U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO)

1. Eligibility

Must be in grades 9–12 and graduate no earlier than May of the competition year; under 20 years old by July 1 of that year.

Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card holders) to take the National Exam. Non-eligible students can only take the Local Exam and cannot advance to the National Exam.

2. Dates

• October 6, 2025: Student registration open
• February 27 – March 16, 2026: Local Exam
• April 10-19, 2026: National Exam
• June 2026 TBD: Study Camp
• July 2026 TBD: International Chemistry Olympiad

2. Registration Process

The Local Chemistry Olympiad is the first step in the USNCO, held each March and overseen by volunteer USNCO Coordinators at ACS Local Sections.

Find Your Local USNCO Coordinator. 

3. Local Exam

The local exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions (110 minutes). 2 students per school will advance from the local exam to the National Exam.

4. National Exam

Below is the National Exam structure. The exam is administered to ~1,000+ students at local universities/colleges:

• Part 1 – Multiple Choice: 60 questions (90 minutes)
• Part 2 – Free Response: 8 questions (105 minutes)
• Part 3 – Laboratory Practical: 2 lab problems (90 minutes) 

5. Study Camp

The top 20 scorers from Nationals attend a two-week training camp, and 4 students are selected to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad Exams.

6. International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)

4 U.S. competitors participate with mentors who assist with translation, lab inspections, and scoring.

7. Past Exams

Past Exams can be viewed here.