CategoriesGrades 3-4,Grades 5-6-7, Grades 8-9,Grades 10-11-12
Preliminary Round INovember 15, 2025Registration deadlineNovember 13, 2025
Preliminary Round IIDecember 20, 2025Registration deadlineDecember 18, 2025
Global FinalMarch 24-30, 2026Registration deadlineFebruary 1, 2026
Categories 1-2:5 Q Preliminary15+1 Q Global Final
Categories 3-4:5 Q Preliminary12+8 Q Global Final
75 min Preliminary120+120 min Global Final
English, Russian,French, and Spanish
The Brainiacs Physics Olympiad is a globally renowned competition aimed at encouraging creativity, innovation, and academic excellence in students from Grade 3 to Grade 12. The Olympiad is structured into two main stages: the Preliminary Round and the Global Round.
Registration Students can register for the Olympiad through the official Brainiacs Olympiad website or via authorized representatives in their respective countries.
The online qualifying exams for the Preliminary Round are scheduled for:
The two online rounds are the same, but feature different challenges. Those who did not qualify for the global round in the first online round, along with those who were absent from the first round, can participate in the second round.
The exam consists of 5 challenges divided into three levels of difficulty:
The exam consists of 5 coding challenges to be completed within 75 minutes. Problems are tailored to the participant’s educational level and divided into the following categories:
Participants in Categories 1 and 2 will solve challenges on the block-based programming platform Scratch, while participants in Categories 3 and 4 will solve text-based challenges using C++, Python, or JavaScript.
For Category 1 and 2
For Category 3 and 4
Note: Each problem contains multiple test cases. Students earn points for each test case passed, so partial solutions are scored fairly.
Participants scoring at least 40% in the Preliminary Round qualify for the Global Round. Every participant receives a Certificate of Participation.
In the Preliminary Round, medals are awarded based on the points earned by the participants:
The Global Round is the final stage of the competition, where participants showcase their knowledge and ability.
Registration Students can register for the Olympiad through the official Brainiacs Olympiad website or via authorized representatives in their respective countries.
Dates and Venue Global Round of the 2nd Brainiacs Olympiad will take place in Xiamen University Malaysia from March 24 to 30, 2026.
Exam Days Global Round exam format is different from Preliminary Round. For Category 1 and 2 it has both Theoretical and Practical parts separated in two consecutive examination days. For Categories 3 and 4, both examination days will be practical, focusing entirely on solving programming challenges.
This is the structured portion of the coding exam on Scratch — it tests understanding of programming logic, problem-solving skills, and the ability to use Scratch blocks correctly and efficiently.
Examples:
Purpose:
To assess students’ foundational programming knowledge, logical thinking, understanding of Scratch features, and ability to create simple programs within the platform.
The exam consists of 15 problems divided into three levels of difficulty:
The exam consists of 10 multiple-choice problems and 5 coding challenges to be completed within 120 minutes.
The practical part evaluates how students apply their Scratch knowledge to create projects based on a given topic. Participants develop their own unique approach to solving the selected problem and implement it in a format provided by the organizers, such as an animated story, cartoon, or interactive game (e.g., quest, quiz, shooter).
Examples:
Purpose:
To evaluate problem-solving, creativity, and the ability to design functional, engaging, and visually appealing projects.
The exam consists of 1 project worth 100 points:
Technical Skills involve the correct use of Scratch concepts, functionality, debugging, and working code. Students demonstrate understanding of motion, looks, sounds, events, loops, conditionals, ensuring their project runs correctly without critical errors.
Creativity & Design requires originality, visual appeal, and engagement. Students are evaluated on the uniqueness of their idea, attractive visuals (sprites, costumes, backgrounds, and pen drawings).
Problem-Solving & Logic focuses on planning, sequencing, and the effectiveness of solving the chosen problem. Students must organize steps logically, implement efficient solutions to achieve the project goals.
The project is to be completed within 120 minutes.
This part tests students’ understanding of programming logic, loops, conditions, functions, and basic data structures.
Examples:
Purpose:
To evaluate students’ foundational Python skills, problem-solving ability, and accuracy in writing code.
The exam consists of 12 problems divided into three levels of difficulty:
The exam consists of 12 problems to be completed within 120 minutes.
Note: Each problem will have multiple test cases. Students earn points for each test case passed, so partial solutions are scored fairly.
This part focuses on larger, multi-step programming problems that require combining several Python concepts to solve complex tasks.
Examples:
Purpose:
To assess students’ ability to plan, implement, and debug more complex programs while applying problem-solving and programming skills.
The exam consists of 8 problems divided into two levels of difficulty:
The exam consists of 8 problems to be completed within 120 minutes.
Note: Each problem will have multiple test cases. Students earn points for each test case passed, so partial solutions are scored fairly.
In the Global Round, medals are awarded based on the percentage distribution according to the number of participants.
All of the problems in Preliminary and Global Rounds will be in 4 languages: English, Russian, French, and Spanish.
Scratch Coding Syllabus
Goal: Develop basic programming skills, logical thinking, and creativity.
| Lesson | Topic | Learning Objectives | Practice / Mini-Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Scratch | Understand the interface, sprites, stage | Create a sprite that says “Hello” |
| 2 | Motion & Events | Move sprite using arrow keys and events | Move sprite around stage |
| 3 | Looks & Sounds | Change costumes, backgrounds, and add sounds | Animate sprite with costume changes |
| 4 | Variables & Score | Create a variable and use it | Make a counter that increases when sprite is clicked |
| 5 | Loops & Repetition | Use repeat and forever blocks | Animate sprite moving back and forth |
| 6 | Conditionals | Use if/else to control actions | Make sprite react differently to colors |
| 7 | Simple Game Mechanics | Combine motion, score, and events | “Catch the apple” game |
| 8 | Storytelling & Animation | Sequence events for a story | Make two sprites interact in a short story |
| 9 | Pen Blocks & Drawing | Use pen down, pen up, change color & size, combine with motion and loops | Draw lines, squares, triangles, stars, and colorful patterns |
Practice with these examples to understand the format, sharpen your skills, and prepare for the challenges ahead.
