One way that students can qualify for our international competitions is by taking one of our exams. The following qualifying exams cost $30, and details for each competition’s exams are listed below. Please be prepared to take the test when you pay for the exam, as it may not be possible to take the test later once it’s paid for.

How to qualify by exam for the 2026 International Geography Championships:

  1. Students in the USA can qualify for the International Geography Championships by taking the International Geography Championships Qualifying Exam. Students must score 80 or higher if they take the exam while in 9th-12th grade, 70 or higher if they take the exam while in 7th or 8th grade, or 60 or higher if they take the exam while in 1st-6th grade.
    The International Geography Championships Qualifying Exam has 60 questions; each question is worth 2 points are there is no penalty for an incorrect response, so students should answer all questions. Students have 30 minutes to complete the exam. The same exam is used for all countries and all age divisions.
    Regardless of when students finish schooling / homeschooling for a year, the cutoff to determine grades is June 23. If students took the exam (or a Geography National Qualifying Exam as mentioned below) prior to that date in a given academic year, then they are considered to be in their grade until the end of that day, and thenceforth in their subsequent grade.
  2. All students, regardless of grade, can also take a Varsity / Junior Varsity Geography National Qualifying Exam if they haven’t already. The exam has three different versions: C Set, B Set and A Set. Students must score 75 or higher if they take the exam while in 9th-12th grade, 65 or higher if they take the exam while in 7th or 8th grade, 55 or higher if they take the exam while in 1st-6th grade. Students can only take each exam once but passing on just one of them will be enough to qualify.
  3. Please note that registration for the International Geography Championships will close in June 2026. Please email igc@iacompetitions.com for more information.
  4. For other ways to qualify for the International Geography Championships, including those who live outside the United States, please refer to this list on the International Geography Championships website.

How to qualify by exam for the 2027 International History Olympiad:

  1. Students in the USA can qualify for the International History Olympiad by taking the International History Olympiad Qualifying Exam. Students must score 80 or higher if they take the exam while in 9th-12th grade, 70 or higher if they take the exam while in 7th or 8th grade, or 60 or higher if they take the exam while in 2nd-6th grade.
    The International History Olympiad Qualifying Exam has 60 questions; each question is worth 2 points are there is no penalty for an incorrect response, so students should answer all questions. Students have 30 minutes to complete the exam. The same exam is used for all countries and all age divisions.
    Regardless of when students finish schooling / homeschooling for a year, the cutoff to determine grades is June 23. Students are considered to be in their grade that they were in during the 2025-26 or 2026-27 academic years until the end of that day, and thenceforth in their subsequent grade.
  2. Please note that registration for the International History Olympiad will close in June 2027.
  3. For other ways to qualify for the International History Olympiad, please refer to this list on the International History Olympiad website.