General Information

• Goals & Objectives
• Who May Enter
• Divisions & Categories
• Submitting Your Project
• Registration Costs

1. To motivate and encourage students who are studying independently to apply creative and critical thought processes to the solution and study of scientific problems and experiments.
   
   
2. To encourage the exchange of knowledge, and ideas within a virtual environment.
   
   
3. To recognize student achievement and to foster a community independent learning environment beyond the barriers of physical location.

1. Each applicant must be a student that is either being educated at home, working privately with a tutor, or working independently within a charter school environment.
   
   
2. Each applicant must be in grades 4-12, or between the ages of 9 and 18.
   
   
3. View the complete eligibility requirements.

1. There are three divisions for entry. Each Division has a separate set of categories under which students may enter their projects:
   • Elementary Division (Grades 4-5)
     
        Entry Categories:
     
     
     • Scientific Experiment
     • Scientific Observation
     • Scientific Invention

     discretionnior Division (Grades 6-8)
     
        Entry Categories:
     
     

     • Biological or Behavioral Science
       
     • Physical Science
       
     • Environmental Science / Ecology
       
     • Earth & Space Science
       
     • Scientific Inventions

   • Senior Division (Grades 9-12)
     
        Entry Categories:
     
     
     • Behavioral and Social Sciences
     • Biochemistry
     • Botany
     • Chemistry
     • Earth and Space Sciences
     • Electricity & Electronics
     • Engineering
     • Environmental Science
     • Mathematics & Computer Science
     • Mechanics / Mechanisms
     • Medicine and Health
     • Microbiology
     • Physics / Astronomy
     • Zoology

2. Students may enter only one project in one division and category per Virtual Science Fair.
   
   
3. Registration in a particular Division and grade level is up to the disgression of the applicant, however judges may alter categories (not Divisions) of projects as is appropriate.

1. In order to promote hands-on scientific exploration and presentation skills, HLN Virtual Science Fair requires applicants to build both a presentation display and a project report for their projects. There are no size limitations on the presentation display. The display will *not* be sent to the Virtual Science Fair. Only PHOTOGRAPHS of the display should be sent.
   
   
2. Applicants must submit the following by the closing date of the Virtual Science Fair:
   
   
   • Registration Form and Fees
     
     
   • Additional Forms
     As needed for human subjects research or non-human vertebrate animal research.
     
     
   • 1 - 5 Digital Photographs of Project Display
     Images must be submitted in .gif or .jpg format. If applicants do not have access to digitized photography, they may send original photographs that will be scanned and incorporated into the applicant's project page. Note: Photographs will NOT be returned.
     
     
   • Project Report
     Project Report explains and summarizes the project. The report must be submitted in ELECTRONIC FORM in Microsoft Word format, Microsoft PowerPoint format, or Rich Text Format.
     
     The report must include the following sections:
     
     
     • Project Title
     • Applicant Name
     • Project Introduction
     • Hypothesis
     • Process
     • Results
     • Conclusion
     • Optional: Additional drawings, photographs, charts, or illustrations.
     
     
     
3. Once submitted, all reports will be translated to Adobe Acrobat format, and will be made available via the web page that the HLN Virtual Science Fair creates for each individual project.

1. The Registration Fee for the HLN Virtual Science Fair is $15.95. This fee covers all data processing, upload of data to applicant's individual page, judging, and awards certificates.
   
   
2. The Registration Fee for the HLN Virtual Science Fair is WAIVED for current subscribers to the Homeschool Learning Network. Learn more about HLN's low-cost monthly curriculum and homeschool environment.