Newsroom
News & Updates
Season announcements, exam guidance, and Team USA results from the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad.
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How to Prepare for the USNCO: A Study Roadmap (2026)
A structured, multi-month USNCO study roadmap for 2026: map the full ACS syllabus, work past papers under timed conditions, drill the free-response paper and lab, start early.
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USNCO Past Papers (1999-2025): The Pack and How to Use It (2026)
Our organised USNCO past-paper pack (1999-2025), with worked solutions for many years and more being added, is world-class chemistry practice. How to use it — timed, across all three exam parts, over months. Scan to get it free.
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Can International Students Take the USNCO? Eligibility, Honestly (2026)
Honestly, no: the USNCO is for U.S. high-school students entering via an ACS Local Section, with no sign-up from abroad. But the public 1999-2025 past papers are open to you.
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What Is the USNCO? A 2026 Guide to the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
The U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) is the American Chemical Society’s four-tier competition that selects the U.S. team for the International Chemistry Olympiad. This 2026 guide explains how it works, the four stages, the National Exam, who can enter — and how students outside the U.S. can use its past papers to prepare.
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Inside the USNCO National Exam: Format, the Three Parts & Syllabus (2026)
The USNCO National Exam (10-19 Apr 2026) has three parts: 60 multiple-choice in 90 min, a 105-min free-response paper, and a 90-min laboratory practical. How marks work and how the syllabus maps to it. Confirm on acs.org.
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The Four-Tier USNCO Pathway: Local to National to Study Camp to IChO (2026)
The USNCO 2026 season runs across four tiers — Local (27 Feb-16 Mar), National (10-19 Apr), Study Camp (31 May-13 Jun) and IChO (10-19 Jul) — narrowing ~10,000 students to a four-person Team USA. Confirm dates on acs.org.