Science Olympiad: How It Works, the 2027 Events and How to Prepare

Last updated: October 31, 2026

Science Olympiad is a team STEM competition for middle and high school students in the United States. A school team of up to 15 students competes in 23 events covering biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, engineering and inquiry. Tournaments run like an academic track meet: invitational tournaments in the fall and winter, then regional and state tournaments, and a National Tournament each May. This guide covers how it works, every event for the 2027 season, the team rules and how to prepare, all from Science Olympiad's own website as of October 2026.

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What is Science Olympiad?

Science Olympiad is a US organization whose 2027 National Tournament will be its 43rd. It describes its tournaments as "academic track meets": a team doesn't win one big test; it earns points across many separate events, and the team with the best combined result wins.

The organization says Science Olympiad in grades 6 to 12 works "much like a football or soccer team, requiring preparation, commitment, coaching and practice throughout the year." Students usually compete in pairs, and most students cover several events.

Each season, part of the event list rotates, so a strong team has to keep learning new material. The rules for each season are released in September.

Divisions and team rules

Science Olympiad has three divisions:

• Division A: grades K to 6 (Elementary Science Olympiad programs)
• Division B: grades 6 to 9 (middle school)
• Division C: grades 9 to 12 (high school)

The main team rules for Divisions B and C:

• Up to 15 members per team at a tournament. Some school clubs have more than 75 members and pick their 15 competitors from the group.
• Division C: no more than seven 12th graders on a team.
• Division B: no more than five 9th graders on a team.
• One school only. Team members must come from the member school. Recruiting from other schools, districts or states is not allowed.
• One division only. A student can compete in Division B or Division C in a season, not both.
• Membership. Every competing team must be a member of Science Olympiad and pay the national fee, which was $75 in 2025.

Home-educated and virtual-school students compete under a separate national Home and Virtual School Policy.

The 2027 events

Each division has 23 events for the 2027 season. Science Olympiad groups them into five areas.

Division B (middle school) events

• Life, personal and social science: Anatomy and Physiology, Botany, Disease Detectives, Heredity, Water Quality
• Earth and space science: Dynamic Planet, Meteorology, Remote Sensing, Rocks and Minerals, Solar System
• Physical science and chemistry: Circuit Lab, Crime Busters, Food Science, Hovercraft, Thermodynamics
• Technology and engineering: Boomilever, Elastic Launched Glider, Roller Coaster, Scrambler
• Inquiry and nature of science: Codebusters, Experimental Design, Ping-Pong Parachute, Write It Do It

Division C (high school) events

• Life, personal and social science: Anatomy and Physiology, Botany, Designer Genes, Disease Detectives, Water Quality
• Earth and space science: Astronomy, Dynamic Planet, Remote Sensing, Rocks and Minerals
• Physical science and chemistry: Chemistry Lab, Circuit Lab, Forensics, Hovercraft, Protein Modeling, Thermodynamics
• Technology and engineering: Boomilever, Electric Vehicle, Mission Possible, Wright Stuff
• Inquiry and nature of science: Codebusters, Engineering CAD, Experimental Design, Ping Pong Parachute

Some events, such as Boomilever, Hovercraft, Thermodynamics and Ping Pong Parachute, appear in both divisions with rules adjusted for each level. The exact topic of a study event can change from season to season, so always read the current rules manual.

If Disease Detectives or Experimental Design is your favorite event, you already think like a researcher. Take one question further, one-on-one with a PhD mentor. See if you qualify for the STEM Research Program →

The three kinds of events

Science Olympiad sorts its events into three types, plus hybrids that combine two of them.

Knowledge (study) events

These are test-based. Science Olympiad says they "require the ability to research, learn, organize and recall or find information quickly to answer questions." Examples: Anatomy and Physiology, Astronomy, Rocks and Minerals, Solar System.

How to prepare:

• Read the event's rules first. The rules list the exact topics that can be tested.
• Build a shared set of notes with your event partner and divide the topics between you.
• Take old tests under time pressure. Many invitational tournaments share their tests afterward.
• Some events allow reference notes. The rules say exactly what you may bring, so prepare your notes to match.

Lab events

These test hands-on lab skills: performing procedures, recording data and interpreting results. Examples: Chemistry Lab, Circuit Lab, Forensics, Crime Busters.

How to prepare:

• Practice the actual lab techniques, not just the theory.
• Work through past lab tasks with a timer.
• Learn to record data cleanly and to explain what the data show.

Build events

Teams design, build and test a device before the tournament, then run it on competition day. Examples: Boomilever, Electric Vehicle, Hovercraft, Mission Possible, Scrambler, Wright Stuff.

How to prepare:

• Start early. Build events reward many rounds of testing.
• Keep a log of every test: what you changed and what happened.
• Read the rules for device specifications, because a device that breaks a rule can lose most of its points.
• Bring spare parts and tools to the tournament.

Experimental Design is a special case. Teams design, run and report an experiment entirely on site, using materials provided at the event. It is the event closest to real research: a question, a hypothesis, controlled variables, data and a written report, all within the time limit.

How tournaments work

Science Olympiad says there are nearly 300 regional and state tournaments each season, plus about 165 practice invitational tournaments. The season usually runs like this:

1. September: the new rules manuals are released (for the 2027 season, on September 8, 2026). Teams form and assign events.
2. Fall and winter: invitational tournaments. These are practice competitions that don't affect qualification, but they are the best way to test your preparation.
3. Late winter and early spring: regional and state tournaments, hosted by state chapters. Each state's website lists dates and qualification rules.
4. May: the National Tournament. Winning teams from each state qualify.

Some tournaments also run in remote formats, such as Satellite Science Olympiad, where teams compete from their own schools.

The 2027 National Tournament

The 43rd National Tournament will be held at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, on May 14 and 15, 2027. Science Olympiad describes it as the "pinnacle of achievement" for 120 of the country's best teams, plus a Global Ambassador Team from Japan, representing more than 2,000 students.

How to qualify for nationals

You qualify through your state tournament. The number of teams each state sends to nationals is set each year (Science Olympiad posts state team numbers around April 1), and state rules decide which teams move up. In short: place high enough at your regional tournament to reach state, then place high enough at state to earn one of your state's national spots.

Scholarships and awards

• Founders' Scholarships: Science Olympiad will award five high school seniors $10,000 college scholarships in 2027. Applications open February 15 and close April 12, 2027. They are open to any high school senior on a registered 2026–2027 Division C team in the US.
• National Tournament awards: the National Tournament recognizes top finishers in each event and top teams overall. The 2027 tournament website lists the awards and scholarships.

Medals show what you know. A research project you lead shows what you can discover. See if you qualify for the STEM Research Program →

How to join or start a team

If your school already has a team, ask the coach when tryouts or the first meeting happen. Many coaches hold an interest meeting in September or October.

If your school has no team, Science Olympiad suggests these steps:

1. Find a coach and school support. Usually a teacher leads the team with approval from the principal. Parents, other teachers and local experts can help with events.
2. Recruit students with a variety of interests. Science Olympiad suggests looking beyond science classes, at students in theater, band or sports with strong leadership and organization.
3. Study the events using the free rules manuals and the event pages on the Science Olympiad website.
4. Hold regular practices. Many teams meet weekly or every two weeks after school.
5. Assign students to events based on their skills. Only 15 students can compete at a tournament.
6. Compete. Start with an invitational, then enter your regional or state tournament.

Science Olympiad says team costs are low compared with other STEM competitions: $125 to $300 per team depending on the state, plus materials, supplies and travel. You can start a team at any time of year, but fall is most common. Contact your state director first.

Science Olympiad vs other olympiads

Several competitions share similar names.

• Science Olympiad (soinc.org) is the US team competition described in this guide.
• The subject olympiads (for example the USA Biology Olympiad, the US National Chemistry Olympiad and the US Physics Team) are individual exam-based competitions in one subject, which select US teams for the international olympiads.
• The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) is a separate organization based in India that runs exam-based olympiads for school students.

If you are searching for exam dates, results or "SOF exams," you are looking for the Indian organization, not Science Olympiad in the US.

Is Science Olympiad good for college applications?

It can be, especially when it shows depth. Colleges see many students who list Science Olympiad; what stands out is what you did with it: medals at state or national level, leading the team, or building expertise in one area over several years.

The strongest applications connect the activity to something larger. A student who spent three years on Disease Detectives and then ran a real epidemiology project shows more than the medal list alone. For more on this, see what colleges look for and does research help college admissions. For other ways to compete, see how to qualify for ISEF and our extracurricular activities guide.

Picture your senior year with a research paper of your own, and a PhD mentor who can speak to your work. See if you qualify for the STEM Research Program →

Frequently asked questions

What is Science Olympiad? A US team competition for grades 6 to 12 (plus elementary programs) where teams of up to 15 students compete in 23 events across biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, engineering and inquiry.

How hard is Science Olympiad? The events are written above grade level, and top teams practice all year. But every team starts somewhere: invitational tournaments let new teams compete and learn before regional and state tournaments.

How do you qualify for Science Olympiad nationals? Through your state tournament. Each state sends a set number of teams to the National Tournament, and state rules decide which teams advance.

When is the 2027 National Tournament? May 14 and 15, 2027, at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

How many people are on a Science Olympiad team? Up to 15 at a tournament. Division C teams may include no more than seven 12th graders, and Division B teams no more than five 9th graders.

Can middle school students do Science Olympiad? Yes. Division B is for grades 6 to 9. For other ideas at that age, see our science fair project ideas for middle school.

Is Science Olympiad the same as the Science Olympiad Foundation? No. The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) is a separate organization based in India that runs individual exams.

Sources

• Science Olympiad, About Science Olympiad
• Science Olympiad, Team Size and Grade Levels
• Science Olympiad, 2027 Division B Events
• Science Olympiad, 2027 Division C Events
• Science Olympiad, Start a Team
• Science Olympiad, Tournaments
• Science Olympiad, 2027 National Tournament
• Science Olympiad, 2027 Rules

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