Program

Students take part in the Olympiad by first writing the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) High School Prize Exam.

The CAP exam is prepared in cooperation with the Canadian Physics Olympiad program and is the principal method by which students are screened for invitation to the National Physics Olympiad Finals. All high schools and CÉGEPs in Canada are notified of this examination by the CAP in the spring of each year. It is a fully bilingual examination which usually takes place around mid-April.

Updated January 15, 2024:

The 2024 CAP Exam date will be posted on the CAP website here. Interested teachers and students should contact the provincial coordinator

The National Physics Olympiad finals will take place from May 19 – May 25, 2024 on UBC campus. During the finals we will choose the team which will represent Canada at the International Physics Olympiad. 

This year (2024) the Canadian team will travel to compete in the European Physics Olympiad in Georgia where top students compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. Participation in the National Finals camp or an International Olympiad is a tremendous experience and a unique opportunity to travel and meet fellow students from around the world who share similar interests.

Eligibility and Cost:

To be eligible for selection to the National finals and the Canadian Team, students must ace the CAP High School Prize Exam. Eligible students must also be in full time attendance at a Canadian high school or CÉGEP and must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.  They must be available for the whole period of the European Physics Olympiad in Georgia (July, 2024).  Finally, they must not have reached 20 years of age at the time of the International competition.

Looking for something else?

*Looking for information about the UBC Physics Olympics? The UBC Physics Olympics is an annual high school competition for physics classes. This competition includes six events: two labs, two pre-build projects, ‘quizzics’ and a Fermi questions competition. This year (March 2023) the Olympics will be held in-person on UBC campus. For teams unable to participate in-person, there will be a virtual pre-build event to compete for prizes. Please see our Physics Olympics webpage for more information about this event, as well as for our new workshop for Teachers interested in participating!