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Q: What is the IPO (International Philosophy Olympiad)? A: The IPO (International Philosophy Olympiad) is an annual 4-hour handwritten essay contest for pre-university students, run by FISP under UNESCO patronage. Each country sends up to two contestants. Students choose one of four essay prompts quoting classical philosophers and write in English, French, German, or Spanish.
TL;DR The International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO) is a four-hour handwritten essay contest for pre-university students run by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP) under UNESCO patronage. Per the IPO statute, each country may send up to two contestants; the working languages are English, French, German, and Spanish. Results are published with Gold, Silver, Bronze medals and Honourable Mentions. Argument mapping and definition-checking skills transfer directly to IP proofs and data commentaries.
Use it to balance your STEM training plan-our IP Maths tuition hub already emphasises structured reasoning, so folding IPO essay outlines into that routine keeps logic skills sharp for both humanities and math assessments.
Status: IPO statute + official site (history/results/evaluation) checked 2026-01-26 - format remains a four-hour handwritten essay in one of four working languages; delegation limits and awards are published on the official IPO pages; host-year details should be verified on the official site.
Registration quick answer: Students don’t enter IPO directly. Countries send national teams selected via their national organiser; see the official IPO site for the current statute and participation guidance: http://www.philosophy-olympiad.org/
1 What exactly is the IPO?
Fact
Detail
Origins
First held in Smolyan, Bulgaria, May 1993 (see the official IPO history page).
Organiser
International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP) with UNESCO support.
Promote philosophical reflection and foster friendly international dialogue among pre-university students.
Working languages
English, French, German, Spanish.
Essay format
One four-hour handwritten essay on one of four prompts quoting classic thinkers (see IPO statute).
The emphasis is on producing a coherent argument, not reproducing textbook summaries. For the official evaluation criteria, see the IPO evaluation page.
2 Eligibility & team size
Students must be pre-university and within the age limits set in the current IPO statute.
Each country's delegation is typically one or two contestants plus a team leader.
National organisers publish their own selection routes; check your local philosophy olympiad site for details.
3 How does marking work?
The IPO publishes five evaluation criteria:
Relevance to the topic
Philosophical understanding of the passage
Critical rigour
Originality
Coherence of structure
Takeaway for IP physicists: the same rigour-plus-clarity bundle yields method marks in Paper 3 data-based questions.
4 Awards
IPO medals are symbolic but competitive:
Awards are published as Gold, Silver, Bronze medals and Honourable Mentions (see the official results page for the current structure).
5 Recent & forthcoming hosts
Hosts are announced by FISP/IPO; check the official site for the current year's venue and dates.
6 Why STEM-heavy IP students should bother
6.1 Cross-pollinate proof skills
Structuring a 1600-word essay forces the same hierarchy thinking needed in vector-calculus derivations.
6.2 Tightens timed-writing muscles
Four-hour sustained concentration is almost identical to the combined length of A-Level Paper 1+2 maths.
7 Training checklist
Skill
1-week micro-drill
Physics/Maths crossover
Argument mapping
Summarise any essay in a bullet hierarchy.
Planning point-charge proofs.
Citation precision
Quote line numbers exactly.
Quoting practical uncertainties.
Time budgeting
20 min per outline, 3.5 h prose, 10 min polish.
Mirrors 1 mark per 1.5 min WA pacing.
8 When to Start / Preparation Timeline
Students interested in the IPO can begin developing relevant skills from Secondary 3 or 4 by reading introductory philosophy texts and practising structured essay writing. Since IPO essays require sustained argument construction rather than content recall, the most effective preparation is regular timed writing - aim for at least one four-hour practice essay per month in the six months before the national selection. Exposure to formal logic (propositional and predicate logic) also helps, as it strengthens the argument-mapping skills tested by the IPO rubric. Students with strong IP Maths reasoning habits often find the transition to philosophical argument structure more natural than expected.
What is the IPO (International Philosophy Olympiad)?
The IPO (International Philosophy Olympiad) is an annual international essay contest for pre-university students, organised by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP) with UNESCO patronage. Students write a 4-hour philosophical essay on one of four prompts quoting classical thinkers.
What does IPO stand for?
IPO stands for International Philosophy Olympiad.
When is IPO 2026?
IPO 2026 dates and the host country are announced by FISP. Check the official site at philosophy-olympiad.org for the confirmed 2026 location and schedule.
What are the IPO 2026 essay topics / questions?
IPO essay prompts quote passages from classical or contemporary philosophers. Each contestant chooses one of four prompts and writes a philosophical essay in response. Past prompts and essay topics are published at philosophy-olympiad.org.
How is the IPO essay marked?
IPO essays are evaluated on five published criteria:
Singapore students don't apply directly to IPO - participation is through a national organiser. The national organiser selects and registers the team. Check the IPO official site for the current Singapore organiser contact and selection process.
What languages can you write the IPO essay in?
The four official IPO working languages are English, French, German, and Spanish. Students write in one of these languages regardless of which country they represent.
Are there IPO past papers?
IPO does not publish formal "past papers", but past essay prompts are available at philosophy-olympiad.org. Reviewing past prompts and writing practice essays under timed conditions (4 hours) is the recommended preparation approach.
What awards does IPO give?
IPO awards Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals, plus Honourable Mentions. Results are published on the official IPO results page after each competition.
Last updated 26 Jan 2026. Check the IPO site for the current statute, hosts, and national selection routes.
