What is an affiliation? 

An affiliation is a science fair or subset of a science fair with clear geographic boundaries and adequate size (number of high schools represented and number of high school students competing) which sends it's top high school projects (grades 9-12) to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).  Society for Science and the Public (SSP) and Intel ISEF have changed the project allocations beginning for ISEF 2011. There is category for team competition. Team projects compete within scientific category/discipline with the individual projects. The best projects advance with no distinction between individual and team.  In 2010 and earlier, each affiliation was permitted to send two individual projects and one team project. Beginning in 2011, each affiliation is assigned by SSP a number of projects (one or more) to send to ISEF for that year. The number of projects that can be sent to ISEF from the affiliated fair depends on the number of students in grades 9-12 competing in the previous year's affiliated fair, the total number of high schools (grades 9-12) with projects at the previous year's affiliated fair, the population basis, and the number of students participating in feeder science fairs (school or club fairs). The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF)—the world's largest pre-college science competition—provides an opportunity for the best young scientists from around the globe to share ideas, showcase cutting-edge science projects, and compete for over $4 million in awards and scholarships. 

All projects (including middle school projects) are assigned an affiliation when registered for TCRSF. The affiliation is used to determine eligibility for ISEF-sponsored awards given at TCRSF.

The Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair is also an ISEF-affiliated fair. Projects (grades 9-12) that are not already chosen for ISEF competition from a regional level affiliated fair are considered for further competition.

Which ISEF affiliation will my student compete in? 

For 2011, the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair (TCRSF) will retain three affiliations with ISEF.  When students register for TCRSF, each project will be assigned to one of these three affiliations: Twin Cities (T), St. Paul (S), or Western Suburbs (W).  All three affiliation fairs together are included in the "Twin Cities Regional Science Fair" and each affiliated fair represents a different demographic.

Generally, the students are placed in their affiliation based on the location of their school's district headquarters. Schools whose school district headquarters are east of 35W compete in the Twin Cities affiliation.  Schools whose school district headquarters are west of 35W compete in the Western Suburbs affiliation. The exception to this rule is for the St. Paul affiliation. Students who compete in the St. Paul affiliation must have their primary home residence located within the St. Paul city limits and attend a St. Paul school. The residency requirement is specified in the contract and funding of the City of St. Paul for the St. Paul Science Fair portion of TCRSF. Students who live within a St. Paul zipcode, but not within the St. Paul city limits must be assigned to either the Twin Cities or the Western Suburbs affiliation based on the location of their school's district headquarters.

Therefore, students compete based on the location of their school's district headquarters, UNLESS the student has their primary home residence inside the St. Paul city limits and attends a St. Paul school. The headquarters of a private school is determined by the location of the private school. A home-schooled student's location is determined by their home school location. A student who attends a city of St. Paul school (public or private) does not qualify to compete in the St. Paul affiliation UNLESS the student's primary residence is located within the St. Paul city limits AND the student is registered at a school within the St. Paul city limits. (Students who live within the St. Paul city limits and are registered at a school within the St. Paul city limits are within the St. Paul affiliation even if they attend classes elsewhere as a PSEO student.)

Simplified affiliation rules:

1. Does the student live within the city limits of St. Paul for their primary residence AND is the student registered at a school within the St. Paul city limits? If yes, they are in the St. Paul affiliation. If no, then continue.

2. Locate the school district headquarters for your student. For private school, it is the school location. For home-school, it is the home location of the school. Is the student's school headquarters located east of 35W on the map? If so, then the student is in the Twin Cities affiliation. Is the student's school headquarters located west of 35W on the map? If so, then the student is in the Western suburbs. 

Is everything based on the student's fair affiliation?

No. The student's ribbon award and many other awards are based on the entire group of students at large and affiliation is not considered for these. The affiliation is important primarily for ISEF sponsored awards. More affiliations means more awards available for the students (a set for each of the affiliated fairs).

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