Emirates Young Scientist Competition 2026

EYSC 2026 is open to students enrolled in eligible UAE schools and recognised science or youth clubs. Supervisors are to submit the proposals on behalf of the students.

Here is a full breakdown of participation requirements:

As a supervising teacher or supervisor, you can sign up at EYSC 2026 with a valid email address. Click on ‘Participate’ to receive announcements and notifications about the competition.

When there is an update, you will receive an email from the admin on the Agorize platform and at your provided email address. Please make sure you have clicked ‘Participate’ and check your junk mailbox!

As a student, your supervising teacher or school supervisor registers the team and submits all proposals and materials on your behalf through the ATRC challenge platform. As a student, you do not need to create an account or self-register. Speak to your teacher to get started — they will create your student profile, form the team, and manage all submission steps.

The challenge platform is open for support and can answer any question related to the competition. Use the messaging feature and reach out to your admin.

To update your details, log in, and go to your participant profile to edit or change your details.

EYSC is the flagship science competition of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Festival (NSTI), organised by the UAE Ministry of Education in collaboration with ATRC. It is a national platform for UAE school students in Grades 5–12 to develop and showcase original scientific research and engineering projects. The top 100 finalist projects are invited to display their work at the NSTI Festival in November 2026.

Refer to the Challenge Timeline and guidelines tab for more information:

• Application Phase: 21 May – 14 July 2026
• Progress Submission: 15 July – 1 October 2026
• On-site Display and Judging: November 2026, UAE

All final dates will be confirmed by the organising committee.

Teams must consist of 2 to 3 students. The maximum team size is 3. Each team must include at least 1 UAE national or local student. All team members must be from the same school or approved science/youth club and enrolled in the same competition tier (Intermediate or Senior).

Intermediate Level is open to students in Grades 5–8. Senior Level is open to students in Grades 9–12. All team members must be enrolled in the same tier. Senior Level teams may be considered for selected international science competition pathways.

Projects must be submitted under one of four categories:

• Technology
• Biological and Ecological Sciences
• Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences
• Behavioral and Social Sciences

If a project spans multiple categories, the primary research focus should determine the classification.

No. All team members must be from the same school or approved science/youth club, and must be enrolled in the same competition tier. Team membership changes after initial registration must be handled by contacting the organising team directly.

For more information, refer to the Challenge Rules.

Projects are evaluated on four criteria:

• Scientific Methodology (35%)
• Originality, Creativity & Relevance to National Priorities (30%)
• Feasibility and Practical Applicability (25%)
• Quality of Documentation and Presentation (10%)

Judging is conducted by appointed evaluators and subject matter experts using a standardised rubric. Final scores and deliberations are confidential.

The top 100 finalist projects are invited to display and compete at the NSTI Festival in November 2026. Finalist teams will receive a briefing pack with display stand requirements, logistics, and on-site schedule. Students must be present at their stands during all assigned judging and visitor engagement periods. All finalists must attend the awards ceremony unless otherwise approved by the organising committee.

Yes. Projects involving human subjects must have documented informed consent. Projects involving animals must comply with applicable UAE regulations. Projects involving biological materials, chemicals, or hazardous materials must declare this during registration. On-site at the NSTI Festival, no hazardous materials, live flames, biological specimens, or restricted items may be displayed without prior written approval from the organising committee.

For more information, refer to the Challenge Rules.

Projects may be disqualified for:

• Plagiarism or copied work
• Eligibility mismatches (incorrect grade level, team size, or missing UAE national student)
• Incomplete or missing required documentation
• Fabricated results or misleading project claims
• Failure to demonstrate scientific methodology
• Violation of the code of conduct

Disqualification decisions are made by the organising committee and are final.

For more information, refer to the Challenge Rules.