Judging Process

2025 Dates

Judging of Primary level project will occur on Sunday, 19 October 2025

Judging of Secondary level projects will be ongoing from 19 October – 2 November 2025

STEM Categories

All projects must be submitted into one of the five STEM categories, whether it be a scientific investigation or a technological invention.

Age Level Categories

All projects will be submitted and judged by year or ability level within their STEM category as follows:

- Early Childhood: Preschool – Year 2
- Middle Primary: Years 3 -4
- Upper Primary: Years 5 – 6
- Junior Secondary: Years 7 -8
- Intermediate Secondary: Years 9 – 10
- Senior Secondary: Years 11 -12
- Primary Special Education: Years P – 6
- Secondary Special Education: Years 7 – 12

Regional Fairs for Secondary

SEAACT has 2 separate regional fairs for our Year 7-12 entries that will allow for a more equitable fair that will have schools with the same demographic make-up and similar level of mentorship enter into 2 distinct competitions. This will allow for more fairness and a better representation of our territory win awards and being entered into the national ASTA iCubed Science Awards.

Awarding of Prizes

Secondary Prizes

Recognition Certificates

All Year 7-12 projects will be judged using either a scientific investigation or technological innovation (engineering) rubric. Each student is awarded a certificate based on their level of attainment of specified criteria given in the scoring rubric:

High Distinction Certificate for every student who achieves a level 4 against the rubric.
Distinction Certificate for every student who achieves a level 3 against the rubric.
Credit Certificate for every student who achieves a level 2 against the rubric.
Certificates of Participation for all other student entries.

Primary Prizes

All primary projects will be judged using an age-specific rubric. Top projects from each of the STEM categories and age levels will be awarded:

First Place
Second Place
Highly Commended
Participation Certificate

We recommend that students read the criteria before starting their project, and also at the end as a checklist that everything has been included. Teachers are welcome to use the rubrics as the basis of school assessment tasks.