participating countries
where the competition originates from
authoritative professor teams
as supporters
by prestigious universities core research skills
Open Round-Semi Finals-Final Round
The International Research Olympiad (IRO), established at Harvard University, is a global research competition for high school students worldwide. The inaugural competition, held successfully in 2024, attracted significant interest with over 1,000 students from more than 45 countries participating.
Unlike traditional science Olympiads, the IRO encourages students to think differently across various research fields. Through this, participants develop a deeper understanding of the scientific process and build creativity, critical thinking, and holistic analytical skills, laying the foundation for future success. In September 2024, the IRO Organizing Committee officially established a strategic partnership with ASEEDER to organize the “International Research Olympiad (IRO)”. This program is designed to cultivate analytical and critical thinking, as well as scientific communication skills, for student researchers, allowing young researchers to rediscover their deeper passion for scientific research, and even offering the opportunity to advance to the global finals at Harvard University!
“What makes IRO stand out is our commitment to critical thinking, an essential element in scientific research. We’ve seen many contestants with extraordinary potential—individuals who are serious and motivated with genuine research interests. In the final event, we had the opportunity to test and develop this potential.”
“What makes IRO stand out is our commitment to critical thinking, an essential element in scientific research. We’ve seen many contestants with extraordinary potential—individuals who are serious and motivated with genuine research interests. In the final event, we had the opportunity to test and develop this potential.”
-Rishab Jain, President of the IRO Student Advisory Council
A graduate of Harvard University, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital, a neuroethics researcher at the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School, a researcher at the National Cancer Institute (NIH), and one of TIME magazine’s 25 most influential teenagers, with publications in journals such as Nature and BMC Bioinformatics.
The IRO advisory board comprises academics, Olympic experts, and researchers. IRO has received strong academic support from professors at leading universities worldwide, such as Harvard, Stanford, and Caltech, in developing the competition format, exam content, and assessment criteria in collaboration with the IRO team.
The IRO Student Advisory Council comprises undergraduate researchers who have participated in science competitions and Olympiads. The dedicated student council fosters a collaborative and enjoyable environment, promotes the IRO alumni network and community, and engages students in celebrating research results.
The IRO Open Round is a 60-minute online exam designed to assess students’ understanding of analytical and critical thinking skills through multiple-choice questions. The top 50% of students will advance to the semi-finals, where there are more complex and advanced questions.
Date: March 8, 2025
Time: 60 minutes
Eligibility: 15-18 years old
Location: Online
Format: 32 multiple-choice questions. There are a total of 5 sections, each with 8 questions, assessing candidates’ analytical and critical thinking skills. Participants can choose to complete only 4 out of 5 sections. There will be no bonus points for completing all 5 sections.
Topics in IRO: Reading materials will be drawn from the following fields: information technology, engineering, medicine, neuroscience, physics, mathematics, artificial intelligence, and biology. With the diverse range of topics covered in the articles, you can strategically allocate your time based on your proficiency in each subject.
Academic support: The organizers will provide free sample essays and study materials for students.
Promotion rules: Students who win gold, silver, and bronze medals will advance to the semi-finals.
• Super Gold : Top 5
• Gold Award: Top 20%
• Silver Award: Top 40%
• Bronze Award: Top 60%
• Excellence Award: Top 80%
Semi-finals
This round will include more complex and advanced questions. Some subjective questions will be added. Participants will ask open-ended questions so that their opponents can more accurately assess their ability to articulate and understand scientific concepts.
Date: April 2025 (90 minutes)
Location: Online
Written test: A total of 4 questions Each assignment consists of 6 multiple-choice questions (1 point each) and 2 free-response questions (FRQ) (4 points each). Participants will answer by writing a short paragraph (1-5 sentences) to address the research requirements. Research Presentation and Academic Defense: Participants will have 5 minutes to demonstrate their understanding and analytical skills based on the provided research and guiding questions. The top 30 contestants will have the opportunity to defend their work in the Global Finals.
• Super Gold: Top 5 most outstanding contestants
• Gold Award: Top 20% of contestants
• Silver Award: 40% of the top-ranked contestants
• Bronze Award: 60% of the top-ranked contestants
• Excellence Award: The top 80% of contestants
• Promotion rules: Students who achieve Super Gold status will have the opportunity to be invited to participate in the Final Round.
Winners of the Super Gold Award from various regions around the world will compete for the championship. This round includes not only a written test but also “Essay Questions” and “Q&A” sections, designed to further challenge the analytical and critical thinking skills of young scholars.
Date: June 2025
Location: Harvard University, USA
Format: In addition to reading papers and asking questions, the final round at Harvard University will include a variety of engaging and academic activities, such as group Q&A challenges and scientific academic performance challenges. The IRO will also invite professors from the academic committee to share their research experiences and cutting-edge scientific discoveries. Most importantly, participants will have the opportunity to network with the best research competitors from around the world.
Gold, silver, and bronze medals at the IRO!
Includes the exam, grading, proctor fee, past-papers, certificates.
registration deadline2 weeks before the competition
