Swiss Chemistry Olympiad
Schweizer Chemie-Olympiade
Key Website
Overview
The Swiss Chemistry Olympiad (Schweizer Chemie-Olympiade, SwissChO) is Switzerland and Liechtenstein's national chemistry competition for secondary-school students. It is organized by Verein SwissChO (the Swiss Chemistry Olympiad Association) under the umbrella of the Swiss Science Centers network. The competition is notable for offering exams in four languages — German, French, Italian, and English — reflecting Switzerland's multilingual character.
Logo
Open to secondary-school students in Switzerland and Liechtenstein who have not yet begun university studies.
The SwissChO is conducted in three progressive stages.
- Round 1 (online qualifying round)
- A 40-minute multiple-choice examination taken online at schools
- Typically held in late summer (August–September)
- Approximately 170 students enter in recent editions
- Round 2 (central preparation and examination)
- Qualifying students attend a weekend preparation event, typically in November
- Around 40–50 students participate in the second written examination
- Conducted in German, French, Italian, and English
- Finals week
- Typically held in spring at a Swiss university (often ETH Zurich)
- Includes both theoretical and experimental (practical) examinations
- The top 4 students form the IChO delegation
History
- 1987: Switzerland first participated in the International Chemistry Olympiad.
- 2006–07: The first Swiss Chemistry Olympiad was organized under the Swiss Science Centers network.
- 2023: Switzerland hosted the 55th IChO at ETH Zurich (16–25 July), with about 90 participating countries.
- The national programme is run as the Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad, with participants from both countries.
The official IChO results database lists Switzerland with 2 gold, 5 silver, and 45 bronze medals, and 15 honorable mentions. In recent years, the Swiss delegation has shown steady improvement, with all four team members earning medals in one recent competition — a first for the programme. Liechtenstein students also participate through the joint Swiss-Liechtenstein programme.
Past Exams Archive
2026: 20th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
2025: 19th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
2024: 18th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
2023: 17th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
2022: 16th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
2021: 15th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
2020: 14th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
| Round |
Language |
Q/A |
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| Round 1 |
English |
Question |
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| Round 1 |
German |
Question |
Link |
| Round 1 |
French |
Question |
Link |
| Round 1 |
Italian |
Question |
Link |
| Round 1 |
English |
Solution |
Link |
| Final - Theory |
English |
Question |
Link |
2019: 13th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
| Round |
Language |
Q/A |
Download |
| Final - Theory |
English |
Question |
Link |
2018: 12th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
| Round |
Language |
Q/A |
Download |
| Round 1 |
English |
Question |
Link |
| Round 1 |
German |
Question |
Link |
| Round 1 |
French |
Question |
Link |
| Round 1 |
Italian |
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| Round 2 |
German |
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| Final - Experiment |
English |
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Link |
| Final - Experiment |
German |
Question |
Link |
2017: 11th Swiss and Liechtenstein Chemistry Olympiad
| Round |
Language |
Q/A |
Download |
| Round 2 |
English |
Question |
Link |
| Round 2 |
German |
Question |
Link |
| Round 2 |
French |
Question |
Link |
| Round 2 |
German |
Solution |
Link |
| Final - Theory |
German |
Question |
Link |
| Final - Theory |
French |
Question |
Link |
| Final - Theory |
German |
Solution |
Link |
| Final - Experiment |
English |
Question |
Link |
| Final - Experiment |
English |
Solution |
Link |
Before 2017
Collection of 2007-2017 (German): Link