CREST offers educators an easy-to-run framework for curriculum enhancement and is student-led, encouraging young people to take ownership of their own projects. CREST can be run in schools, clubs, youth groups, other organisations or at home.

You can submit for students (or yourself, for Silver and Gold CREST Awards) using our online platform. Create projects, add details, upload project work for Bronze, Silver and Gold, and pay your entry fees.
For Silver and Gold this is where your project will be assessed by our trained assessors.

To choose the right CREST Award for your students, think about their age and ability, and how much time they can commit to the project.  

These age ranges are just a guideline.

If you need help in choosing an award level or helping your students to design an appropriate project contact CREST Support.

Yes, you can.

The CREST Star and Superstar awards are typically completed by 3-11 years olds (this age range is just a guideline). Students should complete a series of 6 to 8 challenges, recording them in a passport and building up to a Star/Superstar award. Activities are designed to last about an hour and you don't need to be a teacher or have a science background to run them.

Read more on our Primary and early years pages.

You can find our CREST Star and Superstar challenge collection packs in our Resource Library. Each activity includes an organiser’s card with instructions, highlighted safety points and a resource list. Alternatively, you can use your own activities towards the awards, providing they meet our <assessment criteria>. When entering the CREST Star and Superstar on our online platform, you will be asked to record which 6 to 8 challenges your students have completed. In instances where you have used your own activity, please record this by choosing 'Other' from the drop-down list.  

A CREST project can cover any aspect of science, depending on students’ interest: research; investigation, design or making; as well as science communication. The most important thing is that there is an element of investigation and exploration, and that the project sets out to answer a question or solve a problem. Students can choose any type of project at any of the award levels. It’s the amount of time and complexity of work undertaken that increases as students progress.

CREST Award projects aren’t just for schools
While some may require access to a lab or specialist equipment, there are many that don’t. A whole range of youth groups and home educators also run them very successfully. From building go-carts to conducting wildlife surveys or testing which wing shapes make the best paper aeroplanes, there are lots of different ways that you can create great projects to suit your group’s activities, interests and resources.

Looking for inspiration?
Explore our Resource Library. The library includes activities you can use with your students, as well as CREST link schemes. Link schemes are STEM activities run by our partners that have been accredited by CREST, and that can lead to CREST Awards for your students.

CREST looks at science in the broadest way possible. Inclusive of all natural and social sciences along with engineering, maths and technology. We even consider arts subjects applicable if they are used in a cross-curricular way. For example, looking at the acoustic principles of music in different music halls, or how to design an outfit using the latest fashion techniques.

These are the subject areas we accept projects under:
Biology
Chemistry
Design technology
Drama
Economics
Electronics
Engineering
English
Environmental science
Food technology
Geography
History
ICT/ Computer Science
Maths
Music
Physics
Psychology
Sociology 
Textiles
Other

All CREST support documents can be found in the  Resource Library

The CREST guiding principles

The below principles are the overall ideas that govern how the CREST Awards work. They are different to the CREST criteria, although the criteria are based around these.

Real-world context

CREST projects and activities have a clear real-world context, appropriate for the level.

Problem solving

CREST projects and activities demonstrate creative approaches in developing solutions to scientific problems.

Independent working

CREST projects and activities show independent working skills, students should carry out their projects either on their own, in pairs or small groups, ideally completing their challenge independently of adults (appropriate to the level).

Decision making

CREST projects and activities should, as far as possible, support students to lead their own projects, to set their own aims and objectives and create their own plans for how to conduct the project.

Practical science

CREST develops students understanding of the scientific method, as well as research, production and/or communication techniques and knowledge related to their project.

Reflective practice

CREST projects and activities should allow students to reflect on what they have learnt.

Reporting and Communicating

CREST projects and activities should enable young people to share their results (not necessarily in a written format) and explain the impact of what they did.

Research

CREST projects and activities require students to do background research to help them complete and understand their project.

Creativity

CREST projects and activities allow students to utilise creativity and approach their project in an innovative way.

We encourage students to access support from a mentor who works in a STEM field related to their CREST project topic. Mentors can play an important role in CREST projects by offering their experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to help inspire students. They can open a window into what working in STEM can be like.

Mentors are not a requirement when taking part in CREST, however, they are strongly recommended at Gold level, preferred at Silver, and optional at Bronze and Discovery levels. To find a mentor for your project, you can:

-Request support through the STEM Ambassadors Scheme
-Contact local universities as they often have a public outreach department.

This article primarily refers to Silver and Gold levels, but is also suitable for Bronze.
There are four eligible types of CREST project: Practical Investigation, Design & Make, Research and Communication.

Practical investigation projects
Practical Investigation are one of the most common project types for CREST. They aim to answer a question, hypothesis or problem.
Practical investigation projects should include:
-A question, hypothesis or problem
-Project aims
-Planning
-Evidence
-Analysis
-Conclusion

Design and Make projects
These projects aim to design and create a product that meets a specific aim. Design and Make projects can start with a broad scope, which is then narrowed down to something more specific.
Design and Make projects should include:
-A brief
-Project aims
-Designing of a solution to a specific problem
-Testing, analysis, improvement and retesting of solution (multiple cycles)
-Analysis of final solution
-Conclusion
Example: Past topics have included designing and making a skateboard and designing and building a model catamaran.

Research projects
These projects aim to provide a fresh perspective or strengthen an argument for a disputed STEM topic through data gathering and analysis.
Research projects should include:
-A project brief or area to investigate
-Project aims
-Plans for how data will be gathered and analysed
-Critical analysis of existing data
-Conclusion
Example: Past projects have included topics such as, 'The effects of reminding students about their previous grades on exam performance'.

Communication projects
These projects aim to inform a specific audience about a topic or raise their awareness and interest in STEM.
Communication projects should include:
-A target audience
-Background research of the topic and the audience
-Design of a form of communication
-Reflection and explanation of how the communication is fit for purpose, including being pitched at the correct -age and level of understanding
-Evaluation of their communication using appropriate measures
-Conclusion
Example: Past projects have included students developing a science show; building an interactive museum exhibit that explained a scientific principle; and a radio show where students interviewed a scientist.

This support note is intended for teachers/facilitators and students who have either already completed, or are going to complete, a resource/activity/competition/scheme run by one of our partners which is also suitable for the CREST Awards.

Accredited resources do not guarantee achieving a CREST Award, but assuming students fully engage, and at Silver and Gold levels provide enough evidence of meeting the criteria, it is likely that students will achieve their award through these activities or resources.

If you are downloading an accredited resource by an external provider:
There is very little difference in terms of applying when downloading a resource from an external provider, as all CREST resources are simply downloaded and completed. For all levels simply complete the resource, complete the required documentation and apply as usual.

For Silver and Gold, we always advise having the student profile form handy, so that students can build the criteria into their work, using the checklist. You can also read the assessment criteria for Bronze, Silver and Gold.

If you are going to complete an externally delivered accredited activity in the future:
Exactly what you need to do will be dependent on each level.
<Read our full Help Centre Article ‘How do use an accredited partner resource or activity?>

For larger related schemes (for example Nuffield Research Placements) the provider is likely to be able to provide further guidance on entering for CREST. The key to entering for Silver and Gold CREST via an external provider is remembering that CREST has its own assessment process, and students will need to meet the CREST assessment criteria and evidence this in whatever work they submit.

If you are entering after having already completed an externally delivered accredited partner activity:
Awareness of CREST before taking part in an externally delivered activity is ideal, but not always possible. If you only found out about CREST after you or your students took part then follow the guidance in our full article. What you will need to do depends on each level.
<Read our full Help Centre Article ‘How do use an accredited partner resource or activity?>

Star

CREST Star activities should support students to solve real-life science, technology, engineering and maths challenges through practical investigations and discussion. Star activities should relate to situations we expect children to have already come across, or to be likely to come across.
Activities should be designed to last approximately one hour. All CREST Star activities should be designed so that you don't need to be a teacher or have a science background to run them. Students should complete a series of 6 to 8 Star challenges, recording them in a Star passport and building up to a Star Award.

SuperStar

CREST SuperStar activities should support students to solve real-life science, technology, engineering and maths challenges through practical investigation and discussion. SuperStar activities should relate to situations that children can relate to, for example the community or on broader issues such as recycling.
Activities should be designed to last approximately one hour. All CREST SuperStar activities should be designed so that you don't need to be a teacher or have a science background to run them. Students should complete a series of 6 to 8 SuperStar challenges, recording them in a SuperStar passport and building up to a SuperStar Award.

Discovery

CREST Discovery activities should offer a first introduction to project work and should be suitable for classroom, club or youth group activity days. Students should complete either a single project or a series of linked challenges with clear real-world contexts. The project can be around any STEM topic or theme.
At Discovery level, students should work collaboratively on the project or challenge(s) in self-managed groups, record and reflect on their work throughout, using a CREST Discovery passport, and communicate their findings through a group presentation.

Bronze

Bronze Awards should focus on having fun and developing transferable skills, such as problem solving and communicating effectively. They should do this whilst experiencing the project process.
At Bronze level, students should develop a project using their own ideas, taking decisions about how to progress through it, write about their findings and evaluate their project in their CREST profile form or workbook.

Silver

Silver Awards should stretch students and enrich their studies. Students should develop their own project idea and gain experience of the scientific method.
At Silver level, students should develop and lead the project, consider the broader impact of their work and demonstrate an innovative approach to solving problems. Students will need to reflect on their work throughout the project and produce evidence of their work to be presented to CREST assessors.

Gold

Gold Awards should allow students to conduct real research. There should be longer-term projects that require students to contribute something new to the scientific or technological community or to a particular field of study.
At Gold level, students should develop and lead the project, consider the broader impact of their project and demonstrate an innovative approach to solving problems. Students will need to reflect on their work through the project and produce evidence of their work to be presented to CREST assessors.

When you’re applying for university, for an apprenticeship or for a job, you can use CREST to enhance your application. The CREST awards are a well-regarded, high-quality and a tangible recognition of success.

Talking about the skills and experiences you have gained through CREST in your UCAS personal statement can help you stand out from the crowd.

Admissions tutors and potential employers will want to know what you’ve done, and more importantly what you learnt from it (not just about the subject but also skills). This helps them understand the way you think, so tell them about your CREST project and how you think you have grown from the experience.

10 questions to help you reflect on your CREST experience:

1.Has it given you relevant experience for the course(s)/job you are applying for?
2.Have you learnt anything especially valuable/useful, or has it supported your academic learning at school/college in a specific way?
3.Has it had a positive effect on your motivation /grades or changed your attitude to school/college or your future education/career?
4.Has it improved your problem-solving, communication, teamwork, analytical or presentation skills? These are the kinds of skills employers look for.
5.Has it helped you improve your practical skills or self-confidence, have you gained more from any other work experience, part-time job or extra-curricular activities that you do?
6.Has it demonstrated your enthusiasm for gaining new skills, learning new things or engaging with new experiences?
7.Has it shown that you are the kind of student who enjoys independent, self-directed learning or project work that goes beyond the syllabus you study at school or college?
8.Has it given you a valuable insight into a specific career or helped you decide what you want to do in the future?
9.Has it proved that you are the kind of person who will make the most of your time at university or contribute to wider university life?
10.Has it given you any new ideas that you might want to pursue or develop at university?

UCAS uses plagiarism-detection software to ensure that your statement is your own original work so don’t be tempted to copy and paste – it’s better if it’s your own words.

How to write your UCAS personal statement

Mentors can decide the level of their involvement – it does not have to be long-term or onerous. It can be as simple as dropping into a school/college to kick start and inspire students at the start of a project related to their career, all the way up to taking on a work experience placement student – the choice is yours!

As a mentor you may help introduce young people to an area of STEM they might not normally have access to, help them understand good project processes, and hopefully open a window into what working in STEM can be like. If you are a mentor, your role is generally to act as a sounding-board for students and the content of their project.

No two projects are ever the same, and so the mentor role within each project may also be different. You could:
-Inspire the students with a talk or help set a challenge at the start
-Suggest topics for students to research. If they get stuck you can suggest relevant articles or papers to students, with the expectation that they use these as starting point for further research.
-Provide expert information or be a point of access for specialist knowledge or techniques by dropping into an already on-going project
-Help students develop their ideas or guide them as they examine their results
-Provide or help arrange relevant work experience or an industrial visit to your place of work.
-Provide feedback on project methodologies.
-Provide alternative method suggestions for carrying out a project.
-Suggest ways to analyse and present any data collected.
-Provide guidance on how to use a consistent referencing style.

Not all of these will be necessary for every project - it will depend on the students' and the project they've chosen.

The level of involvement for mentors can vary considerably - from having an email correspondence with students and their teachers, to a few skype calls or in person meetings, or even supervising students activities throughout the project.

As such, the time commitment can range from a couple of hours to tens of hours.

How can I become a mentor?

We encourage students to access support from a mentor who works in a STEM field related to their CREST project topic.

Students looking for a mentor are usually directed to the STEM Ambassadors Scheme, so the best way to become one is to sign up as a STEM Ambassador.

There is no deadline for submitting projects for the CREST Awards, they can be submitted all year round.
If you are completing an award via a placement (most common for Gold and Silver, e.g. Nuffield Foundation) then the placement may give you a deadline. If you have queries about these deadlines then please contact the placement or work experience provider.

If you are taking part in a competition related to CREST then there may be a deadline for this. These deadlines will be separate to CREST and enquiries should be directed to the help for that competition.

N.B. If you are asked to resubmit there is also no deadline for this.

We aim to have all projects assessed within 2 weeks of payment, however during periods of high activity this can take up to 6 weeks. Please note that the submission date is often earlier than the payment date

If you pay by cheque or pay an invoice without quoting your invoice number, your payment may take a little longer to process.

Once your project has been assessed you will receive an email from CREST with assessor feedback. This will let you know if you have passed your CREST Award, if you have been recommended for a lower/higher level, or if you have been asked to resubmit.

If you have passed, your certificate will be added to our next order. 

Multi-project checkout is available for printed certificates, as you can list multiple project titles in the student upload sheet.

If you are ordering un-personalised certificates, without student names, then you will need to do a submission per project title. Alternatively, use the tips below.

If you have lots of different project titles, try using a more general one for them all

An example of this would be 'Year 7 Discovery Day' - not only does this mean you can do one upload for the entire year, your students will have certificates that show they all took part in one big event. N.B. you cannot use this tactic for Silver or Gold Awards, as projects must be assessed individually.

If you have lots of invoices, get us to make a multi-project one

Request your invoices. Once they have been sent to you Contact CREST Support to ask for one overall invoice. You will need to quote your project IDs.

Use auto-fill when checking out

Auto fill should be able to save the information for your delivery (and invoicing) address. Use this to speed up the checkout process.

Students can work in groups or teams on their projects.

Groups can submit in a number of ways for a Silver/Gold Award. There are 3 main options.

*Please note, if you have a group who have worked on separate projects, these will need to be submitted separately. One project/team per submission.*

To create a Discovery project you must register at apply.crestawards.org

<AP Move majority of copy to a search able help article>

Creating projects in your CREST account 

To create a project for Discovery or Bronze Awards, you need to sign up or log in to your CREST account. 

Once you have activated your account, log in and you will be taken to the main dashboard. 

Select your Award level by clicking 'More' and click the 'Apply' button. 

You will be shown a page that shows the first section/task you need to complete. More tasks will appear on the left as you complete sections. 

You need to complete all these tasks before you can pay for your Awards and submit. 

As you go through the rounds the website will automatically save your progress. To properly move through the process you'll need to click 'Mark as complete' at the bottom of each page. 

You will be prompted to 'Tell us about your CREST project' - click on this Task. 

For CREST Discovery you can order certificates in advance of running your Discovery project, or after you have completed the project. You will be asked at what point you are ordering the certificates. 

You will be asked if you would like student names printed on the certificate. Select 'Printed' if you would like student names printed on, or 'Blank' if you would not like student names to be included. 

If you select Printed, you will be asked for school or group name. Project title will be asked for later. If you select Blank you will be asked for both school or group name, and project title. Both will be printed on your certificates. 

Continue to click next to complete further information about your project. 

Discovery Assessment 

Once this is complete you will be able to select 'Discovery Assessment' or 'Discovery Assessment Agreement' on the left. 

You will need to confirm that your students have or will meet the Discovery criteria. You will not be able to proceed unless you confirm this. 

Claim your Award 

Once you have uploaded your project you can claim your award. This will take you to the payment process. Payment is required before we send out certificates. 

If you have a voucher code you will be asked to include it. If it is for 100% then your project will be submitted. If it is only a partial discount or you do not have a code, you will be asked to submit your payment information so that we can invoice you. You can pay the invoice by card. 

Some fields are included to make the payment process easier for organisations. 

Once complete, all you need to do is pay the invoice. 

Read our full article <How to create a Discovery project>.

To create a Bronze project you must register on apply.crestawards.org .

Creating projects in your CREST account 

To create a project for Bronze Awards, you need to sign up or log in to your CREST account.

Select your Award level by clicking 'More' and click the 'Apply' button.

You will be shown a page that shows the first section/task you need to complete. More tasks will appear on the left as you complete sections.

You need to complete all these tasks before you can pay for your Awards and submit.

As you go through the rounds the website will automatically save your progress. To properly move through the process you'll need to click 'Mark as complete' at the bottom of each page.

Upload your students' work

Once you have marked this section as complete you will see a section titled 'Upload your work' appear on the left. Select this section to open it.

You will be asked to upload a sample of project work. We recommend uploading Bronze workbooks or profile forms as the sample.

Bronze Assessment

Once this is complete you will be able to select 'Bronze Assessment' on the left. You will see a page with the 10 hour per-student requirement and 15 Bronze criteria. You will need to confirm each student spent 10 hours on the project, and met at least 11 of the 15 criteria to proceed.

Claim your Award

Once you have uploaded your project you can claim your award. This will take you to the payment process. Payment is required before we send out certificates.

If you have a voucher code you will be asked to include it. If it is for 100% then your project will be submitted. If it is only a partial discount or you do not have a code, you will be asked to submit your payment information so that we can invoice you. You can pay the invoice by card.

Some fields are included to make the payment process easier for organisations.

Once complete, all you need to do is pay the invoice.

<Read our full Help Centre Article ‘How to create a Bronze CREST project’>

Remember that we only ask for the work of 10% of the total number of students.

If your students completed their project on paper, you can scan their work and add it as a PDF.

If you want to add more than one file, please zip all the files into one package. Make sure each file is named clearly.

The file or zip mustn’t be bigger than 500MB.

If your students created videos as part of their project, we suggest you add links to the video rather than adding the video itself.

To sign up for Silver and Gold projects go to apply.crestawards.org and create an account.

Creating a project can be done by a student or educator, or by an organisation.

Once you have activated your account, log in and you will be taken to the main dashboard.

Select your Award level by clicking 'More' and click the 'Apply' button.

You will be shown a page that shows the first section/task you need to complete. More tasks will appear on the left as you complete sections.

You need to complete all these tasks before you can pay for your Awards and submit for assessment.

As you go through the rounds the website will automatically save your progress. To properly move through the process you'll need to click 'Mark as complete' at the bottom of each page.

Tell us about your project

In the 'Tell us about your project' round, fill in the fields with information for your project.

Check your spelling as the project title and other information will appear on the certificate.

Tell us about yourself/ Tell us about your CREST Award group

In the next round, you will be asked to enter information about yourself (if you are a student) or your students (if you are an educator).

Only the questions with asterisks are compulsory but filling in the other fields helps us show the impact and reach of CREST Awards.

Please make sure your delivery address is correct.

Upload your work

In this round, you will be asked to upload your project.

For information on file types and sizes see our article, <Uploading your students' work>.

Please do not include any personal details other than your name. If you include a photo make sure you have the appropriate permissions from everyone included in the photo.

Make sure to include your student(s) profile and evidence of project work.

We advise for videos that you include a link rather than directly uploading it.

You will need to confirm you have uploaded all the correct files and other submission requirements.

Claim your Award

Once you have uploaded your project you can claim your award. This will take you to the payment process. Payment is required before your project can be submitted.

NOTE, COMPLETING THE PAYMENT PROCESS WILL SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT (PENDING PAYMENT) AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY EDITS TO YOUR SUBMISSION AFTER THIS.

You will need to confirm if you have a discount voucher.

If you have a voucher code you will be asked to include it. If it is for 100% then your project will be submitted. If it is only a partial discount or you do not have a code, you will be asked to submit your payment information so that we can invoice you. You can pay the invoice by card.

Some fields are included to make the payment process easier for organisations.

Once complete, all you need to do is pay the invoice, and your submission will be passed to the assessor.

<Read our full Help Centre article ‘How to create Silver and Gold projects on Survey Monkey Apply>

What do I need to upload for CREST Silver and Gold projects?
To submit for Silver and Gold, you should upload documentation of all the work completed, including the required profile form per student.

Are there any requirements like a word count or format? Can I see an example project?
There is no required format for CREST. The main requirements are:
-The project should meet at least 11 of the 15 CREST criteria at the relevant level.
-You should include a CREST profile form per student.
-The project should be easy for the assessor to follow - for example, you can upload multiple files, but not so many that it makes assessment difficult.
-Make sure you are referencing as per the guidance for the CREST criteria at the relevant level.

We do not provide example projects as there is no one way to do a CREST project, and we do not want students to feel like there is a required format. If you are struggling with the project structure we would suggest breaking the project down into each CREST criteria.

Can I upload a video or PowerPoint presentation? Do projects need to be Word processed?
Yes, any format of project is accepted, as long as you provide enough detail to meet the CREST criteria at the relevant level. We sometimes find projects that exclusively include a PowerPoint or video may not have enough detail to meet the CREST criteria at the relevant level.
Projects do not need to be Word processed, but if they are entirely or partially handwritten it should be possible for an assessor to read the project easily.

Check out our help article on <Accepted File Formats.>

Applicants are reminded to check their work before submitting for assessment.
If you have uploaded the wrong document or forgotten to upload a document and you have submitted, there is no guarantee that we will be able to rectify this before your project is assessed.
If you do need to change your upload, please contact CREST Support. If your project has already been assessed then there is nothing we can do. If your submission has not yet been assessed, then we may be able to fix this, depending on how many other queries are coming through the system.
If you forgot to include your mentor signature this should not impact assessment of your project. Mentor signatures are not required to pass, although they do add weight to the project.

Star and SuperStar Awards

You can add or remove students at any time during the entry process by editing the numbers in Tell us about your group, so that you are charged the correct entry fee and sent the correct number of certificates.

Please note that there is a minimum order size of ten CREST Star or SuperStar Awards for orders in the UK and internationally due to the cost of postage.

Once you move to the payment stage you are no longer able to edit student information.

Discovery and Bronze Awards

If you opted for personalised certificates, to edit the student names you will need to delete and re-upload the spreadsheet.

If you have already marked this task as complete you may need to contact CREST support to re-open this part of your application. Please note, if you have already been invoiced we cannot guarantee that you will be able to make changes to your student information.

Silver and Gold Awards

You can remove students information at any time during the application process by editing your answers to Tell us about your group.

Please remove the student information from the relevant row of the table, and move up information from the other student rows if necessary.

Then change the number of students, so that you are charged the correct entry fee.

Once you move to payment you are no longer able to edit student information.

Anonymous students

For Star, SuperStar, Bronze and Discovery, you can easily submit students anonymously. For Silver and Gold if you would like to submit a student anonymously please contact CREST support.

If you’ve previously added a student to a project, and you need to hide their identity, contact CREST support. We can remove their name from the system.

How do I change my project title?

The project title is printed on CREST certificates for Discovery, Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. You’ll want to make sure it’s correct before you order your certificates.

Discovery and Bronze Awards

For certificates where you have chosen to have personalised certificates, you can edit the project title by re-uploading your student information, under ‘Tell us about your project’.

If you are opted for blank certificates you will be asked to enter the project title under 'Tell us about your project'.

If you have completed these sections and are not able to edit, please contact CREST support. Please note, if you have already been invoiced we cannot guarantee you will be able to update this information.

Silver and Gold Awards

If you have not yet proceeded to payment, you can change the project title yourself. Open the project you want to change, and edit the form Tell us about your project.

Please note that completing the payment process will submit your project (pending payment) and you will not be able to make any edits to your submission after this. If you’ve already moved on to payment, you can’t edit the title yourself. We may not be able to edit the title either, if the certificates are already with our printers. If necessary, we can arrange for reprints, although we may charge for this service.

Please contact CREST Support and we’ll see what we can do.

Student names are printed on CREST certificates for Discovery, Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. You’ll want to make sure they’re correct before you order your certificates.

Discovery and Bronze Awards

If you opted for personalised certificates, to edit the student names you will need to delete and re-upload the spreadsheet.

If you have already marked this task as complete you may need to contact CREST support to re-open this part of your application. Please note, if you have already been invoiced we cannot guarantee that you will be able to make changes to your student information.

Silver and Gold Awards

You can change student information at any time during the application round by editing your answers to ‘Tell us about yourself’ or ‘Tell us about your group’.

Once you completed the payment process this will submit your project (pending payment) and you will not be able to make any edits to your submission after this. Please make sure the [first and last] names and school or group name are as you would like them to be printed on the certificates before proceeding to payment.

Student names are printed on CREST certificates for Discovery, Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. At Discovery and Bronze level this is optional. You’ll want to make sure they’re correct before you order your certificates. CREST Star and SuperStar certificates are left blank for you to complete, so we do not ask for student names, only the number of students.

We also use the number of students that you add to calculate your CREST entry fees. We recommend you wait until you know exactly how many students you want to enter before adding students to a project.

Star and SuperStar Awards

Complete the form CREST Star or SuperStar Application Form. You can change student information at any time in the application round.

Please note, that there is a minimum order size of ten CREST Star or SuperStar Awards for UK and International orders due to the cost of postage.

Once you proceed to payment, you are no longer able to edit student information. Please make sure the delivery address is correct before proceeding to payment.

Discovery and Bronze Awards

At Discovery and Bronze level you can opt for either personalised certificates, or certificates with no name printed on them.

If you opt to have printed names you will be asked to upload a spreadsheet with student details included. Please ensure the information uploaded is correct, as the names and project title will be printed on student certificates.

Please do not change the format of this spreadsheet as it may cause issues with printing and delivery.

Silver and Gold Awards

Complete the form to Tell us about yourself or Tell us about your award group. The form you need to complete will depend on whether you're entering just for yourself, or on behalf of one or more students.

If you're entering on behalf of a student group, you can add up to 15 students to your entry.

You can change student information at any time in the application round.

Once you proceed to payment, you are no longer able to edit student information. Please make sure the names and school/colleges are as you would like them to be printed on the certificates, before proceeding to payment.

If your student is moving schools in the middle of a CREST project, you may need to make special arrangements for them to complete and assess the project. Usually, this would only happen for Silver and Gold awards, which can take many weeks of work to complete.

If you registered your student’s project with a local CREST coordinator, contact us to find out how you can move this.

If you registered your student’s project online yourself, you will need to work with their new teacher to complete the project. We are not able to move projects between CREST accounts at present.

The British Science Association is pleased to announce that CREST is now working with Children’s University. This means that activities done through CREST can now be recorded by anyone with a Children’s University Passport to Learning!

Children’s University is a charity that encourages, tracks and celebrates children’s participation in activities beyond the normal classroom curriculum. It is currently running in over 1,000 schools with more than 100,000 children aged 5-14 holding a passport. If your school is part of the Children’s University and is also running CREST, you can give children credits in their passport as you would for other school activities.

CREST and Children’s University have agreed:

-One completed resource at Star or SuperStar level = one stamp in the Children’s University passport

-One completed project or resource at Discovery level = five stamps in the Children’s University passport

-One completed Bronze, Silver or Gold Award = ten stamps in the Children’s University passport

If your school is not part of the Children’s University and you’d like to find out more about registering, visit www.childrensuniversity.co.uk/inyourarea to find your nearest centre.

Did you know you could receive extra recognition on your Big Bang project by submitting for a CREST Award? Or vice-versa? The British Science Association and Engineering UK are working together to enable you to submit your project for both! Click here for full details.

The Big Bang Competition is a a national science and engineering competition for 11-18 year olds. Projects are submitted online, and prizes are awarded at the Big Bang National event in June.

How to submit your CREST Award project for the Big Bang Competition

How to submit your Big Bang work for a CREST Award

Matching CREST Award levels with Big Bang categories

Read our full article to see how CREST Award levels and Big Bang categories align<here>.

Take a look at each level’s criteria to learn more about what is expected, to check your project meets the criteria and that it’s the right Award level for you:

Bronze criteria guidance

Silver criteria guidance

Gold criteria guidance

We aim to keep costs low and participation high, with application fees starting at £1 per student. We can maintain this through the kind support of British Science Association supporters, including statutory funders and corporate partners.

Star
UK: £1 (inc VAT) per student*
International: £5 per student**

SuperStar
UK: £1 (inc VAT) per student*
International: £5 per student**

Discovery
UK: £3 (inc VAT) per student*
International: £7.50 per student**

Bronze
UK: £6 (inc VAT) per student
International: £12.50 per student**

Silver
UK: £15 (inc VAT) per student
International: £25 per student

Gold
UK: £30 (inc VAT) per student
International: £40 per student

*In the UK, there is a minimum order size of ten CREST Awards for Star and SuperStar levels, and five CREST Awards for Discovery level. Please note that Star and SuperStar orders from the UK do not include badges.
** For Star, SuperStar, Discovery, and Bronze projects, there is a minimum order size of ten CREST Awards internationally. Please refer to our CREST application fees for international students FAQ to determine the applicable fees for your project. Star and SuperStar orders from international locations include badges.

All CREST Awards are paid by invoice.
You can pay your invoice by card, BACS transfer, or cheque. If you pay by cheque, please include the payment slip from your invoice in the envelope so that we can process your payment promptly. 
We will not print certificates, or for Silver and Gold levels assess your project, until we have received your payment. Please include your invoice number e.g. INV-1234 or project ID/number in your payment and/or remittance advice. Not including your invoice or Project ID/number can cause delays in your certificates being dispatched, or, for Silver and Gold levels, your projects being assessed. Send any remittances/purchase orders to crest@britishscienceassociation.org.

Please check with your finance department if you are still waiting for certificates.

Engage Grants
We would love all young people to have the opportunity to achieve a CREST Award, but know that the registration and support costs can be a barrier for some schools. For schools in challenging circumstances in the UK, with high numbers of pupils who are often underrepresented in STEM, grants of £350 (plus voucher codes to cover up to £350 the cost of CREST Award fees) are available.
You can apply for an Engage Grant in the Autumn and Spring terms.

Visit the Engage funding page for more information.

Engage Grants (formerly known as CREST for Underrepresented Audiences grants) are available twice a year, in the autumn and spring terms, to help support UK schools in challenging circumstances to run CREST Awards. Schools that have high numbers of pupils who are often underrepresented in STEM are encouraged to apply for £350 grant money for your school to run CREST Awards, which you can spend on materials, equipment, a field trip, teacher CPD and more! Plus, awardees will also receive up to £350 CREST Awards for free. 
For more information about the Engage Grants and other opportunities available to teachers in the Engage Teacher Network, visit the Engage community page. 

Other Funding Opportunities
For other financial support for STEM in schools, you may wish to look into the following: 

Which locations are charged UK or international prices?
The prices of CREST Awards depend on where the projects took place.

Use the lists below to see which fees apply to your project.

UK:
-England
-Scotland
-Wales 
-Northern Ireland
-British Forces Post Offices (BFPO)

International:
Any location not in the UK list will be charged international prices. Below are international locations that frequently submit CREST projects.
-Australia
-China
-Isle of Man
-Gibraltar
-Jersey
-Republic of Ireland
-United States of America
-Vietnam

Why are international fees more than UK?
CREST Awards for UK schools benefit from UK government funding, which allows us to offer Awards at a reduced price for those schools.
International schools, however, are not covered by this funding, and pay the full entry fee.

Minimum number of Awards
For Star, SuperStar, Discovery and Bronze projects outside the UK, there is a minimum order size of ten CREST Awards. This is due to the cost of international postage. These ten students can be spread across multiple projects, so long as the minimum number of students is met or exceeded.
In the event that the certificate order for international schools are posted to a UK address, we could waive the minimum order size for Bronze awards, but the international fees will still apply. Please let us know by emailing crest@britishscienceassociation.org.

If you definitely haven’t received an invoice and more than seven days have passed since you requested your certificates, please contact CREST support.

We send invoices manually, so there may sometimes be a short delay due to it being the weekend or because of staff capacity as CREST is run by a small team. We typically send invoices via email to you (and a finance department, if you provided details) within seven days.

Sometimes our emails can be caught by email spam filters, so if you haven’t received an invoice within this period, please check your spam folder. Adding crest@britishscienceassociation.org to your contact list can help to prevent this happening.

If you definitely haven’t received an invoice and more than seven days have passed since you requested your certificates, please contact CREST support. If you have any other questions about your invoice, please contact CREST support. 

You can apply for a refund if:
-You want to withdraw from your Silver/Gold project after submission, provided you have not yet undergone your assessment 
-Have overpaid
-Have paid for CREST instead of using a voucher code
-Have been charged the international fee when in the UK
-Have been charged for an award in Wales before 17 April 2025 (please provide evidence of Welsh residency).

You are not eligible for a refund if:
-You are unhappy with the outcome of your project assessment
-You change your mind after payment for a Star/SuperStar/Discovery/Bronze Award
-You change your mind after the assessment of your Silver or Gold Project has begun
-You have entered the wrong delivery address and not received certificates 
-Your certificates were lost in the post/did not arrive within 6 weeks
*Please note: Replacement certificates will be sent out to you provided you have entered the correct delivery details.

How do I apply for a refund?
Please email crest@britishscienceassociation.org with your project ID and grounds for refund.
All refunds must be sought within 30 days of paying for your award.

If your voucher code is not working, this could be for a number of reasons.

Have you typed in the correct code?
It sounds simple, but it's always good to be sure! Check that you have spelled the code correctly, using the correct upper/lowercase format.

Is the voucher still in date?
Most vouchers are time sensitive. Check that you are using the voucher within the correct period of time.

Are you using the voucher on the correct Award level?
Not every voucher is available for every level or region. Some will only be for Bronze awards and not Discovery - or vice versa. If you were provided with the voucher code by an external organisation, check when and for what you can use a voucher code.

If you keep having problems contact CREST support.

Contact CREST Support for a quote.
In your message, please tell us:
-The Award level
-How many students you’re entering
-Where the project is taking place, for example in the UK or internationally
-Your invoicing address

You can enter a purchase order number when you provide your invoice details.

Contact us to get a quote if you need one in order to get a purchase order from your finance team.

If you entered your students for CREST Awards online, contact CREST Support with any questions about your invoice.

CREST Discovery requires students to demonstrate skills including problem-solving, independent learning, organisation, teamwork, and communication.

To achieve a Discovery Award, you should confirm on your CREST account that each student has:
-Completed around 5 hours of work
-Made a positive contribution to their team effort and engaged fully with the project.
-Reflected on their learning using a <CREST Discovery Passport>

The below criteria outline in more detail what counts as engaging and positively contributing to the project.

Self-management 

Students demonstrate readiness to accept responsibility; flexibility; effective time management; motivation to improve their performance; and confidence when tackling tasks. Students describe their plan for completing the project and why they chose that approach, e.g. division of tasks according to skills in the team.

Team-working

Once set a challenge, students demonstrate they can break down their overall aim into smaller tasks, with support where necessary, recording this in their CREST passport. Students respect each other’s work and views; work collaboratively; negotiate respectfully; and positively contribute to discussions.

Problem solving

Students apply creative (imaginative) approaches when developing solutions.

Research

Students acquire new knowledge relevant to the task and apply it appropriately. Students identity different approaches to completing the project before selecting one to proceed with.

Communication

Students follow written and verbal instructions (the brief); talk and listen to other team members; produce a structured presentation which relates to the original brief and reflects the creativity applied by the group during the day.

Reflective practice

Students demonstrate the ability to recognise the knowledge and skills that have been gained – where they could have worked more effectively and where they achieved or exceeded expectations. 

Once you have marked your students as assessed on your CREST account you can request certificates.

CREST Bronze requires students to demonstrate skills including problem-solving, independent learning, organisation, teamwork, and communication.

To achieve a Bronze Award, each student should record the work done on their project either in a CREST Bronze workbook or in a separate project report accompanied by a CREST Bronze Student Profile. 
You can download both the workbook and the Student Profile from the CREST Resource Library.

Assessing the project and requesting certificates
We recommend that the person doing the assessment isn’t the same person who supervised the students in their project work.
You should review students' project work and decide which students have met the assessment criteria and have achieved their CREST Bronze Awards.

Assessing Bronze projects in your CREST account
Before you begin the assessment, you will need to upload a sample of your students work for moderation. We ask for the work of 10% of your students. E.g. if you have 10 students or less, upload 1 student's work. If you have 20 students, upload 2 students' work, etc.

<Learn more about uploading your students work>

Complete 'Tell us about your project' and 'Upload student work' to start the assessment. There you will see the fifteen CREST assessment criteria. Tick the boxes for criteria that have been met. You will need to confirm that students have completed 10 hours of project work, and have met at least 11 of the 15 criteria.

View our Bronze criteria guidance to see what's expected of projects at Bronze level.

Have questions about your assessment?

How assessment works
When your students have completed their project, you need to submit their work for assessment. An assessor will assess the work against the CREST criteria. 
If they feel that the work doesn’t meet the criteria, they will provide feedback on what the students need to do to achieve their Awards. You have the option to submit the project again for assessment. We charge £9 per submission for reassessment.
Alternatively, the assessor may offer to award a lower CREST level. In this case you can decide to accept the offered award, or work on the project further and resubmit it. 
Awards are awarded at the project level, so either the whole group achieves the award, or none of them achieve it.

Submitting work for assessment
When submitting your students’ work, you should include a project work for the whole project, as well as a <student profile form> completed by each student taking an Award. 

The profile form includes a checklist to help the student show the assessor how they met the criteria in their project. There’s also a section for personal reflection on how the project went and how they might do things differently in the future. 
Once you've uploaded all the files and completed the other applications steps, you can proceed to payment. Please note that completing the payment process will submit your project (pending payment) and you will not be able to make any edits to your submission after this. We will assess the project once you have paid the entry fee.

Refer to our article on <Uploading your students’ work> for tips on handling physical documents, and on zipping files for easy transfer.

Receiving your certificates
Once our CREST assessor has confirmed that you have achieved your CREST Award your certificate will be added to our next order.

Top tips to help your students create a CREST project

Bronze, Silver and Gold CREST Awards must meet the assessment criteria appropriate to their level to achieve their award.
Bronze projects should have around ten hours of work spent on them, Silver - thirty hours, and Gold - seventy hours.
View our guidance on what's expected of projects to meet the criteria, with examples:
<Bronze criteria guidance>
<Silver criteria guidance>
<Gold criteria guidance>
Note, all project must comply with any relevant legislation, for example the gathering and use of people's data, animal testing laws, the safe disposal of materials etc. 
The British Science Association refers to CLEAPSS on all matters health and safety related. View the CLEAPSS student safety sheets for guidance.

CREST criteria

1 – Planning the project
1.1 The student set a clear aim for the project and broke it down into smaller objectives
1.2 The student explained a wider purpose for the project
1.3 The student identified a range of approaches to the project
1.4 The student described their plan for the project and why they chose that approach
1.5 The student planned and organised their time well

2 – Throughout the project
2.1 The student made good use of the materials and people available
2.2 The student researched the background to the project and acknowledged their sources appropriately

3 – Finalising the project
3.1 The student made logical conclusions and explained the implications for the wider world
3.2 The student explained how their actions and decisions affected the project’s outcome
3.3 The student explained what they have learnt and reflected on what they could improve

4 – Project-wide criteria
4.1 The student showed understanding of the science behind their project, appropriate to their level
4.2 The student made decisions to direct the project, taking account of ethical and safety issues
4.3 The student showed creative thinking 
4.4 The student identified and overcame problems successfully
4.5 The student explained their project clearly, in writing or conversation 

For Star and SuperStar Awards, students should complete a series of 6-8 challenges. You can use your own activities towards the awards providing they meet the criteria.

<Link>

CREST Discovery requires students to demonstrate skills including problem-solving, independent learning, organisation, teamwork, and communication. Projects should meet the required criteria.

<Link>

CREST Bronze, Silver and Gold projects should meet the criteria at the standard appropriate to their project’s level. 
<Bronze criteria guidance>

<Silver criteria guidance>

<Gold criteria guidance>

Bronze, Silver and Gold projects are also required to fall under one of the four CREST project types.

Once you have paid your CREST fees and payment has been processed, Silver/Gold assessment can take between 2 and 6 weeks, depending if it is a busy time of year. 

Please note, if payments are sent without the project ID or invoice number as a reference, this can delay processing the payment, and therefore assessment, as we will not be able to identify where the payment came from.

When will I find out if I've achieved my Silver/Gold CREST Award?
We aim to have all projects assessed within 2 weeks of payment, however during periods of high activity this can take up to 6 weeks. Please note that the submission date is often earlier than the payment date.

If you pay by cheque or pay an invoice without quoting your invoice number, your payment may take a little longer to process.

Once your project has been assessed you will receive an email from CREST with assessor feedback. This will let you know if you have passed your CREST Award, if you have been recommended for a lower/higher level, or if you have been asked to resubmit.

If you have passed, your certificate will be added to our next order.

The BSA has no interest in the ownership of any Intellectual Property Rights, know how, or other rights developed under or arising from a CREST project submitted to the BSA. 

Star and SuperStar Awards are assessed in five areas:

-Problem solving

-Decision making

-Practical science

-Reflecting and discussing

-Communicating

Read more <here>

There is no set maximum or minimum word limit for any CREST level so long as it has a clear structure and meets the CREST Awards criteria at the relevant level.

We want everyone to have a fair and positive experience of CREST.
Below is the appeals process for the review and correction of mistakes or inequalities that may have been made.
Process for appeal:
-Check the grounds for appeal, below.
-Email crest@britishscienceassociation.org with your stated grounds for appeal and project ID.
-We aim to check your project and get back to you within 6 weeks.

Grounds for appeal:
-System admin error.
-Prejudice or bias that can be evidenced. You should clearly set out the reasons for the claim of bias and, if possible, provide supporting evidence.
-Suspected plagiarism has not occurred. You should state which section(s) of the project you are claiming as your own work, providing evidence that shows that plagiarism has no occurred.
-Other malpractice.

We do not accept appeals on the grounds of:
-Disagreement with the academic judgement of the assessors or the application of the assessment criteria. Details of the assessment criteria can be found on the Help Desk.
-Insufficient feedback. If you feel there is insufficient feedback from your assessor please contact us at the address below, we will review your assessment and provide additional feedback if appropriate.
-Forgetting to upload profile form or project report – if you notice this before assessment and email us in time, we may be able to add this to your project prior to assessment. Otherwise you will need to pay the £9 reassessment fee.
-Uploading multiple projects to one submission – if you notice this before assessment and email us in time, we may be able to adjust this prior to assessment. Otherwise you will need to pay the £9 reassessment fee.

You can email crest@britishscienceassociation.org with any feedback about CREST Awards or this process.

No. Do not submit your project twice.

You will need to pay for assessment for both and it is unlikely we will be able to provide a refund unless the project has not yet been assessed.

Our assessors are aware of the requirements for each level. When assessing, if they think a project should be awarded a higher or lower level, they can offer the option of upgrading/downgrading or resubmitting. This means submitting your project for 2 different levels is pointless, as it will either be awarded an appropriate level or you will be asked to resubmit.

The differences between Silver and Gold Awards are highlighted below:

Silver

Silver Awards stretch students and enrich their studies. Students develop their own project idea and gain experience of the scientific process. At Silver level, students begin to develop and lead the project, start to consider the broader impact of their project and demonstrate an innovative approach.

Gold

Gold Awards allow students to conduct real research. Students’ contribute something new to the scientific or technological community or to a particular field of study. At Gold level, students take decisions about how to progress in their project, they develop and lead the project with some support, students discuss the implications of their project and demonstrate an innovative approach.  

If you are not sure, see our help note on 'how to choose the right award level'.

Many students who complete an EPQ as part of their A-Level studies could be getting extra recognition for their work by applying for a Gold CREST Award.

CREST awards are globally recognized awards which celebrate independent student led research projects. They’re a great way to demonstrate your work and skills, with a great certificate too!

There’s a lot of similarity between the EPQ and CREST Gold. Both involve extended independent research into a student’s chosen topic. Here are the easy steps toward entering an EPQ for a CREST award.

If you have any questions about adapting EPQ project work for a CREST award, or about CREST awards in general, please get in touch at crest@britishscienceassociation.org

You can do project work in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) and count it towards your DofE Skills section through the CREST Awards scheme. Lots of people think of ‘skills’ as being related to art, music or drama, but we know that people can be skilled in all kinds of areas, including STEM.

CREST is a tried and tested awards scheme that recognises STEM project work and, just like The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, you can achieve CREST Awards at Bronze, Silver and Gold level (as well as others!)

There is a lot of overlap between the Skills section of your DofE and the criteria that you’ll be meeting as part of a CREST Award. It might be much easier than you think to achieve both of these awards!

How long will my DofE programme take?

The time it will take to complete your programme and achieve an Award is in many ways down to you. The minimum time for each section of the DofE programme is given in months.

The shortest amount of time in which you could complete your Bronze DofE programme is six months (of which a minimum of three needs to be your Skills section); your Silver DofE, 12 months; and your Gold DofE, 18 months (if you haven’t got your Silver DofE).

Why do both?

Why not? By registering for your DofE and CREST Awards you can gain twice the recognition for the efforts you put in. Both CREST Awards and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award are recognised by colleges, universities and employers.

How do the Awards overlap?

A CREST Award can count towards your Skills section at any DofE Award level.

See our <full article> for details on how the Awards overlap.

If you are doing the bulk of your CREST project in a condensed time, ensure you can extend your project over the months required for the DofE. During your programme you’ll need to do each activity for an average of an hour a week over this time.

Already done a CREST Award?

If you have started, or completed, a CREST Award before you have started your DofE programme, you can count your activity towards the achievement of your DofE Award if it was done in the preceding three months.

Delivery by Royal Mail second class post is included in the CREST Award entry fee. You may request for other delivery options with an associated cost. Please email crest@britishscienceassociation.org if you would like other delivery options.

CREST Awards in Wales

Due to budget restrictions, the Welsh Government Office for Science will not be funding free CREST Awards for all schools in Wales from April 2025.

CREST Awards for primary-aged children (UK orders)

Star and SuperStar Awards will remain at £1 (VAT inclusive) per pupil. However, for us to be able to keep the price this low and still be able to cover our costs, we have had to make some changes to the offer. From 1 September 2024, following some research and feedback from teachers about what you and your children value about CREST, we will no longer be giving badges as part of the Star and SuperStar offer for UK orders.

We will also be raising the minimum order for primary CREST Awards from five to ten, also starting from 1 September 2024. These activities are often done with a full class, so hopefully this change won’t impact you too much.

Discovery CREST Awards (UK orders)

We have kept the Discovery fee at its current rate of £3 (VAT inclusive) per student. To allow us to keep the price this low, we will be setting a minimum order of five from 1 September 2024.

CREST Awards for secondary-aged students (UK orders)

From 1 January 2025, the new fee for a Bronze Award will be £6 (VAT inclusive) per student, an increase of just £1 to reflect the necessary inclusion of VAT.

From 1 January 2025, the fee for Silver Awards will be £15 per student. The new Gold Award fee will be £30 per student.

International CREST Awards fees

International fees for CREST Awards will also be increasing from 1 September 2024.

Star and SuperStar fees will be increasing from £4 to £5. Minimum order of ten.

Discovery fee will be increasing from £6.50 to £7.50 Minimum order of ten.

Bronze fee will be increasing from £10 to £12.50. Minimum order of ten.

Silver fee will beincreasing from £20 to£25.

Gold fee will be increasing from £35 to£40.

Running normally.

Running normally.

There are 11 Regional CREST Support Organisations (RCSOs) around the UK, who support the British Science Association to promote the CREST scheme and support schools to deliver CREST.

To find out more about your RCSO, please click on the link below