Golden Gate STEM Fair is a regional science competition for grades 6 – 12 for students in San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma or Napa counties.
The Golden Gate STEM Fair will return March 2026!
A Bay San Francisco Bay Area Science competition for students in grades 6 – 12 in SF, San Mateo, Marin, Sonoma or Napa counties
GGSF is partnering with the Randall Museum, a nature and science learning center of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, to host the 2026 fair. GGSF remains the fiscal sponsor with staff support from Randall Museum. The fair itself will take place at the Randall Museum in San Francisco.
FAIR SCHEDULE
September 1 – Middle School Registration Opens
October 1 – High School Registration Opens
December 31 – Individual SRC & ISEF Form Deadline (HS only)
February 21 – Upper Division Paperwork Review Cut-off
March 7 – Lower Division Paperwork Review Cut-off
Sunday, March 8, 2025 – High School Event, judging and ceremony
Sunday, March 22, 2025 – Middle School Event, judging and ceremony
Register for GGSF 2026
Important: If you are a student and your school has its own science fair, you must participate in that fair to move on to GGSF. Otherwise, students may register individually.
Teachers that host school fairs: You must register your school below. The number of projects we can accept from your school depends on how many total registrations we receive. You will be notified how many student you can send to GGSF in January.
***Be sure to read the “Participate” page fully
Awards for All of the Outstanding Student Scientists
Welcome to the Golden Gate STEM Fair!
In addition to category placement awards, Golden Gate STEM Fair provides over 25 “special awards” totaling over $3,000 from national/community organizations and corporate sponsors that highlight individual achievement in specific areas or themes. The awards include some financial prizes from sponsors like Chevron, who award ingenuity and innovation, as well as prestigious recognition from STEM associations. Middle school and High school projects could be eligible for awards from organizations like:
- Intel (for projects in computer science)
- NASA, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association, American Meteorological Society
- Society for In-Vitro Biology
- Office of Naval Research
- American Chemical Society
- American Psychological Association
- Association of Women Geoscientists
- California Association of Professional Scientists
- Yale Science & Engineering Association and many more!
Registration Information
Are you ready to match your project with other top student scientists across the San Francisco Bay Area? Learn about all the necessary steps to enter the Golden Gate STEM Fair. Learn More
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Fair Director & Teacher Information
If your students do not come through a feeder fairA "Feeder Fair" is a participating Science Fair: San Francisco Middle School, Oakland Diocese, and Alameda, Napa, Marin, San Mateo, Solano, Mendocino or West Contra Costa County Science Fairs, fair directors and teachers can request registration materials here
Forms and Information
Find guidelines, deadlines, forms and information you will need to participate in the Golden Gate STEM Fair
We Need Your Support!
This annual event was reinvigorated by people passionately support science projects as a tool to establish and refine student research skills. Self-directed science education has been shown to have significant positive impact on students and directly supports Next Generation Science Standards.
If you would like to volunteer for the fair please email the Director.
GGSF is FREE for students to participate. To maintain this accessibility for all, we depend on community support. Please help us keep this fair sustainable and growing by donating today. The more support we receive, the more students we can reach and get involved!