Official resource archive
UKChO past papers and mark schemes
The Royal Society of Chemistry publishes UK Chemistry Olympiad question papers from 2003 onwards. Recent years also include supporting materials, answer booklets, mark schemes and examiner reports.
Archive checked 13 July 2026 · Download links below point to RSC Education.
- Coverage
- 2003–2026
- Recent sets
- Paper, supporting material, answer booklet, mark scheme and report
- Best use
- Timed attempt → marking → error diagnosis → targeted repair
- Full archive
- RSC past-papers collection
Recent official sets
Download papers, mark schemes and examiner reports
Start with a recent paper for an accurate picture of current style, then move backwards to practise particular topics and question types.
| Year | Question paper | Mark scheme | Examiner report | Topics highlighted by RSC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Paper | Mark scheme | Report | Pool chlorine chemistry, isocyanides, equilibria, carotene spectroscopy and unit cells. |
| 2025 | Paper | Mark scheme | Report | Interhalogens, epoxides, carbon nanotubes, Raman spectroscopy and ketone iodination. |
| 2024 | Paper | Mark scheme | Report | Bronze and silver composition, unit cells, iodate salts, enthalpy, MRI and oxidation states. |
| 2023 | Open the RSC archive for all 2023 files | Rocket fuels, bonding, amino-acid complexes, vaping chemistry and cheese fermentation. | ||
The RSC archive also supplies supporting materials and answer booklets for recent papers. Use the complete set when simulating an exam.
Study method
How to use a UKChO past paper effectively
Attempt
Work for two hours in one sitting. Use only the material that would be available in the real paper and mark questions you intend to revisit.
Mark
Apply the official scheme part by part. Record where units, structures, equations or explanations failed to earn marks.
Diagnose
Classify each loss as knowledge, interpretation, calculation, communication or time management.
Repair
Study one weakness, complete related questions and rewrite the original solution before attempting another full paper.
- Knowledge error
- You did not know or recall the relevant chemistry. Return to a reliable textbook or course source, then solve several focused questions.
- Interpretation error
- The necessary information was present, but you did not identify or use it. Practise annotating variables, constraints and chemical relationships before calculating.
- Method error
- Your chemistry was plausible but the chain of reasoning, algebra, units or representation broke down. Rewrite the solution with every essential step visible.
- Timing error
- You spent too long on one part or left accessible marks untouched. Practise question selection and set checkpoints during the two-hour paper.
Question and evidence
Read the mark scheme as a model of scientific communication
Question paper
Identify what the context is asking you to model
The Green Pool example supplies an unfamiliar setting, then tests oxidation states, equilibria, equations and chemical structure. Separate the information provided by the paper from the chemistry you must supply.
Open the sample question at full sizeMark scheme
Locate the smallest step that earns credit
The corresponding scheme shows acceptable equations, alternative forms and where a precise structure or angle is required. Use it to diagnose missing reasoning, not only to compare final answers.
Open the sample mark scheme at full sizeDo not use a mark scheme only to check the final answer. Note the smallest unit of reasoning that receives a mark. Look for acceptable alternatives, error-carried-forward rules and the point at which an ambiguous structure stops being creditworthy.
After marking, cover the scheme and produce a clean solution from memory. A corrected answer is useful only if you can reproduce the method without seeing the marking points.
Practice sequence
Which paper should you attempt first?
Use introductory questions
Begin with the RSC’s accessible Olympiad-style questions and worked answers. Learn how unfamiliar information is introduced before attempting a complete paper.
Select by topic
Use the RSC archive summaries to find questions involving mechanisms, equilibria, energetics, spectroscopy or structural chemistry.
Protect unseen papers
Keep at least three recent papers untouched for timed mocks. Repeatedly redoing a familiar paper can create false confidence.
Archive strategy
Use different years for different purposes
Recent papers are the most useful source for current formatting, supporting materials and examiner expectations. Papers from the middle of the archive broaden topic coverage and are valuable for targeted practice once a student has identified a weakness.
Older papers remain useful, but scientific context, notation and curriculum assumptions can evolve. When an older scheme appears to conflict with current classroom conventions, discuss the chemistry with a qualified teacher instead of copying the wording mechanically.
- Recent three years
- Protect these for realistic mocks, current question style and examiner-report analysis.
- Middle archive
- Search the RSC topic summaries for mechanisms, spectroscopy, equilibria, energetics, solid structures and other specific practice needs.
- Early archive
- Use for additional problem-solving volume after the student can interpret current papers reliably.
Academic integrity
Use public papers, not leaked material
Only use papers and supporting files that the RSC has officially released. Do not request, distribute or discuss a current secure paper before the testing period ends.
A genuine practice archive is transparent about provenance. This page links directly to RSC Education and does not repackage unofficial answer sets as organiser material.