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Nordic-Baltic Physics Olympiad

Nordic-Baltic Physics Olympiad

Nordic-Baltic Physics Olympiad

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About the Program

The Nordic-Baltic Physics Olympiad (NBPhO) is an annual regional physics competition held at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) in Tallinn, Estonia. It has been held every spring since 2003 and has run for 24 consecutive editions. The competition began as a bilateral Estonian-Finnish collaboration following the 1992 International Physics Olympiad in Finland; Latvia joined in 2014 and Sweden in 2016.

Participating countries:

CountryStatus
EstoniaOfficial (up to 20 students)
FinlandOfficial (up to 20 students)
LatviaOfficial (up to 20 students)
SwedenOfficial (up to 20 students)
Other countriesGuest teams (up to 5 students, subject to acceptance)

Competition format:

The competition runs over three days and includes theoretical and experimental components, following eligibility standards aligned with EuPhO regulations.

Costs:

The participation fee is €150 per contestant, and the same per-person fee applies to guest team leaders and observers. The organizer covers meals, examination facilities, and equipment. Official delegations receive two nights' accommodation; guest teams arrange their own lodging.

How selection works:

Students are selected through national physics olympiad processes. There is no direct application to NBPhO. Students from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden are selected via their own country's national process. Students from other countries wishing to form a guest team should contact the organizers directly via nbpho.ee.

Recent editions:

YearLocationDates
NBPhO 2027Tallinn, EstoniaApr 16–18, 2027
NBPhO 2026Tallinn, EstoniaApr 24–26, 2026
NBPhO 2025Tallinn, EstoniaApr 25–27, 2025
NBPhO 2024Tallinn, EstoniaApr 26–28, 2024
NBPhO 2023Tallinn, EstoniaApr 14–16, 2023
NBPhO 2022Tallinn, EstoniaApr 22–24, 2022

Eligibility

Open to students who have not yet commenced university studies. Schools where half or more of lectures (on average over the last two years) are on physics or mathematics topics are considered equivalent to universities and are not eligible. Official delegations from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden may each send up to 20 student contestants. Students from other countries may participate as guest teams of up to 5 contestants, subject to individual acceptance by the organizers. Eligibility standards follow EuPhO regulations. Contestants must not exceed 20 years of age (truncated to integer) on June 30 of the competition year.

Eligible Countries

citizenship, residency permanent: All countries Official national teams from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden (up to 20 students each). Guest teams from other countries may be accepted individually with up to 5 contestants — contact the organizers to inquire.

How to Apply

Students cannot apply directly. Selection is through each country's national physics olympiad process. Students from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Sweden should follow their country's national selection process to be chosen for the team. Students from other countries wishing to participate as a guest team should contact the organizers at nbpho.ee directly. Registration for NBPhO 2027 is open March 1 – April 4, 2027.