Overview
The UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) is a competition where students solve puzzles about real languages, with no prior knowledge of linguistics needed. It also selects the UK teams for the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL).
Who can enter
UKLO is open to all ages and spans school stages from Key Stage 2 to 5. A student can start at any level and move to any other.
Levels or stages
Round 1 levels
There are four levels: Breakthrough, Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced. Breakthrough, Foundation and Intermediate are low-stakes tests where the aim is the experience, and teams may take part. Suggested time is 1.5 hours for the 3-problem Breakthrough test and 2 hours for each of the 4-problem Foundation and Intermediate tests.
Advanced and Round 2
Round 1 Advanced is a high-stakes test of 2.5 hours, and Round 2 is a 3.5 hour test. Both lead to selecting the UK teams for the IOL.
Marking and results
Participants receive Gold, Silver and Bronze awards at each level, plus participation certificates.
Fees
There are no fees for schools or students, including registration, the national competition, training camps and the IOL.
How to apply
Schools register through the registration page on the UKLO website. Exact dates for the current year are on the UKLO noticeboard.
Preparation tips
Try past UKLO puzzles, which are published on the site, to get used to finding patterns in unfamiliar languages.
Do I need to know another language?
No. The puzzles are designed so that anyone can solve them using logic.