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🇧🇷 Brazilian Chemistry Olympiad (Olimpíada Brasileira de Química)

Overview

The Olimpíada Brasileira de Química (OBQ) is Brazil's national chemistry competition for secondary-school students, promoted by the Associação Brasileira de Química (ABQ) and coordinated by the Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) and the Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI). It covers all 27 Brazilian states and has accumulated approximately 500,000 participants across all levels since its founding. The programme also encompasses a junior olympiad (OBQJr), a female olympiad (Quimeninas), and a university-level competition (OBSQ).

Key Website

Competition Format

The OBQ uses a multi-stage pyramid structure.

  • State Olympiads (Phases I–II)

    • Each of the 27 states runs its own chemistry olympiad as the qualifying gateway
    • Typically one or two written examinations
    • Over 50,000 students participate in state-level events in recent editions

  • National Phase (Phases III–VI)

    • Each state may advance up to 120 students (70 in Modality A, 50 in Modality B)
    • Phase III: National theoretical examination; medals and honorable mentions awarded
    • Phase IV: Laboratory-knowledge evaluation via video experiments (Modality A medalists only)
    • Phase V: Advanced chemistry course for the top ~15 performers
    • Phase VI: Final theoretical evaluation to select national teams

  • International Team Selection

    • Top 4 scorers represent Brazil at the IChO
    • 5th through 8th place represent Brazil at the Ibero-American Chemistry Olympiad (OIAQ)

Eligibility

Open to high-school students (ensino médio) in public or private schools. Modality A covers 1st–2nd year students; Modality B covers 3rd-year students. Participation is free.

Student Outcomes

OBQ medalists can gain direct admission to major Brazilian universities through "vagas olímpicas" (olympic spots), bypassing the traditional entrance examination:

  • USP (Universidade de São Paulo): Typically offers 234+ olympic spots across 100+ courses
  • Unicamp (Universidade Estadual de Campinas): Allocates ~133 olympic spots
  • Unesp (Universidade Estadual Paulista): Offers ~451 olympic spots
  • Combined, the three major São Paulo state universities offered over 800 olympic admission spots in recent cycles

IChO Performance

The official IChO results database lists Brazil with 3 gold, 23 silver, and 54 bronze medals, and 7 honorable mentions.

History

  • 1986: The OBQ was founded through an initiative of the Chemistry Institute at the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), initially involving five states.
  • 1989–1995: The competition was suspended for approximately seven years.
  • 1996: Revived by UFC, UECE, and UFPI, establishing the coordination model that continues today.
  • 1999: Brazil made its IChO debut at the 31st IChO in Bangkok, Thailand.
  • Present: The OBQ covers all 27 Brazilian states with over 30 years of continuous operation.