ICQ – Empowering Future Scientists
The ICQ Chemistry Assessment is conducted on scheduled test dates each year and offers students a unique opportunity to showcase their scientific knowledge and reasoning skills. This single 60-minute test is thoughtfully designed to challenge and inspire students’ understanding of fundamental and advanced chemistry concepts — including atomic structure, chemical reactions, bonding, the periodic table, and the practical applications of chemistry in everyday life.
Beyond testing factual knowledge, the ICQ Chemistry Assessment nurtures critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and creative problem-solving, encouraging students to make connections between theory and real-world science. It aims to spark a lifelong interest in scientific exploration and deepen students’ curiosity about how substances interact, change, and shape the world around us.
Save the dates for 2026 ICQ Competition
India, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Thailand, *Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile
- Sit the quiz between: 3 – 7 August 2026
- Registrations open: 20 April 2026
- Registrations close: 17 July 2026
- Early Bird Rates will apply from 20 April - 20 May 2026 (inclusive)
- Answer sheets upload deadline: Midnight Monday 10 August 2026
Competition Details
- Format: Multiple-choice quiz crafted by RACI experts.
- Delivery: Secure, online access via schools.
- Duration: Approximately [60 minutes].
- Recognition: Certificates for all participants, with special awards for high achievers.
Results
Once the results are ready, we'll be sending out an email to all coordinators. We aim to process results and certificates within 4 weeks of the quiz finishing, but usually we complete this sooner!
What to Expect:
- Individual School Report: Each school will receive a comprehensive report detailing their students' performance.
- Student Certificates: Recognize your students' achievements with individual certificates.
All students receive an award according to the criteria below.
| Excellence | Awarded to students who answer 100% of the questions correctly. |
|---|---|
| High Distinction | Awarded to the top 10% of students in the region. |
| Credit | Awarded to the following 20% of students in the region |
| Participation | Awarded to students scoring below 50% of the total participants in the region |
| Prize | Students who obtain a perfect score of 30 out of 30 receive a medal. |
What topics are covered in the quiz?
The content of the quiz changes each year, but may be based on the following topics:
| Years (Grade) 7 & 8: | Mixtures and solutions; states of matter and particle motion; differences between elements, compounds, and mixtures; chemical change. |
|---|---|
| Years (Grade) 9 & 10: | Composition of atoms; chemical reactions and conservation of mass; significance of reactions in living and non-living systems; atomic structure and the Periodic Table; types of chemical reactions and reaction rates. |
| Year 11 (Grade): | Atomic models and bonding; enthalpy and energy changes; scientific inquiry in investigations; molecular structure and intermolecular forces; kinetic and collision theory. |
| Year 12 (Grade): | Characteristics of equilibrium systems; strength vs. concentration of acids; redox reactions and electrochemical cells; historical development of chemical theories; functional groups in organic compounds; synthesis processes and analytical techniques |
Across All Years: Designing, conducting, evaluating, and communicating scientific investigations into properties, behaviours, and reactions of substances.
For schools and parents, ICQ (International Chemistry Quiz) reveals how well students apply chemistry knowledge in real-world contexts, encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and scientific reasoning. Students develop higher-order skills across areas such as Chemical Reactions, Materials, Energy, and The Environment.
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