Can University Lab Research Go to the County Science Fair and ISEF?

By Dr. Harman Brah, MD · Judge, California Science & Engineering Fair

Yes. Research done in a university lab can be entered at a county science fair and, from there, compete for Regeneron ISEF.

It needs one extra form: the Regulated Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Form (2C), displayed at the booth. It also has to fit the 12-month research window and pass any review the project type requires.

Why the lab needs its own form

ISEF’s Rules for All Projects are the rules ISEF-affiliated fairs follow. Under those rules, home, school and field are standard work sites.

Work anywhere else, such as a university, company or community lab, needs Form 2C. The form is displayed at the booth with the project, so judges see where the research was done.

The path runs through a local fair

Students cannot enter ISEF directly. They qualify by winning at a Society-affiliated local, regional, state or national fair.

In the Bay Area, the Synopsys Science & Technology Championship in Santa Clara County sends its grand prize winners to compete at ISEF. The Alameda County Science & Engineering Fair is affiliated with both the California Science & Engineering Fair and Regeneron ISEF.

The 2027 ISEF is in Los Angeles, California, in May 2027.

The 12-month window

A project may include no more than 12 months of continuous research. For 2027, that window begins no earlier than January 2026 and ends May 2027.

No research performed before January 2026 can count. If a student joined the lab earlier, only the work inside the window belongs in this year’s project.

If the project builds on a prior year’s research, it is a continuation project. It must show a substantive expansion from the earlier work, and repeating the same question and method, even with a larger sample, is not acceptable. It needs the Continuation/Research Progression Projects Form (7) at the booth and must be reviewed and approved every year.

Review comes before the experiment

Projects with human participants, vertebrate animals or certain biological agents need SRC/IRB review before the experiment starts. Lab projects often fall into one of these groups, so check early.

Synopsys sets an early SRC/IRB due date of November 2, 2026, and a final pre-approval deadline of November 13, 2026, well before its January 8, 2027 application deadline for new participants.

A human-subjects survey started before approval cannot be entered. Decide the project type in the fall.

Same project, two outlets

A senior’s lab project can often go to Regeneron STS and to a county fair. The rules are not the same, so plan for both.

STS accepts only independent, individual research, and research done during any year of high school is eligible. ISEF-affiliated fairs allow teams of up to three, but the research must fit the 12-month window.

The writing differs too. STS asks for a research report of up to 20 pages. The fair asks for a one-page abstract of no more than 250 words, and students may not use generative AI to write the research plan, abstract or poster.

The 2027 STS deadline is November 5, 2026 at 8 PM ET. County fair dates come later in the school year.

What judges look for in lab projects

In our view, the hard part is separating the student’s own question and contribution from the lab’s larger project, and saying it plainly at the board.

Judges reward a student who can explain why each choice was made, not the most advanced technique. A project that looks parent- or mentor-built is seen through quickly.

The student does the work. A mentor guides; the student owns the question, the data and the writing.

One display detail matters for lab projects: commercial logos and institutional crests are generally not allowed on the board, so leave the university’s crest off.

Learn how we guide students through this at https://admissioninsight.org/science-fair-research-mentorship/, and see how review works in https://admissioninsight.org/science-fair-irb-src-approval/.

FAQ

My child does research in a university lab. Can they enter the county science fair with it?

Yes. Work done at a university lab is allowed, but it needs the Regulated Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Form (2C), displayed at the booth.

Can my child go straight to ISEF with lab research?

No. Students cannot enter ISEF directly. They qualify by winning at a Society-affiliated fair, such as the county fair for their area.

My child started in the lab before January 2026. Does that work count?

Not for the 2027 cycle. The research must fall within 12 continuous months, beginning no earlier than January 2026 and ending May 2027.

Can the same lab project go to Regeneron STS and a science fair?

Often, yes, but the rules differ. STS takes only individual research from any year of high school, while ISEF-affiliated fairs allow teams of up to three and require the 12-month window.

Can we put the university’s logo on the poster?

Generally no. ISEF display rules do not allow commercial logos or institutional crests on the project display.