Turkish Chemistry Olympiad¶
Türkiye Kimya Olimpiyatı
Key Websites¶
Overview¶
Key Facts
- Organizer: TÜBİTAK (Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu — Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey)
- Department: BİDEB (Bilim İnsanı Destekleme Daire Başkanlığı — Scientist Support Programs Directorate)
- Structure: Three-stage pathway (Stage 1 Exam → Summer School + Stage 2 → Winter School + Team Selection)
- IChO Record: 19 Gold / 58 Silver / 44 Bronze
- Mendeleev Record: Active participant since 2010s, multiple medals
- Founded: National programme established 1993; first IChO participation 1978
- IChO hosting: 52nd IChO (2020, Istanbul, remote-access)
- Subjects: 9 disciplines in the TÜBİTAK Science Olympiads Program
The Turkish Chemistry Olympiad (Türkiye Kimya Olimpiyatı) is organized by TÜBİTAK (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) through its BİDEB (Scientist Support Programs Directorate), as part of the broader TÜBİTAK Science Olympiads Program covering nine academic disciplines: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Astronomy-Astrophysics (added 2022), Geography (added 2024), Middle School Mathematics, and Middle School Computer Science. The programme selects Turkey's representatives for the IChO and offers substantial academic rewards including university admission benefits and scholarships.
Competition Format¶
The competition follows a three-stage pathway.
-
First Stage Exam
Birinci Aşama Sınavı- Multiple-choice examination administered simultaneously across 81 provincial centers + Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
- Chemistry: 50 questions in 150 minutes
- Typically held in May (applications open April)
- Thousands of students participate nationwide; top scorers advance to Stage 2
-
Summer School + Second Stage Exam
- Summer School: Two-week programme in August–September
- May include a supplementary 1-week autumn camp in November
- Second Stage Exam: Open-ended questions requiring advanced analytical thinking
- National medals awarded: 4 gold, 8 silver, 12 bronze
- Medalists receive cash prizes
-
Winter School + Team Selection
- Winter School: Two-week training in January–February with theoretical and practical sessions
- Final team selection exams for international olympiads
- Selected team members attend additional team camps before the IChO
Open to Turkish citizens or Blue Card holders enrolled in schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MEB), in grades 8–11 (seniors/12th graders cannot participate). Each student may compete in only one subject per year. Students who pass Stage 1 also gain access to the TÜBİTAK 2248 Mentorship Programme.
Student Outcomes¶
TÜBİTAK provides a comprehensive tiered reward structure for olympiad medalists:
YKS Coefficient Boost (Ek Katsayı)¶
Applied during the student's first attempt at the university entrance examination (YKS):
| Level | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| International olympiad | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.04 |
| National olympiad | 0.035 | 0.03 | 0.025 |
Exam-Free University Placement (Sınavsız Yerleştirme)¶
Students who win medals at international science olympiads are eligible for exam-free placement for their first university application, bypassing the YKS entirely.
TÜBİTAK 2205 Undergraduate Scholarship¶
For medal winners enrolling in science and engineering programmes:
- Monthly stipend: 6,000 TL to 48,000 TL (scales with medal tier and competition level)
- Duration: 12 months per year, continuing until normal degree completion
- Olympiad medalists bypass departmental restrictions (YKS rank-based recipients are limited to 15 designated departments)
- Minimum GPA to maintain: 2.50/4.00
International Medal Cash Prizes¶
| Medal | International | Regional |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 108,000 TL | 48,000 TL |
| Silver | 87,000 TL | 41,000 TL |
| Bronze | 63,000 TL | 33,000 TL |
| Honorable Mention | 43,500 TL | 20,500 TL |
History¶
Early Participation (1978–1992)¶
- 1978: Turkey first participated in the IChO at the 10th IChO in Toruń, Poland, winning a bronze. During this early period, Turkish participation was sporadic and organized on an ad-hoc basis.
National Programme Era (1993–present)¶
- 1993: The formal TÜBİTAK Science Olympiads Program was established, creating a structured national pipeline for all science olympiad disciplines.
- 1997: Turkey's first IChO world champion, winning gold with rank 1 at the 29th IChO in Montreal, Canada.
- 2000s: Turkey established itself as a consistent medal-winning nation, with multiple golds per decade and an expanding talent pipeline from science high schools (fen liseleri).
- 2020: Turkey hosted the 52nd IChO in Istanbul, organized by TÜBİTAK and hosted by Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ). Due to the global pandemic, it was conducted as a remote-access examination with 59 countries and 231 students participating. Turkey won 2 gold + 2 silver, with Şebnem Gül (rank 7) and Deniz Güner (rank 18) earning golds.
IChO Performance¶
IChO Medal Record
19 Gold · 
58 Silver · 
44 Bronze
Turkey is one of the stronger-performing nations, with several multi-gold medalists in its history.
Mendeleev Olympiad¶
Turkey has been an active participant in the International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad (IMChO) since the 2010s, grouped as a "Regular medalist" nation among non-CIS countries.
Strong Schools and Regions¶
Turkey's olympiad success is concentrated in a few elite school types and metropolitan areas:
- Science High Schools (Fen Liseleri): Selective public schools that consistently produce the strongest olympiad candidates.
- Galatasaray Lisesi (Istanbul): Home to 3× IChO gold and a documented tradition of olympiad success across multiple subjects.
- Major metropolitan areas: Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir are the primary producers of olympiad winners.
Past Exams Archive¶
| Year | Round1 | Round2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Link | |
| 2025 | Link | Link |
| 2024 | Link | Link |
| 2023 | Link | Link |
| 2022 | Link | Link |
| 2021 | Link | Link |
| 2020 | Link | Link |
| 2019 | Link | |
| 2018 | Link | Link |
| 2017 | Link | Link |
| 2016 | Link | |
| 2015 | Link | |
| 2014 | Link | Link |
| 2013 | Link | Link |
| 2012 | Link | Link |
| 2011 | Link | Link |
| 2010 | Link | Link |
| 2009 | Link | Link |
| 2008 | Link | Link |
| 2007 | Link | Link |
| 2006 | Link | Link |
| 2005 | Link | |
| 2004 | Link | Link |
| 2003 | Link | |
| 2002 | Link | |
| 2001 | Link | |
| 2000 | Link | |
| 1999 | Link | |
| 1997 | Link |