The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is the most prestigious international physics competition for secondary school students. The main aim of IPhO is to test the highest level of knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving, right practices of presentation and analysis, and hands-on skills in theoretical and experimental physics. The IPhO is organized annually in different countries as 9-10-days competition wherein national teams comprising maximum of five of their best physics students and two team leaders participate.
The July 4–12, 2026 event in Bucaramanga, Colombia is historical. For 2027, official national organizers in Germany and Taiwan publish July 4–12, 2027 for the international event in Saudi Arabia; Germany specifies Riyadh. Students enter through national selection, so those international event dates are not application cutoffs. Current national deadlines must be checked through the appropriate national organizer.
The international statutes cover organizer-provided food, lodging and local transport from the official arrival to departure, but allow delegation contributions and exclude medical and sundry costs. They do not establish full international-travel funding for every entrant. General eligibility remains secondary school, no university studies, and no more than 20 years old on June 30 of the competition year.
Checked November 4, 2026 using the international statutes, German national-organizer calendar and Taiwan selection authority.