Indonesian Chemistry Olympiad

Olimpiade Sains Nasional — Kimia

Overview

The Olimpiade Sains Nasional (OSN) in Chemistry is Indonesia's national science olympiad for senior high-school students, organized by Puspresnas (Pusat Prestasi Nasional — National Achievement Center) under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen). The OSN is one of Indonesia's largest academic competitions, with hundreds of thousands of students participating across all science subjects. Indonesia is the leading Southeast Asian nation in IChO history by medal count.

Key Website

• Puspresnas — Official site
• IChO results database: Indonesia

Competition Format

The OSN operates as a three-stage elimination pyramid.

• OSN-K (City/District level)

  • Initial written examination administered simultaneously across the country
  • Open to all eligible senior high-school students

• OSN-P (Provincial level)

  • Top scorers from OSN-K advance
  • Held across all 38 provinces

• OSN (National Final)

  • Approximately 540–575 students compete across all subjects at the national level
  • Held in-person at a host city
  • Theoretical and practical examinations
  • Top chemistry performers are selected for the national training camp

IChO Selection

From the national-level top performers, a 4-member team is selected through intensive training and sent to the IChO.

Eligibility

Open to students enrolled in SMA/MA/SMK/MAK (senior high school and equivalent) across Indonesia, typically in grades 10–11. Students must be registered in the national student database.

Student Outcomes

OSN medalists are eligible for the Seleksi Nasional Berdasarkan Prestasi (SNBP) — the Achievement-Based National Selection — for admission to Indonesia's top state universities without sitting the standard entrance examination:

• ITB (Institut Teknologi Bandung), UI (Universitas Indonesia), and UGM (Universitas Gadjah Mada) accept OSN medalists through this pathway
• The SNBP evaluates students based on academic records and achievements, with OSN medals among the most highly weighted

IChO Performance

The official IChO results database lists Indonesia with 7 gold, 46 silver, and 44 bronze medals, and 1 honorable mention. Indonesia is the leading Southeast Asian nation in IChO history.

History

• 1997: Indonesia first participated in the IChO at the 29th IChO in Montreal, Canada.
• 2017: Indonesia earned its first IChO gold medal (Dean Fanggohans, 49th IChO, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand) — a breakthrough after 20 years of participation.
• 2000s–present: The national competition was formerly known as KSN (Kompetisi Sains Nasional) before being rebranded to OSN. Participation has grown steadily, with approximately 942,000 total registrants across all subjects in recent cycles.