Australian Science Innovations

Science Olympiads

The Science Olympiads are international competitions for secondary-school science students, where teams from 80 countries battle it out for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Every year Australian Science Innovations selects and trains three teams to compete at the Science Olympiads. The biology and chemistry teams have four members and the physics team has five.

Competing in the Science Olympiads is a huge head start in launching a possible career in science. Back in Australia, team members find themselves targeted for prestigious university courses, prizes and scholarships.

The Science Olympiads are held in July in a different country each year. Competing countries take turns to host the event. Olympians are treated as VIPs and meet senior ministers and heads of state as well as experiencing the culture of the host country.

The competition is based on both theory and laboratory work, and our teams are trained at residential camps at Monash University in Melbourne. Most of the team members are in Grade 11, although some may be younger.

Being selected for the Science Olympiads teams

1. The first step is to enter the National Qualifying Exam (NQE) in biology, chemistry or physics. These are held in August and are organised by ASI. Students enter through their schools.
2. Students who do exceptionally well in the NQEs are invited to attend the Summer Science School. Seventy students come to Monash University for a 14 day residential school, where they attend lectures and work at the laboratory bench. Staff members are made up of experienced teachers and former Olympians.
3. The Science Olympiad teams are chosen from the Summer School students, selected on how well they did at the Summer School, and on their performance in the Final Selection Exam. The new teams come together in April for five-day intensive training session.
4. Teams are formally announced at a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra, when blazers are presented by the Minister. This is held in late May. ASI issues a media release to announce the names.
5. The teams meet in July for a few days before the international competitions for a final training session. This may be held in Australia, or in the country hosting the Science Olympiads that year.
6. They then fly straight on to the Science Olympiads.