Competition
U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO)
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Recognition
Certificates for 'High Honors' (~top 50 nationally) and 'Honors' (~next 100) on the National Exam; special recognition for the highest-scoring student and teacher from each ACS Local Section; top 20 National Exam scorers invited to the Study Camp; top 4 Study Camp performers selected to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).
Deadline
~Feb 27, 2026
Estimated; confirm on sponsor site
The U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad is a multi-tiered chemistry competition for high school students in grades 9-12, sponsored by the American Chemical Society since 1984. It progresses from Local Exams through a National Exam, a Study Camp, and ultimately selection of four students to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad.
Eligibility
- Grade levels
- High school freshman, High school sophomore, High school junior, High school senior
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (green card) required to take the National Exam; non-citizen/non-permanent-resident students may compete only in the Local Exam
- Fields of study
- Natural sciences, Science
Application requirements
- Parent/guardian registers the student via the USNCO registration platform: Registration is completed by a parent or guardian at usncoreg.acs.org; registration does not guarantee participation, as the local USNCO Coordinator confirms acceptance.
- Locate your local USNCO Coordinator: Coordinators are found via an ACS Local Sections lookup tool; teachers should direct interested students' families to their local Coordinator for program details.
- Confirm eligibility (grade, citizenship/residency, age, enrollment): Student must be in grades 9-12, a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident to advance past the Local Exam, under 20 as of July 1 of the competition year, and enrolled in an American school for at least one year.
- Take the Local Exam administered by your school/Local Section: 60 multiple-choice questions, 110 minutes; administered during the local exam window (e.g., Feb 27-Mar 16, 2026 for the 2025-2026 cycle).
- If nominated, take the three-part National Exam: No more than two students per school per Local Section may be nominated; exam includes a multiple-choice section, written-response section, and lab practical, sat by 1,000+ students each April.
Verified Jul 8, 2026 · View official source