About CREST

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.

Find out more about how to run CREST here. 

You can apply for students (or yourself, for Silver and Gold CREST Awards) using our application 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.

If you need help in choosing an award level or helping your students to design an appropriate project browse CREST Award levels or email CREST Support at crest@britishscienceassociation.org.

All CREST support documents can be found in the  Resource Library.

Yes, you can.

You can find our CREST Star and SuperStar challenge collection packs in our Resource Library. 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 CREST application 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.

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.

Find out more on our Primary and early years pages.

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.

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.

You can apply for students (or yourself, for Silver and Gold CREST Awards) using our application platform. On this site you will create project applications, add details, upload project work for Bronze, Silver and Gold, and pay your entry fees. For Silver and Gold this is where projects are assessed by our trained assessors.

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.

Read our help centre article 'Editing your CREST application' to find out how to:

- add or remove students from a project

- change student names

- change the project title.

For any other enquiries email us at crest@britishscienceassociation.org

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.

Students can work in groups or teams on their Silver/Gold projects. Groups can have a maximum of 15 members.

Groups can apply in a number of ways for a Silver/Gold Award. Read more about group submissions in this help centre article.

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

In all cases, each student must complete their own Student Profile Form.

Applicants are reminded to check their work before applying for assessment.

If you have uploaded the wrong document or forgotten to upload a document and you have applied, 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 application 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, although they do add weight to the project.

Contact CREST Support by emailing crest@britishscienceassociation.org.

Did you know you could receive extra recognition on your Big Bang project by applying 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

CREST Award application fees for each Award level can be found on our CREST Award levels page. 

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.

CREST Awards are free in Scotland thanks to James Weir Foundation.

*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. Star and SuperStar orders from international locations include badges.

All CREST Award fees are paid by invoice.

You can pay your invoice by card, BACS transfer, or cheque. It is not possible to pay over the phone. 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.

If you have a voucher code towards your CREST Award application fees, you will be prompted to enter that during the payment stage of your application.

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 are available.

You can apply for an Engage Grant in the Autumn and Spring terms. Visit the Engage funding page for more information.

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 email CREST support.

If you have any other questions about your invoice, please email CREST support.

Email CREST Support at crest@britishscienceassoication.org 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.

Email us at crest@britishscienceassociation.org to get a quote if you need one in order to get a purchase order from your finance team.

You can apply for a refund if:

- You want to withdraw from your Silver/Gold project after application, 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

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.

To 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.

Bronze, Silver and Gold CREST Awards must meet the assessment criteria appropriate to their level to achieve their award.

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.

Star and SuperStar Awards are assessed by the group leader, educator or parent in five areas:

- Problem solving

- Decision making

- Practical science

- Reflecting and discussing

- Communicating

Read more in our Help Centre Article Star and SuperStar activity structure/assessment criteria.

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.

Read more about the assessment criteria in our Help Centre article Discovery assessment criteria.

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.

Bronze projects are assessed by the group leader, educator or a parent/guardian.
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 if the students have met the assessment criteria and have achieved their CREST Bronze Awards.

Read more on how to assess Bronze projects here.

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

When your students have completed their project, the work must be submitted for assessment through our application platform. An assessor will assess the work against the CREST criteria. Projects must meet at least 11 out 15 of our assessment criteria to achieve an Award.

If an assessor feels 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 with a fee attached.

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.

Read more about Silver assessment and Gold assessment in our Help Centre articles.

How long does Silver/Gold assessment take?

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. 

CREST Appeals Process

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.

CREST certificates are printed every Wednesday. To be included in that week’s print run, your order must be paid in full by 11.59PM on the Monday before. For Silver and Gold Awards, the project must have been successfully assessed and achieved the Award.

Certificates are posted via Royal Mail Second Class as standard. For UK addresses, delivery usually takes three to six weeks after printing. Please note that international deliveries may take longer, depending on local postal services. If you would like to arrange First Class or couriered delivery, please email us at crest@britishscienceassociation.org. Please note: additional charges apply for these services.

Certificates sent to UK addresses usually arrive within three to six weeks after we receive your payment. Postage to addresses outside the UK may take longer, depending on local postal services. For Silver and Gold Awards, delivery depends on the project being successfully assessed.

To avoid delays, please ensure your payment includes the correct reference details. Incorrect or missing references may delay:

- The posting of your certificates
- The assessment process (for Silver and Gold Awards)

Certificates are printed every Wednesday. We only process certificates that have been successfully submitted, paid for, and assessed (for Silver and Gold). This weekly schedule helps us maintain high-quality standards while keeping CREST entry fees as low as possible.

Certificates are posted via Royal Mail Second Class as standard. If you would like to arrange First Class or couriered delivery, please email us at crest@britishscienceassociation.org. Please note: additional charges apply for these services.

CREST is unable to email copies of your certificate.

Delivery by Royal Mail second class post is included in the CREST Award entry fee. If you would prefer a different delivery method (such as first class or courier), this can be arranged for an additional cost.

To request an alternative delivery option, please email crest@britishscienceassociation.org and include your project ID or reference number in the message.

For Star, SuperStar, Discovery, and Bronze Awards, we print and post your certificates once your entry fees have been paid.

For Silver and Gold Awards, we print and post your certificates once our assessor has confirmed that you've successfully achieved the Award.

Delays in certificate delivery are usually due to delays in payment of application fees. If you’ve passed your invoice to someone else for payment, we suggest you check with them first. Please note: It can take up to seven working days for payments to reach us, depending on the payment method.

Certificates are posted via Royal Mail Second Class as standard. For UK addresses, delivery usually takes three to six weeks after printing. Please note that international deliveries may take longer, depending on local postal services.

If you’re certain your entry fees have been paid, please email CREST support at crest@britishscienceassociation.org and we’ll investigate.

If there is a mistake on your certificates, email CREST Support at crest@britishscienceassociation.org.

If the error was in the data you uploaded then there may be a charge. If the error was definitely on our end we will reprint your certificates free of charge.

Unfortunately we are not able to provide stickers for the CREST Star and SuperStar passports. We recommend finding some stickers that children like and using these to fill in the passport to track their progress.

Since 1 September 2024 Star and SuperStar badges are no longer included in UK orders as standard.

The fees for Star and SuperStar Awards remains at £1.00 (VAT inclusive) per pupil. To keep the price this low and still cover our costs, we no longer include badges. Please contact crest@britishscienceassociation.org if you require more information.

CREST Awards are free in Scotland thanks to James Weir Foundation.

Find out more on our Free CREST in Scotland page.

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.