Note. Check the current status before building a year around this. One third-party guide states that as of October 2025 the JSHS programme was temporarily suspended until further notice, while another discusses 2027 regional and national dates as normal, and AEOP continues to host a JSHS programme page. These signals conflict and could not be resolved from the pages checked. Contact your regional JSHS host university or the national office at jshs.org before committing to a research timeline.
Science Scholarships and challenges
JSHS
Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
Present original research to a live audience of scientists at a regional symposium, with scholarships attached.
Run by National JSHS, sponsored by the United States Department of Defense
Key facts
- Eligible grades
-
Grades 9 to 12, enrolled in public, private or home schools.
Source, checked 2026-09-02
- Recommended preparation
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Original independent research, usually with a mentor
Why: Entrants present their own research before a judging panel. There is no test component, so the research itself is the entry.Based on the published exam or entry format.The organiser publishes this as part of how you qualify or enter, so it is a real condition rather than our suggestion.
- Eligible ages
-
Not confirmed. This organiser may set eligibility by grade rather than age. We do not convert one into the other.JSHS sets eligibility by grade, not age.
- Individual or team
- Individual
- Where it runs
- In person · United States
- Entry cost
- FreeThere is no cost to register for or participate in a regional JSHS event, and the National Symposium is all-expenses paid for those who advance.
- Registration deadline
- Set locally, not published as a single national date Set by each regional host, not nationally, and they fall early. As examples of the shape from a recent cycle: one region opened applications 15 October with proposals due 1 December; another opened 1 November with a competitive application deadline of 20 December. Regional symposia run January through March. Find your regional host now, not in the new year.
- Competition dates
- Regional symposia run from late winter into spring; the national symposium follows in the spring.
- Difficulty
- Highly competitiveNational-level field. Expect months of structured work, and usually a coach or a strong team.
- Prizes
- Over $400,000 in scholarships and cash awards across regional and national levels. At regional level, $4,500 in undergraduate tuition scholarships per region, with third place at $1,000. At national level, first place oral presentations in each category have carried $12,000 scholarships and third place $4,000, with separate cash awards for the poster competition. The 2025 national event awarded $192,000 in scholarships and $10,800 in cash prizes.Regional winners receive scholarships and advance to nationals, where larger scholarships are awarded to top presenters. Amounts vary by year and region; confirm on the official site.
What JSHS is
The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium is a research competition where students present original STEM research as an oral presentation or poster at a regional symposium hosted by a university. Regional winners advance to a national symposium. It is a good alternative to a science fair for students whose strength is explaining their work, since the oral presentation format carries far more weight than a display board, and there are substantial scholarships at both levels.
How the competition works
Original, independent STEM research presented before a panel of judges and an audience of peers. All applicants submit an abstract of 250 words maximum in electronic format. There is no test and no multiple choice: the quality of the underlying research determines the result.
Eligibility notes
Open to students at United States high schools, including Department of Defense schools abroad. Individual research only in most regions.
How to register
- Complete an original STEM research project, typically over several months.
- Find your regional symposium on the national JSHS site. Regions are defined by state and hosted by universities.
- Submit your research paper to your region by its own deadline, which is usually between December and February.
- If selected, present orally or by poster at the regional symposium.
- Regional winners advance to the national symposium.
What skills you need
- Original research
- Scientific writing
- Oral presentation to experts
- Answering questions under pressure
- Statistics
Recommended resources
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National JSHS site
Regional directory, deadlines, paper requirements and past winners.
-
Science Buddies research guidance
Free guidance on experimental design and write-up.
Past problems and materials
Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.
- Past national symposium winners and abstracts
Published by the national organisation, useful for calibrating scope.
Frequently asked questions
How is JSHS different from a science fair?
The core format is an oral presentation to a judging panel rather than a display board and short interviews. If you present well, JSHS suits you better than a fair; if your strength is the poster and the one-on-one conversation, ISEF may suit you more.
Can I enter both JSHS and ISEF with the same project?
In general yes, and many students do, since the two run on separate tracks. Check the specific rules of your regional symposium and your affiliated fair, as requirements differ.
Reviews, tips and resources from other students
Posts are public. Do not share your full name, school, address or contact details.
Something out of date?
If a deadline, fee or eligibility rule on this page no longer matches the official site, flag it and it goes into the review queue.
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