ISCO Past Papers with Answers - Practise Online

The International Science Challenge Olympiad (ISCO) is an international science competition for students in Grade 1 to Grade 12, organized by UniCEP (Universal Center of Educational Platform) in Australia together with Miss Man International Education. Students are grouped into six levels, ISCO 1 to ISCO 6, and each paper has 25 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 50 minutes. A Qualification Round in each country leads to an in-person Global Round for award winners.

ISCO tests general science rather than a single subject: questions draw on living things, the environment, matter and energy, the Earth and space, and, at higher levels, physics, chemistry and biology. This guide covers the ISCO levels, the ISCO exam format and scoring, the rounds, and how to prepare with ISCO past papers.

Overview

UniCEP was founded in 2017. According to its own timeline, ISCO was added in 2021, after the IMEC mathematics olympiad (2019) and the JEO-SEO English olympiads (2020). ISCO therefore has two sister contests from the same organizer: IMEC for mathematics and JEO-SEO for English. All three use levels of two school grades each, the same two rounds and the same +4 / -1 scoring rule, which makes it easy for a student to enter more than one subject in a season.

UniCEP reports participants from more than 35 countries. Students register on the UniCEP website or through an official country representative. The organizer states that ISCO papers are offered in English and Chinese.

ISCO levels and grades

ISCO starts at Grade 1. Unlike IMEC, it has no kindergarten level.

The topic notes summarize the official syllabus on the ISCO page. Overall, the organizer lists physics, chemistry, biology, technology, space science, and life and the natural environment as the areas covered.

Rounds

• Qualification Round. Every registered student takes this round, online or on paper, through UniCEP or its representative in each country. In some countries, including Vietnam, it is called the national round.
• Global Round. Students who earn Science Talent, Gold, Silver, Bronze or Honourable Mention in the Qualification Round are eligible. The Global Round is held in person; for the 2026-2027 season, the organizer lists Sydney in April 2027 and Malaysia in June 2027. Earlier UniCEP Global Rounds were held in cities including London, Sydney, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.

Going on to the Global Round is optional. Qualification Round awards are given whether or not a student travels.

ISCO exam format and scoring

In the Global Round, the top 10% of each level receive Gold, the next 20% Silver, the next 30% Bronze and the next 40% Honourable Mention.

Because of the negative marking, accuracy matters as much as speed. Fifty minutes for 25 questions gives about two minutes per question, and many science questions are short reading tasks built around a diagram, a table or a description of an experiment.

When is ISCO held

The Qualification Round normally takes place in November, with registration closing a few weeks before. Country representatives may hold their own sitting on a different date within the same period; in Vietnam, for example, ISCO is organized in the same session as IMEC and JEO-SEO. Global Rounds follow in the first half of the next year. Always confirm dates and fees with UniCEP or your country representative.

How to prepare with ISCO past papers

• Read the question stem slowly. Many errors in science olympiads come from missing a word such as "not" or "except", or from misreading a graph axis. Underline these words as you read.
• Practise data questions. Tables, bar charts and simple experiment set-ups appear often. Ask yourself what changes, what stays the same and what is being measured.
• Fill gaps level by level. Lower levels focus on observation and everyday science, while ISCO 4 to ISCO 6 expect school physics, chemistry and biology. After each paper, list the topics you missed and revise them from your textbook.
• Handle negative marking calmly. A correct answer is worth four times what a wrong answer costs. If you can eliminate at least one option with a real reason, a guess is usually worth taking; if you have no idea, move on and come back if time allows.
• Keep a vocabulary list. The paper is in English or Chinese, so students learning in another language should collect key science words (evaporation, friction, photosynthesis and so on) from past papers.

On Edupiad you can take ISCO past papers online with a timer, have them marked automatically, and review each question after you submit. The years and solutions available vary by level.

Frequently asked questions

What grades can take ISCO?

ISCO is for Grade 1 to Grade 12. ISCO 1 covers Grades 1-2 and each following level adds two grades, up to ISCO 6 for Grades 11-12. There is no kindergarten level.

Does ISCO have negative marking?

Yes. According to the official page, a correct answer earns 4 points and an incorrect answer loses 1 point, for a maximum of 100 points on 25 questions.

How long is the ISCO exam?

Each ISCO paper has 25 multiple-choice questions and lasts 50 minutes.

Which subjects does ISCO cover?

ISCO is a general science contest. The organizer lists physics, chemistry, biology, technology, space science, and life and the natural environment, with topics adjusted to each level.

How is ISCO different from IMEC and JEO-SEO?

All three are run by UniCEP. IMEC is mathematics, ISCO is science and JEO-SEO is English. ISCO and JEO-SEO both last 50 minutes and start at Grade 1, while IMEC lasts 60 minutes and also has a kindergarten level.

How do I qualify for the ISCO Global Round?

Students who receive Science Talent, Gold, Silver, Bronze or Honourable Mention in the Qualification Round may register for the Global Round.

Sources

• International Science Challenge Olympiad - UniCEP
• About UniCEP
• ISCO - Miss Man Education
• IMEC, ISCO, JEO-SEO registration in Vietnam - Fermat Education