STATE
REGISTRATION
COMPETITION DATES: Tentatively March 27, 2026 in Durham for All Regions will be held in Durham on March 27. (Registration Opens tentatively Feb 25)
REGISTRATION DATES: 2026 Opens After Regional Meetings. Students compete regionally before states​
Registering for the NCSAS State Competition
Our competition is different where each "room" has place winners---
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NCSSM Durham and Morganton students compete directly at the state event. NCSSM Online students compete regionally first.​
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Your District Director will let you know if you have qualified for the State competition and will provide you with a password for registration. ​
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Once through regionals, finalists will register with the state event.
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NOTE: NCSSM now has two campuses in North Carolina.
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Registration Tips/Payment
Chaperoning. A chaperone is required to stay with you on-campus---and we have space for siblings or other relatives to register as Observers. Teachers may chaperone a school.
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We are different from State Science and Engineering Fair. We judge by 'room' This is different from the state science fair; judges evaluate the presentations by room--so presentations on a similar topic/problem may be grouped together even if they represent different fields (math, public health, chemistry, etc.). Judges also read your paper in advance, and you give a presentation.
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​Payment. Payment is collected by credit card as part of registration. If paying in person by cash or check, use the coupon code above to reduce the price by 3.5%. NCSSM students can pay the cashier by cash/check OR mail to Ryan Donaldson, NCSAS Payment, 1219 Broad St. Durham, NC 27705. Make checks payable to NCSSM SCSSI. NCSSM-Durham students can also pay the cashier directly on 2nd Watts.
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Get to Know Your Judges. You have dinner with your room judges (parents/family eat separately).
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Other Differences
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You must include a completed Animal Use Form if you use animals in your research.​
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Students who participate in an NCSAS District or State Competition automatically become members of NCSAS.
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Event Schedule​
Check in is 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. in the ETC Auditorium at NCSSM-Durham (1912 West Club Blvd. Durham) The event runs until 8:30 p.m.​
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Peer Review
If you had a concern about the integrity of a presentation, let us know here.
NCAS Opportunity for High School STATE 1st/2nd Place Winners
High School students who place first or second on Friday's 2026 event are welcome to share a poster of their research at the North Carolina Academy of Science at Elon University April 24 and 25. THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION. It is simply a place to share your poster with other college students and faculty.
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This is only for STATE presenters and those that place 1st/2nd at the state event.
IMPORTANT NOTES
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Registration Notes: You will enter your poster information on a second page, after your confirm registration. It is due March 31.
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We can only take the first 15 registrations (if we get more than that, they will cancel the additional registrations). You must have won 1st or 2nd place.
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TEAMS We only have room for one team member to register and present; but like with real research conferences, this is common only one co-author presents and you are all considered 'presenters."
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You must be available Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You can attend the Friday evening or Saturday afternoon events too.
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STUDENT. Select the NCSAS Student Option. You must select poster. Only a poster option is available to you. If needed NCSSM can print a poster for you at no cost.
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PARENT. You must register as a NCSAS Student too . When prompted, select the option you are not presenting (so they know you are a chaperone). Additional parents may attend, but they need to register at the full cost $60 as a "K-12 Teacher".
Since this is a professional opportunity, NCAS and the NCSSM Foundation is supporting the costs of participation.