Participant Guidelines
Please find the guidelines for all participants in the handbook below.
2025 Participant Handbook.pdf
Registration For The Regional Fair
Registration Directions
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High School Students (Should register and submit ISEF paperwork before their investigation begins Oct-Dec)
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Middle School Students (Should not register until after winning their school fair in January/Feburary)
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Category Judges
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School Coordinators
Fair Structure, Format, and Timeline
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Middle Division (grades 6-8) and Senior Division (grades 9-12) have 16 categories.
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Research projects are completed individually or in teams of two-three students.
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The PW-MRSEF is scheduled to take place in a hybrid format.
View Past Winners
To view previous winners, visit the Science Fair Winners and Awards page on the Prince William County Schools website.
Student Participant Schedule of Events:
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Time
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Event
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8:00 a.m.
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Student arrival
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8:50 a.m.
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Parents and public must leave judging area
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9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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Project judging-students will be dismissed by category
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1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
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Grand prize judging for 1st place senior projects
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3 - 4 p.m.
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Kelly Leadership Center is closed
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4 p.m.
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Awards ceremony for Middle Division (Grades 6-8)
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5:15 p.m.
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Awards ceremony for Senior Division (Grades 9-12)
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Suggestions for Students:
- Dress so judges respect you as a professional - they want to know that you are serious about being there and presenting your ideas to them;
- Wear comfortable shoes - you will be standing on hard concrete floors for several hours;
- Bring a book or a game to keep yourself occupied while you wait for judges;
- Consider bringing a snack, there is no food available to purchase and
- Relax and enjoy the process - judges volunteer their time because they are interested in the work young scientists do; in other words, they want to hear your thoughts and encourage you to continue your work!
Category Judges' Schedule of Events:
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Time
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Event
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8 a.m.
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Judges’ check-in
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8:30 a.m.
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Orientation for category judges in School Board room
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9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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Project judging
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Noon - 1 p.m.
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Grand Prize judges check-in and lunch
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1 - 3 p.m.
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Grand-Prize judging
(first-place projects in Senior Division only)
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3 - 4 p.m.
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Kelly Leadership Center is closed to the public
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4 p.m.
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Awards ceremony for Middle Division (Grades 6-8)
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5:15 p.m.
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Awards ceremony for Senior Division (Grades 9-12)
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Organization Judges Schedule
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Time
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Event
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8:00 a.m.
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Judges’ check-in
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9 a.m. – noon
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Project judging
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Before noon
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Final winners should be submitted on the Excel spreadsheet provided to head judge
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Noon- 1 p.m.
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Lunch
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1 p.m.
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Kelly Leadership Center closes to the public
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Behavioral and Social Science
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Medicine and Health Science
Robotics and Intelligent Machines