CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
ASOP 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, Sun 18 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 — Physics (ASOP)
Australian Science Olympiads – Physics (ASOP) is the Physics discipline of the Australian Science Olympiads programme, run by Australian Science Innovations (ASI).
The examination is designed primarily to test a student's ability to think like a physicist. Rather than relying on memorised formulas, students must analyse unfamiliar situations, construct physical models, choose appropriate mathematical tools and explain their reasoning using equations, diagrams and written arguments.
Students are expected to have a strong understanding of mechanics and conservation principles, together with familiarity with thermodynamics, waves, electrostatics and electricity. The examination also requires substantial mathematical fluency, including algebra, trigonometry, logarithms, vector addition, graphing, approximation and dimensional analysis.
Within Australia, ASOP is the first stage of a selective pathway that can lead to the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School, the Asian Physics Olympiad and ultimately Australia's International Physics Olympiad team.
ASOP gives students an opportunity to:
extend substantially beyond routine school physics;
develop mathematical modelling skills;
strengthen multi-step scientific problem solving;
apply physical principles to unfamiliar situations;
improve the ability to explain physics using equations, diagrams and words;
practise estimation and approximation;
develop confidence interpreting graphs and experimental information;
benchmark their physics reasoning against an Olympiad-level standard;
prepare for more advanced physics competitions and study; and
receive formal recognition of their achievement.
The examination rewards students who understand why a physical principle applies, rather than students who simply recognise which formula to substitute numbers into.
ASOP is particularly suitable for students who:
perform strongly in secondary-school physics;
are confident with mathematics;
enjoy long, multi-step problems;
like modelling unfamiliar situations;
can connect different physics concepts within a single problem;
enjoy explaining how and why a physical system behaves;
are interested in physics, engineering, mathematics or related STEM fields; or
are seeking a more advanced challenge than standard classroom assessment.
The Australian Science Olympiad programme is primarily recommended for high-school students in approximately Years 9–12, although readiness is more important than year level alone.
ASOP preparation should focus heavily on problem solving and mathematical modelling, not simply memorising formulas.
Students should:
work through official ASOP past papers;
use Australian Science Olympiads Online practice questions;
build a strong command of Newtonian mechanics;
practise conservation of energy and momentum problems;
become confident resolving vectors;
strengthen algebra, trigonometry and logarithms;
practise interpreting and sketching graphs;
learn to estimate orders of magnitude;
use dimensional analysis to check equations;
practise circular-motion and two-dimensional kinematics problems;
review thermodynamics and the ideal gas equation;
practise DC circuit calculations;
review electric fields and electrostatic forces;
practise standing and travelling wave problems;
review Snell's law and basic wave optics;
show clear diagrams and define variables;
explain assumptions and physical reasoning in words;
check units throughout calculations; and
complete full papers under timed conditions.
Students should also deliberately practise unfamiliar problems. When a question introduces a new phenomenon, the first task is not to search memory for a formula, but to identify the fundamental principles that remain applicable.
ASI specifically recommends official past papers and Australian Science Olympiads Online as preparation resources.
ASOP is an individual, two-hour physics examination.
The official Physics syllabus describes a paper containing:
Part A — multiple-choice questions
Part B — written-response problems
Part A generally tests core concepts, particularly—but not exclusively—mechanics.
Part B consists of more substantial problems across a wider range of physics topics. Students may need to:
derive equations;
calculate numerical results;
interpret or construct graphs;
draw diagrams;
make estimates and approximations; and
explain physical reasoning in writing.
The number of questions and allocation of marks can vary from year to year.
Recent Australian administrations use a pen-and-paper Physics examination. Some international partner administrations may use a different operational format, so delivery arrangements should be confirmed for the relevant competition cycle.
There is no negative marking.
Students receive certificates recognising their performance.
International partner-delivered versions of ASOP commonly use the following award categories:
High Distinction
Distinction
Credit
These awards are typically determined using Australian score thresholds rather than fixed percentages. The raw scores required for each award may therefore vary from year to year.
The exact award structure should be confirmed for the relevant regional administration.
For eligible Australian students, ASOP is the first stage of Australia's Physics Olympiad selection pathway.
High-performing students may be invited to the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School at the Australian National University, where approximately 24 top eligible Physics students undertake an intensive two-week programme.
Following further assessment:
selected students continue into advanced training;
eight Physics students may be selected to attend the Asian Physics Olympiad; and
five students are ultimately selected to represent Australia at the International Physics Olympiad.
The pathway also includes further residential training before international competition.
This pathway is restricted to students meeting Australian citizenship, residency, age and schooling requirements.
International participants should therefore not interpret an overseas ASOP result as qualification for the Australian team pathway unless this is explicitly stated by the organiser.
ASOP preparation should focus heavily on problem solving and mathematical modelling, not simply memorising formulas.
Students should:
work through official ASOP past papers;
use Australian Science Olympiads Online practice questions;
build a strong command of Newtonian mechanics;
practise conservation of energy and momentum problems;
become confident resolving vectors;
strengthen algebra, trigonometry and logarithms;
practise interpreting and sketching graphs;
learn to estimate orders of magnitude;
use dimensional analysis to check equations;
practise circular-motion and two-dimensional kinematics problems;
review thermodynamics and the ideal gas equation;
practise DC circuit calculations;
review electric fields and electrostatic forces;
practise standing and travelling wave problems;
review Snell's law and basic wave optics;
show clear diagrams and define variables;
explain assumptions and physical reasoning in words;
check units throughout calculations; and
complete full papers under timed conditions.
Students should also deliberately practise unfamiliar problems. When a question introduces a new phenomenon, the first task is not to search memory for a formula, but to identify the fundamental principles that remain applicable.
ASI specifically recommends official past papers and Australian Science Olympiads Online as preparation resources.
Resources & Downloads
Access all available competition information, preparation materials, past papers and official documents.