What is the IFST Future Scientist Competiton?
IFST Future Scientist Competition is an annual competition offering undergraduate/master’s students the opportunity to present their final year thesis/ recently completed scientific research project in front of an audience and a panel of food professionals. If shortlisted you will have 5 minutes to present your research followed by 5 minutes of questions from our panel.
Winners will receive a cash prize. 1st Place - £250, 2nd Place - £100, 3rd Place - £50.
Entries for the competition are open! Please see below information on how to enter.
How to enter
Applicants are required to submit an abstract no longer than 250 words on current work or a recently completed project. The project must be food related in areas such as food science, food technology or human nutrition. Successful shortlisted applicants will be invited to present their research to our panel and will be judged on scientific, originality, innovation, industrial applications and effective communication skills.
Deadlines
- If studying at a university in Scotland - Midnight 23rd April 2026
- If studying at a university in England, Wales or Northern Ireland - Midnight 14th May 2026
2026 Application Form
Regional Finals
If shortlisted you will be invited to present at one of our final events (based on your university’s location):
Kindly sponsored by:
Eligibility:
- The competition is open to undergraduate and masters students
- The project must be food related in areas such as food science, food technology or human nutrition
- The subject and presentation do not have to be taken from your final year project/dissertation/thesis, they can be taken from a piece of coursework or work experience. However, the project does have to be scientific research (e.g. not a new product development project).
- This competition is only open to students studying at UK universities
