US National Chemistry Olympiad - In Person for 2026
The US National Chemistry Olympiad is a multi-tiered competition for high school students.  The 2026 Chemistry Olympiad local exam will be administered by teachers in their schools at a time convenient to them and their students during the testing window of February 27 to March 16, 2026,  Students must register with the both the USNCO and the New York ACS. The registration window is October 6, 2025 to February 13, 2026. 

Students also need to register with the New York ACS (see below)

IMPORTANT: Students who have not registered with BOTH the USNCO and the New York ACS will not be able to participate in the Olympiad.

Please download the 2026 Cover Letter to see how you and your students can participate.

Questions should be addressed to NY ACS Olympiad Committee Chair, Stephen Z. Goldberg
Fee Waivers Available for 2026
The New York Section of the ACS will continue a policy first implemented in 2022 to increase participation in the US National Chemistry Olympiad.  Schools that have not participated in the Olympiad since 2020 are eligible to apply for a fee waiver, as are schools which have never participated.
Download Cover Letter here 
Download Application here. 
Applications will be reviewed in the order received.
2026 Local Exam Registration Information

To participate in the 2026 Olympiad, students must register by February 13, 2026 with the USNCO (register here) and the New York ACS (see below).  The local exam is a 60 multiple choice exam lasting 110 min.  The local exam will be administered by teachers in their schools at a time convenient to them and their students during the testing window of February 27 to March 16, 2026.  Prior to the testing window we will send teachers a PDF file of the exam and the answer form students will use. Students must be registered through the New York ACS as described below as well as with the USNCO (by February 13, 2026). 

Registration with the New York ACS is normally done through the students' school. If your school needs an invoice please complete and submit the registration materials as soon as possible so that the necessary paperwork can be completed. Homeschooled students and students from a school that declines to cover the registration fee may register as individuals. These students will be contacted to advise them of their options to take the exam; they will not be allowed to take them at home.  The Rules pertaining to the eligibility of students for the Olympiad can be downloaded here.  New York ACS registration Instructions are below. 

  • Teachers - how to register students from your school:
Registration of students involves completing and submitting the following

  1.      Registration and Invoice Form       
  2.      The Registration Spreadsheet
  3.      Send a check payable to ACS New York Section, Inc. for the registration fee. 
         Be sure that the name of the school is on the check. 
  • Individual Students - how to register if you are homeschooled or your school declines to participate in the Olympiad:
Registration of students involves completing and submitting the following:
 
  1.     The Individual Student Registration Form 
  2.      The Registration Spreadsheet   
  3.      A check payable to ACS New York Section, Inc. for the registration fee. 
         Be sure that the name of the school is on the check.
  4.      These students will be contacted and advised of the date, time and location of an examination site. 
We encourage you to take a look at the USNCO website, where you can, among other things, see previous exams, and register for webinars which provide information on how to prepare for the Local and National Exams.  

Early registration is encouraged but registration with both the New York ACS and USNCO must be completed by February 13, 2026 (UNSCO registration website).
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Stephen Z. Goldberg, Chair, NYACS Olympiad Committee.