Rules and administration
UK Chemistry Olympiad rules
Round One is an individual, supervised chemistry paper. The exact administration depends on the entry route: RSC rules govern schools in the British Isles, while regional partners publish separate operational instructions for international participants.
Reviewed 13 July 2026 · Check current organiser instructions before the exam.
- Language
- English
- Duration
- Two hours in one sitting
- Format
- Individual written problem-solving paper
- Authority
- RSC for the UK route; regional instructions for local administration
Core protocol
The rules that define Round One
Students complete the paper individually under supervised examination conditions, using only the materials permitted for their route and cycle.
| Rule area | UK / RSC route | China regional route |
|---|---|---|
| Entry point | School or college registration through the RSC’s education system. | School or authorised institution following ASEEDER instructions; individual direct entry is not offered on the published regional page. |
| Location | The paper is taken at the student’s school. | The 2026 regional page described an online test at schools only. |
| Paper | Two-hour written paper containing real-world chemistry problems. | English individual assessment using the regional version of the UKChO Round One problems. |
| Marking | Teachers mark scripts using the RSC mark scheme, submit scores and may be asked to post high-scoring papers for moderation. | ASEEDER publishes its own operational marking and return process; follow the current regional handbook. |
| Awards | Gold, Silver and Bronze thresholds are set after the score distribution is reviewed. | Regional participants are assessed against the published UK-derived thresholds, subject to the regional rules. |
Paper structure
What appears in the exam?
The number of questions and total marks can change. In 2026, the paper contained five questions worth 84 marks; in 2025 it was marked out of 83. The paper should therefore be read as a complete document rather than approached with a fixed marks-per-question formula.
Questions are divided into linked parts. Early parts may establish chemical information or notation that is needed later. Students should show essential working, draw structures unambiguously, include units and follow the conventions stated in the paper.
- Question style
- Extended analytical questions built around unfamiliar chemical contexts, often containing several subparts.
- Expected foundation
- A-Level chemistry or an equivalent advanced secondary qualification provides the foundation, but the paper deliberately asks students to apply that knowledge creatively.
- Supporting material
- Recent papers include separate supporting materials and an answer booklet. The question paper supplies data needed for novel contexts.
- Marking conventions
- Published mark schemes explain acceptable structures, error-carried-forward treatment, units and how marks are assigned to reasoning.
After the paper
Marking, score submission and moderation
Mark scheme released
For the RSC route, schools receive the mark scheme after the secure testing period.
Scores submitted
Teachers mark the work and submit all student scores so that award boundaries reflect the full cohort.
High scores moderated
The RSC may request physical copies of particularly high-scoring scripts before later-stage invitations are finalised.
This process describes the official RSC route. Regional partners can use a different collection and marking workflow.
Equipment and conduct
Calculators, dictionaries and exam integrity
Check your route
The ASEEDER regional FAQ allows a basic calculator without equation-editor or programming functions. UK entrants should follow the equipment notice supplied by their school and the RSC for that year.
Printed only where allowed
The China regional FAQ permits a printed dictionary. Electronic dictionaries or translation devices should not be assumed to be permitted.
One secure sitting
The paper must be protected before the test and completed in the stated window under supervision. Questions must not be shared before the secure period ends.
Candidate responsibility
What should a student verify before sitting the paper?
Read the current candidate and invigilator instructions supplied for the route. Confirm the date, local start time, location, identification requirement, permitted equipment and whether the question paper, supporting material and answer booklet are supplied separately.
If an access arrangement or alternative format is needed, raise it through the entering school or institution before the deadline. A previous accommodation should not be assumed to transfer automatically to a new cycle.
- Before arrival
- Know who is supervising the sitting, what to bring and how early to arrive. Keep the institutional confirmation rather than relying on a social-media summary.
- During the paper
- Follow instructions, work independently, label answers clearly and ask the invigilator only procedural questions permitted under exam conditions.
- After the paper
- Do not share secure content before the testing window closes. Follow the school’s process for scores, certificates and any requested script return.
Source hierarchy