CREST Appeals Process

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 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.  

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 email CREST Support at crest@britishscienceassociation.org.

Read more about award levels in our article CREST Award levels overview.

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

Can I use my own activities for the Star and SuperStar CREST awards?

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 CREST application platform 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.

This FAQ 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.

How to choose a project idea

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.

Eligible project subject areas

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

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.

How can I get a mentor for my CREST Award?

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.

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

Learn how to create projects in your CREST account in our full Help Centre Articles:

How to create a Discovery project

How to create a Bronze project

To apply 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.

Read our full Help Centre article How to create Silver and Gold projects.

Tips for uploading Bronze project work

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.

What do I need to upload for CREST Silver and Gold projects?
To apply 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.

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 application 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 achieved your CREST Award, if you have been recommended for a lower/higher level, or if you have been asked to resubmit.

If you have been awarded a CREST Award, your certificate will be added to our next order. 

Students can work in groups or teams on their projects.

Groups can apply 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 application.*

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

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

Matching CREST Award levels with Big Bang categories

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. 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.

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 email CREST support at crest@britishscienceassociation.org.

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: 

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 are still having an issue. email CREST Support at crest@britishscienceassociation.org

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. 

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.

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.

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.

If you entered your students for CREST Awards, email CREST Support at crest@britishscienceassociation.org with any questions about your invoice.

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

Star and SuperStar Awards are assessed 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.

If you need help creating your project, read How to create a Discovery project.

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 the sections '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

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:

Star and SuperStar activity structure/assessment criteria

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

Discovery assessment criteria

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

We will be undergoing scheduled maintenance for approximately 1 hour beginning at 3:00AM EDT on 22 July 22 2025. This SurveyMonkey Apply site will be unavailable during this period. Please visit the site's Status Page for updates regarding this maintenance period.

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