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ISEF Form 1, 1A, and 1B Explained (Who Signs and What Goes Where)

Form 1, Form 1A, and Form 1B are the foundation of ISEF-style science fair paperwork. If you only understand three forms, make it these. This guide explains what each form is for, who fills it out, who signs, and in what order.

Official PDFs: Society for Science ISEF Forms. Guided digital path: free ISEF App workbook.

Form 1A — Student Checklist / Research Plan

Purpose: Captures who is doing the project, what the project is, where work will happen, and the research timeline — with a detailed research plan attached.

Who completes it: The student (or team members as required by fair rules).

What good looks like:

  • Clear project title and student contact information
  • Adult sponsor identified
  • Work location(s) specified (home, school, field, research institution)
  • Projected start and end dates that respect approval timing
  • A research plan with rationale, question/hypothesis, procedures, risk considerations, data handling, and bibliography as applicable

Common failure: A research plan that is too short for SRC/IRB to evaluate safety and compliance.

Form 1 — Checklist for Adult Sponsor / Safety Assessment

Purpose: The adult sponsor reviews the student’s plan and identifies required forms, oversight, and safety issues.

Who completes it: Adult sponsor (often a teacher).

Why it matters: Form 1 is the practical “which forms do we need?” checkpoint. If Form 1 is wrong, students often collect the wrong packet.

Sponsor tips:

  • Read the full research plan, not only the title
  • Flag humans, vertebrates, PHBAs, hazardous chemicals/equipment, RRI settings
  • Make sure the student understands pre-approval requirements before any data collection

Form 1B — Approval Form

Purpose: Documents approvals and acknowledgments from the student, parent/guardian, and review bodies (SRC and others as required).

Who signs:

  • Student
  • Parent/guardian
  • SRC (pre-approval and/or final approval when required)
  • Other signatures depending on project and fair instructions

Team projects: Each participant generally needs a separate Form 1B.

Parent tip: You are not expected to become an ISEF rules expert overnight — but you should understand what the project involves and that required reviews happen on time. Parent paperwork overview.

Recommended order

  1. Student drafts research plan and Form 1A
  2. Adult sponsor completes Form 1
  3. Student/parent complete Form 1B signatures
  4. Add any extra forms Form 1 identified
  5. Submit for SRC/IRB pre-approval when required before experimentation

Full workflow: How to fill out ISEF forms · Form picker: Which ISEF forms do I need?

Dates and signatures: the details that get packets rejected

  • Signature dates should reflect when approval actually happened
  • Experiment start dates should not precede required pre-approvals
  • Names should match across forms
  • Use the form year your fair requires (do not mix outdated packets)

Complete Form 1 / 1A / 1B with ISEF App

ISEF App walks students through project questions, helps surface required approvals, and lets parents and sponsors sign online — then downloads fair-ready forms.

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FAQ

Can Form 1 be signed before Form 1A is done?

The sponsor should review the student’s checklist and research plan first. In practice, complete a solid Form 1A + plan, then Form 1.

Do parents fill out Form 1A?

No. Students own Form 1A. Parents primarily handle Form 1B (and any human-subject consent roles that apply).

Is electronic signature OK?

Many fairs accept digitally completed packets and electronic approvals. Confirm with your fair. ISEF App supports online approval workflows for families and review boards.