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Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS): The Complete Guide
What the application takes, how judging works, and who should apply
Eli Hanechak
Science Fair Coach
Summary
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) is a national competition for US high school seniors who have completed independent research. The application runs June to early November, the Top 300 Scholars are announced in early January, and 40 Finalists travel to Washington, D.C. in March to compete for prizes up to $250,000. Recognition at any tier is a national honor.
What is the Regeneron Science Talent Search?
The Regeneron Science Talent Search, or STS, is a nationwide competition for high school seniors who have completed an independent scientific research project.
Winners are selected in tiers, and the top 40 applicants present their research in Washington, D.C., to judges and compete for up to $250,000 in prize money.
It is run by the Society for Science and sponsored by Regeneron, the same pair behind the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), and it is widely considered one of the most prestigious high school research competitions.
Who should consider it?
Unlike ISEF, the Science Talent Search is not open to all high school grade levels; it is only open to high school seniors.
Also, if you are only just starting out in your research, this may not be the competition for you. Applicants have usually been working on their projects for 2-3 years and have compiled immense data and experience with their work.
The application also looks deeper into who you are outside of research: your transcripts, extracurricular activities, and recommendations from teachers and mentors are all required. So, if you have a strong research project and excellent test scores, grades, and activities to back you up, consider applying to STS.
Key dates and timeline of STS
The application process is similar to applying to college. The application opens in early June and is typically due by the first week of November. Do not underestimate the time this application will take.
You need to submit research materials, transcripts, recommendation letters, activity descriptions, and multiple essays about your research experience and life in general, including a long-form, Common App-style essay.
The Science Talent Search itself has admitted that because the application is so taxing, it rewards students just for applying: every applicant receives a package with a free t-shirt and swag.
So, use the summer months wisely and plan accordingly. After you apply, the Top 300 Scholars are announced in early January, and the Top 40 are announced from that group in late January. In the 2026 cycle, Scholars were announced on January 7 and Finalists on January 21, with finals week running March 5-11. The Top 40 travel to Washington, D.C., in March for a week of presentations and competition for the big prizes.
Eligibility requirements of STS
To apply to STS, you must be in your final year of high school; in other words, you should be on track to graduate the year of your STS application cycle.
You must also live in and attend school in the US or its territories, or be a US citizen attending school abroad.
STS is individual only
Team projects are not eligible for STS, and you cannot split a team project and enter your portion as individual work. No part of your project can be done by anyone other than you, the applicant.
Your research also has to follow all standard laws and lab protocols, especially with regard to human, vertebrate animal, and hazardous material research.
How the application and selection process works
The application for STS can be intense, just due to the amount of materials you have to submit. Overall, you will submit the following:
• Basic information, like your name, age, and school
• Recommendations from teachers and research mentors
• Required approval forms for any hazardous material, vertebrate animal, human testing, or other restricted research area
• A science research description, where you submit short essays and answer questions about your research project
• Your research report, which must be limited to 20 pages
• Previous research history, where you answer questions about any other projects you have completed
• Essay questions (usually three 200-word essays and one long-form essay)
• Your activities, awards, interests, and test scores, which judges use to get a fuller picture of you
Once you've submitted, your project is reviewed by a panel of experts within your research's scientific discipline and judged in four areas:
• Scientific merit
• Student contribution to the research
• Academic aptitude and achievement
• Overall potential as a future leader of the scientific community
Judges will also take into consideration the access you had to research and resources, as well as any outstanding circumstances that contributed to your project.
Out of all the applicants, the judges select the Top 300 Scholars. Those 300 projects are reviewed again, and the Top 40 Finalists are then selected to go to Washington, D.C., and compete for the Top 10 awards.
How competitive and prestigious is STS?
The Regeneron Science Talent Search is one of the most competitive programs out there.
In 2026, there were 2,612 entrants, the largest applicant pool since 1967. Only 11.5% of students were selected as Top 300 Scholars, and only 1.5% were named Top 40 Finalists.
Stage | Students | Share of entrants | What you recieve |
Entrants (2026) | 2,612 | 100% | Applicant t-shirt and swag |
Top 300 Scholars | 300 | 11.5% | $2,000, plus $2,000 for your school |
Top 40 Finalists | 40 | 1.5% | $25,000 minimum, finals week in Washington, D.C. |
Top 10 winners | 10 | 0.4% | $40,000 to $250,000 |
However, recognition at any tier (Top 300 or Top 40) is a national honor and can be a big boost to your overall future in STEM.
Recognition at any STS tier, Top 300 or Top 40, is a national honor and a real boost to your future in STEM.
Even though you are competing as a senior and therefore can't add any STS awards to your college applications, it is still an excellent community to be a part of and can open lots of doors for networking and connections within various STEM fields.
What do top submissions or winners typically look like?
Applicants to STS usually have high-quality research projects that have spanned the majority of their high school careers. They are highly individual and creative projects that focus on solutions to real-world problems and may fill gaps in their current research fields.
Students themselves also report strong grades, extracurriculars, and test scores, and have fantastic recommendations from teachers. Judges are looking for students with great research and the potential to make waves in science.
Admissions impact: how colleges view STS
Although STS happens in your senior year of high school and therefore can't be applied to your college applications, students who do well in STS are usually on track for acceptance at competitive colleges like MIT, Stanford, and any number of Ivy League schools.
To win at STS, you need a considerable research project and a strong high school career in terms of grades and activities, so students who do well at STS don't necessarily need STS on their college applications to get into their top choices.
Pros and cons of applying to STS
The pros
The Science Talent Search is a challenging application, but it builds a lot of helpful skills, especially synthesizing your years of research into a logical and concise 20-page paper.
You also gain experience writing essays and requesting recommendations, which is great practice for the college applications you are filling out during senior year.
Plus, award recognition usually comes with a monetary award. All Top 300 Scholars receive $2,000 in prize money plus $2,000 for their school science department, and all Top 40 Finalists are guaranteed a prize of $25,000 while competing for the top prize of $250,000.
The cons
STS is highly competitive, and there is a real chance that after spending a long time on your application and research, you may not be selected. In my opinion, the process is still a great experience, and you do get a free t-shirt just for applying.
How STS compares to other competitions
The Science Talent Search is pretty unique, but I frequently compare it to a combination of the Davidson Fellows competition and Regeneron ISEF.
Like Davidson, you begin your application entirely online with a series of essays, papers, and other materials, and like Davidson, the competition rewards individual, highly creative projects that have spanned a significant time and have yielded meaningful data.
Like ISEF, the top award winners present their research in person and undergo live judging, with judges able to ask questions and hear your project pitch.
However, unlike both competitions, the top prize is $250,000, more than double the top prize at both Davidson and ISEF. Regeneron STS is also unique in that it only accepts high school seniors as applicants and has a tiered selection process.
| Regeneron STS | Davidson Fellows | Regeneron ISEF |
Top prize | $250,000 | $100,000 scholarship | $100,000 |
Eligibility | High school seniors only | US students 18 or younger | Grades 9-12 |
Format | Online application, tiered selection, in-person finals | Online application, no finals event | In-person fair with live judging |
Team entries | Individual only | Up to two | Up to three |
Should you compete in STS?
If you are still on the fence about competing in STS, here are some criteria to help you decide.
1. Are you a high school senior? If not, don't apply. The competition is only open to high school seniors in the US.
2. Do you have a lot on your plate? The application for STS requires a lot of time and effort, so if you are feeling pulled in too many directions, maybe consider a competition that is less taxing, like your local science fair.
3. Is this the first year of your project? While there is no exact time limit or requirement for projects to be submitted to STS, the winners have usually spent 2-3 years on their project and have gathered a lot of significant data and conclusions. If you are a research newbie, this competition might not be for you.
4. Do you have strong recommenders? A big part of the STS application is understanding how you, both as a student and a scientist, interact with others and make a difference around you. Good relationships with teachers and mentors help ensure your recommendations reflect these skills. If you don't have a strong group of people willing to give you a recommendation, your STS application may suffer.
Overall, STS is highly competitive and time-consuming, but if you do it right, you are opening yourself up to some amazing opportunities within STEM. Good luck.
STS is highly competitive and time-consuming, but if you do it right, you are opening yourself up to some amazing opportunities within STEM.
– Eli Hanechak
How Crimson helps students succeed in research competitions
Crimson partners with ScienceFair to help students stand out in STEM research competitions, such as the Regeneron Science Talent Search.
ScienceFair was founded by Rishab Jain and provides STEM mentoring for middle and high school students. Their mentors are past STS finalists, ISEF award winners, Davidson Fellows Laureates, and alumni of the MIT Research Science Institute.
ScienceFair provides full guidance and support before, during, and after your research, helping you with ideation, walking you through challenges in the research process, and coaching you as you apply to competitions such as STS.
