What is the UK Chemistry Olympiad?
The UK Chemistry Olympiad (UKChO) is an annual competition run by the Royal Society of Chemistry for students in sixth form (typically aged 16–18). It has two rounds: a two-hour paper sat in schools (Round 1) and a residential training and selection camp (Round 2), from which four students are chosen to represent the UK at the International Chemistry Olympiad.
The competition tests the ability to apply chemical knowledge and reasoning to unfamiliar problems — the emphasis is on problem-solving, not recall. Topics include all areas of A-level chemistry plus extensions into areas not formally on the syllabus.
2026–27 timeline
Oct–Nov 2026
Registration opens
Schools register via the RSC portal. No entry fee.
Jan 2027
Round 1 paper
Two-hour paper sat in schools. Questions are multi-part, extending A-level.
Feb 2027
Round 1 results
Gold, silver, bronze and commendation certificates issued. Top ~30 invited to Round 2.
Apr 2027
Round 2 — training camp
Four-day residential at a UK university. Lectures, practicals and team selection.
Jul 2027
IChO 2027
Four-student UK team competes in the International Chemistry Olympiad.
What topics to revise
Round 1 questions draw on all areas of A-level chemistry but go further. High-priority topics for preparation include:
- Atomic structure and periodicity — electron configurations, ionisation energy trends, relativistic effects in heavy elements. See our atomic structure guide.
- Chemical bonding and shapes — VSEPR, polarity, hydrogen bonding, metallic bonding and their consequences for physical properties. See our chemical bonding guide.
- Acids, bases and equilibria — pH calculations, buffer solutions, Ka expressions, Henderson–Hasselbalch. See our acids and bases guide.
- Organic chemistry — mechanisms (SN1/SN2, addition, elimination), spectroscopy interpretation (¹H NMR, mass spec, IR), synthesis routes.
- Thermodynamics — Hess's law, Born-Haber cycles, Gibbs free energy, entropy.
The most efficient preparation is working through past papers, available free from the RSC education portal. Aim to complete at least five papers under timed, exam-like conditions.
The International Chemistry Olympiad
The IChO has been held annually since 1968, hosted in a different country each year. Each team of four students sits a five-hour theory paper and a five-hour practical examination, covering university-level as well as advanced A-level chemistry.
The UK team has won gold medals at IChO in recent years, with students going on to top universities and careers in chemistry, medicine and materials science. For the perspective on how chemistry sits within a broader landscape of discovery, see our quantum computing article on where computational chemistry is heading.