Chemistry Olympiad

The 2025 NZ team: Kelly Liu (Pinehurst School), Joseph Guo (Hamilton Boys High), Alex Zhao (Westlake Boys High) and Cael Sia (Rangitoto College).

NZ Chemistry Olympiad competition

The NZChO test, typically in late September, is an opportunity for all students to be challenged and test skills that will extend them and prepare them for external exams. It is designed for any Y12 or below student. The September exam will be based on knowledge required for L2 NCEA Chemistry – extracurricular study is not expected.

Students will be awarded Gold, Silver, Bronze and Merit certificates based on their level of achievement.

International Chemistry Olympiad

The International Chemistry Olympiad, IChO, started in Eastern Europe in 1968 and has grown to about 90 countries with New Zealand first competing in 1992. The 58th Olympiad is to be held in Uzbekistan in July 2026. The New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad Trust is a member of the Science Olympianz Association.

The results of the NZChO competition in September will be used to select the students to be invited to participate in a training group. This group will be provided with a series of modules that they can complete over the summer and that will extend their chemistry knowledge (up to a level suitable to help prepare students for Scholarship Chemistry). Note: If you were in the training group previously, you do not need to sit the NZChO competition again in September. You may be directly included in the training team, but you must confirm this to Dr Jan Giffney by email (jan@giffney.co.nz).

Students in the training group will be invited to participate in a selection test for a residential camp in Auckland; the camp is normally held during the Term 1 school holidays. During this camp, students will participate in lectures and labs, with final exams to determine the four students to represent New Zealand at the annual International Chemistry Olympiad competition. However, note that the following additional criteria will apply for eligibility to attend the camp:

To be eligible to attend the camp, students must be under 20 and must be fully enrolled at high school prior to the IChO in July, but may do up to 2 courses at University level (excluding chemistry courses) prior to the international competition. Students must also be a NZ Citizen or permanent resident, and have attended school in NZ for at least two of the last 4 years at the time of accepting a place at the camp for the training group. Students must be at least 15 years of age at the time of the camp. No more than three students will be selected from any one school.

Registration for New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad competition

Registration will begin in June and will remain open until 8 September 2025 for the test on about 15 September 2025.

The cost for registration is $40 + fees (the fees are donated to education charities). Contact us if you require invoicing. Also, we are trialling an option in which teachers may submit one excel spreadsheet of their student entries (email owen.curnow@canterbury.ac.nz for the template). The school will then receive one invoice of $40 per student, capped at $600. So, there will be no extra cost for more than 15 students. The deadline for this submission is 8 September 2025.