The Copernicus Natural Science Olympiad is an annual international competition for students in grades 3 through 12, organized by the Copernicus Olympiad (Houston, TX, USA). It spans the life sciences (biology) and physical sciences (chemistry, physics, earth science, and astronomy), emphasizing scientific reasoning and real-world problem-solving over rote memorization. The competition runs in two stages: an online Preliminary Round and an in-person Global Round.
Grade categories:
| Category | Grades |
|---|---|
| Category 1 | Grades 3–4 |
| Category 2 | Grades 5–6 |
| Category 3 | Grades 7–8 |
| Category 4 | Grades 9–10 |
| Category 5 | Grades 11–12 |
Subjects covered: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Astronomy — organized into life sciences and physical sciences tracks appropriate to each grade level.
Competition format:
- Preliminary Round (online): 75-minute exam; 20 multiple-choice questions; negative marking applies
- 5 easy (4 pts each, –1 wrong), 10 average (5 pts each, –1 wrong), 5 hard (6 pts each, –1 wrong); total 100 pts
- Global Round (in-person): 20 questions; 15 multiple-choice + 5 open-ended; no negative marking on open-ended questions; total 100 pts
Qualifying: Students scoring ≥40% in the Preliminary Round advance to the Global Round.
Awards:
Preliminary Round:
- 91–100%: Gold Medal + 10% discount on Global Round fee
- 75–90%: Silver Medal + 5% discount on Global Round fee
- 50–74%: Bronze Medal
- 40–49%: Honorable Mention Certificate
- All participants: Certificate of Participation
- Absolute winners (youngest top scorer per category): Free Global Round entry
Global Round:
- Top 10%: Gold Medal
- 11–30%: Silver Medal
- 31–60%: Bronze Medal
- 61–75%: Honorable Mention Certificate
- All participants: Certificate of Participation
Schedule checked November 4, 2026: The official 8th Olympiad poster lists Orlando January 24–30, 2027 and Istanbul March 24–30, 2027 for Natural Science, Physics and Astronomy. Its New York July 25–31, 2027 round is labeled Mathematics only. The subject pages still say Global Round venues will be announced; the poster supplies the dates above. Registration opening dates and cutoffs remain unverified. The official homepage lists additional country-specific exam dates, so representative schedules may differ.
The subject rules specify 20 questions for the preliminary exam, while the general FAQ says 25. The format above follows the subject rules.