The Online Physics Olympiad (OPhO) is a free annual team-based physics competition for high school students and undergraduates worldwide. Founded in 2020 and run by students, it has drawn more than 10,000 competitors from over 80 countries.
Teams of up to three members compete in a single round. In 2026 the contest ran August 21-23 (UTC) and had three parts open for the full contest window: short answer (numerical answers, up to three attempts per problem), long answer (full written solutions graded against rubrics), and simulation (computational problems run on a provided executable). Scores combine to a maximum of 100 points. Internet resources, calculators, and computer algebra systems are allowed; AI tools of any kind are prohibited.
To be eligible for recognition, all team members must not have started university and must be under 20 during the contest. Undergraduates may compete in a separate division that is not eligible for recognition. Top competitors are recognized on the OPhO website; the 2026 contest awarded no cash prizes.
The competition runs annually in summer. Check opho.physoly.org for the current cycle's registration and dates.