Terms and Conditions | Talent Promotion Programmes

1. Conditions of participation

1.1. National Contest

You are eligible to participate if you cumulatively fulfil the following points:

  • You are at least 16 and at most 23 years old on the closing date for registration.
  • ll Swiss and Liechtenstein citizens or who attend a school in Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein (e.g. grammar school, vocational school, secondary school), or,
  • you attend a Swiss school abroad.
  • You have not yet completed the first year of a bachelor’s degree on the last day of the National Contest Final.
  • You have written the submitted project before the end of upper secondary education (secondary II).

1.2 International Swiss Talent Forum

You are eligible to participate if you cumulatively fulfil the following points:

  • You are at least 18 and at most 23 years old on the closing date for registration.
  • You are a finalist of the National Contest of Swiss Youth in Science, or,
  • you are a member of the Swiss Study Foundation, or,
  • you are a finalist of the SwissSkills Professional Championships or the Swiss Science Olympiads, or,
  • you have been personally invited by the National Organiser of a National Competition outside of Switzerland.
  • You are fluent in spoken and written English.

1.3. Study Weeks

You are eligible to participate if you cumulatively fulfil the following points:

  • You must be at least 16 years old and under 20 years of age at the time the registration deadline closes.

  • Who attends a school in Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein (e.g. grammar school, vocational school, secondary school, international school), or who, as a Swiss or Liechtenstein national, attends a school abroad, or who attends a Swiss school abroad

Confirmation from teaching staff and school management

To be admitted to the study week, Swiss Youth in Science requires confirmation of motivation (from the teacher) and a leave of absence (from the school management) if the study week takes place during term time. Interested parties are asked to contact their teacher and school management BEFORE registering online to inform them of their intention to participate. Once online registration is complete, the teacher and school management will receive a link via email to confirm the motivation and leave of absence.

2. Admissions and assessments

Decisions by Swiss Youth in Science, its contest’s commission and experts concerning admissions to events and evaluations of projects are final. Reviews by third parties or courts of law will not be considered.

3. Use of artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools must always be cited by participants in the same way as other aids and sources. Work without complete labelling of sources and aids may be considered an attempt at fraud or deception. The products of AI tools are not scientific sources. Even if the sources are correctly cited, it remains the responsibility of the authors to check the relevance, truthfulness or accuracy of the products. AI-based tools may only be used in a supportive capacity for assessment-relevant services. The point is to be able to take responsibility for one’s own text in the context of academic work.

4. Participation costs

Participation is free of charge. Swiss Youth in Science covers the subsistence costs (food and accommodation) of participants for the duration of the events and competitions in Switzerland and abroad. Travel to and from the events in Switzerland (for international participants from the point of entry into Switzerland) is to be organised and paid for by the participants, their parents, or legal representatives.

For participation in events abroad, Swiss Youth in Science also covers the registration fees, costs for poster printing and travel to and from the event from an airport in Switzerland.

Any additional costs are at the expense of the participant. The reimbursement of expenses will be carried out as a SEPA payment. For reimbursement payments outside the SEPA area, charges may be incurred by the recipient.

5. Insurance and visa

Participants are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate insurance cover. Health and accident insurance as well as personal liability insurance are compulsory. When travelling abroad, or from abroad to Switzerland, participants must ensure their insurance is valid at the event location. For international travel, any required visas must be organised and paid for by the participant.

6. Respect

Participants treat each other and all involved persons (competition commission, experts, volunteers, coaches, coordinators, tutors, media representatives, etc.) with respect. Discrimination, bullying, sexual harassment, and any form of assault or violence will not be tolerated. Disrespectful and improper behaviour must be reported to the project manager immediately.

7. Events

As soon as Swiss Youth in Science has confirmed your acceptance into a programme, participation in the entire event is compulsory (in the case of group work for all group members), unless otherwise stated. All activities in an event programme (lectures, presentations, excursions, meals, etc.) are binding, and the instructions of the event organisers must be followed.

Outside of the binding activities, participants may organise their leisure time unsupervised and individually, as long as the organisers do not impose specific restrictions (e.g. designated out of bounds areas, outings only with a chaperon, supervised leisure programme around the clock). As a rule, participants should respect the night-time curfew between 22:30 and 07:00.
Possession and consumption of illegal drugs is prohibited. Alcohol and tobacco may only be possessed and consumed to the extent permitted by the local legislation (observe foreign regulations!). The organisers may further restrict the possession and consumption of alcohol and tobacco otherwise permitted by local law. Any excess of alcohol (intoxication) is prohibited.

Should minors leave the event prematurely, their parents or legal representatives must be informed without delay. In case of an emergency, participants are obliged to assist one another to the extent this is possible and contact the organisers immediately.

Participants of the talent promotion programmes are available to SJf as well as to the partners, sponsors and patrons of the Foundation to a reasonable extent and by arrangement for information, interviews or events. Any costs incurred, such as travel expenses or meals, shall be paid by SJf or the organizer.

8. Intellectual property and rights of use

The intellectual property of submitted works remains with the participants. If participants intend to submit a work containing a technical invention to the National Competition, it is up to them to clarify patentability in advance. If a patent is not filed with the competent authority before submission to the contest, the patent claim may be lost.

Participants grant Swiss Youth in Science the right to publish projects and work results free of charge and without any time or place restrictions.

Swiss Youth in Science makes every effort to ensure that the author is named in publications.

9. Exclusion and suspension

Participants who do not follow the rules or behave improperly may be expelled from events and excluded from further participation altogether. These decisions will be made at the discretion of the organisers.

10. Waiver of further participation and cancellation

Participants who cancel their registration or fail to arrive without good reason (e.g. illness, accident, death of a relative) after being accepted into a programme may be required to pay an administrative fee of up to CHF 250 and compensation for damages. If individual group members withdraw their participation, they are not entitled to prizes, diplomas, etc. awarded to that work.

11. Cancellation of events

The organisation of events and participation in international competitions is the sole responsibility of Swiss Youth in Science and its partners. In the event of cancellation or postponement, there is no claim for compensation.

12. Limitation of liability

Swiss Youth in Science and its partners exclude contractual liability to the extent permitted by law.

13. Applicable law and place of jurisdiction

Swiss law is applicable to the relationship between participants and Swiss Youth in Science. The place of jurisdiction is Berne.

Berne, May 2026, Version 3.1
This document replaces any previous conditions of participation.