The International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) is a competition for secondary-school students. Each participating country sends 1-2 teams of four contestants, typically chosen from the winners of their national Linguistics Olympiad. No prior linguistic knowledge is required, as every problem is self-contained. The best preparation is to practice with past problems.
International Linguistics Olympiad
International Linguistics Olympiad
ClosedScienceSTEMOlympiad
About the Program
Eligibility
No prior knowledge of linguistics or languages is required. The competition problems are self-contained and require logical ability, patient work, and a willingness to think outside the box. The IOL is a contest for secondary-school students; current university students are ineligible to compete. The IOL is a contest for secondary-school students.
Eligible Countries
high school in: Australia🇦🇺 Bangladesh🇧🇩 Bulgaria🇧🇬 Brazil🇧🇷 Canada🇨🇦 Switzerland🇨🇭 China🇨🇳 Colombia🇨🇴 Czechia🇨🇿 Germany🇩🇪 Spain🇪🇸 Estonia🇪🇪 Finland🇫🇮 UK🇬🇧 Hong Kong🇭🇰 Hungary🇭🇺 Isle of Man🇮🇲 India🇮🇳 Ireland🇮🇪 Japan🇯🇵 Kazakhstan🇰🇿 South Korea🇰🇷 Latvia🇱🇻 Moldova🇲🇩 Malta🇲🇹 Malaysia🇲🇾 Netherlands🇳🇱 Nepal🇳🇵 Poland🇵🇱 Romania🇷🇴 Russia🇷🇺 Slovenia🇸🇮 Sweden🇸🇪 Thailand🇹🇭 Turkey🇹🇷 Taiwan🇹🇼 Ukraine🇺🇦 US🇺🇸
How to Apply
Contestants are chosen from the winners of national Linguistics Olympiads in participating countries. The methods of choosing contestants and composing teams differ from country to country. If your country does not participate, you can contact the organization.