FAQs

Eligibility of students

• How do students to take part?

  Students are required to enter the competitions via their schools. A teacher must register the school for the competitions. This is done by a single teacher registering with the BPhO for their school. See the link on Teacher Registration

• What level of study should students be to enter the competitions?

  Students who have finished their school examinations in the year of the competition can participate as long as they have not commenced a more advanced level of study (e.g. university studies for BPhO Round 1, A2 or equivalent for AS Challenge, or Key stage 4 / level 3 studies for the Physics Challenge).

• Are there any age restrictions?

  The entry of students to each competition is set by the Year group stated for each competition. Younger students may enter a competition, but not older ones.

• What about non-UK citizens?

  Contestants are not required to be UK citizens but must fulfil the above age requirements for each of the competitions.

  • All students in China wanting to take part in the BPhO Competition, the AS Challenge or the Physics Challenge, must register through ASDAN-China. To register please visit www.seedasdan.org/bpho, or contact science@seedasdan.org for more information.
  • Entries from other overseas schools must first contact Contact@bpho.org.uk

• What about home schooled students?

  Entry to the competitions is via schools. It is necessary for the administration and security of the competition papers. We are happy for arrangements to be made with a local school or college that has other students taking part.

• What about the UK team competing in the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)?

  Students are required to:

  1. Attend a secondary school, sixth form or FE college within the UK,
  2. be a UK citizen OR have had the majority of their education within the UK. If you teach a student who is not a UK citizen, but would like to enquire about their eligibility contact the BPhO.

  Round 2 (January): Students will be invited to take part in this competition paper only if they are eligible for the UK team.
  [The increased number of A level students from overseas studying in the UK is welcome and it is pleasing to see their success in Round 1, but that does not make them eligible to take Round 2.]

  Oxford Training Camp: Only students who are eligible for the UK team at the IPhO will be invited to the Oxford Training Camp in April.

  Level of study: Students who have finished their school examinations in the year of the competition can be members of the team as long as they have not commenced their university studies.

  Age restriction: The age of the contestants should not exceed twenty years on June 30th of the year of the competition.

Running the competitions and SEND students

• What about extra time?

  The BPhO runs a set of competitions which are not public exams. In order to allow students to choose questions relevant to topics they have studied, several of the competitions contain more material than could be covered in the time available, even by the most ardent students. Problem solving questions are often time pressured. If a student already has access arrangements in place for public examinations, then the BPhO allows the same access arrangements for the competitions up to and including Round 1 of the BPhO. However, such provision is at the discretion of the school.
  We are not able at a later stage to adjust marks to allow for students’ personal circumstances.
  We would not recommend an extra time allowance in BPhO Round 2 in January as this is a selection paper for the IPhO and there are no extra time allowances in the International competition (IPhO).
  Other cases for SEND students should be discussed with the school SENDCO.

Ordering papers

• How do I order the competition papers?

  All papers, including those that are free, should be ordered through the Competition platform.

• Is my school/college eligible for four free entries of the BPhO paper?

  The BPhO is offering four free entries for students entering Round 1 for non-fee paying schools only. Further entries must be paid for. Both these categories of entry are available through the Competition platform (see below).

• How do I receive my four free entries to BPhO Round 1?

  Non-fee paying schools and colleges can order four free papers from the item labelled ‘BPhO Round 1 on the Competition platform. Further papers to be paid can be ordered at the same time.

• What happens after I order my papers?

  Papers can be downloaded from the Competition platform before the test date

• Are any papers sent in printed form?

  No, all papers are delivered via the Competition Platform.

• How do I receive my free electronic copies of the challenge papers?

  The AS Challenge and GCSE Challenge papers are available free as pdf downloads to all schools. Teachers need to register for the Competition platform linked here for this. Please use the exam platform to order your free electronic copies of the paper, mark schemes and certificates.

• I have forgotten to order a paper until after the deadline for entry. Can we still enter?

  Yes, you can download the paper up to the test date but you must be registered on the exam platform, and that may take a day or so.

• When can I expect the papers to arrive?

  Papers are downloaded by the teacher registered on the Competition platform, when they are made available. Dates are given there.

• I have tried the exam platform / registering and I have experienced a technical problem.

  Please email Contact@bpho.org.uk.

• I have tried using the exam platform to order BPhO Round 1 but my school does not have a credit card

  Please order the paper choosing to be invoiced. Overseas schools cannot be invoiced and must pay by credit card. Any difficulty, then Contact@bpho.org.uk and we will be happy to help.

Calculators

• What type of calculators are allowed?

  Any standard calculator may be used, but calculators must not have symbolic algebra capability.
  If they are programmable, then they must be cleared or used in "exam mode". Code may not be written for any of the BPhO competitions.

  The requirements follow the A level regulations, which are given below.