Frequently Asked Questions

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology and thousands of individuals – from students, to scientists to chefs and musicians – get involved, taking part in science events across the nation.

Science Week is designed for everyone – it’s definitely not restricted to schools and universities – with events and activities and talks and shows for every age group.

It provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists’ to the world of knowledge. It also aims to encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public, and to encourage younger people to become fascinated by the world we live in.

The dates for National Science Week for the next few years are:

2021: 14 – 22 August
2022: 13 – 21 August
2023: 12 – 20 August
2024: 17 – 25 August

Due to COVID-19 many events are being held online. You can browse them and search for local real-world events in the Event Diary.

Each event is run by an individual organisation, who may or may not offer a catch-up recording. Contact the event holder to ask.

Staging an event is a great way to be a part of National Science Week. Due to COVID-19 many events are being held online or are activities designed to do at home.

The first step is to work out what you’d like to do, and what you might need to make that happen – we’ve got guides on how to run a public event, how to generate publicity and a bunch of helpful templates (4.2 MB, zip) that show you how to do things such as write press releases, book an advertisement or get yourself on local radio.

Our ready-to-use event ideas include pub trivia questions (660 kB, pdf) or you can register to host a Brain Break Morning Tea with activities and a quiz at your work or school. There are also special event guides for libraries (6MB, pdf) and for early childhood carers (5 MB, pdf).

You can use our logo and science characters to promote your event and there is an event evaluation toolkit for helping you to learn what your audience thought of your efforts.

You can also get in contact with the Coordinating Committee in your state or territory for local advice.

You first need to register on this website as an event organiser – then you’ll be able to upload and manage your event details onto the diary for everyone to see. Event registration opens in March each year. You can register your events as either public or private – about half of the events that are registered each year are private.

If you’re a teacher, a pupil or a parent wanting to present a Science Week event at your local school, have a look at the Schools page for suggestions. There are many ideas for events to run in your school and some advice to assist you. The free annual teacher resource book has detailed lesson plans for classes from Foundation through to Year 10.

It may also be a good idea to contact your local representative of the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA).

ASTA also provide grants of up to $500 for schools to hold National Science Week events.

We’ve also got an activity book (5 MB, pdf) for early childhood educators and carers.

The national grant round is usually open for applications around October for events in the following year.

Local state and territory Science Week coordinating committees often have grant rounds in the first half of the year.

Schools can apply for up to $500 to assist with a special activity.

You can subscribe to receive email updates about grants and assistance including about the National Science Week Grants when they are published online.