Harvard Crimson Global Quiz Bowl - Biology | High School (Grades 9-12)
Global Harvard Crimson biology recognition
An international team biology quiz for High School students in Grades 9-12, featuring an online preliminary round and live Zoom semi-final and final rounds.
Mode
Online
Fee
$35 by the priority deadline, $45 regular, $55 late, per student per category
Participation format
Team
Teams of 2 to 5
Duration
Preliminary round is a 60-minute online test; semi-final and final are live Zoom rapid-fire rounds.
Time needed
60-minute online test; live Zoom semi-final and final for qualifiers
Eligibility
Open globally to High School students in Grades 9-12. Teams of 2 to 5 students from the same school compete online in the preliminary round, then live via Zoom if shortlisted. Indian students are eligible to participate.
- Grade level
- Grade 9 to 12
- Eligibility region
- Available nationwide across India
- Academic requirement
- Students must be currently enrolled in a school and form a team of 2 to 5 members from the same school.
- Prerequisites
- High school level cell biology, genetics, evolution and human physiology.
- Comfort with timed multiple-choice and short-answer problems.
See if your child qualifies.
Rewards and recognition
Prizes
Championship, finalist & STEM awards
Top teams receive Global Champion, Second and Third place, and Finalist (positions 4-8) recognition. Individual top scorers receive Honor (top 25 percent) and Merit (top 50 percent) designations, plus multidisciplinary Science Scholar and Einstein Circle awards for students who compete in 3 or more Harvard Crimson quiz categories.
Certificate
Quiz Bowl participation certificate
All participants receive a certificate of participation and an individual score report. Honor and Merit certificates go to top preliminary scorers, and ranking certificates go to semi-finalists, finalists and championship teams.
Opens doors to
A strong result in an internationally recognized competition under The Harvard Crimson brand strengthens applications to selective universities in India and abroad.
Recognition
International biology recognition
Skills your child builds
Key dates
- Registration closed
- 24 Sept 2026
- Competition
- 26 Sept 2026 to 25 Oct 2026
Priority Registration Deadline
Register by this date to avail the lowest fee of $35 per student.
Regular Registration Deadline
Register by this date for a fee of $45 per student.
Semi-final round
Online · AlgoEd online test platform and Zoom
How to apply
- 1Form a team of 2 to 5 students from the same school.
- 2Register online through the AlgoEd Harvard Crimson Quiz Bowl portal.
- 3Pay the registration fee per student before the chosen deadline.
- 4Take the online Preliminary Round on the scheduled date.
- 5If shortlisted, join the live Semi-Final and Final rounds on Zoom.
Rules and guidelines
- Teams must consist of 2 to 5 students from the same school.
- Each team competes in the High School (Grades 9-12) division.
- Anti-cheating algorithms are used in place of human proctoring during the preliminary round.
- Participants must keep their camera on throughout the preliminary test.
- Late submissions for the preliminary online test will not be accepted.
Technology requirements
- Computer or laptop with a stable internet connection.
- Working webcam and microphone for the live Zoom rounds.
- A modern web browser to access the online test platform.
Fees and financial support
Fee details
Registration fee per student per category: $35 Priority, $45 Regular, $55 Late.
Financial support
Fee waivers are available for low-income students; a school principal (or a school counselor for US schools only) must email a Fee Waiver Request to waivers@algoed.co before the regular deadline.
About this opportunity
The Harvard Crimson Global Quiz Bowl - Biology is an international team competition for High School students in Grades 9-12, administered by AlgoEd under The Harvard Crimson brand. It combines an online preliminary round with live Zoom semi-final and final rounds.
Teams of 2 to 5 students from the same school compete across three rounds covering cell biology including mitosis and meiosis, Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics, evolution and natural selection, ecosystems and population dynamics, human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and the impact of biotechnology including CRISPR and genetic engineering.
Participants earn certificates, Honor and Merit designations, team awards including Global Champion, runner-up and finalist positions, and multidisciplinary STEM awards for competing across several quiz bowl subjects. A strong result under the Harvard Crimson brand strengthens applications to selective universities in India and abroad.
Exam format
- Duration
- 60 minutes
- Format
- Multiple choice and short answer in the preliminary round; live rapid-fire questions in the semi-final and final rounds.
Rounds and format
Round 1, Preliminary: a 60-minute online test of multiple-choice and short-answer questions, taken individually by each team member, with only the top two scores counted toward the team total. Round 2, Semi-Final: live rapid-fire questions over Zoom for the top 15 teams per category. Round 3, Final: live rapid-fire questions over Zoom for the top 5 teams per category, determining the global champion.
How entries are judged
Accuracy and speed of answers across the preliminary online test and the live rapid-fire semi-final and final rounds. Team totals use only the top two individual scores per round.
Selection process
The top 15 teams per category advance from the Preliminary Round to the Semi-Final round. The top 5 teams per category advance from the Semi-Final to the Global Final round.
Academic details
Difficulty: Advanced
What's covered
Covers the scientific method and experimental design, cell structure and function including mitosis and meiosis, biochemical processes such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration, Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics with DNA replication, transcription and translation, evolution and natural selection, classification of life including domains, kingdoms and phylogenetic trees, ecosystems and population dynamics, human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and the impact of biotechnology including CRISPR, genetic engineering, cloning and bioethics.
Frequently asked questions
How can High School students prepare for the molecular genetics and biotechnology topics on the syllabus?
Preparation benefits from working through DNA replication, transcription and translation pathways step by step, and reviewing biotechnology applications like CRISPR through recent case studies. Timed mock tests build the recall speed needed for the preliminary round.
How does the team scoring system affect strategy for High School teams?
Since only the top two individual scores count toward the team total, teams often split coverage by topic depth, such as one member focusing on molecular genetics and biochemistry and another on physiology and ecology.
What advantage does this competition offer High School students applying to selective universities?
An internationally recognized result under The Harvard Crimson brand can strengthen a university application by demonstrating advanced scientific reasoning and global academic engagement, alongside other admissions factors.
How are the live Semi-Final and Final rounds different from the preliminary test?
The Semi-Final and Final are live rapid-fire Zoom sessions rather than a written test, requiring quick verbal or typed responses under time pressure. Teams that qualify should practice fast recall alongside written question preparation.
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