TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please read the following terms and conditions carefully before proceeding with your registration for the iWISE Exhibition.

Qualification

1. Participants must be aged 8 to 24 years old.
2. Participants must be enrolled in a recognized educational institution or with one of iWISE’s recognised partners.
3. Participants must have qualified by achieving a bronze, silver, or gold medal in one of the recognized qualifying rounds.

Ethics:

1.        Participants are expected to adhere to all ethical standards and regulations when conducting research and exhibiting their projects in both rounds of the iWISE Olympiad.

2.        Participants are strictly prohibited from working on or exhibiting projects that involve any of the following:

·      Living organisms

·      Agar plates

·      Flammable or hazardous substances

·      Brand names or copyrighted materials

·      Human or animal parts, organs, or tissues

·      Dangerous chemicals, tools, or devices

·      Photographs or visuals depicting harm to humans or animals

Plagiarism

1. All submitted projects must be original and created by the participant or participant’s team.
2. Plagiarism and unauthorized use of copyrighted material are not allowed.
3. Participants are strictly prohibited from plagiarizing another person’s artwork, project, or ideas.
4. Participants may not exhibit artwork or projects created by someone else.
5. Buying artwork or projects from another person and exhibiting them as one’s own is strictly forbidden.
6. Any artwork or project found to be plagiarized will be immediately disqualified from the iWISE Olympiad.
7. Plagiarized submissions will not be eligible for any recognition or grand prizes.
8. By agreeing to the terms and conditions, participants automatically acknowledge and accept the Plagiarism Policy

Code of Conducts

1. As a finalist of the iWISE Olympiad, I hereby agree to the following:
   1. I will adhere to the iWISE Olympiad Code of Conduct, as published on the official iWISE website.
   1. I grant iWISE Olympiad the right to use my artwork/project and photographs of myself for publicity purposes, including on the iWISE website, journals, and social media platforms.
   1. I will attend all judging sessions, the award ceremony, and any other official events. I understand that if I am not present, the iWISE Olympiad Committee reserves the right to withdraw my medals, special awards, or grand prizes.
   1. I will not approach or question the judges regarding my artwork/project if I am absent from my exhibition stand during the judging process.
   1. I accept the Chief Judge’s decision as the final and binding decision regarding my artwork/project.
   1. I will not alter or modify any part of my submitted artwork/project after completing my online registration.
   1. I accept that I and/or my parent(s)/guardian(s) shall be responsible for any expenses incurred by the organization as a result of my participation.
   1. I will treat all individuals involved in the iWISE Olympiad, including participants, judges, organizers, and volunteers — with respect and professionalism.
   1. I will not engage in any form of physical or verbal harm, including assault, sexual or physical abuse, harassment (verbal, written, or online), or mistreatment of others.
   1. I will not consume, distribute, or promote the use of drugs or alcohol, nor influence others to do so.
   1. I will always act with honesty and integrity and will not engage in cheating or deceitful behaviour.
   1. I will not steal, vandalize, or damage the property of others or that of the iWISE Olympiad organization.
   1. I will not engage in or promote illegal activities, including the purchase or sale of drugs or alcohol.
   1. I will not possess or carry any firearms or weapons of any kind.
   1. I will not participate in or encourage gambling in any form, nor pressure anyone to do so.

Supervision:

1. Participants under 14 years of age must be accompanied by a designated supervisor during the event.
2. Supervisors are responsible for their assigned participants’ conduct and well-being.

Safety Regulations

The following items and materials are strictly prohibited at the iWISE Exhibition:

• Living organisms, including plants.
• Glass, soil, rock, sand, or waste samples, even if sealed or encased in acrylic.
• Taxidermy specimens or animal parts.
• Preserved vertebrate or invertebrate animals.
• Any type of food items, including animal feed.
• Human or animal parts, including body fluids such as urine or blood.
• Plant materials of any kind.
• Chemicals or liquids of any type, no liquid substances are permitted in exhibits.
• Hazardous substances, devices, or sharp objects such as poisons, drugs, weapons, knives, or syringes.
• Open flames or highly flammable materials.
• Batteries with open-top or wet cells.
• Display elements that may cause distractions or safety concerns, including sounds, lights, Odors, lasers, or laser pointers.
• Any apparatus, material, or display item deemed unsafe or inappropriate by the Display & Safety Committee or the iWISE Society.

Refund Policy

These terms and conditions constitute the official refund policy for the 2025–2026 IWISE Competition. By registering for any IWISE program or event, all participants and accompanying individuals agree to the conditions outlined below.

1. General Refund Policy

Elite Finals

Refunds for the IWISE Elite Finals are assessed on a case-by-case basis and remain at the discretion of the Organising Committee, including in circumstances involving force majeure events.

National & Regional Rounds

Registration fees for the IWISE National Round and Regional Round are non-refundable.

Qualification Rounds

Registration fees for the IWISE Online and Onsite Qualification Rounds are non-refundable.

Extra Nights

The cost of any additional accommodation nights beyond the official program duration is non-refundable.

2. Discounts

• Gold Medal discounts are non-transferable and must be used within 30 days of the Qualification Test date.
• If a participant qualifies for multiple discounts, only the highest single discount will apply.
• Discounts cannot be applied to competition-only packages.

3. Cancellation Policy (Elite Finals)

A cancellation refers to the formal withdrawal of a registered individual from the official participant list after visa support documents have been issued, regardless of whether a visa application has been submitted.

This policy applies to:

• Participants
• Supervising Teachers
• Parent Program Participants
• Observers and Guests

Cancellation Fees

• Cancellations made more than 30 days before the event date are subject to a £845 administrative and committed-cost fee, regardless of discounts applied.
• Cancellations made within 30 days of the event are not eligible for any refund, except in cases covered under the Visa Refusal Policy below.
• No refunds will be issued where the total refundable amount is less than the £845 cancellation fee.

Non-Refundable Packages

No refunds are available for:

• Award-ceremony-only packages
• Combined award ceremony and trip packages
• Competition-only packages

4. Visa Refusal Policy

Participants who are unable to attend due to official visa refusal may be eligible for a partial refund, subject to the submission of a valid embassy-issued refusal letter.

Refund eligibility is based on the timing of the refusal notice:

• More than 90 days before the event: 100% refund
• 61–90 days before the event: 70% refund
• 31–60 days before the event: 50% refund
• 16–30 days before the event: 40% refund
• 6–15 days before the event: 30% refund
• 0–5 days before the event: No refund

Important Conditions

• Refunds under this policy are only considered when an official visa refusal letter issued by the embassy is submitted.
• No refunds will be issued for:
  • Award-ceremony-only packages
  • Combined award ceremony and trip packages
  • Competition-only packages

5. Final Notes

The IWISE Organising Committee reserves the right to review exceptional circumstances not explicitly covered in this policy. All decisions regarding refunds are made in good faith and with fairness to both participants and organisational obligations.

On behalf of the IWISE Organising Committee

General Terms and Conditions

1. Participants, educators, organizations, schools, and parents may not challenge or appeal against any decision made by the iWISE Olympiad Committee regarding disqualified artwork or projects.
2. The iWISE Olympiad Code of Conduct applies to all participants in both the National and Global Rounds.
3. Finalists traveling to the United Kingdom to participate in the Global Round are solely responsible for their own conduct and behaviour during the event.
4. Finalists traveling to the Global Round are responsible for any loss, damage, or injury to themselves or their personal property. The iWISE Olympiad Organization bears no liability for such incidents.
5. Finalists who violate any iWISE Olympiad rules must accept any disciplinary actions or decisions taken by the Committee.
6. Finalists must retain a copy or evidence of the origin of their submitted work for verification purposes.
7. The iWISE Olympiad Committee reserves the right to use finalists’ names, photographs, statements, quotes, testimonials, and video submissions for advertising, publicity, and promotional purposes on social media, official websites, and related platforms, without prior notification or compensation.
8. The Committee retains the right to edit, trim, or modify any submitted videos for promotional use.
9. The Committee reserves the right to reprint, distribute, perform, display, or exhibit finalist submissions (videos, speeches, or written works) for advertising, publicity, or educational purposes on the iWISE Olympiad’s or its sister organizations’ websites, social media, conferences, or other venues.
10. Finalists agree to be bound by the official contest rules and the final decisions made by the judges.
11. Finalists may not contest or complain about the decisions of the iWISE Olympiad judges.
12. Late entries will not be accepted for evaluation or judgment.
13. Finalists must provide accurate personal details, including name, valid email address, and other requested information to complete the registration process.
14. Each finalist’s login credentials may only be used by one person. Login details must not be shared with any third party. – NOT APPLICABLE TO IWISE
15. Finalists are solely responsible for maintaining the security of their account and password. The iWISE Olympiad Organization will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from failure to comply with this obligation. –NOT APPLICABLE TO IWISE
16. Finalists are fully responsible for all content posted and activity occurring under their account.
17. The iWISE Olympiad Organization reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate a finalist’s account access at any time, temporarily or permanently.
18. Support for iWISE Olympiad services is provided only in English and exclusively via email.
19. The iWISE Olympiad Organization does not provide insurance coverage for finalists or their artwork/projects before, during, or after the exhibition.

Liability and Damages to Property During the Global Final:

1. Participants are responsible for their personal belongings.
2. Any damage caused to property is the participant’s responsibility.
3. Any damage caused to the exhibition venue property on the part of the participant is the participant’s responsibility.
4. Any damage caused to the property of the accommodation for the exhibition on the part of the participant is the participant’s responsibility.

Media Consent:

1. By participating, you grant iWISE the right to use your name, images, and project materials for promotional purposes.

Anti-Bullying Policy:

1. Bullying behaviour will not be tolerated and may lead to immediate disqualification.

Privacy and Data Protection:

1. Participant information will be collected and processed according to relevant privacy laws.

Disqualification:

1. Non-compliance with terms, breach of conduct, or rule violation may result in disqualification.

Changes and Modifications:

1. iWISE reserves the right to modify terms if needed for the event’s smooth operation.
2. By clicking “Register,” you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these terms and conditions. Your registration is subject to compliance with these terms. Please ensure you have reviewed these terms before proceeding with registration.