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.
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.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration start date | 22 July 2025 |
| Registration end date | 22 September 2025 |
| Stage 1 start date | 22 July 2025 |
| Stage 1 deadline | 22 September 2025 |
| Stage 1 results | 30 September 2025 |
| Stage 2 starts | 1 October 2025 |
| Stage 2 deadline | 30 November 2025 |
| Stage 2 results | 17 January 2026 |
| RYSI Finals | 7–8 February 2026 |
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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.
Read more about what to expect on our National Finals page.
Don't miss the next registration window
Register early so your students have the full season to build their projects.