Student competition · Grades 7-12
Tulsa Regional Science Fair
Students in Tulsa and Creek counties conduct original research, present it to scientists and engineers, and compete to advance to state and international fairs.
Free for everyone
March 2, 2027
The University of Tulsa
Grades 7-12
Overview
Where questions become discoveries
Students design and run their own research or engineering projects, then present their work to volunteer judges who are working scientists, engineers, and educators. Judges look at creativity, scientific process, and depth of understanding.
Top projects earn prizes and scholarships, and about 20 move on to the Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair. The top two advance to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
The fair is an ISEF-affiliated event, so every project follows ISEF safety and ethics rules. That is why some projects need approval before any experimenting starts.
Students
Use the scientific method on a question you care about, get feedback from professionals, and compete for prizes and scholarships.
Teachers & sponsors
Register first so your students can join. Then guide their paperwork and track milestones in STEM Wizard.
Families
No school fair is required. Homeschool families and independent students can register directly with an adult sponsor.
2026-27 season
Key dates
If your project involves human participants (including surveys), vertebrate animals, microorganisms, or hazardous materials, register by Dec. 7. The Scientific Review Committee needs about two weeks to approve these projects, and experimenting cannot start until they do.
MON.
Dec. 7
Registration deadline for projects that need preapproval
FRI.
Jan. 15
Registration deadline for all projects
WED.
Feb. 3
All paperwork due
Fair day
Tuesday, March 2, 2027 · The University of Tulsa
eligibility
Who can enter
Public, private, and homeschooled students in grades 7–12 who live in Tulsa or Creek County. No prior school fair is required.
Junior Division
Grades 7-9
Senior Division
Grades 10-12
Team projects
- Up to 3 students per team
- One shared project registration
- Each student submits their own Form 1B and parental consent
Working on your own?
If you do not have a teacher guiding your project, or you need help finding materials or a STEM mentor, contact the fair director. We can help.
How to register
Five steps in STEM Wizard
All registration and paperwork happens in the STEM Wizard portal. You will get email reminders as each milestone comes due.
01
Teacher registers
The teacher or adult sponsor creates an account and waits for approval.
02
Students sign up
Once the teacher is approved, students create their own accounts.
03
Check approvals
Use the ISEF Rules Wizard to see if the project needs preapproval.
04
Upload forms
Submit ISEF forms before experimenting. Keep the originals for state.
05
Attend & present
Finish each milestone, then share your work on March 2.
forms & approvals
Get approved before you experiment
Missing forms lead to disqualification. Every project needs the four core forms. Some projects need extra review and additional forms, and those must be approved before any research begins.
Required for every project
- Form 1: Checklist for Adult Sponsor
- Form 1A: Student Checklist
- Form 1B: Approval Form
- Research Plan / Project Summary
Does my project need preapproval?
Yes, if it involves any of these:
- Human participants, including surveys
- Vertebrate animals
- Potentially hazardous biological agents, such as microorganisms
- Hazardous chemicals, activities, or devices
Register by Monday, Dec. 7. Earlier is better.
Additional forms by project type
| If your project involves | Form | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Human participants | Form 4 + Informed Consent | Needs Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before recruiting or collecting data. |
| Vertebrate animals | Form 5A or 5B | 5A for home, school, or field. 5B for a regulated research institution (IACUC approval). |
| Microorganisms or other biological agents | Form 6A | Requires SRC approval. |
| Human or animal tissue, blood, or cell cultures | Form 6B with 6A | Used alongside Form 6A. |
| Hazardous chemicals, devices, or activities | Form 3 | Risk assessment completed before work begins. |
| Humans, vertebrates, or hazardous agents | Form 2 | A qualified scientist signs before research begins. |
| Work at a lab or company (not home, school, or field) | Form 1C | Regulated research institution or industrial setting. |
Common reasons projects are sent back
- Form 1A is incomplete: missing proposed and actual start and end dates, a detailed research plan, or work site details
- Missing signatures
- Missing forms for human, animal, or hazardous agent research
- Abstract in the wrong format or includes acknowledgments
- Work does not reflect the current year
- Continuing projects missing last year’s Form 1A and research plan
Tips for success
Pick the right category. A project testing heart monitors belongs in a health or engineering category, not plant science.
Over-document. More detail is always better on your forms.
Ask early. Questions about SRC approval go to the Fair Director, Allison Bailey.
Resources
Help along the way
Office hours
Drop in with questions about your project or forms, or talk with a member of the Scientific Review Committee.
Educator training
With OSU, learn the paperwork requirements, ways to build the scientific method into class, and how to help students find topics they care about.
Guides from our partner fairs
Walkthroughs from OSSEF and ISEF for filling out forms and checking project rules.
Questions?
Talk with Allison Bailey
Fair Director, Tulsa Regional Science Fair
After the regional fair
Where top projects go next
About 20 projects advance to the state fair, and the top two go on to ISEF.
Regional
Tulsa Regional Science Fair
March 2, 2027 · Tulsa
State
Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair
April 2, 2027 · OSU, Stillwater
International
Regeneron ISEF
May 8–14, 2027 · Los Angeles
2026 Fair recap
Last year at the fair
Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 at The University of Tulsa. A record number of participants.
Student researchers
Projects presented
Schools represented
Volunteer judges
Projects advanced to OSSEF
Student story
More than a medal
What if tiny particles released by airway cells could help doctors detect the inflammation behind diseases like asthma before symptoms appear? That’s the question Sahas Vemula spent months investigating.
“This wasn’t just a science fair to me; it was a turning point…”
Sahas Vemula, 11th Grade, Jenks High School
Volunteer
Help the next generation of researchers
The fair runs on dozens of community volunteers. We provide training and materials. Already a TRSA volunteer? Sign up through your portal.
Fair day · on site
Judge
Talk with students about their research, ask good questions, and give feedback that builds their confidence.
Nov. – Feb. · Remote
Scientific Review Committee
Review projects in advance to make sure research meets ethical, safety, and scientific rules. No fair-day attendance required.
Fair day · on site
Event support
Run check-in, help students find their spots, set up lunch, enter score sheets, and fill gaps as they come up.
2027 Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors
Passionate about investing in students?
Become a sponsor and help us inspire the next generation of innovators.