There are a number of science fair competitions for high school students at the national level. Close to 9 million students take part in science fair competitions annually. These include kids from kindergarten right up to grade 12. However it is only the grade 9 to 12 students who participate in the more serious science fair competitions.

These competitions are sponsored by leading members of the research and technology industry. Intel offers the Science Talent Search, the Conrad Foundation offers the Spirit of Innovation awards, Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program and the Siemen’s Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology is another one with serious prize money.

These competitions do not allow walk in entries. There is a lot of preparation that goes into making these the best showcase events for talent in science. So it is natural that there is a set of guidelines that needs to be met for the entries to qualify. It is once they qualify that the students get to compete in the final national level science competition.

The prizes differ from competition to competition and can vary from the finalists receiving $1000. to the winner taking a grand prize of $100,000. It is serious business indeed and if you want to win at the national level science fair competition you will need more than a good idea.