Emirates Young Scientist Competition 2026
Emirates Young Scientist Competition 2026
The competition invites UAE students from Grade 5 to Grade 12 to present their scientific projects across 4 categories with finals at NSTI Festival
Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
Welcome to the Emirates Young Scientist Competition (EYSC) 2026
The Emirates Young Scientist Competition (EYSC) 2026 is the flagship science competition of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Festival (NSTI), organised by the UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) in collaboration with the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC).
EYSC provides a national platform for students in Grades 5 to 12 from UAE schools to develop and showcase original scientific research and engineering projects. This is your opportunity to investigate real-world problems, apply scientific thinking, and present your findings to judges, scientists, and the wider community.
Through this competition, you will:
• Apply scientific methodology to investigate real-world questions and challenges
• Develop research, analytical thinking, and science communication skills
• Gain national recognition for outstanding scientific and engineering work
• Compete for awards, certificates, and potential international exposure
• Be part of a nationally celebrated science and innovation community
• Apply scientific methodology to investigate real-world questions and challenges
• Develop research, analytical thinking, and science communication skills
• Gain national recognition for outstanding scientific and engineering work
• Compete for awards, certificates, and potential international exposure
• Be part of a nationally celebrated science and innovation community
EYSC 2026 is open to UAE school students competing in teams of 2 to 3 from the same school, across two tiers — Intermediate (Grades 5–8) and Senior (Grades 9–12). Teams progress through three structured stages — from initial proposal to on-site judging at the NSTI Festival. Your supervising teacher or supervisor will submit your proposal and materials on your team’s behalf through the platform.
Participate here 
Challenge Statement
How might we investigate real-world problems, apply scientific methodology, and develop evidence-based solutions that connect to UAE national priorities?
Projects may be submitted under four scientific categories — Technology; Biological and Ecological Sciences; Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences; or Behavioral and Social Sciences. All projects must demonstrate original scientific methodology, a clear research question or engineering goal, and evidence-based findings.
Opportunities & Incentives
Competing in EYSC offers participants a range of academic, professional, and personal development opportunities:
National Recognition
& Awards
& Awards
International
Exposure
Exposure
Scientific
Development
Development
NSTI Festival
Experience
Experience
National Recognition & Awards
Winners are recognised at the official NSTI Festival awards ceremony with certificates, trophies, and public acknowledgment.
International Exposure
Senior Level finalists (Grades 9–12) may be considered for selected international science competition pathways.
Scientific Development
Build practical research, analytical, and science communication skills with real-world relevance.
NSTI Festival Experience
Finalists display and defend their projects at the NSTI Festival, engaging with judges, scientists, and the wider public.
Timeline Overview
1
Application Phase
21 May – 14 July 2026
Schools register teams and submit project proposals online through the platform. Submissions are checked for eligibility, completeness, originality, and scientific approach. Up to 500 projects progress to Progress Submission. Participants will be notified after the completion of evaluation.
2
Progress Submission
15 July – 1 October 2026
Qualified teams submit progress documentation, a project poster, and a short project video. All progress submissions are evaluated.
3
On-site Display and Judging
November 2026
Finalist projects are displayed and judged at the NSTI Festival. Winners are announced at the official awardsceremony.