International Biology Olympiad

About the Program

The International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is the world's largest biology competition for secondary school students. It takes place every year in a different country, typically in July, and lasts for one week. Participation requires qualifying through the current-year National Biology Olympiad and being selected to represent the member country or region internationally.

Checked November 4, 2026 against the future-host list, participation page and current rules. Warsaw is July 18–25, 2027 and the Netherlands July 16–24, 2028. Brno is confirmed as 2029 host without specific dates. These are international events, not national student application deadlines.

Operational Guidelines v7, dated September 5, 2026, require current-year NBO qualification, regular secondary general education in the represented country, fewer than two prior IBO participations, no university-qualifying diploma before January 1 of the competition year and no regular/full-time university enrollment. Their age rule is birth on July 1 or later of the competition year minus twenty. The public participation page makes home-school and international-school exclusions country-dependent.

The host sets a standard delegation fee; its 2027 amount was not verified. Delegations fund travel, visas and insurance, while the host covers accommodation, meals and excursions during the event. Host invitation deadlines concern delegation registration/payment/cancellation; national student selection follows each member’s timetable.

Eligibility

Students qualify through the current-year National Biology Olympiad in an IBO member country/region; no independent entry. Current v7 guidelines require regular secondary general education in the country represented, fewer than two previous participations, no university-qualifying diploma before January 1 of the competition year, and no regular/full-time university enrollment. The participation page says home-school/international-school exclusion depends on the national system, not a universal ban. Nationality alone does not determine eligibility. Current Operational Guidelines v7 require birth on July 1 or later of the competition year minus twenty; the public participation summary says not older than 20 on July 1. Secondary school students.

Eligible Countries

How to Apply

Enter the appropriate National Biology Olympiad and qualify for the member delegation, which may send up to four students. Students cannot register independently with IBO. National selection deadlines vary; delegation registration/payment/cancellation dates come from the host’s invitation, not a universal student application window. Exact upcoming national or delegation cutoffs were not verified.