The British Psychology Olympiad

Who Can Enter the British Psychology Olympiad?

The British Psychology Olympiad is open to all secondary school students in the British Isles and internationally. The questions are aimed at students in Year 12 (penultimate school year, age 16-17), though we welcome ambitious younger entrants in Year 9 and above.

The Olympiad is intentionally designed to be challenging, presenting a rigorous test for participants. Students should view this as a valuable opportunity to enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, while also assessing and applying their current knowledge of psychology in real-world scenarios.

What is the Format of the Olympiad?

Format:

• Round 1 - Multiple Choice Question Selection Round (MCQ):

  • Rules: The Qualifier Round is a 1.5hr online test to be sat on Sunday 8th February 2026. Students are required to complete 20 multiple-choice psychology questions within 90 minutes. Each correct answer earns 5 points, with a maximum total score of 100 points. The exam is conducted in English. This section will test students’ knowledge of fundamental concepts and theories in psychology. It will assess their ability to recall information and concepts spanning a range of approaches.

  • Eligibility: Year 9 - 12 students who are interested in psychology can participate.

  • Advancement Criteria: Students who score above the cut-off point set by the organising committee will qualify for the National Round (Approximately a 60% advancement rate).

  • Academic Support: Study resources will be provided free of charge to assist in preparation for the test (see below).

• Round 2 (National Round) - Open Question Test:

  • Rules: Participants who pass the MCQ will be invited to join Round 2, the National Round. Participants will be tasked with an Open Question online test, which will be sat on Sunday 22nd February 2025.

  • The Open Question Test is an online test of short-answer questions to be completed in a limited time (400 words max for each question). Students will be tasked with 4 questions to answer.

  • Advancement Criteria: The organising committee will conduct a selection process to choose the best responses from all participants. Those selected will be submitted to the Global Round Psychology Essay Challenge Round.

• Round 3 (Global Round) - Psychology Essay Competition:

  • Successful participants will be invited to submit their essay response to the Minds Underground Psychology Essay Competition in Spring 2026 (deadline is 3rd April 2026). The 2026 essay competition titles are detailed below.

    • The Essay Competition (max 1500 words) offers an opportunity for students to showcase their analytical and critical thinking skills. Whether they choose to design an innovative study or unravel the mysteries of consciousness, these thought-provoking questions will test students’ analytical and creative prowess, inviting them to contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of psychological knowledge.

    • The questions can be found below. Students can begin preparing a response at any time.

    • Rules: All students must choose one of the three essay topics announced by the organising committee below to complete their writing. Essays must be written in English, with a word count of 1000-1500 words (excluding references), and must use the Harvard citation format.

    • Awards:

      • Top three places for each category: Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

      • Excellence Awards for the top 60% of participants.

For students who do not want to enter the full Olympiad competition, you are welcome to submit an entry for just the Minds Underground Psychology Essay Competition. Entrants must choose 1 question to answer.

• Psychology Olympiad Camp and Summer School Invitation

  • Students who excel in the National and Global Rounds will be awarded an invitation to attend our ‘Beyond the Syllabus’ summer camps. This is an opportunity to extend their achievement into a selective enrichment programme.

  • Two options are available: either our in-person, week-long Psychology Summer Camp held at the University of Oxford, or our online ‘Beyond the Syllabus’ Psychology Summer School, hosted by two outstanding Oxbridge Psychology graduates.

  • Full programme details and pricing (covering tuition, accommodation, and meals for the in-person camp) will be shared with invitees once results are released.