Project Precertification

The purpose of precertification is to make sure a project will be not be disuqalified after it is completed. 

Most projects have minimal requirements and will not need precertification but projects that deal with these should be precertified:

  •  people
  • animals
  • microorganism
  • dangerous materials or procedures 

Projects that are not precertified may be submitted to the competition but there is a possibility of disqualification if the safety review committee (SRC) finds that the project was done in an unsafe manner or that forms were not completed prior to starting the project as required.

All projects must meet certain criteria from a documentation and safety standpoint. This includes completing the required International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) forms. The ones needed for a particular project can be found using the Rules Wizard.

How Does Precertification Work

Precertification must be done BEFORE a project is started. These steps must be followed.

  • Create a very detailed research plan.
  • Determine what ISEF forms are required and complete them as much as possible. Some aspects of some forms can only be completed AFTER a project is finish
  • Create an account
  • Create application
  • Complete as much as the application as possible including the research plan and ISEF forms
  • Request project precertification. There is a Request Precertification link in the Reviews column on your list of application submissions. An email will be generated and sent to you and the SRC to start the review process.
  • Complete the review process

The review process will be a back-and-forth with the SRC. It continues until the project is approved, rejected or withdrawn. A project that does not meet the requirements of the competition will be rejected. 

The SRC will provide feedback including changes to the research plan and/or changes in the list of ISEF forms needed for the project. The review will continue after changes are made. 

Does Precertification Guarantee Project Acceptance

No but it is highly unlikely that a precertified project will be disqualified. Reasons for disqualification include not following the process outlined in the research plan.