Chemistry Olympiad

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), one of the International Science Olympiads, is an annual academic competition for high school students. To demonstrate their expertise, participating students take a series of written and laboratory exams at regional, national, and international levels. Ultimately the top ~200 students in the world are identified, ranked, and awarded gold, silver, and bronze medal status. Click here for the results of the 2023 International competition held virtually in Zurich, Switzerland. The 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, July 21 - 31.  See here for additional information.

Statement on Accommodations from the national office

The USNCO is a contest. However, the USNCO will consider providing competitors with disabilities with accommodation to enable them to compete within the rules of the USNCO to which all competitors are subject.  Accommodations that fundamentally alter the highly competitive nature of the USNCO contest and/or create undue hardship cannot be granted.  For example, in nearly all cases time extensions cannot be accommodated because they fundamentally alter the competitive nature of the exam and create an undue hardship on volunteers. Competitors must request accommodation as soon as possible to enable the USNCO to consider the request.  

Competitors requesting accommodation must submit documentation from a school official establishing that the accommodation the competitor has requested is being provided by the secondary school.  USNCO cannot proceed with considering a competitor’s request until he or she provides this documentation.  Upon reviewing the documentation, a designated representative of the USNCO will contact the competitor and/or his or her parent(s) or legal guardian to discuss the need for the accommodation, its impact on the uniformly applied rules of competition for the USNCO and any alternative, effective accommodations.  The USNCO may require the competitor to provide additional medical information and/or to authorize his or her health care provider to share relevant information with representatives of USNCO in connection with a request for accommodation.

All medical information received by the USNCO will be maintained as a confidential medical record and will only be shared with USNCO officials and representatives who need to know this information because they are, for example, addressing and/or implementing the competitor’s request for accommodation.  Competitors who have questions should email us at [email protected].

Competition levels

• Local: The exam will take place in March.  The exact times and locations will be published here later.  There are some changes to the registration process.
  

  • Parent/guardians must register students and all communication will occur through parent/guardians.
  • Registration is now closed
  • Please list your student's teacher with email on the registration as your child will receive important exam information through their teacher.
  • The exam will be in-person and on paper only.  Here is the invitation for the local exam.
  • NOTE:  There is online help to prepare for the exam at https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad/prepare-for-exams/coaching-program.html.

• National: (April) The students with the TOP 17 scores on the Regional exam may proceed to he National exam level with no more than two from any one school. This exam will also only be offered in-person at North Central College with a date still to be determined.
  

• International Team: (June) The students with the TOP 20 scores in the nation may proceed to a special "boot camp" at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. For one month, these students study intensively for international competition.

• International Competition: (July) The TOP FOUR students from the boot camp proceed to international competition, where they take exams with four-person teams from countries all around the world. 

On April 14, 2024, 14 students from our ACS section took the 2024 National Olympiad exam.  While no student qualified for the International team study camp, Joshua Mu of Illinois Math and Science Academy received High Honors for his performance.  Simon Nirenberg of Munster High school, Dylan Xianto of Illinois Math and Science Academy, and Keith Xin, of Whitney Young High School all received Honors recognition for their performances.  Congratulations to them all, their teachers, and their families!