International Chemistry Olympiad (ICHO)

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is a globally recognized Chemistry competition that is divided into practical and theoretical sections. Participants are required to adhere to guidelines set by the event's organizers. The Scientific Board of IChO develops the competition's tasks in the host country. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will host the 57th IChO, expected in July 2025. Selection for the Olympiad is determined at the national level through each participating country's chemistry Olympiads. The highest-ranking four students from these national competitions are then chosen to represent their country at the IChO.

1.0IChO 2025 Important Dates

The official notifications for the 57th IcHO have been released on the official 2025 website. You can check the details here. The important dates (tentative) for the 57th edition of IChO 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates are mentioned below:

2.0Eligibility and Participation Criteria

International Chemistry Olympiad eligibility encompasses several criteria:

• A profound understanding of Chemistry is required.
• Candidates must represent one of the IChO participating countries.
• Candidates should be younger than 20 years as of July 1st of the competition year.
• Candidates should be current high school students or recent graduates not yet enrolled in University education.
• A valid passport of the representing country is mandatory.
• Selection is based on superior performance in national-level chemistry olympiads, with the top 4 students being nominated for the IChO.

3.0IChO Participation Fee

Below are the complete details regarding the participation fee for the International Olympiad of Chemistry (IChO) 2025 and the available payment methods:

• The registration fee for each team participating in IChO 2025 is $3,000.
• Payment of the participation fee is strictly through online methods.
• Accepted payment options include Net Banking, Credit/Debit Cards, UPI, and digital wallets.

4.0IChO Syllabus

The International Chemistry Olympiad syllabus is segmented into two distinct parts.

• Experimental part
• Theoretical part

The examination questions for the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) are categorized into three distinct difficulty levels:

• Level 1: Focuses on fundamental experimental tasks that participants are expected to understand with ease.
• Level 2: Includes experimental tasks typically taught at the school level and are integral to the school's chemistry curriculum.
• Level 3: Comprises experimental tasks that go beyond the chemistry syllabus of the participating countries.

It's important to note that these levels are relevant to both the practical and theoretical segments of the exam.

Experimental Part

• Synthesis of inorganic and organic compounds.
• Identification of inorganic and organic compounds: general principles.
• Determination of some inorganic and organic compounds: general principles.
• Special measurements and procedures.
• Evaluation of results

Theoretical Part

The theoretical portion of the exam spans 12 key areas of chemistry, including:

• The atom
• Chemical bonding,
• Chemical calculations
• Periodic trends
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Chemical Kinetics
• Spectroscopy
• Organic Chemistry
• Polymers
• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

5.0Stages of The Chemistry Olympiad Program

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is held annually in July. In preparation, the countries involved receive the initial set of tasks by January, enabling students to begin preparing for the competition.

Preparatory Stage

In this phase, students are provided with a set of preparatory problems designed to aid their preparation. This includes at least 25 theoretical and 5 practical questions that cover the three levels of difficulty previously outlined.

Competition Stages

The competition consists of two stages:

• Practical Competition: Where participants engage in hands-on chemical experiments.
• Theoretical Competition: Involving problem-solving and application of theoretical chemistry knowledge.

Both parts of the competition are allocated five hours each, and materials are provided in the languages preferred by the participants to ensure clear understanding and accessibility.

6.0IChO 2025 Exam Pattern

The examination format for IChO 2025 is meticulously organized, encompassing chemistry's practical and theoretical facets. Below are essential highlights of the exam's structure:

• Practical Tasks: At least two tasks will be provided with materials for quantitative analysis. Scoring favors average results and includes points for equations, calculations, and explanations.
• Scoring System: Total score of 100, divided into 60% theoretical and 40% practical.
• Error Handling: Repeated mistakes are penalized only once.
• Units of Measure: All tasks adhere to Standard International (SI) units.

7.0IChO 2025 Selection Process

The selection process for the IChO starts with the National Science Olympiad in Chemistry within each participating country. The foremost students advance to the international stage from this national competition to compete in the IChO. Each country must nominate 5 top students from their national Olympiads to participate in the IChO.

8.0International Chemistry Olympiad 2025 Awards

Awards at the International Chemistry Olympiad 2025 are presented to the highest achieving students, with gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded based on the participants' performance.