In a world leaning ever more on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), competitions like the Arizona Science & Engineering Fair (AZSEF) give students the chance to do STEM, not just study it. Presenting a research project at a science fair or engineering fair doesn’t just check a box—it builds curiosity, confidence, and skills that matter beyond the classroom.

What is AZSEF — Arizona’s Premier Student Science Competition

The Arizona Science & Engineering Fair (AZSEF) is the state-level event that brings together the best middle school and high school projects from across Arizona. Through this student science competition, participants showcase experiments, prototypes and research that reflect real-world questions. AZSEF is a major opportunity for young innovators to gain recognition, meet peers and mentors, and take meaningful steps in their STEM journey.

How AZSEF Works: Structure of the Competition

Here’s how the science fair process unfolds:

1. Ideation & Proposal

Students develop a research question or engineering challenge and write a proposal outlining their approach.

2. Project Research & Development

Over weeks or months, students conduct experiments or build prototypes, collect data, and refine their display.

3. Feeder Fairs & Regional Qualifiers

Projects are entered into local, district or regional STEM fairs. Winners or top-placing entrants move on to AZSEF.

4. State Fair Registration & Setup

Qualifying students register for AZSEF, prepare their display boards and abstracts, and complete required documents.

5. AZSEF Presentation & Judging

At the state science & engineering fair, students present their work to judges in interview format, display their boards and respond to questions.

6. Awards & Recognition

Finalists and winners receive awards, scholarships and recognition. Top high school projects may advance to international science fairs, amplifying the impact of the STEM competition.

Important Eligibility Details and Deadlines

• Core rule: Only first-place winning projects at school, homeschool, district, county, or regional fairs are eligible to advance and register for AZSEF (grades 5–12). For Elementary & Junior divisions there are caps on how many projects a school/district/regional fair can send; Senior Division has no set capacity for first-place projects.
• Deadlines: All qualifying school/home/district/county/regional fairs must be completed by AZSEF’s published cut-off date (example: early March in the season) to allow projects to register. Check AZSEF registration windows each year.
• SRC / IRB: Projects requiring human subjects or other SRC (Scientific Review Committee) approvals must obtain approvals before research begins; fairs that feed into AZSEF must follow ISEF/AzSEF rules for review when required.

Feeder Science Fairs That Lead Into AZSEF

Feeder fairs are the gateway into AZSEF, making it a truly statewide STEM fair network where students from every corner can participate. Here is a snapshot of regional fairs whose winners advance to AZSEF:

Fair name	Region / coverage	Grades eligible (typical)	AZSEF eligibility (how projects advance)	ISEF-affiliated Status
Southern Arizona Regional Science & Engineering Fair (SARSEF)	Tucson & Southern Arizona	PreK – 12 (school → regional)	Students who place first at school/home/district/county/regional fair may advance to AZSEF. SARSEF accepts top school winners to their regional fair.	Yes / Affiliated — SARSEF selects high-school finalists to represent the region at ISEF in years when affiliation/slots are available.
Northern Arizona Regional Science & Engineering Fair (includes Navajo / Coconino area regional events)	Flagstaff / Northern Arizona (multiple counties)	Elementary / Junior / Senior (varies by county)	First-place winners at local/district fairs advance to the regional fair; regional winners may advance to AZSEF (only first-place projects advance). (Navajo County)	Check ISEF affiliation per year (some northern AZ regional fairs have sent high-school finalists to ISEF in the past) — verify on Society’s Find-a-Fair. (Find a Fair)
Yuma County Science Expo / Yuma County Science & Engineering Expo	Yuma County (western AZ)	K–12 / county-level (see local rules)	County winners (place winners) may advance to AZSEF following AZSEF rule: only first-place winners from qualifying fairs advance. Check county deadline vs AZSEF registration cutoff. (Yuma County Superintendent’s Office)	ISEF affiliation varies by year — check the fair’s page and Society’s Find-a-Fair to confirm ISEF slots. (Find a Fair)
Maricopa County / Phoenix-area district & school fairs (multiple district fairs across Phoenix metro)	Maricopa County / Phoenix metro	Elementary / Junior / Senior (district & school fairs)	District / school first-place winners are eligible to register for AZSEF (AZSEF accepts first-place winners from districts and regionals per capacity limits for junior/elementary divisions).	Some large Phoenix-area fairs / regional events may be ISEF-affiliated — check each district/regional fair on Society’s Find-a-Fair for current affiliation. (Find a Fair)
Navajo County Science Fair	Navajo County / Northeast AZ	Elementary / Junior / Senior	Winners at county/regional level may advance to AZSEF if they are first-place winners per AZSEF rules. Regional fair directors may nominate best projects if formal place awards aren’t used.	ISEF affiliation: depends on the regional fair; check Find-a-Fair for the specific year. (Find a Fair)
Coconino County / Flagstaff local fairs	Coconino County / Flagstaff area	K–12 (check local fair rules)	Local school winners who place first may be eligible to move up through district/regional and then to AZSEF (must meet AZSEF deadlines & SRC rules).	ISEF affiliation varies; verify at Society Find-a-Fair for any specific county/regional fair. (Find a Fair)
Mohave County / County fairs (youth STEM entries)	Mohave County (NW Arizona)	County fair categories (varies)	Some county fairs run youth science or 4-H STEM categories; winners can sometimes be nominated to regional science fairs — AZSEF requires first-place at a qualifying science fair, so check whether the county fair counts as a qualifying science fair (rules vary).	ISEF affiliation unlikely for county agricultural fairs; verify any STEM-specific fair separately on Find-a-Fair. (Find a Fair)
Other local / district / school fairs across AZ (examples: school science fairs, district fairs, smaller county/regional competitions)	Statewide (varies)	Varies by fair	AZSEF’s rule: first-place winners at school/home/district/county/regional fairs are eligible to register for AZSEF. Specific capacity limits apply for Elementary/Junior divisions (per fair type).	Some of these local/regional fairs may be ISEF-affiliated — check Society for Science Find-a-Fair for each fair’s affiliation status. (Find a Fair)

The Impact of AZSEF on Students and the STEM Community

Participating in AZSEF is more than a contest, it’s a formative experience. Here’s what students gain:

• Research mindset and skills: Students learn how to ask questions, design studies, test hypotheses and analyze data.
• Communication and presentation skills: Presenting to judges hones confidence, clarity and storytelling—important for any future in STEM or beyond.
• Recognition and opportunities: Winning or being a finalist at a major science fair strengthens college applications, scholarship opportunities and future STEM pathways.
• Community and mentorship: Students network with peers, scientists, engineers and educators—building connections that last.
• Encouraging diversity in STEM: AZSEF supports students across Arizona, including underrepresented areas, helping build a broader pipeline of science and engineering talent.

Why Students and Parents Should Care

For students, AZSEF offers a platform to explore what genuinely fascinates them, whether that’s robotics, environmental science, computational biology or wearable tech. For parents, it’s an opportunity to support a meaningful milestone that combines academics, creativity and personal growth. While the fair is competitive, the process is itself valuable: growth, resilience, curiosity, and learning through doing.

Fast Forward

If you’re a student with a spark of curiosity, a question to investigate or an idea to build, AZSEF can be your stage. If you’re a parent supporting that journey, this competition offers more than trophies, it offers growth, opportunity and the chance to explore the “why” behind science and engineering. Whether you’re just dreaming of your project or already prototyping, AZSEF is a milestone worth aiming for.