The European Physics Olympiad (EuPhO) is an annual international physics competition for high school students, first held in Tartu, Estonia in 2017. It is modeled on the IPhO, with problems designed to mimic real research situations. The competition is open to countries from Europe and beyond — 54 countries participated in the 2020 online edition.
Competition format:
| Round | Format | Duration | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical | 3 problems (one very hard, one moderately hard, one less demanding) | 5 hours | 30 (10 each) |
| Experimental | 1–2 laboratory tasks | 5 hours | 20 |
There is no discussion of problem texts between leaders and the Academic Committee (unlike IPhO). Instead of IPhO-style moderation, EuPhO uses an appellation system — students appeal directly if they believe their grading was unjust, with leaders present to translate if needed. Problem texts are short; leaders are expected to translate both theory and experimental problems within one hour.
Awards:
Medal thresholds are determined after appellation so that at least:
| Medal | Minimum share of participants |
|---|---|
| Gold | 8% |
| Gold or silver | 25% |
| Gold, silver, or bronze | 50% |
| Medal or honourable mention | 67% |
Thresholds are set based on European contestants' scores only. Non-European participants who score above the thresholds are awarded the corresponding medal.
Team structure:
Each country may send one team of up to 5 student contestants and one or two team leaders. The host country may send a second team as a guest team. Observers and guests are also welcome (at additional cost).
Historical 2026 costs:
Official teams from European countries pay a reduced fee of €350 per contestant, plus €350 for one team leader; a second leader, observers, and guests pay the full fee of €420 per person. Guest teams from outside Europe pay the full €420 fee per contestant. The 2026 host circular describes four nights of accommodation, meals and local competition transport. These fees and arrangements are historical, not a confirmed 2027 offer.
How selection works:
Students are selected through national physics olympiad processes. There is no direct application to EuPhO. Contact your country's national physics association for details on national selection.
Host countries (recent):
| Year | Host |
|---|---|
| EuPhO 2026 | Sweden (Gothenburg), Jun 12–16 |
| EuPhO 2025 | Bulgaria (Sofia), Jun 13–17 |
| EuPhO 2024 | Georgia (Kutaisi), Jul 15–19 |
| EuPhO 2023 | Germany (Hannover), Jun 16–20 |
| EuPhO 2022 | Slovenia (Ljubljana), May 20–24 |
Cycle and eligibility check, November 4, 2026: The 2026 host site publishes results for the June 12–16 Gothenburg event. Its second circular records November 30, 2025 country preregistration, February 28, 2026 confirmation, and April 15 payment/team-detail cutoffs; the third circular reiterates April 15. These were delegation milestones, not universal student selection deadlines. The 2027 host, exact dates and registration schedule have not been verified.
The October 2025 statutes and Rules webpage agree on the age-20 June 30 reference and no commenced university studies. For ambiguous educational institutions, however, the statutes say less than half of lectures over the prior two years in physics/mathematics, while the webpage and 2026 circular describe a more-than-one-third-per-year threshold and consideration of special cases. This difference remains unresolved; the two descriptions should not be treated as identical.