Deadline:
April 17, 2026
Location(s)
Online
Overview
An educational science competition open to students from around the world: Unleash your astronomy skills and expand your knowledge through diverse problems that explore the universe. Win awards and telescopes signed by Nobel Prize laureates!
Details
The International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC) is a global educational competition based in Germany that promotes student engagement in space science and scientific learning worldwide. The competition consists of three online rounds and targets students both in school and at university.
Process and Rounds
Qualification Round
The Qualification Round is the first stage and consists of five astronomy problems. The problems in the Qualification Round encompass a wide range of topics, varying in difficulty and discipline. Some of the problems test your astronomy knowledge, others require calculations. Each problem gives 5 points, and to qualify for the Pre-Final Round in May 2026, you have to score at least 12, 14, or 17 points based on your age group.
Pre-Final Round
Qualified participants can register for the Pre-Final Round. The problems will be more challenging but also more engaging! You have five days to solve the problems, which include reading a real-world research paper. The Pre-Final Round consists of six problems that vary in difficulty, points, and subject: 2x Basic Problems (4 Points), 2x Advanced Problems (6 Points), and 2x Research Problems (8 Points).
All participants who are qualified and registered for the Pre-Final Round will receive the problems via email or via their participant account on Friday, 29 May 2026. From that day on, you have until Tuesday, 2 June 2026 to solve as many problems as possible. This year's registration costs are 13 EUR to fund the competition.
Final Round
Participants who have solved the Pre-Final Round successfully are qualified to participate in the Final Round: a multiple-choice online exam with 20 questions. The questions require knowledge of astronomy and astrophysics, as well as the content of the previous rounds.
The online exam is conducted in the participant's school, where a teacher supervises each Finalist. Alternatively, participants can also self-record their and upload the video. In this case, no teacher is needed. The awards and prizes are given to the Finalists with the most points in the Final Round.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Who can participate?
Current high school and university students from all grades and countries are eligible. There are three age groups:
- Junior: 10th Grade and below (and < 16 years of age)
- Youth: 11th to 13th Grade (and < 19 years of age)
- Senior: 1st Year College/University and higher (or ≥ 19 years of age)
Depending on your age group, you will have to solve more problems to qualify for the next round. To solve the problems, you should be open-minded and creative. As some problems may require you to read real-world research material, fluency in English is beneficial. You should have a working internet connection to submit your solution online.
Dates
Deadline: April 17, 2026
Cost/funding for participants
The awards worth a total of 2500 USD, including cash prizes and two telescopes signed by astronaut Frank De Winne and Nobel Prize laureates François Englert, Gerard 't Hooft, Michel Mayor, and Didier Queloz. The awards also include up to 12 IAAC t-shirts from the IAAC merch shop (shop.iaac.space) for outstanding ambassadors. All participants receive participation certificates to certify their efforts. In the Final Round, participants can receive a Bronze, Silver or Gold Honour, depending on their performance. The best students are awarded the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize as well as national awards for the best participants from each country
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
