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Olympiad
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

UK Chemistry Olympiad

A three-stage competition starting with a written Round 1 sat in school; ~30 top scorers progress to Round 2 and four students represent the UK at the International Chemistry Olympiad. 17,000+ students from 1,150+ schools took part in Round 1 in 2026.

Official application Source

Interest areas

Chemistry Problem Solving STEM Medicine Olympiad Prep

Who it is for

  • Institutions teaching 16-19 year-olds in the British Isles
  • Entered through a school/college
  • 70%+ of entrants achieve a gold/silver/bronze award

What students gain

  • Gold/silver/bronze certificates and national recognition
  • Progression toward UK IChO selection
  • Demanding problems extending A-level chemistry

Application steps

  1. Teacher registers the school with the RSC
  2. Students sit the Round 1 paper in late January
  3. Top scorers are invited to Round 2