CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
ASOC 2026
Format
Registration Deadline (NZ Time)
Eligible Years
Remote online
2 October 2026 at 11:00:00 pm
NZ Years 11-13
Nationwide
Competition Date (NZ Time)
14:15-16:30, Sat 17 Oct 2026
Location
NZ Nationwide
Competition Gallery
Course Information
Optional preparation courses or resources for this round (if available)
Submission and Confirmation
Please check your email address carefully before submitting the registration form.
Once you submit the form, you will receive a confirmation email automatically.
All other important communications (including the Exam Instructions, Results and Certificates, etc) will be sent to the email address you submitted to us. Please check your email inbox and junk mail / spam folder regularly!
What Happens Next?
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Registration Received
We will send you a confirmation email
We may review your registration if required
Eligibility Review
You will receive the Exam Instructions closer to the date
Exam Instructions
Participate and do your best!
Competition Day
Competition Overview
Australian Science Olympiads — Chemistry (ASOC)
Australian Science Olympiads – Chemistry (ASOC) is the Chemistry discipline of the Australian Science Olympiads programme, run by Australian Science Innovations (ASI).
The examination is designed to test much more than the recall of chemical facts. Students are expected to approach unfamiliar scenarios logically, identify the relevant chemical principles and construct solutions using both qualitative reasoning and quantitative calculations.
The assumed knowledge is largely drawn from material encountered by the penultimate year of secondary-school chemistry, including atomic structure, bonding, periodic trends, stoichiometry, kinetics, redox chemistry, and acids and bases. Written questions may then introduce unfamiliar chemistry and provide students with information that they must interpret and apply.
Within Australia, the examination also serves as the first stage of the pathway towards the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School and potential selection for Australia's International Chemistry Olympiad team.
ASOC gives students an opportunity to:
extend their chemistry beyond routine classroom exercises;
develop rigorous chemical reasoning;
strengthen multi-step quantitative problem solving;
learn to apply known principles to unfamiliar chemical systems;
practise interpreting experimental and theoretical information;
develop clear written scientific explanations;
benchmark themselves through an Olympiad-level chemistry examination;
identify whether they are ready for more advanced chemistry study; and
receive formal recognition of their performance.
It is particularly valuable because the written section rewards the reasoning process as well as the final result, making it a stronger test of genuine chemical understanding than a purely multiple-choice assessment.
ASOC is well suited to students who:
perform strongly in secondary-school chemistry;
enjoy quantitative and analytical problem solving;
are confident manipulating equations and chemical quantities;
prefer understanding why chemical processes occur rather than memorising reactions;
enjoy multi-step written problems;
are comfortable applying information supplied within a question;
are interested in chemistry, medicine, pharmacy, chemical engineering, materials science or related fields; or
want to experience advanced Olympiad-style science.
The official Australian programme is primarily aimed at high-school students in approximately Years 9–12, with teachers encouraged to use their judgement when deciding whether younger students are ready.
Students should prepare for both the core syllabus and the problem-solving style of the written examination.
Recommended preparation includes:
completing official ASOC past papers;
using Australian Science Olympiads Online questions;
mastering stoichiometry and mole calculations;
practising balancing equations accurately;
reviewing atomic structure and periodic trends;
developing a strong understanding of bonding and intermolecular forces;
practising redox and acid–base problems;
reviewing kinetics and particle theory;
becoming fluent with units and scientific notation;
practising extended multi-step calculations;
showing complete working rather than only final answers;
reading unfamiliar scientific information carefully before calculating;
checking significant quantities, units and assumptions; and
completing full papers under timed conditions.
Preparation should focus on chemical reasoning rather than simply learning more content. Part B frequently rewards students who can understand a new situation from information provided in the question and then apply familiar principles logically.
Because there is no negative marking and subsequent steps may still receive credit after an earlier calculation error, students should attempt every section and show their reasoning clearly.
The official ASOC format consists of 10 minutes of reading time followed by 120 minutes of examination time in recent published papers.
The paper consists of two parts:
Part A — Multiple Choice
approximately 15 multiple-choice questions;
focuses primarily on core chemistry concepts;
traditionally worth 25% of the examination.
Part B — Written Problems
three extended written questions;
each question contains multiple sub-parts;
each major question traditionally contributes 25% of the paper;
questions may involve unfamiliar chemistry, with relevant information supplied where required.
Recent official papers use:
15 multiple-choice questions worth 30 marks;
three written questions worth 30 marks each;
120 marks in total.
There is no negative marking. Where possible, calculation errors may be carried forward so that students can still receive credit for correct subsequent reasoning.
A non-programmable, non-graphical calculator is permitted in recent official examinations.
Participants receive a certificate indicating their achievement.
International partner-delivered versions commonly recognise results using:
High Distinction
Distinction
Credit
These award levels are generally determined using Australian score thresholds rather than fixed percentages, meaning the required raw score can vary between competition years.
The precise award structure should therefore be confirmed for each competition cycle.
For eligible Australian students, ASOC is the entry point to the Australian Chemistry Olympiad selection pathway.
Approximately 24 top eligible Chemistry students may be invited to attend the two-week Australian Science Olympiad Summer School at the Australian National University.
Students undertake accelerated university-level learning, practical laboratory work and further examinations. Following Summer School and subsequent selection and training, four students are chosen to represent Australia at the International Chemistry Olympiad.
This progression pathway is subject to Australian citizenship, residency, age and schooling requirements.
Students taking ASOC through an overseas partner should not assume that their result provides eligibility for Australia's Summer School or national team. For international participants, the examination should instead be regarded as a challenging chemistry competition and academic achievement in its own right.
Students should prepare for both the core syllabus and the problem-solving style of the written examination.
Recommended preparation includes:
completing official ASOC past papers;
using Australian Science Olympiads Online questions;
mastering stoichiometry and mole calculations;
practising balancing equations accurately;
reviewing atomic structure and periodic trends;
developing a strong understanding of bonding and intermolecular forces;
practising redox and acid–base problems;
reviewing kinetics and particle theory;
becoming fluent with units and scientific notation;
practising extended multi-step calculations;
showing complete working rather than only final answers;
reading unfamiliar scientific information carefully before calculating;
checking significant quantities, units and assumptions; and
completing full papers under timed conditions.
Preparation should focus on chemical reasoning rather than simply learning more content. Part B frequently rewards students who can understand a new situation from information provided in the question and then apply familiar principles logically.
Because there is no negative marking and subsequent steps may still receive credit after an earlier calculation error, students should attempt every section and show their reasoning clearly.
Resources & Downloads
Access all available competition information, preparation materials, past papers and official documents.