International Chemistry Olympiad 2025: Exam Date, Pattern, Syllabus, Previous Problems

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is a yearly academic contest for high school students, concentrating on chemistry expertise and abilities. It was initially hosted in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1968 and has taken place every year. 

The IChO Competition includes both theoretical and practical tests, with each lasting for a maximum of five hours, and is intended to foster international collaboration and comprehension among the youth generation.

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India Shines at 57th International Chemistry Olympiad with 4 Medals

India won 2 gold and 2 silver medals at the 57th IChO 2025 in Dubai held on from July 5th to 14th, 2025, with all four students earning accolades. The country secured 6th position among 90 nations, marking a proud moment in its 26th participation. The team’s success highlights India’s growing excellence in science Olympiads.

IChO Selection Process 2025

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is an annual competition for high school students, but it is preceded by several national stages in each participating country.

Focusing on the Indian context, the stages leading to IChO are mentioned below:

Stage I: National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC)

This is the first stage of the Chemistry Olympiad in India, organized by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) 

Stage II: Indian National Chemistry Olympiad (INChO)

Conducted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).

Stage III: Orientation Cum Selection Camp (OCSC)

Also organized by HBCSE, typically held between April and June for 2-3 weeks.

Stage IV: Pre-departure Training Camp for IChO (PDT)

Conducted by HBCSE, Focuses on rigorous training in theory and experiments to prepare students for the IChO.

Stage V: Participation in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)

The final stage where selected students represent their country.

The IChO consists of both theoretical and practical competitions, each lasting five hours

All About: Olympiad

IChO 2025

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is organized by the Steering Committee, which is an international body assisting Olympiad organizers. 

Participating countries often conduct national olympiads to select their teams. Preparation involves rigorous training and solving preparatory problems issued by the host country.

Each country is allowed to send a team of up to four students. Students must not be enrolled in post-secondary education. Candidates should be younger than 20 years as of July 1st of the competition year.

IChO promotes excellence in Chemistry among young students, fosters international collaboration, and encourages future scientific careers.

IChO Highlights

In the below table, we have provided the essential details of the International Chemistry Olympiad.

IChO Eligibility Criteria 2025

Here are the Eligibility and participation criteria required for International Chemistry Olympiad

Age Requirement: Candidates must be under the age of 20 on July 1 of the year the IChO is scheduled for.

Educational Status: Students must be currently enrolled in a school or be recent graduates who have not yet begun university-level education.

National Selection: Participation in the IChO is determined through national chemistry olympiads in each participating country.

For example, in India, the selection process involves stages like the National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC) and the Indian National Chemistry Olympiad (INChO) followed by OCSC.

IChO Registration Process 2025

Countries wishing to participate must apply to the IChO Steering Committee by November of the preceding year.

The application requires official approval from a government or education minister or the organizers of the National Competition.

IChO Participation Fee

The IChO Participation Fee is accepted through Net Banking, Credit/Debit Cards, UPI, and digital wallets.

The registration fee for each team participating in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2025 is $3,000. Payment of the participation fee is strictly through online methods.

IChO Syllabus 2025

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is a prestigious annual competition that tests students' knowledge and skills in chemistry. The syllabus for IChO is divided into two main parts: theoretical and experimental. Both parts are categorized into three difficulty levels: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.

• Level 1: Topics commonly covered in secondary school chemistry programs.

• Level 2: Topics included in many secondary school programs but may require some explanation.

• Level 3: Advanced topics not typically covered in secondary school programs; examples must be provided in preparatory materials.

IChO Exam Pattern 2025

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is a prestigious competition held every year in the month of July. The participating countries receive the initial set of tasks by January, based on which students start preparing for the Chemistry Olympiad.

Theoretical Exam: This part of the exam covers 12 key areas of chemistry and is valued at 60 points. It is designed to assess students' theoretical understanding of chemistry concepts.

Practical Exam: This part focuses on practical skills and is valued at 40 points. It involves experiments and is usually conducted before the theoretical exam.

Both the theoretical and practical exams will last for 5 hours each and are conducted on different days. Overall performance of the candidates is based on the sum up of both Theoretical and Practical Exam.

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International Chemistry Olympiad Awards and Recognition

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is an annual science competition that rewards and recognizes the world's most talented high school chemistry students. 

• 55th IChO (2023): India secured one gold and three silver medals, placing them unofficially at the 12th position.

• 56th IChO (2024): India won one gold, two silver, and one bronze medal. This marked their 25th appearance at the IChO, with a historical performance of 29% gold, 53% silver, and 18% bronze medals.

• Gold Medals: Awarded to the top 12% of participants.

• Silver Medals: Awarded to the next 22% of participants.

• Bronze Medals: Awarded to the next 32% of participants.

• Honorable Mentions: Given to the top 10% of non-medalist participants.

• Special Awards: One award for the highest overall score and two awards for the best scores in theoretical and practical examinations

International Chemistry Olympiad Previous Problems

The official IChO website provides access to the International Chemistry Olympiad previous year problems. These collections cover a wide range of years and are useful for both competitors and educators in IChO. From the below-mentioned link candidates can access previous IChO papers, including both theoretical and practical exams.

International Chemistry Olympiad Previous Problems Link