How do Indian high school students navigate the journey from an idea to joining Team India at Regeneron ISEF?

For ambitious STEM students in India, one goal stands above the rest: The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held annually in the USA. It is the world’s largest pre-college science competition, a gathering place for the brightest young minds globally, and a significant differentiator for top-tier university admissions.

But you cannot just sign up for ISEF. You have to qualify.

For students in India, the gateway to ISEF is the IRIS (Initiative for Research and Innovation in STEM) National Fair.

While some students enter IRIS through affiliated school boards (like CBSE national winners), a vast number of private school students compete via the “Direct Entry” route. This path is highly competitive and often misunderstood.

This guide breaks down exactly how the Direct Entry route works, what an “IRIS Cohort” actually is, and how Team India is selected.

The Direct Entry Route: The Funnel

Think of the IRIS selection process as a massive funnel. Thousands enter at the top, and only about 20 projects emerge at the bottom to form Team India.

The Direct Entry route is designed for students who are developing independent research projects outside of specific school-mandated science fair structures.

Step 1: The Research and Documentation (January – August)

This is the hardest part. An IRIS project isn’t a standard school science demonstration. It must be novel research or genuinely innovative engineering.

• The standard: You need a unique question, rigorous methodology, data collection, statistical analysis, and a conclusion.
• The paperwork: Before you even experiment, you must understand ISEF forms. If you are working with human subjects, vertebrates, or hazardous materials, you need pre-approval from a Scientific Review Committee (SRC).

Step 2: The Online Submission (Typically September/October)

When the IRIS portal opens, you don’t submit your entire 50-page report. You submit a condensed “synopsis.”

• The Synopsis: A tight, 2–4 page summary of your problem, methods, results, and conclusion.
• The Video: A 2-minute elevator pitch of your project.
• The Quad Chart: A single-page visual summary of your work.

At this stage, you are an applicant, not yet a finalist.

Step 3: The SRC Review and “The Cohort” (November)

Once submissions close, the IRIS Scientific Review Committee (SRC)—a panel of experts from institutions like IITs and IISERs—reviews every synopsis.

They are looking for:

1. Novelty: Is this new, or a rehash of old ideas?
2. Scientific Soundness: Is the methodology flawed?
3. Feasibility and Ethics: Were safety protocols followed?

The “Cohort” Reveal:

Around mid-November, IRIS announces the results. If you are selected, you have made the “shortlist.”

This shortlist is often referred to as the IRIS Cohort (sometimes specifically named, like the “Broadcom Cohort,” depending on sponsorship years).Crucial distinction: Being in a “Cohort” means you are now an IRIS National Finalist. You have earned the right to present at the National Fair.

The IRIS National Fair: Selecting Team India

If you make the Cohort, the real pressure begins.

The National Fair usually takes place in December or January (held virtually or in hybrid formats in recent years, though physical fairs are returning).

At the fair, the remaining ~100 finalist projects are judged intensely. This is not about who has the prettiest poster board.

The Judging Process

You will face multiple rounds of interviews with Grand Award Judges—senior scientists and professors. They will drill down into your understanding of your own topic. They are looking for:

• Creative ability and originality of thought.
• Thoroughness of the research.
• Clarity in communication.
• Your ability to defend your data when challenged.

The Grand Awards Ceremony

At the end of the fair, awards are handed out. The top honors are the “Grand Awards.”

The top 20–25 projects (the number varies slightly each year) receiving Grand Awards are declared Team India.

There is no further shortlist after this. If you win a Grand Award at the IRIS National Fair, you have qualified for ISEF.

The Final Leg: Road to ISEF (January – May)

Making Team India is a huge achievement, but the work isn’t over. Between January and May, IRIS organizes obligatory Mentorship Camps.

In these camps, previous ISEF winners and scientists tear your project apart and help you rebuild it stronger. They refine your statistical analysis, redesign your presentation flow, and conduct grueling mock interviews to prepare you for the intense scrutiny of US judges.In May, Team India travels to the USA to compete against 1,800 students from 75+ countries at the Regeneron ISEF.

The Annual Timeline at a Glance

• Jan – Aug: Conduct research, gather data, write the paper. Ensure ISEF form compliance.
• Sept – Oct: IRIS Direct Entry Portal opens. Submit synopsis and video.
• Mid-Nov: SRC Review completes. The “IRIS Cohort” (National Finalists) is announced.
• Early Dec / Jan: The IRIS National Science Fair. Judging takes place.
• End of Fair: Grand Award winners are announced. Team India is formed.
• Jan – April: Team India Mentorship Camps (mandatory intensive training).
• May: Regeneron ISEF in the USA.

Bridging the Gap: How Future Forward Labs Mentors Help

The gap between a “very good school project” and an “ISEF-qualifying project” is massive.

Many brilliant students fail to make the IRIS Cohort not because their ideas are bad, but because their methodology was flawed, their statistical analysis was weak, or they couldn’t articulate the novelty of their work in the 4-page synopsis.

Parents and School Counselors often struggle to provide the niche scientific guidance required at this level. This is where Future Forward Labs steps in.

We provide specialized mentorship for students aspiring to the IRIS/ISEF pathway. Our mentors act as guides, critics, and coaches through the entire lifecycle:

• Ideation Vetting: Helping students move beyond cliché topics to find genuine gaps in current research.
• Methodology Rigor: Ensuring the experimental design will stand up to SRC scrutiny before the data is collected.
• The Paperwork Maze: Guiding you through the complex pre-approval ISEF forms for human or animal research.
• Synopsis Polish: Crafting the September submission documents to maximize the chances of being selected for the Cohort.
• Interview Prep: If selected as a finalist, we conduct mock judging sessions to prepare students to defend their work under pressure.

Competing at IRIS is one of the most challenging intellectual endeavors a high schooler can undertake. Start by applying below.