The International Physics Olympiad is an annual competition for secondary-school students, coordinated by the IPhO Secretariat and an organizing committee in a different host country. National teams of up to five students travel to the host country for theoretical and experimental physics examinations.
The 2026 event ran in Bucaramanga, Colombia, from July 4 to 12. Saudi Arabia has been announced as the 2027 host, but the official city and dates have not yet been published.
Benefits & funding
- The host covers organization, food, lodging, local transport, excursions, and prizes for official delegations from arrival through departure.
- International travel, medical costs, and other personal expenses are not covered.
- A host may request a contribution toward obligatory costs; the 2026 organizers charged a participation fee, but the reviewed circular did not state its amount.
- Delegations facing economic difficulty may ask the IPhO Secretariat to waive the contribution.
Eligibility
- Contestants must be students at general or technical secondary schools, not technical colleges.
- Students who finish their school examinations in the competition year remain eligible if they have not started university studies.
- Contestants must be no older than 20 on June 30 of the competition year.
- Participation is through a country delegation, normally comprising no more than five students; national selection rules and deadlines vary by country.
- The central statutes state no nationality or residency requirement for individual contestants.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Education required
High School
Age requirement
≤ 20 yrs
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Application process
- 1Find the relevant national physics olympiad or sending institution through the IPhO contact links.
- 2Enter that country’s national selection process and meet its local requirements and deadlines.
- 3If selected, provide the required identity, insurance, authorization, and commitment documents to the country coordinator.
- 4The coordinator replies to the host invitation and registers the delegation through the host platform; for 2026, full registration ran from March 31 to May 15.
Program timeline
Delegation registration opened for IPhO 2026.
Mar 31, 2026
Delegation registration deadline.
May 15, 2026
Participation-fee payment deadline.
Jun 1, 2026
IPhO 2026 began in Bucaramanga.
Jul 4, 2026
IPhO 2026 ended.
Jul 12, 2026
Saudi Arabia was announced as the 2027 host; further dates remain unpublished.
Jul 11, 2026