Application FAQ.

You must be 13–19 years old inclusive on 22 November 2026, ordinarily live in the United Kingdom, and be participating in a school, sixth form, college, home-education programme, apprenticeship or equivalent secondary or pre-university education or training pathway.

You cannot already be enrolled in an undergraduate university degree programme.

UK citizenship is not required.

No. You may apply if you attend a school, sixth form, college, technical or training programme, apprenticeship, or if you are home educated.

The important requirement is that you are still in an eligible secondary or pre-university education or training pathway and are not enrolled in an undergraduate university degree programme.

No. This is an individual competition. Each project must be entered by one applicant, and each applicant may submit only one entry.

• Applications open: 16 September 2026
• Applications close: 22 November 2026 at 23:59 GMT
• Review Phase 1: 23 November 2026 – 12 January 2027
• Finalists announced: week of 11 January 2027
• Review Phase 2: 14 January – 8 February 2027
• National STEM Champions announced: 9 February 2027
• National STEM Festival · London: 5–10 May 2027

Nothing. Entering is free. No purchase or payment is required to apply.

Your substantive project submission is final once submitted.

You cannot replace or improve your written project responses, PDF or video after submission.

You may contact EXPLR to correct inaccurate personal or contact information.

EXPLR may also request a limited technical correction if, for example, a file is corrupted or a video link does not work. A technical replacement cannot be used to materially improve the project after the deadline.

Your complete application includes:

• your online application and written project responses;
• one Festival Theme;
• a Project PDF — maximum 3 pages and 5MB; and
• a Project Video — maximum 2 minutes, submitted as a downloadable link.

Everything is submitted together as one Competition entry.

Phase 1 is blind judging. Do not include your name, school or college name, teacher name, social-media handles or other identifying information in your Project Title, written project responses or Project PDF.

Your Project Video is not shown to Phase 1 judges.

See the Application Guide for step-by-step preparation →

Choose the one Festival Theme that best fits the main problem or idea behind your project.

• Building & Infrastructure — designing and building stronger, smarter communities
• Health & Human Potential — improving health, care and quality of life
• Technology, AI & Digital Futures — creating smarter, safer and more responsible technology
• Food, Planet & Sustainability — rethinking how we grow, make and sustain our world

Don't worry if your project could fit more than one. Choose the closest fit. EXPLR may reclassify a project if another Theme more accurately reflects the submitted work.

Yes. AI and other digital tools may be used appropriately, and using AI does not automatically disqualify a project.

You must remain responsible for the ideas, decisions, analysis and final work you submit. AI, a mentor, teacher or another person cannot replace your own contribution and understanding.

The application asks whether you used generative AI and, if so, how you used it.

The Opportunity Bonus is designed to help recognise applicants who may have had fewer financial resources available to support their STEM participation.

Applicants who are eligible for means-tested Free School Meals or substantially equivalent means-tested educational support based on household income may receive 5 Opportunity Bonus points.

This information is not shown to judges.

The 5 points are added administratively to the Phase 1 Selection Score only when determining who advances to Finalist status.

The Opportunity Bonus does not carry forward into National STEM Champion scoring.

Universal school meal provision that is not based on household income does not by itself qualify.

There are two judging phases.

Phase 1: Judges review your anonymous written project submission and Project PDF. Your Project Video is not shown during this phase. Up to 12 Finalists per UK region may advance.

Phase 2: Judges review the Finalist's original application, Project PDF and the Project Video already submitted with the original application.

Finalists do not submit a second project.

The Final Competition Score is: 75% Phase 1 Project Score + 25% Phase 2 Video Score.

Any applicable Opportunity Bonus is used only to determine Finalist advancement during Phase 1 and does not carry into the Final Competition Score.

Phase 1 — Project Score /100

• 50 — Positive Impact — potential to make a positive difference for people, communities or the planet.
• 25 — Innovation, Creativity & Originality — strength and originality of the applicant's thinking, investigation, solution or approach.
• 25 — Clarity of the Project — how effectively the written submission and Project PDF communicate the work, process, evidence and outcome.

Phase 2 — Video Score /100

• 50 — Communication & Persuasiveness
• 25 — Positive Impact
• 25 — Innovation, Creativity & Originality

A Finalist must achieve a Final Competition Score of at least 65/100 to be eligible for selection as a National STEM Champion.

Up to 12 Finalists per UK region may be selected — a maximum of 144 Finalists across the 12 Competition regions.

Up to 3 Regional National STEM Champions per region may be selected, for a maximum of 36 Regional Champions.

A Finalist must achieve at least 65/100 in the Final Competition Score to be eligible for Champion selection.

EXPLR may also select up to 4 additional Special Award National STEM Champions.

The maximum 2027 UK Champion cohort is therefore 40 students.

A region is not guaranteed the maximum number of Finalists or Champions.

You do not submit a new project.

Your original written application, Project PDF and Project Video continue into Phase 2.

Finalists must complete a separate Finalist Information & Champion Media Agreement by the stated deadline to remain eligible for National STEM Champion selection. This collects information such as an approved photograph, short biography, quotes and media responses needed if the applicant becomes a Champion.

Yes. National STEM Champion is an in-person role.

If you are selected, you must attend the National STEM Festival in London in person and take part in the required Champion programme, currently scheduled for 5–10 May 2027.

A selected student who cannot attend in person may remain a 2027 National STEM Festival Finalist but cannot hold National STEM Champion status.

Up to 40 National STEM Champions will be invited to the National STEM Festival in London, currently scheduled for 5–10 May 2027.

The Champion package includes specified:

• reasonable travel to London;
• hotel accommodation;
• Festival participation;
• meals; and
• activities.

The approximate maximum value is £2,000 per Champion package.

Champions under 18 must attend with one parent or legal guardian. Specified reasonable travel and hotel accommodation for that parent or legal guardian are included in the Champion package.

Champions aged 18 or 19 are not required to travel with a parent or guardian. Full accompanying-adult terms are explained in the Official Rules & Terms.

If you become a Finalist, the Festival may publish your:

• name;
• UK Competition region; and
• project title.

Becoming a Finalist does not automatically mean your submitted Project Video, photographs, quotes or complete application will be publicly promoted.

National STEM Champion is a public-facing role.

If you are selected as a National STEM Champion and accept Champion status, specified Champion materials may be published and promoted, including your submitted Project Video, approved photographs, biography, quotes and Festival-created photography and video.

Full details are provided in the Official Rules & Terms, Application Privacy Notice and Finalist Information & Champion Media Agreement.

EXPLR uses applicant information to administer and judge the Competition, communicate with applicants and parents/guardians where applicable, measure Festival participation and impact, and arrange Finalist or National STEM Champion participation where relevant.

Applicants under 18 provide parent or legal guardian contact information for essential Competition and participation communications.

Demographic information is not shown to judges.

Opportunity Bonus eligibility information is not shown to judges.

Phase 1 uses blind judging, so judges do not receive applicant identity, contact, education-setting or Project Video information.

Full information about how EXPLR collects, uses, shares and retains applicant information is provided in the Application Privacy Notice.

Check your application, PDF and video link before submitting and do not wait until the final minutes before the deadline.

If you experience a technical issue with the Festival application system, contact nationalstemfestival@explr-media.com.

If an EXPLR system failure materially prevents applicants from submitting, EXPLR may take reasonable steps under the Official Rules & Terms to administer the Competition fairly.

Email nationalstemfestival@explr-media.com.