AUL IPhyC 2026Process & rounds

Three rounds. No shortcuts.

Hosted at Physics Laboratory, Room D207, Anchor University, the 2026 competition follows the official IPhyC format: a broad problem paper, a research-based supervised exam, then a fast final.

Official rounds page Resources

Qualification Round

Submit by 1 November 2026

Semi-Final Round

Exam window: 13–15 December 2026

Final Round

Exam day: 12 January 2027

Host venue: Physics Laboratory, Room D207, Anchor University, Ayobo, Lagos, Nigeria. Campus session: Friday, 30 October 2026, 3:00–4:30 PM.

Anchor University contact

The full sequence

From five problems to one final exam.

Read each stage carefully. Dates are from the official 2026 timetable and may be updated by the organisers.

Open now

Qualification Round

Submit by 1 November 2026

Five problems across the breadth of physics. Some test knowledge, others demand calculation and careful reasoning. There is no entry fee and no registration step before you submit.

Problems: Five
Total points: 25
Qualify with: 15 / 17 / 20 pts
Entry fee: Free
Results: 16 Nov 2026

Your age group on the submission deadline fixes your qualification threshold.
You may work with friends and classmates on the Qualification Round.
Typed solutions using a professional tool such as TeX receive a special honorary note.

Read the round guide Download the 2026 problems

For qualified participants

Semi-Final Round

Exam window: 13–15 December 2026

A supervised 60-minute exam built around a real-world research paper. Qualified participants register, prepare with the paper, then solve problems on paper and scan their answers.

Format: 60-min supervised exam
Research paper: Released 11 Dec 2026
Maximum score: 28 points
Registration: 12 EUR
Register by: 8 Dec 2026
Results: 28 Dec 2026

The exam is supervised by a teacher or through the official online supervision system.
After the exam, participants have ten minutes to scan and upload handwritten solutions.
Financial aid, including partial reductions and full waivers, is limited and application-based.

Semi-Final details Explore financial aid

The last problem set

Final Round

Exam day: 12 January 2027

A single online exam of around 30 short-answer and multiple-choice questions. It draws on physics across all fields and the content of the earlier rounds.

Date: 12 Jan 2027
Format: Online, supervised
Questions: Around 30
Results: 18 Jan 2027

Finalists select an exam time slot in advance.
Questions appear one at a time and you cannot return to a previous question.
The competition uses Semi-Final and Qualification scores to break a tie in the Final.

Final Round details Official Final Round PDF

Key dates

The 2026 calendar.

All deadlines are stated in UTC+0 unless otherwise indicated. Confirm details in the official timetable before relying on them.

Official timetable PDF

IPhyC 2026 key dates and deadlines
Date	Milestone	Details
30 Oct 2026	AUL campus Qualification session	3:00–4:30 PM · Physics Laboratory, Room D207
1 Nov 2026	Qualification Round deadline	23:59 UTC+0
16 Nov 2026	Qualification results announced	—
8 Dec 2026	Semi-Final registration deadline	—
11 Dec 2026	Research paper released	For registered Semi-Finalists
13–15 Dec 2026	Semi-Final exam window	—
28 Dec 2026	Semi-Final results announced	—
12 Jan 2027	Final Round exam	—
18 Jan 2027	Final results announced	—

Qualification thresholds

Same problems. Different bar.

All age groups receive identical problems. Higher groups need more points to move on.

Full eligibility rules

Junior

points in the Qualification Round to reach the Semi-Final.

Youth

points in the Qualification Round to reach the Semi-Final.

Senior

points in the Qualification Round to reach the Semi-Final.

Your age group is fixed by your age or grade on Sunday, 1 November 2026. The Semi-Final has its own published thresholds; check the official age-group page before registering.

Rules & integrity

Fair conditions for every participant.

The competition depends on trust. These are the rules that matter most; the full data policy and competition terms live on the official site.

One submission file

The Qualification Round requires a single PDF or image under 10 MB. Word files, ZIP files, and email submissions are not accepted.

Individual from the Semi-Final

You may collaborate in the Qualification Round, but every participant must submit their own paper. Later rounds must be completed individually.

Integrity is enforced

Cheating, impersonation, or submitting work that is not your own leads to immediate disqualification. Registration fees are non-refundable.

Read the official rules Common questions

Ready for round one?

Start with the problem sheet.

The Qualification Round is free, open to students worldwide, and closes on 1 November 2026.

Download the 2026 problems Open the submission form

External links open the official IPhyC site