Award schedule
The RYSI season runs across the year, from registration in mid-year 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 choose a topic. 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
Qualifiers take their work further for the Stage 2 round, which determines the national finalists.
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 2025–26 key dates
The schedule below shows the dates for the most recent season. Dates for an upcoming season are published here once confirmed.
- 22 July 2025Completed
Registration & Stage 1 open
Schools and students enrol online and choose a topic. Registration and Stage 1 open together.
- 22 September 2025Completed
Registration & Stage 1 deadline
Last day to register and to submit the Stage 1 project online.
- 30 September 2025Completed
Stage 1 results
Stage 1 submissions are evaluated and qualifying students are invited to Stage 2.
- 1 October 2025Completed
Stage 2 starts
Qualifiers take their work further for the Stage 2 round.
- 30 November 2025Completed
Stage 2 deadline
Final day to submit the Stage 2 project that determines the national finalists.
- 17 January 2026Completed
Stage 2 results
Shortlisted students are announced as national finalists and invited to the live finals.
- 7–8 February 2026Most recent
RYSI Finals
Finalists present to the jury in person; winners and runners-up are announced across all categories.
Milestone status reflects progress through the 2025–26 season: completed milestones are marked, with the most recent one highlighted.
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. A typical finals day moves from morning registration into the contest and exhibition, followed by the jury interaction, and closes with the awards ceremony in the late afternoon.
- Morning: registration and arrival of finalists
- Midday: the live contest and project exhibition
- Afternoon: interaction with the jury and guests
- Late afternoon: the awards ceremony and presentations
Don't miss the next registration window
Register early so your students have the full season to build their projects.