Award schedule
The RYSI season runs across the year, from registration on 1 August to the national finals early the following year. Here is how the timeline unfolds, stage by stage.
From registration to the finals
Every stage is reviewed by educators and scientists before students advance.
Registration opens
Schools and students enrol online and can start working on their activity immediately. Registration and Stage 1 typically open together.
Build & submit
Students run their experiment and submit their project online before the Stage 1 deadline.
Qualifiers announced
Stage 1 submissions are evaluated and qualifying students are invited to Stage 2.
Deeper project
Final day to submit the Stage 2 project(s). All entries are evaluated and the national finalists are selected.
Finalists invited
Shortlisted students are announced as national finalists and invited to the live finals.
National Finals
Finalists present to the jury in person; winners and runners-up are announced across all categories.
RYSI 2026 key dates
The schedule for RYSI 2026 is as follows:
- 1 August 2026Upcoming
Registration & Stage 1 open
Schools and students enrol online and can start working on their activity immediately. Registration and Stage 1 open together.
- 25 September 2026Upcoming
Registration & Stage 1 deadline
Last day to register and to submit the Stage 1 project online.
- 30 September 2026Upcoming
Stage 1 results
Stage 1 submissions are evaluated and qualifying students are invited to Stage 2.
- 1 October 2026Upcoming
Stage 2 starts
Qualifiers submit up to two innovations of their choice for the Stage 2 round.
- 30 November 2026Upcoming
Stage 2 deadline
Final day to submit the Stage 2 project(s). All entries are evaluated and the national finalists are selected.
- 15 January 2027Upcoming
Stage 2 results
Shortlisted students are announced as national finalists and invited to the live finals.
- 6-7 February 2027Upcoming
RYSI Finals
Finalists present to the jury in person; winners and runners-up are announced across all categories.
How a finals day runs
The national finals span the event days with registration, the live contest and exhibition, interaction with judges and guests, and the award announcement and presentations. Registration followed by the "Making" part of the contest happens on the Saturday afternoon. On the Sunday, the exhibition and judging happens throughout the day, culminating with the awards ceremony in the late afternoon.
- Saturday afternoon: registration and "Making" (only for contestants)
- Sunday morning to early afternoon: project exhibition and "Judging" (grounds open to parents and the public)
- Sunday late afternoon: the awards ceremony and presentations (open to all)
Don't miss the next registration window
Register early so your students have the full season to build their projects.