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🇧🇬 Bulgarian Chemistry Olympiad

Overview

The Bulgarian Chemistry Olympiad is organized jointly by the Ministry of Education and Science (MON), the Association of Olympic Teams in Natural Sciences (established 2010), and the Sofia University Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, which authors problems, trains teams, and publishes all materials. Bulgaria was one of the earliest IChO participants, joining at the 2nd IChO in 1969, and has competed continuously since 1972.

Key Website

Competition Format

The competition follows a three-tier elimination pyramid across five age groups (grades 7–12).

  • Municipal round

    • Open entry at local level
    • Theoretical and practical/experimental examinations

  • Regional round

    • Top scorers from the municipal round advance
    • Conducted across approximately 84 regions

  • National round

    • The strongest regional performers compete
    • Theoretical and practical examinations
    • The top 4 students form the Bulgarian IChO team

Eligibility

Open to all Bulgarian students in grades 7–12. Participation is free with no prior qualification required for the first round.

Student Outcomes

Under a 2023 regulation change (Ordinance No. 8), students placing 1st–3rd at national olympiads, or earning any IChO medal, receive laureate status granting admission without entrance examination when the subject matches their chosen university programme.

IChO Performance

The official IChO results database lists Bulgaria with 15 gold, 29 silver, and 83 bronze medals. Notable achievements include two absolute world top-ranked students: Tomislav Gunchev (1989) and Victor Lilov (2024).

History

  • 1969: Bulgaria joined the IChO at the 2nd edition in Katowice, Poland — one of the earliest participating nations.
  • 1972 onward: Bulgaria has competed continuously at the IChO.
  • 1981: Bulgaria hosted the 13th IChO in Burgas.
  • 1989: Bulgarian student Tomislav Gunchev achieved absolute first place at the IChO.
  • 2000s–present: The national olympiad continues as a major science competition, with hundreds of students participating across multiple rounds.