International Psychology Olympiad (IPsyO)

1. Eligibility

The IPsyO is open to students currently enrolled in high school (or an equivalent pre-college program) worldwide. This typically includes students in grades 9–12. Key requirements are below:

• Students must still be in high school at the time of the competition
• Students must graduate after the competition (not before)
• Students are generally between the ages of 14 and 19 (may vary by country)

2. Rounds

The 2026 International Psychology Olympiad features two rounds:

• Global Grand Test (Individual Round) with a 300-question Grand Test. Test duration is 150 minutes.
• Final Round (Team Competition): Top performers from each region advance to form teams and compete through a Material-based Objective Exam and a Research Proposal Presentation.
  • Material-based Objective Exam: 5 reading materials, 20 objective questions each (100 questions total), with 120 minutes to complete the exam.
  • Research Proposal Presentation: Prepare a research proposal based on the provided topic. 7 days for preparation, 7 minutes for presentation.

3. Timeline

Global Grand Test

• Registration Opens: January 1, 2026
• Registration Deadline: July 1, 2026
• Exam date: July 11, 2026
• Qualification Results: July 22, 2026

International Final Round (July 25 – August 1, 2026)

• Research Topic Release: July 25, 2026
• Research Proposal Submission: July 31, 2026
• Final Exam: August 1, 2026
• Result Announcement: August 8, 2026

4. Advancement Rules

National teams for the IPsyO Final Round are selected based on performance in the Global Grand Test. The top 6 students from each country or region who achieve a Distinction grade or higher will advance to the Final Round, where they will form a national team and compete together in the final stage of the competition.

5. Resources

View official study materials here.

6. Recognition

Awards

• Gold Award: Given to the top-performing teams
• Silver Award: Awarded to teams that demonstrate outstanding achievement
• Bronze Award: Given to teams that show excellent performance

Performance Grades

• Highest Distinction: Top 5% of all participants
• Higher Distinction: Next 10%
• Distinction: Next 20%
• Excellence: Next 30%

Special Recognitions
In addition to awards and grades, several top performers are highlighted:

• Top 10 National Teams: Selected based on the highest combined scores across both modules.
• Top 3 Individuals: Awarded to the best performers in the material-based exam
• Top 3 National Teams: Recognizes the strongest research proposal presentations

School Team Awards – Global Grand Test

Beginning in 2026, a new international recognition system will honor schools and institutions that actively support student participation in the Global Grand Test. The recognition will be given to the school, advisors, and the top 6 students representing the school.

Eligibility: Schools or institutions must have at least 6 students participating in the Global Round to qualify for School Team Awards.

How Scoring Works: Team scores are calculated based on the combined results of the top 6 students from each school.

The top 30 schools worldwide will be recognized and ranked based on their team performance:

• Golden Schools (Top 10): Highest level of achievement in school team excellence
• Silver Schools (Top 11–20): Outstanding overall team performance
• Bronze Schools (Top 21–30): Strong and commendable team achievement