Science Fair Accelerator
Accelerate Your Project
The Science Fair Accelerator is a high-performance program for passionate science fair students who want to improve their project and their performance at their regional fair. From background research to experimental design or testing your prototype, this 6-week program will break down your existing project and show you how to apply rigorous scientific principles to earn top marks from judges.
The Accelerator program includes:
- Lessons based on the Canada-Wide Science Fair judging rubric
- Activities that apply what you learn each week directly to your own project
- Discussions with other STEM enthusiasts from around British Columbia and Yukon Territory
- One-on-one mentorship with experienced science fair judges who will help you apply weekly lessons and concepts to your own project and provide feedback from a judge’s perspective
What You’ll Learn
Scale and Scope
How to intentionally frame and refine your topic to create a narrow, well-designed, coherent project.
Design Decisions and Justification
How to use background research and your hypothesis to inform every design decision of your project.
Real-World Application
How to demonstrate, with evidence, that your project is applicable and plausible outside the fair.
Scientific Communication
That communication is a central pillar of your project, not a final step.
Limitations and Intellectual Honesty
That acknowledging limitations and sources of error strengthens your credibility with judges.
Strategic Awareness
That your job during the interview is not to impress judges, but to demonstrate deep understanding of your topic.
Who Can Apply
There are limited spots available for the Accelerator program. You are eligible to apply if you:
- live in British Columbia or Yukon Territory
- will be entering grade 7 to 12 in September, 2026
- have a well-formed science project idea that you’re planning to enter into your 2027 regional science fair. At a minimum, this includes:
- a hypothesis (for experiments) or problem your project is solving (for innovations)
- identified independent, dependent, and controlled variables
- a proposed method for testing your hypothesis (for experiments) or prototype (for innovations), and a list of materials you’ll need
- a project timeline for how you plan to complete your project before your regional fair
Important Dates
| Application Opens | August 1, 2026 |
| Application Deadline | August 31, 2026 |
| Accepted Applicants Notified | September 21, 2026 |
| Registration & Payment Deadline | October 5, 2026 |
| First Week of the Program | October 19, 2026 |
| Last Week of the Program | November 23, 2026 |
Dates are subject to change. Check back for updates or sign up for our Accelerator newsletter to be the first to know about new information.
What You’ll Need to Apply
The Accelerator is best suited for students who have completed a science project in the past and want help applying intermediate to advanced scientific principles to materially improve their project. At a minimum, you must already have a project idea in mind, have done initial background research on your topic, and thought about how you will realistically test your hypothesis.
In addition to basic contact and project information, you’ll need:
- to clearly explain the problem your project is addressing, the target or audience your project serves, how your project attempts to solve the problem, and why your project is important
- at least five sources of information you used in your research (title and authors)
- a list of your variables
- to explain how you plan to test your hypothesis or prototype
- your project timeline (when you’ll carry out the different parts of your project)
- a completed ethics approval form, if your project involves humans, animals, or microorganisms (your ethics form does not need to be approved by your regional fair)
- to tell us, in a video, why you chose your project topic, why it’s important to you, and why you want to take part in the Accelerator program
Join the Accelerator Mailing List
Sign up to the Accelerator mailing list to be the first to know about news, deadlines, and updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, partner projects are allowed. Only one application is needed per project.
Anyone who:
- lives in British Columbia or Yukon Territory
- is entering grade 7 to 12 for the 2026/2027 school year
- who has a well-formed project idea consisting of at least a hypothesis or problem being addressed, identified variables, a planned method for testing the hypothesis or prototype, a list of materials needed to carry out the project, and a rough timeline for completing the project before the 2027 regional fair
No, the Accelerator is designed for students who already have a project. Lessons are meant to be applied to the work they’ve already done to help them understand how and where to improve.
If you’d like help coming up with a project idea, sign up for our Science Club to talk to our science experts.
Program fees for the Accelerator will be $450 per project starting in 2027. For the first Accelerator cohort in 2026, program fees have been reduced to $100 per project.
If these fees make it so you can’t participate, reach out to us at info@sciencefairs.ca. We can help.