How they compare
| Compared point | Youth STEMM Award | CREST Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Youth STEMM Award CIC, a UK social enterprise | The British Science Association |
| What is recognized | Many STEMM activities across four strands | One project: an investigation, design or research |
| Hours | 45, 90 and 150 hours | About 10, 30 and 70 hours |
| Typical ages | Up to 19 | Bronze 11 and over, Silver 14 and over, Gold 16 and over |
| Assessment | Logged activities and reflections reviewed by the Award team | Silver and Gold reviewed by independent CREST assessors against published criteria; Gold must meet at least 11 of 15 |
| Entering from the US | Independent international participants register directly | Through the CREST application platform; international orders have a minimum of 10 Awards |
| Award fees (set by each program) | International independent: £90 Bronze, £105 Silver, £130 Gold, including medal postage | Global: £16 Bronze, £32.50 Silver, £55 Gold |
Fees as published by each program in November 2026. Sources: Youth STEMM Award Get involved page; CREST Gold and Global pages.
Which suits which student
The Youth STEMM Award suits a student who enjoys STEMM in many forms: running a club, helping younger students, attending lectures, entering competitions and exploring careers. It rewards breadth and sustained involvement. CREST suits a student who wants to go deep on one question and take it through planning, testing and write-up, much like real research. Gold CREST in particular gives a student a substantial project to discuss in applications and interviews.
Doing both
Many students pair them. A CREST project is a substantial piece of STEMM work, and the wider activity around it, such as presenting results or mentoring younger students, fits naturally into the Youth STEMM Award's strands. Each award judges work against its own rules, and an hour is logged only once within the Youth STEMM Award.
A note on Gold
Youth STEMM Gold is designed for students continuing STEMM study after 16 and asks for a focus on one STEMM area. CREST Gold asks for an independent, original project, with a mentor from the field strongly recommended. For American students, we confirm Gold eligibility for the Youth STEMM Award with the Award before starting at that level.
How Tallyhurst helps
We help students choose between the two or plan both, find activities and projects the right size for each level, and keep one log of activities, results and reflections. For CREST, Tallyhurst places entries for our students, so a participating school is not needed. The work and the writing are always the student's own.
Sources
Questions
Is CREST or the Youth STEMM Award better for a future engineer?
Both help. CREST gives an engineer one substantial design or build project to talk about, while the Youth STEMM Award shows broad, sustained involvement. Many students do a CREST project and log the wider activity for the Youth STEMM Award.
Does a CREST project need a mentor?
A mentor is not required, but CREST strongly recommends one at Gold and prefers one at Silver.
Do American students need a school to enter CREST?
Most entries come through schools, but a school is not essential. Tallyhurst places CREST entries for our students.
Is the Youth STEMM Award open to students outside the UK?
Yes. Students anywhere in the world can register as independent international participants.