Science fans and students are naturally inquisitive people. Over the years we’ve gathered the most frequently asked questions and included the answers here. If you have a question or concern that’s not addressed on this page, please feel free to contact us.
Click each question below to see the answer.
Q. Who is eligible to participate?
A. Entrants must be United States or Canadian citizens and living within the United States, U.S. Territories, U.S. Armed Forces or Canada. Entrants must also be full-time students, in grades K – 12, currently enrolled and attending a public, private, parochial, virtual school or home school.
Q. Does the ExploraVision competition cost anything to enter?
A. No, there is no entry fee for the program. It’s FREE to enter.
Q. How many students can enter on one team?
A. Two, three or four students may be on one team.
Q. Can my home schooled students be on a team with public school students?
A. Yes, they can. Students from different schools and even different states may form a team.
Q. Do team members have to be from the same school?
A. No, team members do not have to attend the same school or the same state.
Q. How do I download the submission form and instructions?
A. Register to submit projects online*.
Instructions can be found on the brochure below.
If you can’t open the file, please download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Q. Where can I view a sample project?
A. You can download real examples of past projects here.
Q. How do I register multiple teams?
A. Once the coach registers, he/she/they will receive a link to use to submit projects.
Q. Where do I send a completed project?
A. All projects are submitted online by your coach. Submit your project no later than 7:00 PM ET, February 3, 2026. Any questions, please contact exploravision@nsta.org
Q. What is the entry deadline?
A. Projects must be submitted by the coach by 7:00 PM ET, February 3, 2026 (see our home page for any updates.). Any questions, please contact exploravision@nsta.org
Q. Will Toshiba or NSTA use my project to invent something?
A. Students who enter the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition retain rights to all ideas and products generated through their participation in the program. Neither NSTA nor Toshiba will attempt to patent any student work.
Q. Is there any summary information about the program guideline?
Yes, please see below.
Q. Can I be both a mentor and a coach for a team?
A. No, the coach and the mentor must be a different person.
Q. Can the team coach sponsor more than one team?
A. Yes! It’s encouraged.
Q. I home school my children, can I be their coach?
A. Yes, please register here.
Q. May a parent who is also a team member's coach sponsor the team?
A. Yes.
Q. How much help can our group mentor give us?
A. Teams have the option of selecting a mentor as an additional advisor. The role of the mentor is that of a resource person.
Q. Can the mentor be from out of state, or does he/she need to be someone from our local community?
A. The mentor may be from another state. If you are seeking a mentor, please contact exploravision@nsta.org
Q. I'm a parent. Can I be a coach to my children's team? Can I be a memtor?
A. Yes, you can be a coach or a mentor (not both).
Q. Who can be a coach?
A. Any adult with an interest in science, technology, engineering or mathematics who is known to at least one of the students. The coach cannot be a mentor.
Q. Who can be a mentor?
A. Any adult with an interest in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. A mentor may represent an organization or business, be a parent/guardian of a team member, or be another school staff member or community member.
Q. Do I have to have a title page?
A. No, you should not include a separate page for the title. The title is the first question on the online submission form and is limited to 50 characters.
Q. Is the abstract part of the description?
A. No, the abstract does not count as part of the description. It is not counted in the 11-page limit of the Description.
Q. Is the bibliography part of the description?
A. No, the bibliography is in addition to the description and therefore not counted in the 11-page limit of the Description.
Q. What can I include on the sample Web page forms submitted with my description?
A. Web pages may be hand-drawn on the Sample Web Page or computer-generated and may include text, pictures, photographs and diagrams.
Q. How will this competition help in my teaching of science?
A. ExploraVision offers a great opportunity to put into practice many of the National Science Education Standards. The competition is a ready-made tool for teaching the content standards, and also provides a means to assess students’ science knowledge and problem-solving abilities. Students also benefit by working on communication and collaborative group skills and taking responsibility for their own learning. And, of course, it’s challenging and fun!
Q. How can I motivate students to enter ExploraVision?
A. One of the crucial roles of the coach is to provide motivation. Whether you’re offering constructive criticism or cheering students on, you have an important role in keeping your team on track and enthusiastic. Read more about motivating your team on www.exploravision.org/motivating-your-team
Q. Where can I learn more about the NGSS?
A. You can get more information on the NGSS.