The International Theoretical Physics Olympiad is an annual competition for undergraduate and graduate students in theoretical physics. Established in 2016, the Olympiad tests participants' ability to derive physical models from first principles.
The competition is governed by the ITPO Statutes and administered by an independent Secretariat. Teams typically consist of up to 5 students representing their institution, with past participants from MIT, University of Cambridge, ETH Zürich, Peking University, and other leading research universities.
Competition Structure
The Olympiad consists of theoretical problems requiring multi-step analytical derivations. Problems are evaluated by an independent Jury of physicists.
Awards are distributed according to the Statutes: Gold (top 8%), Silver (next 17%), Bronze (next 25%).
Past Results
Official results from 2016–2021, including participating institutions and award recipients.
View resultsStatutes
Rules governing the competition, including eligibility, problem selection, and evaluation criteria.
Read statutesNote: The Olympiad entered a restructuring period in 2022. The Secretariat is currently finalizing arrangements for future cycles.