Italian Chemistry Games¶
Giochi della Chimica
Overview¶
The Giochi della Chimica (Chemistry Games) is Italy's national chemistry competition for secondary-school students, organized by the Società Chimica Italiana (SCI) — the Italian Chemical Society — in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM). It is one of Italy's largest science olympiads, engaging tens of thousands of students each year.
Key Website¶
- Pianeta Chimica - Prof. Mauro Tonellato
- Società Chimica Italiana - Giochi della Chimica
- Olimpiadi Scientifiche
Additional Resources¶
Competition Format¶
The Giochi della Chimica progresses through four stages.
-
School phase (Fase di Istituto)
- A synchronized online multiple-choice examination (60 questions) held simultaneously across all registered schools
- Typically 33,000–45,000 students from over 700 schools participate
-
Regional phase (Fase Regionale)
- Held at local universities, typically in March–April
- Includes both individual and team competitions
- Approximately 6,000 students compete
-
National finals (Finali Nazionali)
- In-person event at a host university
- Theoretical and practical (laboratory) examinations
- Up to 100 finalists compete
-
International selection (Campionati Internazionali)
- Intensive training camps select the 4-member Italian IChO team
Exam Categories¶
Students are divided into three categories based on school year and type: Category A (1st–2nd year students), Category B (3rd–5th year students from licei and non-specialized institutes), and Category C (upper-year students from technical institutes specializing in chemistry).
Eligibility¶
Open to all students enrolled in Italian secondary schools (scuole secondarie di secondo grado). Schools must register by a January deadline.
Student Outcomes¶
Italy does not offer automatic university admission exemptions for olympiad winners. Benefits include:
- School credit bonus: Strong olympiad performance contributes additional crediti formativi toward the student's Esame di Stato score
- Albo Nazionale delle Eccellenze: Top national performers are inscribed in the National Registry of Excellence, maintained by INDIRE on behalf of the Ministry
- Presidential honor: Outstanding national champions may be nominated for the title of Alfiere della Repubblica (Standard-Bearer of the Republic)
IChO Performance¶
The official IChO results database lists Italy with 8 gold, 34 silver, and 68 bronze medals, and 14 honorable mentions across 40 IChO participations.
History¶
- 1984: The competition was founded in Veneto as a regional initiative by Prof. Gianfranco Scorrano (University of Padua).
- 1987: The competition expanded to national scope; Italy began continuous IChO participation.
- 1993: Italy hosted the 25th IChO in Perugia, with 38 countries and 149 participants.
Past Exam Papers¶
For a complete set of Italy exam papers, please refer to the site of Prof. Mauro Tonellato. This is a great website keeping collecting Italy Chemistry Olympiad information.
| Year | Round | Class A | Class B | Class C | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | National 1 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 2025 | Nation 2 | A&B&C | |||
| 2025 | Regional | Link | Link | Link | |
| 2025 | School | Link | Link | Link | |
| 2023 | National 1 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 2023 | National 2 | Link | Link | Link | |
| 2023 | Regional | Link | Link | Link | |
| 2023 | School | Link | Link | Link | |
| 2022 | National | A&B | Link | Link | |
| 2022 | Regional | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2021 | National | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2021 | Regional | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2020 | National | Link | Link | Link | Link |
| 2021 | Regional | Link | Link | Link | Link |