2026 Longs Peak Regional
Science & Engineering Fair
Register now!
Competition Day is February 12, 2026
Registration & Fee Information
Important Notice: All projects requiring critical forms must receive prior approval from either your local school Scientific Review Committee (SRC) or the LPSEF SRC before any research activities begin.
- Students may not begin projects that require critical forms without approval.
- Any project conducted without prior approval will be disqualified from competition.
- To determine whether your project requires critical forms, consult the Rules Wizard
Ready to compete in LPSEF?
Follow the steps below!
1. Complete one set of forms for each project (only one submission is needed per group). Please review the deadlines for both critical and non-critical forms (see details to the right).
-
- Once the forms for your project are complete, email them to LPSEF@unco.edu and be sure to include the following information:
- Student name (or student names for group – up to 3)
- School
- Teacher Name (if working with a teacher group)
- Title of Project
- Science Fair Category
*Teachers: you can send in multiple form packets at once, just be sure that each student follows the steps below
The following steps must be completed individually by every student, even if you are part of a group project:
2. Read and review the LPSEF Participant Guide before registering.
3. Use the link below to complete your registration and sign the required waivers. *Registration is required for each student & both the student and a parent/guardian must sign waivers – due January 5, 2026!
- Please be prepared for registration by having the following information ready:
-
- Contact information
- School information
- Parent/Guardian contact information
- If you are completing your project with a teacher or class, please have your teacher’s/class name and email address
- Your group members’ names (if working in a small group)
- The project title
- Your Science Fair Category – see categories on the Forms & Rules page
- Student food allergies
4. Pay registration fees for each student. Registration fees are $35.00 per participant. This fee covers lunch for the student and event costs. You can pay using the link below. If you are registering a group, you may pay for multiple participants at once—see instructions in the e-store. – due January 5, 2026!
Fair Schedule Information
Please note:Registration and payment are due by January 5, 2026. (Form deadlines may differ—see details below.) Students who do not complete registration, payment, or turn in their forms by the deadlines will not be able to participate in LPSEF.
Critical Forms
*Critical Forms are due to LPSEF before you start your project!
December 1: Forms Due for Projects with Critical Forms
Early December: Revisions by LPSEF returned to students for edits
January 5: All revisions due back to LPSEF
February 12: Competition Day
Non-Critical Forms
January 5: Forms Due for Projects without Critical Forms
Mid-January: Revisions by LPSEF returned to students for edits
February 2: All revisions due back to LPSEF
February 12: Competition Day
Before You Start Your Project:
- DO get all critical forms signed and approved by your school SRC or the LPSEF SRC.
- DON’T start your project until you have approval.
- If you skip this step, your project will be disqualified from the fair.
- Not sure if your project requires critical forms? Use the Rules Wizard.
If you have further questions or need help with registration, please reach out to LPSEF@unco.edu or schedule a zoom meeting with LPSEF Director below:
Be a Judge or Volunteer
LPSEF would not be possible without the many volunteers that help us to make our fair great! We are looking for volunteers and judges for
LPSEF, see description below. If you are able, we would love to have you – please sign up at the link below!
Being a LPSEF Judge:
LPSEF Judges volunteer their time, enthusiasm, and expertise to help our student researchers get the most out of their fair experience. Anyone with a high school degree or above and a love for all things STEM is encouraged to sign up. Judges engage directly with students and their projects; asking questions, guiding discussions, and ultimately selecting the winners of the fair. Year over year, students report that the #1 reason they participate is the opportunity to meet and receive feedback from real live STEM professionals. Check out this presentation to learn more.
*If you are a family member or teacher of a participant, we kindly ask that you are not a judge. However, we would love for your to volunteer (please see below)!
Being a LPSEF Volunteer:
LPSEF needs volunteers to help with many tasks throughout the fair! From helping with set-up and breakdown, running judges’ sheets to score keepers, and assisting with registration and poster set-up, there are many opportunities for you to volunteer! Anyone that would like to be a helpful hand during the fair is encouraged to sign up to be a volunteer!
Donate to LPSEF!
For donation information, click on the following link and be sure to select "Other" from the drop down menu and note LPSEF.
