About

Entry requires submitting a written research report and abstract through the student's regional JSHS program — there is no registration fee at any level, a meaningful distinction in the science competition landscape. Initial judging by university faculty and STEM professionals determines which students are invited to present at the regional symposium, where competitors may present either orally or as a poster. The top five finalists from each regional symposium advance to the National JSHS Symposium, all expenses paid, where oral presenters compete for undergraduate tuition scholarships — $12,000 for first place, with additional scholarships for second and third — and poster presenters compete for cash awards. Eligibility is restricted to US citizens and permanent residents; students may compete in only one regional symposium per year. The competition spans eight STEM categories including life sciences, physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and environmental science.

JSHS occupies a distinct position in the science research competition landscape that is worth understanding clearly. Unlike ISEF — which rewards the project itself through a fair display format — JSHS centers on oral presentation: the ability to explain, defend, and contextualize original research before an audience of STEM professionals. A student who places in the oral competition at the National JSHS has demonstrated not only research quality but the kind of scientific communication ability that graduate programs and research careers require. The Department of Defense sponsorship also creates networking access to federal research laboratories, DoD personnel, and academic scientists that few other high school competitions offer.

JSHS is the right competition for a student who has completed serious original STEM research and wants to develop and demonstrate the ability to present and defend it — a skill set that ISEF alone does not require, and that research-focused universities recognize as meaningfully distinct.