Brainiacs History Olympiad Mechanics
The Brainiacs History Olympiad is a globally renowned competition aimed at encouraging creativity, innovation, and academic excellence in students from Grade 7 to Grade 12. The Olympiad is structured into two main stages: the Preliminary Round and the Global Round.

 

PRELIMINARY ROUND

 

Registration
Students can register for the Olympiad through the official Brainiacs Olympiad website or via authorized representatives in their respective countries.

 

Dates
The online qualifying exams for the Preliminary Round are scheduled for:

• Online I: – November 15, 2025 (Registration deadline: November 14, 2025)
• Online I Results: November 20, 2025
• Online II: – December 20, 2025 (Registration deadline: December 19, 2025)
• Online II Results: – December 25, 2025

The two online rounds are the same, but feature different questions. 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.

 

Format
The exam consists of 50 questions divided into three levels of difficulty:

• Easy: 15 questions
• Normal: 20 questions
• Difficult: 15 questions

The exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 75 minutes. Questions are tailored to the participant’s educational level and divided into the following categories:

• Category 1: Grades 7 and 8
• Category 2: Grades 9 and 10
• Category 3: Grades 11 and 12

 

Scoring

• Easy Questions: +1 points for each correct answer
• Normal Questions: +2 points for each correct answer
• Difficult Questions: +3 points for each correct answer
• Incorrect Answer: No negative marking for any question
• Unanswered Questions: No points deducted

 

Qualification
Participants scoring at least 40% in the Preliminary Round qualify for the Global Round. Every participant receives a Certificate of Participation.

 

Recognition
In the Preliminary Round, medals are awarded based on the points earned by the participants:

• 40 to 49 : Honorable Mention Certificate
• 50 to 74 : Bronze Medal
• 75 to 89 : Silver Medal
• 90 to 100 : Gold Medal

 

GLOBAL ROUND

 

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.

• Standard Registration Deadline: February 1, 2026
• Late Registration Deadline: March 1, 2026

 

Exam Days
Global Round exam format is different from Preliminary Round. It has both Theoretical and Practical parts separated in two consecutive examination days.

 

Day 1. Theoretical Part
This is the traditional portion of a history exam – it tests understanding of historical events, reasoning, and analytical interpretation of sources.
Examples:

• Answering questions about key events, figures, and periods (e.g., “What were the main causes of World War I?”)
• Explaining historical processes or changes over time (e.g., revolutions, reforms, discoveries)
• Analyzing primary or secondary sources and drawing conclusions
• Short-answer or multiple-choice conceptual questions on chronology, causes, and effects

Purpose:
To test historical knowledge, critical thinking, interpretation of evidence, and the ability to explain and connect events within broader historical contexts.

 

Day 1. Exam Format
The exam consists of 45 questions divided into three levels of difficulty:

• Easy: 10 multiple-choice questions
• Normal: 15 multiple-choice questions
• Difficult: 10 multiple-choice questions
• Open-ended (History Bowl Questions): 10 questions

The exam consists of 35 multiple-choice and 10 open-ended questions to be completed within 120 minutes.

 

Day 1. Exam Scoring

• Easy Questions: +1 points for each correct answer
• Normal Questions: +2 points for each correct answer
• Difficult Questions: +3 points for each correct answer
• History Bowl Questions: +3 points for full correct and answer
• Incorrect Answer: No negative marking for any question
• Unanswered Question: No points deducted

 

Day 2. Practical Part
The practical part checks how students can apply historical knowledge and analytical skills in real-world or investigative situations (using sources, data, or historical evidence).
Examples:

• Analyzing historical documents, maps, photos, or statistics to draw conclusions
• Creating or interpreting timelines of events or developments
• Comparing different historical viewpoints or interpretations
• Conducting a short investigation on a historical question (e.g., “How did industrialization change urban life?”)

Purpose:
To test application of knowledge, source analysis, interpretation, research, and the ability to use evidence to support historical understanding.

 

Day 2. Exam Format
The exam consists of 8 questions:

• Source-Based Questions – Textual and visual analysis: 4 questions
• Essay Writing/Long Answers: 4 questions

Source-Based Questions – Textual and Visual Analysis
These tasks assess students’ ability to interpret and analyze historical sources such as texts, maps, photographs, letters, or political cartoons. Participants are expected to extract key information, identify bias or perspective, and connect the source to historical events or contexts.

To receive a high score, the participant must provide a well-reasoned and coherent analysis that:

• Accurately interprets the content and purpose of the source
• Explains its historical significance or context
• Draws logical conclusions supported by evidence from the source
• Demonstrates critical thinking and understanding of cause-and-effect relationships in history
• Compare the data given in the questions

Essay Writing/Long Answers – Argumentation and critical thinking (to receive a high score, the participant must provide a well-developed response containing no fewer than 80 words. The answer should be logical, meaningful, reflect an understanding of the topic, and demonstrate the ability to support one’s point of view with arguments.)

The exam is to be completed within 120 minutes.

 

Day 2. Exam Scoring

• Source-Based Questions – Textual and visual analysis: +15 points for fully correct answer
• Essay Writing/Long Answers: +10 points for fully correct answer
• Incorrect Answer: No negative marking for any question
• Unanswered Question: No points deducted

 

Global Round Recognition
In the Global Round, medals are awarded based on the percentage distribution according to the number of participants.

• The top 10% (0-10%) of participants receive gold medals.
• The next 20% (11-30%) of participants receive silver medals.
• The next 30% (31-60%) of participants receive bronze medals.
• The next 15% (61-75%) receive honorable mentions.

 

Languages
All of the questions in Preliminary and Global Rounds will be in 4 languages: English, Russian, French, and Spanish.