Q: What does Vanda Science International Competition - 2025/26 Guide for IP Maths & Physics Families cover? A: What the Vanda Science International Competition (VSIC) tests, how it is scored, why its mixed-discipline paper dovetails with IP Math & Physics learning goals.
TL;DR Vanda Science is a 90-minute, two-section paper run by the Singapore International Mastery Contests Centre (SIMCC) for Primary 3 to Sec 4 students worldwide. Section A sets 15 negative-mark MCQs (+2/−1); Section B asks 10 non-routine, open-ended problems worth 4 marks each, giving a 70-mark script scored out of 100 percent after scaling. Questions span Life, Physical, Earth & Space sciences plus generic “process skills”, so IP students can repurpose Physics and Math heuristics they already know.
Registration quick answer (Singapore): Register through your school or, if available, SIMCC open‑centre options. Dates, venues and fees vary - confirm on the official contest page before paying: https://simcc.org/vanda/
1 Who runs Vanda and who can enter?
Organiser: Singapore International Mastery Contests Centre (SIMCC).
Round 1 (national/online): mid-July test window for most countries.
Global Finals: December host city rotates (recently Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore).
Eligibility: no prerequisite Olympiad medals; students may register through schools or as private candidates on SIMCC's portal.
2 Paper format at a glance
Section
Items
Marking
Raw marks
A (MCQ)
15
\(+2\) correct, \(-1\) wrong, 0 blank
30
B (Open-ended)
10
Fixed 4 marks each
40
Total
25
70
Duration: 90 minutes.
Allowed aids: non-programmable scientific calculator, centimetre ruler, no periodic table.
Topics: Life Science, Physical Science, Earth & Space, Process & Thinking Skills.
Answer sheets: OMR for Section A, separate lined pages for Section B with working space.
After marking, SIMCC scales scores to 100 percent and awards:
Scaled percent
Award
Typical cut-off*
≥ 90 percent
Gold
Top ≈ eight to ten percent
75-89 percent
Silver
Next twenty percent
60-74 percent
Bronze
Next forty percent
50-59 percent
Honourable mention
Variable
*Cut-offs published annually after moderation.
3 Why Vanda dovetails with IP Maths & Physics
3.1 Process-skills questions echo WA data handling
Section B's open-ended tasks often demand unit conversions, graphical reasoning or proportional “order-of-magnitude” estimates that match IP Physics WA rubrics.
3.2 Negative marking = careless-mistake gym
The +2/−1 scheme punishes sign & unit slips - exactly the weakness IP teachers flag in early mechanics. Modelling drills from our Reducing Careless Mistakes post transfer directly.
IP Physics chargers (energy, power, rate) meet Biology diffusion or Earth albedo in Section A stems, sharpening “read-the-stem-twice” discipline that saves marks in A-Level Paper 2 synthesis questions.
4 Training timeline for IP families
Phase
Weeks before Round 1
Focus
Concrete drill
Bridging
8-6 weeks
Speed algebra & unit conversion
30 two-step conversions (J→eV, nm→m) nightly
Core
5-3 weeks
Topic content gaps
Summarise one science domain daily in Cornell notes
Simulation
2 weeks
Full 90-min papers
Mark with \(+2/-1\); flag careless slips in red
Taper
Final week
Rapid-fire MCQ
3 x 15-item sets under 20 min each
Parents can repurpose our 12-week IP Physics “grade-jump” camp checklist; simply swap the past-year WA slot for a Vanda specimen.
5 Practical entry & admin tips
School vs private entry: some IP schools coordinate registration; private entry via SIMCC portal costs ≈ SGD 70 (2025 fee).
Time-zone caution: overseas centres may run two sittings to curb cheating-check the exact UTC +/- offset printed on your student letter.
Calculator model: bring the same SEAB-approved Casio fx-97SG X or Sharp EL-W531S you use in school; avoid graphing calculators (disallowed).
Tie-break: identical scaled scores rank by Section B marks, then by earlier submission time stamp.
Global Finals travel grants: Gold medallists ranked within the top forty percent nationally usually qualify; SIMCC may subsidise accommodation but not airfare.
6 Bridging Vanda prep back into IP WAs
MCQ error log → paste wrong-option stems into a Google Sheet, tag the misconception (units, sign, concept).
Open-ended solutions → convert final answers into flash-card Q-and-A; revisit on the bus.
Time-pressure hack: practise filling the OMR in two blocks (Q1-15, then transfer) to mirror A-Level Paper 1 rhythm.
Parents: slot a 90-min Vanda mock the weekend before Round 1; review careless-tag patterns with your teen. Students: screenshot the Section A +2/−1 scheme, tape it above your desk and drill 15 mixed-discipline MCQs every other day.
Last updated 5 Aug 2025. Next review when SIMCC releases the 2026 syllabus update.
Vanda Science International Competition — 2025/26 Guide for IP Maths & Physics Families
