All entries are evaluated by three judges and those rated superior will advance to the state history fair in Springfield. More than 80 community leaders serve as judges, including a number of state and local elected officials. Student projects and performances are judged in the morning on the day of the fair, while papers are evaluated beforehand. In the afternoon, the public is invited to the Holmes Student Center to view the student exhibits, models, media presentations, and superior papers. Good awards are given at both the Illinois History regionals and the Illinois History Exposition.
Students also receive written evaluations from the judges.
The Governor's Award is given by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to the school judged to have done the most to advance the study of Illinois and local history, both in the classroom and in the community. Research and Writing Awards are given to 14 papers published in the Illinois History magazine during the school year. The Verna Ross Orndorff Award is given to the best paper published in the February issue of Illinois History magazine that is devoted to some aspect of Illinois and the Civil War, often focusing on Abraham Lincoln exclusively. Illinois College Scholarships are awarded to two high school students who write the best research paper on a selected topic. The Northern Regional History Fair is sponsored by the NIU History Department, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences External Programming, and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.