Competing at the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF)

The Colorado Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF) honors excellence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, giving students from every region of the state a place to present their research and advance toward the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). This guide covers how the fair works, how to qualify through your regional fair, and what it takes to build a project that stands out.

How CSEF Works

CSEF is the state-level fair, so you reach it by first competing at one of Colorado's regional science fairs, most held in February. Win or place high enough at your regional fair, and you advance to the state CSEF, where you present your project through both a digital presentation and a physical display board to judges who evaluate your research, methodology, and conclusions.

Make sure to fill in all the regional paperwork to be able to compete and continue to CSEF.

Colorado's Regional Science Fairs

Understanding CSEF's Display & Safety Rules

One thing that sets CSEF apart is how specific its display and safety requirements are, and inspectors review both your digital and physical materials before you can present. Knowing the rules ahead of time saves you a stressful scramble on the day. The key ones:

Display Board

Your entire display must fit within the allotted volume, no more than 108 inches high, 48 inches wide, and 30 inches deep, and nothing can be placed on the floor in front of the table.

Two forms must always be at your project for judges to review: your signed CSEF Abstract Form and your Research Plan, plus Form 1C (for work at a regulated research institution or industrial setting) and Form 7 (for continuation/progression projects) if they apply.

Citations

Citations are taken seriously, and the rules apply to both your digital and physical displays. Every graphic must be individually cited, including ones you made yourself (for example, "Photo taken by Finalist" or "Graph created by Finalist"), and anything from the internet needs a URL or DOI, even if its license doesn't require credit. Photos of anyone other than you require a signed release form kept available on request.

What Isn't Allowed

CSEF also bars a wide range of items from the display. On the self-promotion side, that means not including any:

• Commercial logos

• Brand names,

• References to a supporting mentor or institution except within a designated acknowledgements section,

• Patent-status,

• Pending-publication references,

• Contact information of any kind (including addresses),

• URLs,

• QR codes,

• Social media,

• Phone numbers,

  • The only personal details allowed are student name, school, and city.

Published papers may only appear in a lab notebook, which stays closed when you're not at your booth, and no active internet or email connection is permitted.

At the physical display specifically, prohibited items include:

• Biological materials (living, dead, or preserved, including plants, food, and body fluids),

• All chemicals including water and any liquids,

• Long list of hazards: soil, sand, rock, or waste samples; poisons, drugs, and sharp objects; lasers and laser pointers; firearms and weapons; powders and granules; grease, oil, or dry ice; glass; flames or flammable materials; certain batteries; drones (unless the power source is removed); and unshielded moving parts.

• Anything distracting- sounds, lights, or odors- is also disallowed.

Building a Standout Science Fair Project

A strong CSEF project pairs solid research with a clear, confident presentation. A few principles that make the difference:

Pick a Topic You Care About

Choose a topic you're genuinely passionate about, one that's original, addresses a real-world problem, and shows your scientific thinking. Think about current challenges, gaps in existing research, or fresh solutions to common problems, then refine your idea through thorough background research to confirm it's both novel and feasible.

Do in-depth Research

Ground your work in solid research: a comprehensive literature review, reputable sources like scientific journals and academic books, reliable data collection, and careful analysis you can explain clearly.

Throughout, follow a systematic approach: the scientific method for science projects (question, research, hypothesis, experiment, analyze, conclude) or the engineering design process for engineering projects (define the problem, research and design, prototype, test and evaluate, communicate).

Build Your Presentation

Then prepare your presentation. Build a well-organized poster that communicates your research question, methodology, results, and conclusions, and rehearse your pitch: be clear and concise, show genuine enthusiasm, anticipate the judges' questions, and use visual aids well.

A ScienceFair mentor who has competed before can accelerate all of this.

Beyond CSEF: Advancing to ISEF

The top projects at CSEF earn the chance to advance to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world's largest pre-college science competition. To be eligible for ISEF, you'll need to be in grades 9–12 (and under age 20 by the competition) and win at this ISEF-affiliated fair.

Compete With Winners in Your Corner

Competing at CSEF and advancing to ISEF takes a strong, original project, rigorous research, and a confident presentation. That's exactly what ScienceFair helps you build. Every coach on our team is a past science fair winner, and alongside our Ivy League research mentors, they'll help you refine your idea, strengthen your research, and prepare for the judges' Q&A.

Ready to make your run at CSEF? Schedule a call with our academic advisor.