Finland High School Chemistry Competition¶
Lukion kemiakilpailu
Overview¶
The Lukion kemiakilpailu (Finnish High School Chemistry Competition) is Finlandโs national chemistry olympiad, organized by MAOL ry (Matemaattisten Aineiden Opettajien Liitto โ the Association of Teachers of Mathematical Subjects). MAOL has been running science olympiads in Finland for decades and is the official body responsible for selecting Finlandโs IChO team. The competition is distinctive in offering exams in three languages โ Finnish, Swedish, and English โ and in providing two difficulty levels: Base and Open.
Key Website¶
Competition Format¶
Open to students enrolled in Finnish upper secondary schools (lukio) and vocational schools. The use of the Abitti digital examination system in recent years reflects Finlandโs broader shift towards digital assessment.
The Finnish chemistry competition operates on two levels to accommodate students of different backgrounds and ambitions.
- Base series โ the standard competition level, aimed at students with a solid grounding in high-school chemistry
- Open series โ the advanced level, used as the primary pathway for IChO team selection
The competition is conducted in two rounds:
-
Preliminary round (alkukilpailu)
- Held in OctoberโNovember at schools across Finland
- Students choose either the Base or Open series
- Exams are available in Finnish, Swedish, and English
-
Final round (loppukilpailu)
- Top scorers from the preliminary round are invited to the national final
- Typically held in JanuaryโFebruary
- The Open series final is more demanding and determines IChO selection
-
IChO Team Selection- Three four-day training camps at the University of Helsinki, followed by final team selection.
- Funding comes from the Finnish National Agency for Education, Ministry of Education, centennial foundations, and private foundations.
University Advantage¶
Top performers in the Open series (typically the top 10) receive direct admission to chemistry and related science programmes at Finnish universities, bypassing the standard entrance examination. This is part of Finlandโs national policy of granting university admission benefits to olympiad achievers.
History¶
MAOL ry โ The Organizing Body¶
MAOL ry traces its origins to 1935, when it was founded as the Suomen Matematiikan ja Fysiikan opettajien Liitto (Finnish Mathematics and Physics Teachers' Association). In 1959, the organization was renamed to MAOL ry (Matematiikan, fysiikan ja kemian opettajien liitto) to formally include chemistry.
Chemistry Competition Series¶
The chemistry competition series has deep roots. In 1955, Inkeri Simola proposed annual problem-solving competitions for high school students at a MAOL general meeting. The first national mathematics competition was held in 1960 with 4,764 participants from 262 schools, and chemistry and physics problems were offered alongside mathematics. The dedicated Lukion kemiakilpailu track was established during the 1960s as a standalone chemistry competition within MAOL's program.
Finland in the IChO¶
- 1978: Finland's first IChO participation at the 10th IChO in Toruล, Poland โ one of 12 participating countries. Four Finnish students competed; no medals earned.
- 1979: First Finnish IChO medals.
- 1984 onward: Finland maintains unbroken IChO participation through 2026 (skipped only 1983).
- 1987โ1988: Markus Kosonen earns back-to-back silver medals.
- 1988: Finland hosts the 20th IChO in Espoo (July 2โ9). 26 countries, 104 students.
- 2000: 2 silver medals.
Nordic Chemistry Olympiad¶
- 2016: Finland joins the newly renamed Nordic Chemistry Olympiad (NChO), expanding from the original Scandinavian Chemistry Olympiad (2013).
- 2019: Finland hosts the 4th NChO at the University of Helsinki (July 18โ21). Theory exam pays tribute to Finnish chemist Gustav Komppa (camphor total synthesis).
- 2022: First Finnish gold medal at the NChO.
- 2026: Hosts NChO again.
IChO Performance¶
The official IChO results database lists Finland with 0 gold, 9 silver, and 68 bronze medals, and 24 honorable mentions. Finland has been a consistent participant since the late 1970s, regularly earning bronze medals and honorable mentions.
Past Exams Archive¶
2024¶
| Language | Level | Q/A | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finnish | Base | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Base | Solution | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Solution | Link |
| Swedish | Base | Question | Link |
| Swedish | Open | Question | Link |
| English | Base | Question | Link |
| English | Open | Question | Link |
2023¶
| Language | Level | Q/A | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finnish | Base | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Question | Link |
| Finnish | Base | Solution | Link |
| Finnish | Open | Solution | Link |
Before 2023¶
| Year | Language | Level | Q/A | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Finnish + Swedish + English | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2021 | Finnish + Swedish + English | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2020 | ||||
| 2019 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2018 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2017 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2016 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2015 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2014 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2013 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2012 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2011 | Finnish + Swedish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2010 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2009 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2010 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2009 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2008 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |
| 2007 | Finnish | Base + Open | Q + A | Link |