Czech Chemistry Olympiad¶
Chemická olympiáda
Overview¶
The Chemická olympiáda is the Czech Republic's national chemistry competition, managed by VŠCHT Praha (University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague) under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT). The supreme governing body is the Ústřední komise ChO (Central Commission of the Chemistry Olympiad), with institutional support from the Czech Chemical Society (ČSCH), Charles University, and the IOCB Foundation. The Czech Republic — as part of former Czechoslovakia — is the birthplace of the IChO: the very first International Chemistry Olympiad was held in Prague in 1968.
Key Website¶
Additional Resources¶
Competition Format¶
The competition is organized in five categories by age and grade level. Categories A (final two years of gymnasium) and E (vocational schools) compete through school, regional, and national rounds and are used for IChO selection. Categories B, C, and D serve younger students and compete through school and regional (or district) rounds.
Each round typically includes both theoretical and practical (experimental) components. Total annual participation across all categories and stages exceeds 7,000 students nationwide. The national round (Categories A and E) brings together approximately 65 top students from all Czech regions.
IChO Selection¶
The top 16 students from the national round are invited to a theoretical training camp; the top 8 advance to a practical camp; and the final 4 form the Czech IChO team. A separate team of 2 students is selected for the Grand Prix Chimique.
Eligibility¶
Participation is voluntary. Students compete in the category matching their current grade level but may enter a higher category. Registration is online through the official portal.
Student Outcomes¶
Top performers receive university admission benefits:
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science grants entrance exam waivers for students who placed in the regional or national round
- VŠCHT Praha typically admits chemistry students without entrance exams based on academic profile
- Charles University, Faculty of Science considers olympiad success as a strong differentiator
IChO Performance¶
The official IChO results database lists the Czech Republic (1993–present) with 25 gold, 54 silver, and 48 bronze medals, and 1 honorable mention across 34 participations.
The combined Czechoslovakia + Czech Republic heritage totals 42 gold, 72 silver, and 69 bronze medals, and 8 honorable mentions.
History¶
- 1968: The 1st International Chemistry Olympiad was held in Prague (18–21 June), with three participating countries: Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Hungary. Czechoslovakia is a founding nation of the IChO.
- 1971: The IChO was not held (the only cancellation in its history).
- 1985: The 17th IChO was held in Bratislava (then Czechoslovakia), where the official IChO flag tradition began.
- 1993: Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic began competing independently.
- 2018: The 50th IChO was co-hosted by Prague and Bratislava, jointly organized by the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with over 300 students from 76 countries. Opening ceremony in Bratislava; closing ceremony at the Rudolfinum in Prague.