Finland High School Chemistry Competition¶
Lukion kemiakilpailu
Overview¶
The Lukion kemiakilpailu (Finnish High School Chemistry Competition) is Finland’s national chemistry olympiad, organized by MAOL ry (Matemaattisten Aineiden Opettajien Liitto — the Association of Teachers of Mathematical Subjects). MAOL has been running science olympiads in Finland for decades and is the official body responsible for selecting Finland’s IChO team. The competition is distinctive in offering exams in three languages — Finnish, Swedish, and English — and in providing two difficulty levels: Base and Open.
Key Website¶
Competition Format¶
Open to students enrolled in Finnish upper secondary schools (lukio) and vocational schools. The use of the Abitti digital examination system in recent years reflects Finland’s broader shift towards digital assessment.
The Finnish chemistry competition operates on two levels to accommodate students of different backgrounds and ambitions.
- Base series — the standard competition level, aimed at students with a solid grounding in high-school chemistry
- Open series — the advanced level, used as the primary pathway for IChO team selection
The competition is conducted in two rounds:
-
Preliminary round (alkukilpailu)
- Held in October–November at schools across Finland
- Students choose either the Base or Open series
- Exams are available in Finnish, Swedish, and English
-
Final round (loppukilpailu)
- Top scorers from the preliminary round are invited to the national final
- Typically held in January–February
- The Open series final is more demanding and determines IChO selection candidates
Top performers in the Open series (typically the top 10) receive direct admission to chemistry and related science programmes at Finnish universities, bypassing the standard entrance examination. This is part of Finland’s national policy of granting university admission benefits to olympiad achievers.
IChO Performance¶
The official IChO results database lists Finland with 0 gold, 9 silver, and 68 bronze medals, and 24 honorable mentions. Finland has been a consistent participant since the late 1970s, regularly earning bronze medals and honorable mentions.
Past Exams Archive¶
2024¶
| Language | Level | Q/A | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finnish | Base | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Base | Solution | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Solution | Link |
| Swedish | Base | Question | Link |
| Swedish | Open | Question | Link |
| English | Base | Question | Link |
| English | Open | Question | Link |
2023¶
| Language | Level | Q/A | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finnish | Base | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Base | Solution | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Solution | Link |
Before 2023¶
| Year | Language | Level | Q/A | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Finnish + Swedish + English | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2021 | Finnish + Swedish + English | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2020 | ||||
| 2019 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2018 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2017 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2016 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2015 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2014 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2013 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2012 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2011 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2010 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2009 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2010 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2009 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2008 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2007 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |