Regeneron Science Talent
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Things to note
This competition requires applicants to submit completely independent research projects. This does not mean you can’t have any help or a mentor – in fact, it is encouraged. All it means is that you have to be the sole contributor to the project. Unlike ISEF, no team projects are allowed. Only HS seniors are eligible for this competition.
How it works
Applicants submit their research project report as well as essays, letters of recommendations, standardized testing scores, and extracurriculars. 3 PhD level judges in your field will evaluate your project and top 300 scorers across all fields will be named scholars in early January. A larger panel of top scientists across many fields will convene to decide the top 40 finalists from the 300, announced in mid-January.
Why you should apply
The Science Talent Search is the nation’s oldest and most highly regarded science competition for high school seniors. It gives students a chance to showcase years of hard work and brings a platform to some of the most innovative research being done by the countries youngest, brightest minds. All scholars receive a 2,000 award, and their school receives 2,000 as well. All finalists receive an additional 25,000 as well as a fully funded 5-day trip to Washington D.C.
2023 Regeneron STS Finalist Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it take to be a scholar? A Finalist?
Based on our experience, being a scholar require solid science, good report writing, and attention to detail (ie. no careless mistakes on your report). Being a finalist, however, requires showcasing ingenuity in your research. This could be creating a new method or analyzing data in a way that has never been thought of before.
How important are the essays?
We believe that the essays are not essential to being named a scholar, but they are essential to being named a finalist. There have been scholars who chose not to write the optional essays.
What do the judges look for in my report?
This heavily depends on whether you are talking about scholar judges or finalist judges. We can however say that judges will not care about the design/colors/beautifications in your report unless they somehow contribute to conveying your message, so do not spend too much time on this.
Advice from the Finalists
Make sure to pay close attention to your figures for biological/biochemical/chemical (and maybe other areas) research as it is easy to lose points for not properly labeling sub-images and/or not having scale bars/keys if applicable.
Jason W.
View the posters of the 2023 Regeneron STS Finalists
Keep in mind that the reports are not publicly available. However, many figures that finalists created on their reports were also reused on their posters.