, please consider taking photographs and/or documenting the significance of the prohibited item through video.
1. Biological materials (living, dead, or preserved) other than those commercially available. This includes but is not limited to:
- Living organisms, including plants
- Taxidermy specimens or parts
- Preserved vertebrate or invertebrate animals
- Human or animal food
- Human/animal parts or body fluids (for example, blood, urine)
2. All chemicals including water. Absolutely no liquids can be utilized in the Project Display
3. All other hazardous substances or devices included but not limited to:
- Soil, sand, rock, cement and/or waste samples
- Poisons
- Drugs
- Firearms, weapons, ammunition, reloading devices
- Granules or powders
- Grease/oil and sublimating solids such as dry ice
- Sharp items (for example, syringes, needles, pipettes, knives)
- Glass
- Flames and highly flammable materials
- Batteries with open-top cells or wet cells or battery packs over 100 watt-hour capacity
- Drones or any flight-capable apparatus unless the propulsion power source removed
- Inadequately insulated apparatus capable of producing dangerous temperatures are not permitted
- Any apparatus with belts, pulleys, chains, or moving parts with tension or pinch points that are not appropriately shielded
Arkansas state SCIENCE & Engineering FAIR
Resources & Forms
The Standard: Judging is conducted in a fair and ethical manner. Conflicts of interest are addressed and the process of judging and final decision making is as transparent as possible while maintaining the integrity of the process. All of those involved in judging and in making winner selections do so with the best interest of the student participants. The decisions of judges are final.
Required project forms for the state fair are the same as ISEF.
Rules and Guidelines Booklet includes the forms necessary to document adherence to the rules. These forms constitute written documentation of what will occur or in some cases has already occurred in a research project.
Rules and Guidelines Booklet includes the forms necessary to document adherence to the rules. These forms constitute written documentation of what will occur or in some cases has already occurred in a research project.
The abstract should be 250 words or less. Do not discuss specific aspects of the research in great detail, including experimental procedures and statistical methods. Any information that is unnecessary to include in a brief explanation should be saved for the written research paper or the project exhibit board.
The abstract should be a brief, yet comprehensive synopsis of the research project. It should seek to highlight the research question(s), experimental procedures, data, and conclusions in a way that is concise and easy to understand. It will be reviewed by Special Award Organization and Grand Award Judges to determine whether the project stands out within its category or qualifies for special awards. The general public and other Regeneron ISEF visitors read the abstract for a quick overview of the research design and findings.
The state fair follows the rules and guidelines of ISEF.
The International Rules for Pre-college Science Research: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs are published annually to support students doing independent research safely. The International Rules are the official rules of the Regeneron ISEF and students competing at Society-affiliated science fairs.
The purpose of these rules is to:
– protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher
– protect the rights and welfare of the human participant
– ensure adherence to federal regulations
– ensure use of safe laboratory practices
– protect the environment
– determine eligibility for competition in the Regeneron ISEF
The International Rules for Pre-college Science Research: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs are published annually to support students doing independent research safely. The International Rules are the official rules of the Regeneron ISEF and students competing at Society-affiliated science fairs.
The purpose of these rules is to:
– protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher
– protect the rights and welfare of the human participant
– ensure adherence to federal regulations
– ensure use of safe laboratory practices
– protect the environment
– determine eligibility for competition in the Regeneron ISEF
The Rules Wizard has been designed as a first step to help you determine what forms and approvals are necessary before beginning a science fair project. Answer each of the 9 questions and a result page will provide a list of forms and information based on your answers; these forms and the accompanying rules should be reviewed closely with a teacher or mentor BEFORE experimentation begins.
At ISEF, you don’t need to compete in the same category as in your national, regional, state, or local competition. Furthermore, most regional and state competitions do not use subcategories. You should carefully consider which subcategory best describes your project because your judges will be assigned based on their expertise in your chosen subcategory. If the project could be in multiple subcategories (or categories), it is best to select the primary subcategory of your project rather than “Other.”