Competition

Odyssey of the Mind World Finals

Recognition VERIFY

Deadline ~Apr 1, 2027 Estimated; confirm on sponsor site

Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving team competition in which school, homeschool, and community-group teams solve a long-term and a spontaneous problem, advancing from regional and Association (state/country) tournaments to the annual World Finals.

Eligibility

Grade levels: Middle school, High school
Fields of study: Engineering, Arts, Technology, Research

Special eligibility to verify

Register a team through a paid membership (school, community group, or homeschool): School memberships may enter one team per problem per division; community groups and homeschooled teams may enter up to five teams. All memberships must be paid in full to compete.
Advance through regional and Association tournaments to qualify for World Finals: Teams generally progress through a regional tournament, then Association (state/provincial/country) Finals, before earning a berth at World Finals; teams without a local pre-World Finals tournament may apply directly to World Finals by April 1, first-come first-served.

Application requirements

Purchase a school, community-group, or homeschool membership from Creative Competitions, Inc.
Form a team of up to 7 students (5-6 recommended) in the appropriate grade division: Division II covers grades 6-8 (middle school) and Division III covers grades 9-12 (high school); the oldest team member's grade sets the division and teams must compete in the lowest division for which they qualify.
Compete at a regional tournament
Place well enough to advance to Association (state/provincial/country) Finals
Qualify for World Finals via Association Finals, or apply directly by April 1 if no local tournament exists: Direct World Finals applications for areas without a pre-World Finals tournament are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis by April 1.

Verified Jul 8, 2026 · View official source

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