FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the most common questions. If you cannot find what you need, contact us.
Any student currently enrolled in a high school or university programme, anywhere in the world. There is a single international track — no national qualification round is required.
No fixed age limit. Eligibility is based on current enrolment in a high school or university programme, not on age.
Round 1 is free — registering and submitting your solutions costs nothing. Round 2 (the Final) has a single entry fee of US$10, paid through PayPal once you are invited. Only participants who qualify for the Final ever pay anything.
Register first, then upload your solution as a single PDF (max 10 MB) via the Submit Solution page at any time before the Round 1 deadline. Your file is linked to your registration by email.
A modern browser, a stable internet connection, and a way to produce a PDF (scanner or smartphone) for Round 1. For Round 2 you will also need a working webcam and a videoconferencing client (Zoom, Meet, or Whereby — link provided).
Round 1 multiple-choice questions are graded automatically. Extended problems and the real-data task are graded against a marking scheme reviewed by our Scientific Advisor. Round 2 follows the same process with a stricter scheme reflecting the higher difficulty.
Participants found to have submitted work that is not their own, or to have violated Round 2 webcam-supervision rules, are disqualified and any results or certificates are voided.
Every certificate carries a unique code. Enter it on the Certificate Lookup page to confirm it is genuine.
No. IRCHO is an independent international competition dedicated to radiochemistry. It is not affiliated with IChO, IChC, IAAC, or any national chemistry olympiad body.
Email organisers@ircho.org for organisational matters, or support@ircho.org for general questions.
Round 1 is open for one month. Most participants need roughly 6–10 hours of focused work to complete all three parts.
Pen, paper, a calculator, and a way to produce a clear PDF. Round 1 is unsupervised — work at your own pace, but submit only your own original work.
No. Solutions must be your own original work in both rounds. Round 1 relies on an honour code — submitting confirms the work is entirely yours. Round 2 is webcam-supervised with screen sharing, and AI tools or outside help during the live session are strictly prohibited.
All problems are published in English, and solutions must be submitted in English. The website interface is available in Spanish and Portuguese for convenience, but problems and submissions remain English-only.
If you cannot attend the scheduled session, contact us beforehand to discuss a possible alternate time slot, where available. If IRCHO needs to reschedule for operational reasons, all finalists are notified by email with as much notice as possible.
Yes. Contact support@ircho.org with your registered email to update your details or withdraw at any time before the relevant deadline.
IRCHO certificates document your performance in an international competition with problems reviewed by an academic Scientific Advisor. How any individual university weighs this in admissions is at their discretion — IRCHO cannot guarantee recognition by a specific institution.
Each student registers individually with their own email, since certificates and results are issued per person. Teachers are welcome to coordinate registration for their students — contact organisers@ircho.org for guidance.
All finalists who complete Round 2 (the Final) receive a digital certificate of participation. Finalists placing in the top 30% by Final-round score additionally receive a physical certificate signed by our Scientific Advisor, mailed worldwide at no cost.
All IRCHO problems are reviewed for scientific accuracy by our Scientific Advisor, an active researcher in radiochemistry, before publication.
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