Rules

 

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1. Student Eligibility

• The student must be enrolled in an UAE school or accepted educational centre at the time of registration.
• The student must be in Grade 5 through Grade 12.
• Both UAE national and non-UAE national students are eligible to participate.
• A student may not participate in more than one project in the same edition of EYSC.

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2. Project and Team Rules

• Each project must follow scientific methodology, including a problem or question, hypothesis or engineering goal, methodology, evidence, results, discussion, and conclusion.
• Projects may be submitted by teams of 2 to 3 students. The maximum team size is 3 students.
• Each team of 2 or 3 students must include at least 1 UAE national/local student.
• All team members must be from the same school or approved science/youth club and must be enrolled in the same competition tier.
• Each project must be assigned to one of the four official scientific categories.
• Projects must be original work conducted within the current academic year. Previous projects may only be submitted if they include documented improvements, updates, or advances.
• Each project must have a designated supervising teacher or supervisor, who is responsible for registration and the accuracy of submitted information.

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3. School Participation Rules

• Schools are encouraged to conduct internal science fairs or internal review processes before submitting projects to EYSC.
• There is no stated limit on the number of projects a school may register during the online application phase; however, progression to later stages is based on evaluation scores and selection criteria.
• The project supervisor registers the project on behalf of students. Students should not self-register independently.

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4. Scientific Categories

All EYSC projects must be submitted under one of the four official scientific categories. Projects are evaluated and awarded within their respective categories.

Category	Includes Sub-fields
Technology	Communications, electronic systems, robotics, computing, control technology, applications of technology, biotechnology, automation.
Biological and Ecological Sciences	Agriculture, anatomy, biochemistry, biotechnology, ecology, horticulture, physiology, medical science, veterinary science.
Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences	Chemistry, physics, mathematics, applied mathematics, geology, engineering, meteorology, astronomy.
Behavioral and Social Sciences	Economic, geographical, psychological, or sociological studies of human behaviour, nutrition, political science.

• The project supervisor selects the most appropriate category during registration. If a project spans multiple categories, the primary research focus and methodology should determine the classification.
• The EYSC technical committee may reclassify a project if the selected category is inconsistent with the project content.
• Projects are encouraged to incorporate advanced technology elements where relevant, including modern tools, data analysis techniques, digital methods, AI-enabled approaches, or technology-driven applications across all scientific categories.

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5. Competition Structure — Overview

EYSC 2026 follows three main stages. Each stage is divided into two halves: one focused on submission and one focused on evaluation, selection, or progression. Dates are approximate and may be adjusted by the organising committee.

Competition Stage	Approximate Timeline	Description
Application Phase	21 May – 14 July 2026	Schools register teams and submit project proposals online through the platform. Submissions are checked for eligibility, completeness, originality, and scientific approach. Up to 500 projects progress to Progress Submission. Participants will be notified after the completion of evaluation.
Progress Submission	15 July – 1 October 2026	Qualified teams submit progress documentation, a project poster, and a short project video. All progress submissions are evaluated.
On-site Display and Judging	November 2026	Finalist projects are displayed and judged at the NSTI Festival. Winners are announced at the official awards ceremony.

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6. Application Phase

Timeline: 21 May – 14 July 2026.

Application Phase begins with online registration and proposal submission. Registration is completed by the school supervisor or teacher through the approved registration platform.

The platform follows a supervisor account model, where each supervisor manages students, teams, project details, documents, submissions, and application status for their school or centre.

6.1 Initial Evaluation and Screening

After the submission deadline, all submitted projects undergo eligibility checks, validation, and initial evaluation. Projects are screened by the technical team, educators, and/or subject matter experts using a standardised rubric focused on originality, feasibility, scientific approach, and relevance. Up to 500 projects are selected to proceed to Progress Submission and Finalist Selection.

6.1.1 Application Phase Disqualification Criteria

A project may be disqualified during Application Phase if any of the following apply:

• Plagiarism or copied work.
• Eligibility mismatch, including incorrect grade level, team size, or missing UAE national/local student requirement.
• Incomplete submission or missing required documents.
• Lack of originality or repetitive ideas without documented advances.
• A project that does not demonstrate a scientific methodology, research question, engineering goal, or clear investigative approach.
• False, inaccurate, or misleading information submitted by the supervisor, school, or team.
• If any of the Student Eligibility, Project and Team Rules, or School Participation Rules are not met.

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7. Progress Submission

Timeline: 15 July – 1 October 2026.

Progress Submission is designed to assess the development of the top 500 projects after the Application Phase and select the top 100 finalist projects for the NSTI Festival.

7.1 Progress Submission

Projects that qualify from Application Phase must submit progress documentation through the approved platform. The purpose of this stage is to demonstrate actual project development, evidence of experimentation or implementation, analysis of findings, and clarity of presentation.

Note: Final technical specifications for video length, file type, file size, and poster format will be confirmed through the platform or finalist communication.

7.2 Progress Evaluation and Finalist Selection

All Progress Submissions are evaluated by assigned evaluators or judges through the platform. Evaluation focuses on the quality of project progress, scientific methodology, originality, feasibility, evidence, analysis, and presentation. The top 100 projects are selected as EYSC finalists for the NSTI Festival. A reserve list of 20 backup projects may also be selected in case of finalist withdrawal or disqualification.

7.2.1 Progress Submission Disqualification or Non-Selection Criteria

• Failure to submit the progress documentation by the deadline.
• Missing required elements such as the progress report, video, or poster.
• Word limits are not met for required written sections.
• Progress submission does not show sufficient development from the original proposal.
• Evidence of plagiarism, fabricated results, or misleading project claims.
• Project cannot be safely or ethically displayed or continued.
• Supervisor or team fails to respond to required clarifications within the stated timeline.

7.2.2 Progress Submission Outcome

Outcome	Description
Shortlisted for NSTI Festival	Top 100 finalist projects are invited to display and compete at NSTI.
Backup Project	Up to 20 backup projects may be kept on reserve in case a finalist project withdraws or becomes ineligible.
Not Shortlisted	Projects that do not rank within the finalist or backup list will not proceed to the on-site festival stage.

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8. On-site Display and Judging

Approximate timeline: November 2026.

On-site Display and Judging takes place at the NSTI Festival, UAE, subject to final venue confirmation. The top 100 finalist projects are displayed in a science fair format and evaluated by professional judges over multiple days.

8.1 On-site Display and Judging

Item	Details
Festival Dates	November 2026 (exact dates to be confirmed).
Venue	UAE (exact venue to be confirmed).
Finalist Projects	100 projects on display.
Judging Days	Judging is expected to take place across the first 3 days, with an additional selected-project round if required.
Participation	Students must be present at their stands during assigned judging and visitor engagement periods.

8.1.1 Display Stand Requirements

• Each finalist project is assigned a numbered display stand.
• Each stand will include a display board/backboard, table, and basic signage. Final stand dimensions will be confirmed in the finalist briefing pack.
• All display materials, models, samples, and equipment must fit within the allocated stand space.
• Projects requiring electrical power, water, or special equipment must declare this in advance and receive approval.
• No hazardous materials, biological specimens, live flames, chemicals, pressurised vessels, or restricted items may be displayed without written approval.
• Students must wear the required school uniform and/or official EYSC vest, as communicated by the organisers.

8.1.2 Indicative Festival Judging Schedule

Day	Main Focus	Description
Day 1	Arrival, registration, and stand setup	Finalists arrive, register, receive materials, set up stands, and attend briefing/orientation.
Day 2	Opening and Judging Round 1	All projects begin judging. Students must be present at their stands. Opening ceremony attendance may be required.
Day 3	Conference participation and Judging Round 2	Second evaluation round, public engagement, and attendance at relevant conference sessions.
Day 4	Judging Round 3	Third evaluation round and continued project display.
Day 5	Awards Ceremony and closeout	Finalists attend the official awards ceremony. Project dismantling and departure procedures are completed.

8.2 Awards and Closeout

The competition concludes with the official EYSC Awards Ceremony. Winners are announced and recognised according to the approved awards structure. Special awards and post-festival activations are communicated to eligible students after the ceremony or through official follow-up channels.

• All finalists must attend the awards ceremony unless otherwise approved by the organising committee.
• Award winners may be required to participate in media interviews, photography, or post-event recognition activities, subject to approved consent and media procedures.
• Final scores and judging deliberations are confidential and will not be publicly shared.

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9. Judging and Evaluation Framework

Judging is conducted by appointed evaluators and subject matter experts. Judges must evaluate assigned projects objectively, apply the approved rubric, declare conflicts of interest, and keep scoring information confidential.

9.1 Indicative Evaluation Criteria

Criteria	Weight	Notes
Scientific Methodology	35%	Core filter. Projects without a solid methodology may be disqualified or fail to progress.
Originality and Creativity / Relevance to National Priorities	30%	Assesses originality, creativity, innovation, and connection to relevant national or scientific challenges.
Feasibility and Practical Applicability	25%	Assesses whether the project can be executed by students and whether it has practical or research value.
Quality of Documentation and Presentation	10%	Assesses clarity, completeness, organisation, and communication quality.

9.2 Scoring Process

• Each project is evaluated using a standardised rubric.
• Projects may be evaluated by multiple judges or evaluators, depending on the stage.
• Where significant scoring differences arise, an additional review or senior panel decision may be requested.
• Final rankings are determined according to aggregate scores and approved award rules.
• Judging data and deliberations remain confidential.

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10. Code of Conduct

10.1 For Students

• All submitted work must be the students' own original research.
• Students must conduct themselves professionally during all stages of the competition.
• Students must be prepared to explain and defend their project during judging sessions.
• Students must respect judges, supervisors, organisers, volunteers, visitors, and other participants.
• Students must follow instructions issued by the organising committee and venue staff.

10.2 For Supervisors and Schools

• Supervisors are responsible for verifying the accuracy and originality of submitted projects.
• Supervisors must ensure all eligibility and documentation requirements are met before submission.
• Supervisors may guide students but must not conduct or write the project on their behalf.
• Schools should support students in preparing responsibly and ethically for all stages of the competition.

Violations of the code of conduct may result in disqualification, suspension from future editions, or other consequences determined by the organising committee.

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11. Safety and Ethics

EYSC places strong emphasis on responsible scientific practice. All projects must follow ethical and safety standards from research and experimentation through to on-site display.

11.1 Research Ethics

• Projects involving human subjects must have documented informed consent from participants or guardians.
• Projects involving animals must comply with applicable UAE regulations and must not cause unnecessary harm.
• Projects involving biological materials, chemicals, or hazardous materials must declare this during registration and provide required documentation where applicable.
• Projects must not fabricate data, misrepresent findings, or use unsafe research methods.

11.2 On-site Safety at the Festival

• Students may not bring materials prohibited by the venue, UAE law, or the organising committee.
• Live flames, sharp objects, pressurised vessels, chemicals, biological specimens, cultures, or hazardous materials require advance approval.
• Electrical equipment must be safe, declared in advance where required, and approved for public display.
• Projects that do not comply with safety requirements may be required to modify or remove elements before display; serious cases may be disqualified from judging.