Australian Science Olympiad - Chemistry¶
Key Website¶
Organizer¶
Australian Science Innovations (ASI) is a registered charity incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory. It operates as a not-for-profit entity and has been responsible for selecting and training Australia's International Science Olympiad teams for over 35 years. ASI's principal sponsor is the Australian Government's Department of Industry, Science and Resources. The Australian National University (ANU) is a major partner, hosting the residential Summer School and providing academic staff.
Competition Structure¶
Stage 1 — ASO Chemistry Exam¶
- Format: A two-hour examination (10 minutes reading time + 120 minutes writing time) worth 120 marks.
- Section A: 15 multiple-choice questions (30 marks total)
- Section B: 3 extended-response problems, each with several sub-questions (90 marks total)
- Delivery: Administered online via the Janison Assessment Platform under teacher supervision at schools.
- Timing: Typically held mid-year.
- Participation: Approximately 6,000 students across all four science disciplines sit the qualifying exams each year; the chemistry exam alone attracts thousands of entrants.
Stage 2 — Summer School at ANU¶
- Invitation: The top-scoring eligible students from the qualifying exam are invited — 24 per subject, 96 total across all four disciplines.
- Timing and location: A two-week intensive residential programme held in January at the Australian National University in Canberra.
- Programme: Lectures, tutorials, and hands-on laboratory practicals at university level, delivered by academic staff and experienced mentors.
Stage 3 — Team Selection and Training¶
- During and after Summer School, further assessments narrow the cohort to a four-person IChO team for chemistry.
- Selected team members attend additional residential training camps.
- The team is presented with official Australian uniforms at a ceremony at Parliament House before departing for the international competition.
Student Outcomes¶
Programme alumni pursue studies and careers in STEM at leading Australian and international universities:
- ANU Science Olympiad Scholarship: The Australian National University offers a scholarship of $5,000 per year for up to three years to students who have represented Australia and won a gold medal at an International Science Olympiad, provided they achieve an ATAR of 95 or above.
- Rhodes Scholarships and postgraduate study: Former Olympiad participants have gone on to win Rhodes Scholarships and pursue research careers at institutions including ANU and ANSTO.
- STEM leadership: Alumni hold senior positions including director-level roles at national research institutes and in finance.
History¶
- 1988: Australia first sent a chemistry team to the IChO (20th IChO, Espoo, Finland), winning 1 silver and 1 bronze medal.
- Early 1990s: The ANU Summer School was established as the second-stage selection and training mechanism; it has run for over 30 years.
- 1994: Australia won its first IChO gold medal in chemistry.
- 2001 and 2005: Australia achieved its best IChO chemistry results, winning 2 gold medals in each year.
The qualifying exam was historically known as the "National Qualifying Exam" (NQE); it was rebranded to the "ASO Chemistry Exam" in recent years and transitioned from paper-based to online delivery.
Lifetime medal totals from the official IChO results database:
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Honorable Mention |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 52 | 85 | 3 |
The team typically returns with a mix of silver and bronze medals; gold medals have been earned in multiple decades.
Past Exams Archive¶
Since 2012¶
Starting from 2012, the exam is called Australian Sience Olympiad - Chemistry.
| Year | Question | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Link | Link |
| 2024 | Link | Link |
| 2023 | Link | Link |
| 2022 | Link | Link |
| 2021 | Link | Link |
| 2020 | Link | Link |
| 2019 | Link | Link |
| 2018 | Link | Link |
| 2017 | Link | Link |
| 2016 | Link | Link |
| 2015 | Link | Link |
| 2014 | Link | Link |
| 2013 | Link | Link |
| 2012 | Link | Link |
Before 2011¶
Before 2011, the exam was called National Qualification Exam - Chemistry, meaning that students must pass the qualification round to be further selected in the national Olympiad team. Some historical selection round exams were also published.
| Year | Qulification Round | Solution | Selection Round - Theory | Selection Round - Experiment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Link | Link | ||
| 2010 | Link | Link | ||
| 2009 | Link | Link | ||
| 2008 | Link | Link | ||
| 2007 | Link | Link | ||
| 2006 | Link | Link | ||
| 2005 | Link | Link | ||
| 2004 | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2003 | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2002 | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2001 | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2000 | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 1999 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1998 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1997 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1996 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1995 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1994 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1993 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1992 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1991 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1990 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1989 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1988 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 1987 | Link |