California State Science Fair
2013 Application

The 2013 Application Process is now available.

Before submitting this Application, you should be sure that you satisfy the eligibility requirements for the Fair, qualifying through the appropriate County/Regional Science Fair.

Also before starting this application process, please make sure that you have all of the answers to the questions on the sample paper application at hand. In particular, we recommend that you not wait until you've completed the first half dozen pages before starting to compose your Project Summary. Instead, compose it in your favorite word processor ahead of time so that when you reach the page asking you for it, you can copy and paste each of the pieces (Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusions) into the appropriate fields. Please note that the length of your Project Summary is limited to what will fit into the allowed space on a single printed page formatted as in the Application Packet. You will have an opportunity to see that page as your judges will see it, and can revise it, before you complete the application.

In order to assure you that your Application is being handled appropriately, please read and follow the procedure below.

• Fill out the Application on the following pages. As you fill out the Application your submission will be automatically checked for completion of all critical fields. If you have properly completed the form, your Application will be sent to the CSSF database. On the very last page, you will be given a Confirmation Code. Save this confirmation code. You will need it for your Signature Card and in case there are any problems with your application.
• Shortly after completing the Application you will receive an e-mail confirming your address and containing your Confirmation Code again. If you do not receive this confirming e-mail within a few hours, there is a problem with your e-mail address and you will not receive any correspondence from us until you give us a corrected address.
•  

  If you are a “Qualified Project” representing your county or regional science fair (that is, you are not an “Alternate Project”) you next need to mail (that's right, mail via USMail) the Signature Card after you and a parent or guardian have signed it, and the $30 Application Fee, depending upon your project, you may need to include the Safety/Certification Form, and depending upon your project you may need to include a letter from a professional research facility. See Display Regulation #8. Mail these items to: California State Science Fair California Science Center 700 Exposition Park Drive Los Angeles, CA 90037

  If you are an “Alternate Project” representing your county or regional science fair, you should not mail anything at this time. Instead, you should wait for notice as to whether or not you have been accepted into CSSF. If you are, you will be given directions to then, and only then, send the items listed on the left.

  “Qualified Projects” should send the card and Application Fee immediately because your Signature Card and Application Fee must be postmarked no later than your Application Fee Deadline which is two business days after your Submission Deadline.

  “Alternate Projects” should follow the directions on the flyer given to them at their Awards Ceremony identifying them as alternates. In particular, alternates do not send in any money or signature cards unless they are announced on this web site as having been accepted.

For the purpose of meeting your Application Deadlines, your application will be considered “submitted” when you complete the last page of the application and receive your Confirmation Code, and “complete” when your Application Fee and Signature Card are received by the Fair. (The certification form is also necessary for some, but not all, projects.) Since incomplete applications will not be considered, you should mail these other items immediately after submitting the on-line application.

Your Application will be considered along with all of the other completed Applications. Assuming that your project was authorized by your affiliated County or Regional Science Fair and that it meets our acceptance criteria then you should receive notice of acceptance via e-mail no later than April 17, and via US Mail 7-10 days later. Names of students with accepted projects will be posted on this Web site as they are determined, and in all cases (except RIMS and Ventura County) by Sunday, March 31.

If you are unable to access the application system owing to the web site on the following pages not being able to access the database server again, please phone (213)740-1101 or email CalifSF@usc.edu immediately.

See also our Frequently Asked Questions on the Application.