ISEF Forms Wizard

Participant Guide: How to Fill Out Your Forms

This guide walks you through completing ISEF forms on zFairs. Parents and teachers can help participants complete ISEF forms.

Before You Start

• Know what your project uses: The wizard asks about human participants, vertebrate animals, biological agents, hazardous chemicals, and other controlled items. Know what your project uses to ensure you choose the correct forms.
• Gather adult contacts: Have the full name and email address of each adult who needs to sign a form (e.g., Adult Sponsor, Qualified Scientist, Direct Supervisor).
• Read before signing: Plan time to thoroughly review each completed form prior to signing.

Form Status Indicator Labels:

• Required (Red): Indicates the form must be completed and submitted for your project.
• File Not Required: Indicates the form is not needed based on your current wizard selections.

Check out ISEF.app to be walked through the ISEF forms in a clear and easy way. Upload the completed forms from ISEF.app right into your zFairs account. Spanish version translated into English forms available!

Quick Navigation Steps

1. Open your forms
2. Answer the wizard
3. See what is required
4. Fill out a form
5. Sign a form
6. Upload a file
7. Reply to a comment
8. Clear a signature or a form

Open ISEF Forms

1. Go to the homepage at newfair.zfairs.com.
2. Open Paperwork from the main menu and select ISEF Forms 2027.
3. Read the welcome note to understand the page requirements.
4. Click download forms if you want to download a complete PDF copy of the packet.

Answer the Form Wizard

1. Click Show Form Wizard to open the ISEF Forms 2027 Forms Wizard dialog.
2. Check every statement that applies to your project. Leave all other options unchecked.
3. If none of the specific items apply to your project, check None of these apply to my project.
   • Note: Selecting "None of these apply" automatically unchecks all other boxes. Selecting any specific box unchecks "None of these apply". You must select at least one option before saving.
4. Click Save & Close when your selections are accurate.
   • Save: Stores your answers while keeping the wizard window open.
   • Close: Exits the window without saving recent changes.

Required Forms & Wizard Logic

Always Required Forms

The following core forms are required for every project and cannot be disabled by the wizard:

• Form 1: Adult Sponsor Checklist
• Form 1A: Student Checklist
• Form 1B: Approval Form
• Form 2A: Student Support Disclosure Form

Note: Form 3 (Risk Assessment) and the ISEF Sample Abstract and Certification stay on the main list and are not automatically assigned a red Required tag.

Wizard Logic & Form Requirements

Wizard Selection	Required Forms Added
1. Continuation or progression from previous year	Form 7: Continuation or Research Progression Projects
2. Use of humans (including self and/or teammates)	Form 4: Human Participant Form 4: Sample Informed Consent Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
3. Use of vertebrate animals	Form 2B: Qualified Scientist Form 5A: Vertebrate Animal (for non-regulated research site) Form 5B: Vertebrate Animal (for regulated research institution)
4. Conducted in regulated research institution, industrial setting, or non-home/school/field site	Form 2C: Regulated Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Note: If vertebrate animals is also checked, Form 5B is required instead of Form 5A.
5. Potentially hazardous biological agents: Microorganisms	Form 6A: Hazardous Biological Agents Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
6. Potentially hazardous biological agents: rDNA	Form 6A: Hazardous Biological Agents Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
7. Human and/or vertebrate animal tissue	Form 6A: Hazardous Biological Agents Form 6B: Human or Vertebrate Animal Tissue Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
8. Frozen tissue, cell cultures/lines, blood, body fluids	Form 6A: Hazardous Biological Agents Form 6B: Human or Vertebrate Animal Tissue Form 2B: Qualified Scientist Note: Student blood research is only permitted if a medical professional handles the blood and provides the data.
9. Hazardous chemicals, activities, and/or devices	Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
10. DEA-controlled substances (alcohol, tobacco, prescription/all drugs)	Form 2B: Qualified Scientist
11. None of these apply to my project	Clears all optional forms. Only Forms 1, 1A, 1B, and 2A remain required.

Viewing Hidden Forms

• Click Show Hidden Files to view forms marked File Not Required.
• Click Hide Hidden Files to collapse the view back to active forms.
• Note: If you have already begun filling out a form, it remains visible on your main page even if wizard updates mark it as File Not Required.

Fill Out a Form

1. Click on any form title to open it under the Online Interactive tab.
2. Type your responses directly into the blue form fields.
3. Form Navigation Buttons:
   • Save: Stores your inputs and leaves the form open.
   • Save & Close: Stores your inputs and returns to the form overview page.
   • Close / Back: Returns to the form list (unsaved changes will be lost unless saved first).
   • Download: Downloads a copy of the single open form.

Sign a Form

Student E-Signature

1. Click Sign on your signature line.
2. In the Signers Information window, verify your name, initials, and email address (optional: enter cell phone number for text notifications).
3. Check the box: "I understand that this is my electronic signature and is binding."
4. Click I Agree & Start Signing.
5. Complete all designated signature lines, then click Submit.

Requesting External Signatures

1. Click Sign on an adult signee line to open the Sign Request dialog.
2. Choose the delivery method: Email, Text Message, or Link.
3. Enter the recipient's email address or cell phone number.
4. Keep the `[LINK]` tag intact inside the message text box (it automatically generates the recipient's secure sign link).
5. Click