Introduction
Senior Champions and Junior Champions: After the EISEF Awards Ceremony, you have more work to do: getting ready to go to ISEF in San Jose, California.
Senior Champions: now you're ISEF Student Finalists. EISEF will pay all the expenses for you and your Adult Sponsors to participate in ISEF. You have less than a week to make sure that all your project paperwork is in order and your exhibit meets ISEF's rules in every respect.
Junior Champions: now you can choose to be ISEF Student Observers. You can attend ISEF, see what goes on there, and become excited about doing a science project next year. EISEF will pay your ISEF entry fees and give you a meal allowance, but your parents will have to pay for your travel and lodging. You have about a week to let us know if you will be going.
Other family members: you can also travel with the official EISEF party to ISEF and share this exciting event with your students. You will have to pay all your own expenses, including ISEF entry fees, meals, travel, and lodging. You, too, have about a week to let us know who will be going.
The Timeline below lists all the major events on the journey from EISEF to ISEF. Read it carefully: if you miss a deadline, you'll miss out on going to ISEF!
Event Timeline from EISEF 2010 to ISEF
| Days after EISEF | Date/Day | Action | Responsibility |
| 0 | March 20 (Saturday) | Fair Day | |
| 5 | March 25 (Thursday) | All Student Finalist paperwork to EISEF Fair Director for review | Student Finalists Adult Sponsors |
| 6 | March 26 (Friday) | Final Paperwork Review by EISEF | School SRC/IRB EISEF Safety & Standards Fair Director |
| Notify Student Finalists of any problems | Fair Director | ||
| 6–7 | March 26 (Friday), March 27 (Saturday) |
State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa, in Ames. | |
| 8 | March 28 (Sunday) | Tell EISEF who will be traveling to ISEF | Student Finalists Adult Sponsors Student Observers Other family members |
| 9 | March 29 (Monday) | All paperwork problems identified, fixed, and returned to Fair Director | Student Finalists |
| Register Official Party with ISEF | Fair Director | ||
| 10 | March 30 (Tuesday) | All materials sent to Science Service | Fair Director |
| 12 | April 1 (Thursday) | Deadline for all materials to be received at Science Service | |
| 30 | April 19 (Monday) | Deposits for travelers to EISEF | Student Observers Other family members |
| 50 | May 9 (Sunday) | Rest of your travel cost to EISEF | All travelers |
| Depart for ISEF in San Jose, California | |||
| 51–55 | May 10 (Monday) through May 14 (Friday) |
ISEF in San Jose, California | |
| 56 | May 15 (Saturday) | Return to Iowa |
Travel costs and deadlines:
- Student Finalists and their Adult Sponsors: EISEF will pay all your expenses (travel, lodging, and ISEF fees) and give you a meal allowance.
- Student Observers: EISEF will pay your ISEF fees and give you a meal allowance. Your parents must pay us for your travel and lodging. In 2009 the actual cost for the travel and lodging was $720 per Observer; we estimate the cost in 2010 will be about the same.
- Other family members, etc.: You must pay us for your travel, lodging, and ISEF fees. In 2009 the actual cost for travel, lodging, and ISEF fees was $920 per person; we estimate the cost in 2010 will be about the same. You must also pay for your own meals.
- Payment Deadlines: If you must pay some or all of your travel
expenses, you must make partial payments by these dates to reserve your
place:
- April 19: Half of your estimated cost.
- May 9 (before departure): The rest of your estimated cost.
- After we've made the final travel arrangements: We will send you a refund or bill for the difference between your estimated or paid travel costs and the actual costs.