ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to participate in the Minnesota State Science & Engineering Fair (MSSEF), students must first participate in one of the six affiliated regional science fairs in Minnesota and be selected to advance.
Home-schooled students are welcome to participate and should contact the regional science fair closest to their home.
OFFICIAL ISEF RULES
Students must be in compliance with all rules stipulated by the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the 2025 ISEF Rules & Guidelines , which can also be downloaded below in both English and Spanish. Science fair projects are approved as compliant through the scientific review process explained below.
DOWNLOAD 2025 ISEF RULES IN ENGLISH
DOWNLOAD 2024 ISEF RULES IN SPANISH
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW COMMITTEE FORMS
A scientific review committee (SRC) is a group of qualified individuals that is responsible for evaluation of student research, certifications, research plans and exhibits. It ensures compliance with the rules, applicable laws, and regulations at each level of science fair competition. Local/regional SRCs will review projects prior to the regional science fairs, and projects that advance to the MSSEF will be reviewed again by the Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS) state SRC. The operation and composition of the local and affiliated fair SRCs must fully comply with the international rules.
The purpose of SRC is to:
protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher
protect the rights and welfare of the human participant
protect the health and welfare of the vertebrate animal subject
ensure adherence to federal regulations
ensure use of safe laboratory practices
protect the environment
determine eligibility for competition in the 2023 MSSEF
determine eligibility for competition in the 2023 ISEF for those who advance from the state fair
SRC examines projects for the following:
evidence of literature search and appropriate attribution
evidence of proper supervision
use of accepted and appropriate research techniques
completed forms, signatures and dates showing maximum of one year duration of research and appropriate pre-approval dates (where required)
SRC Forms are required of all student presenters. Each student fills out different forms depending on their research. Blank SRC forms come directly from the ISEF website, and can also be downloaded below.
DOWNLOAD ISEF SRC FORMS
REQUIRED SRC FORMS
All students are required to complete forms 1, 1A, and 1B.
Additional forms may be required for high school projects based on your specific project. These additional forms include the following:
FORM 1C for projects conducted at a research or industrial institution (not needed for experiments done in school or at home)
FORM 2 for projects that need to be overseen by a qualified scientist
FORM 3 for projects using hazardous chemicals, activities or devices — this is likely the most common additional form needed
FORM 4 for projects that involve human participants
FORM 5A AND/OR 5B for projects that involve vertebrate animals
FORM 6A for projects that involve potentially hazardous biological agents (PHBAs) such as bacteria, human cell lines, and bodily fluids
FORM 6B for projects that involve human or vertebrate animal tissue
FORM 7 for projects that are continuations, i.e. if the current project is in a similar area of research as any previous project of a student
Middle school projects do not require these additional forms, but any relevant safety information for the project must be included in its research plan.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KEEP PERSONAL COPIES OF YOUR SRC PAPERWORK!
More info about the SRC forms can be found in the 2023 ISEF Rules document provided above and in ISEF’s Overview of Forms and Dates webpage. You may also find the SRC Rules Wizard a helpful resource.
ABSTRACTS
Abstracts for both high school and middle school projects must NOT exceed 250 words. If we receive an abstract in violation of the length limit, we will send it back to the student for correction.
TEAM PROJECTS
Teams must consist of no more than three individuals. A project cannot be switched from a team project to an individual project in the same year, nor can a project with three team members be reduced to a project with only two partners.
In order to participate in MSSEF, all members of a team must be registered and attend the 2023 State Science and Engineering Fair, in-person on March 24th.
All team members must be in the same division (i.e. junior or senior) to be eligible. Teams that contain a combination of both middle school and high school students are not eligible to participate in MSSEF.
STUDENT CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT
Scientific fraud and misconduct are not condoned at any level of research or competition. Plagiarism, use or presentation of other researcher’s work as one’s own, forgery of approval signatures and fabrication or falsification of data or approval dates will not be tolerated. Fraudulent projects will fail to qualify for competition in affiliated fairs.
Student Code of Ethics and Conduct:
I will be positive about my science experience and accept responsibility for my participation.
I will encourage sportsmanship from fellow scientists, coaches, officials, and parents at every event by demonstrating good sportsmanship.
I will do my very best to listen and learn from the judges and scientists.
I will treat my advisor, other participants, officials, and visitors with respect regardless of race, sex, creed, or ability. I will expect to be treated accordingly.
I deserve to enjoy the event and will alert parents or advisors accordingly.
I deserve to compete in an environment that is free of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and expect adults to refrain from their use at all science events.
I will expect to receive a fair treatment.
I will abide by all decisions made by judges and understand that all decisions made by judges are final.
I will observe the student curfew indicated in the program booklet.
In the event that I wish to file a formal complaint about something which has happened at the competition, I will follow official MSSEF complaint procedures.
Animal Sciences
This category includes all aspects of animals and animal life, animal life cycles, and animal interactions with one another or with their environment. Examples of investigations included in this category would involve the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals, animal ecology, animal husbandry, entomology, ichthyology, ornithology, and herpetology, as well as the study of animals at the cellular and molecular level which would include cytology, histology, and cellular physiology.
Behavioral and Social Sciences
The science or study of the thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interactions with the environment studied through observational and experimental methods.
Biochemistry
The study of the chemical basis of processes occurring in living organisms, including the processes by which these substances enter into, or are formed in, the organisms and react with each other and the environment.
Biomedical and Health Sciences
This category focuses on studies specifically designed to address issues of human health and disease. It includes studies on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention or epidemiology of disease and other damage to the human body or mental systems. Includes studies of normal functioning and may investigate internal as well as external factors such as feedback mechanisms, stress or environmental impact on human health and disease.
Biomedical Engineering
Projects that involve the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes including diagnosis, monitoring and therapy. Prominent biomedical engineering applications include the development of biocompatible prostheses, various diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices ranging from clinical equipment to micro-implants, common imaging equipment such as MRIs and EEGs, regenerative tissue growth, pharmaceutical drugs and therapeutic biologicals.
Cellular and Molecular Biology
This is an interdisciplinary field that studies the structure, function, intracellular pathways, and formation of cells. Studies involve understanding life and cellular processes specifically at the molecular level.
Chemistry
Studies exploring the science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter not involving biochemical systems.
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Studies that primarily focus on the discipline and techniques of computer science and mathematics as they relate to biological systems. This includes the development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study of biological, behavior, and social systems.
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Studies of the environment and its effect on organisms/systems, including investigations of biological processes such as growth and life span, as well as studies of Earth systems and their evolution.
Embedded Systems
Studies involving electrical systems in which information is conveyed via signals and waveforms for purposes of enhancing communications, control and/or sensing.
Energy: Sustainable Materials & Design
Studies/processes involving the production and/or storage of energy.
Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics
Studies that focus on the science and engineering that involve movement or structure. The movement will be a result of forces; the structure will be stable due to the equilibrium of forces.
Environmental Engineering
Studies that engineer or develop processes and infrastructure to solve environmental problems in the supply of water, the disposal of waste, or the control of pollution.
Materials Science
The study of the integration of various materials forms in systems, devices, and components that rely on their unique and specific properties. It involves their synthesis and processing in the form of nanoparticles, nanofibers, and nanolayered structures, to coatings and laminates, to bulk monolithic, single-/poly-crystalline, glassy, soft/hard solid, composite, and cellular structures. It also involves measurements of various properties and characterization of the structure across length scales, in addition to multi-scale modeling and computations for process-structure and structure-property correlations.
Mathematics
The study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols. The deductive study of numbers, geometry, and various abstract constructs, or structures.
Microbiology
The study of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, prokaryotes, and simple eukaryotes as well as antimicrobial and antibiotic substances.
Physics and Astronomy
Physics is the science of matter and energy and of interactions between the two. Astronomy is the study of anything in the universe beyond the Earth.
Plant Sciences
Studies of plants and how they live, including structure, physiology, development, and classification. Includes plant cultivation, development, ecology, genetics and plant breeding, pathology, physiology, systematics and evolution.
Robotics and Intelligent Machines
Studies in which the use of machine intelligence is paramount to reducing the reliance on human intervention.
Systems Software
The study or development of software, information processes or methodologies to demonstrate, analyze, or control a process/solution.
Technology Enhances the Arts
The use of technology to ignite new concepts, visualization tools and/or media to enhance our enjoyment of the arts.
Translational Medical Science
Projects that aim to improve human health and longevity by translating novel discoveries in the biomedical sciences into effective activities and tools for clinical and public health use. Bi-directional in concept, projects can be those developed through basic research moving toward clinical testing (bench-to-bedside) or projects that provide feedback about the applications of new treatments and how they can be improved (beside-to-bench).