Overview
The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is described by its organisers as the most prestigious international physics competition for secondary school students. It tests knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving, clear presentation and analysis, and hands-on skills in theoretical and experimental physics. It is organised annually in a different country as a competition of nine to ten days. The details below follow the statutes copy posted by the 2021 host.
Who can take part
Each national team has a maximum of five students and two team leaders.
Contestants must be students of general or technical secondary schools who have not started university studies. Their age must not exceed twenty years on 30 June of the competition year.
Team leaders must be physics specialists or physics teachers.
Students are selected through their national physics olympiad.
Exam pattern
| Part | Duration | Maximum points |
|---|---|---|
| Theoretical examination | 5 hours, three problems | 30 |
| Experimental examination | 5 hours, one or two problems | 20 |
There is at least one full day of rest between the two examinations.
Medals
Under the statutes, gold medals go to 8 percent of contestants, gold or silver to 25 percent, and gold, silver or bronze to 50 percent, each rounded up to the next whole number. An honorable mention or medal goes to 67 percent.
Editions
The IPhO website lists the 55th IPhO in Paris, France, from 17 to 25 July 2025, and the 56th IPhO in Bucaramanga, Colombia, from 4 to 12 July 2026.
How to take part
Enter your national physics olympiad. The secretariat can be contacted through the IPhO website for questions about statutes and the syllabus.
Preparation tips
Study the IPhO syllabus in the statutes and practise past theoretical problems.
Build laboratory skills, including error analysis, since 20 of the 50 points come from the experimental exam.
Practise full five-hour exam sessions.