International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO): Parent & Student IP Math & Physics Guide

Q: What does International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO): Parent & Student IP Math & Physics Guide cover?
A: Everything IP parents and STEM-inclined students need to know about the IChO - from the 5-hour lab exam format and medal cut-offs to how national selections.

TL;DR
The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) gathers delegations (typically up to four students + two mentors per country) for a 5-hour laboratory practical and a 5-hour theory paper on separate days. Medal cut-offs are set by the jury after marking in line with IChO regulations. For IP learners, the advanced stoichiometry, kinetics and spectroscopy problems sharpen calculus, data-handling and graph skills useful across Math and Physics.

For IP‑specific Chemistry pacing, lab prep, and WA alignment, see our IP Chemistry tuition hub.

Map every derivation back to the JC syllabus with our H2 Chemistry notes hub so Olympiad drills double as 9729 revision.

Status: IChO information centre (archived) and 2025 host listings checked 2025-11-30 - format remains 5 h practical + 5 h theory with medal boundaries set by jury per regulations; upcoming host listed as Lausanne 2025.

Registration quick answer (Singapore): Students don’t enter IChO directly. Countries send national teams via their chemistry olympiad. See the IChO Steering Committee site for rules and hosts: https://www.ichosc.org/

1 What exactly is the IChO?

The IChO is an annual international science olympiad founded in 1968 and now attracts delegations from roughly 90 countries each July. The event is governed by statutes agreed upon by the International Jury, published by the IChO International Information Centre in Bratislava.

Key facts