International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC) Youth
1st Prize Youth: $200 and a signed telescope
The Youth group of a global online astronomy contest, for students in 11th to 13th grade and under 19, with its own cash prizes.
Mode
Online
Eligibility
Grade 11 to 12
Fee
€13
Duration
Three online rounds over about three months
Format
Individual
Time needed
Five take-home problems, then a 60-minute exam and a final exam of about 30 questions
Eligibility
- Grade level
- Grade 11 to 12
- Age range
- 16 to 18 years
- Location
- Nationwide
Prerequisites
- 11th to 13th grade, under 19 on the Qualification Round deadline
- Currently enrolled as a school student
- Internet access to submit solutions and take exams
Current school students in 11th to 13th grade, or 16 or older, and under 19 years of age, from any country. Grade and age on the Qualification Round deadline set the group for the whole competition. Entry is individual and online.
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Rewards and recognition
Award
Youth prizes: $200, $150 and $100
The Youth 1st Prize is 200 USD, the 2nd Prize 150 USD and the 3rd Prize 100 USD, each with a special prize certificate. The Youth 1st Prize also includes a BRESSER NANO AR-80/640 telescope signed by astronaut Frank De Winne and Nobel laureates.
Prizes
1st Prize includes a signed telescope
The three Youth prize winners receive a special prize certificate by post, and the Youth 1st Prize winner also receives a BRESSER NANO AR-80/640 telescope signed by astronaut Frank De Winne and Nobel laureates. The top three finalists from each country who score at least half the Final Round points receive a National Award.
Certificate
Certificate for every participant
Every participant receives an official participation certificate, and finalists earn a Gold, Silver or Bronze honor. Certificates carry a permanent verification ID. Typed Qualification Round solutions earn a special note on the certificate.
Recognition
International Youth prize ranking
Skills your child builds
How to apply
- 1Solve the five Qualification Round problems and upload one solution file on iaac.space
- 2Reach the Youth points threshold to qualify for the Pre-Final Round
- 3Register and pay the Pre-Final Round fee, or apply for financial aid
- 4Take the supervised Pre-Final and Final Round exams online
Fees & financial support
Fee details
The Qualification Round is free. Students who qualify and choose to continue pay a non-refundable Pre-Final Round registration cost, 13 EUR in 2026, by card, PayPal and other standard methods. There are no other costs. Financial aid, including partial and full waivers, is available for students from low-income backgrounds.
Financial support
Partial and full waivers of the Pre-Final Round cost for socio-economically disadvantaged students.
About this opportunity
The International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC) Youth is the Youth group of a global online astronomy contest, open to students in 11th to 13th grade, or 16 or older, and under 19 years of age. Youth students compete for their own three international prizes.
IAAC is organized each year by Edu.Harbour and runs in three online rounds. The free Qualification Round has five take-home problems worth 5 points each. Qualified students may register for the Pre-Final Round, a supervised 60-minute exam with a basic, an advanced and a research problem built on a published scientific paper. The best go on to the Final Round, a supervised online exam of about 30 questions.
All age groups solve the same problems, but Youth students need more points than Junior students and fewer than Senior students to move on to each round, and the Youth 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes are awarded within the Youth group. Every finalist earns a Gold, Silver or Bronze honor, and the top three finalists from each country who score at least half the Final Round points receive a National Award.
A student's age group is set by grade and age on the Qualification Round deadline and stays the same for the whole competition.
Rounds & format
Qualification Round: five take-home problems worth 5 points each, solved on paper or typed and uploaded as one file by the deadline. Pre-Final Round: a research paper is released before the exam window opens, then a supervised 60-minute exam with a basic, an advanced and a research problem worth 18 points in all, with 10 minutes to upload scans. Final Round: a supervised online exam of about 30 short-answer and multiple-choice questions, held on one day worldwide.
How entries are judged
Each Qualification Round problem is worth 5 points, and the Pre-Final problems are worth 4, 6 and 8 points. The Youth prizes go to the Youth finalists with the most Final Round points, and ties are broken by Pre-Final Round points, then Qualification Round points.
Selection process
Students in the Youth group advance from the Qualification Round and then from the Pre-Final Round by reaching the Youth points threshold, which is lower than the thresholds for older groups. In the Final Round, the three Youth finalists with the most points win the Youth 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes. Ties are broken by Pre-Final Round points, then Qualification Round points.
Academic details
Frequently asked questions
Who belongs to the Youth group?
Students in 11th to 13th grade, or 16 or older, and under 19 years of age, based on grade and age on the Qualification Round deadline. The group does not change during the competition.
Do Youth students get different problems?
No. All age groups solve the same problems, but Youth students need fewer points to advance than the groups above them, and they compete for the Youth prizes.
What can a Youth student win?
The Youth 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes pay 200, 150 and 100 USD with special certificates, and the 1st Prize adds a signed telescope. The top three finalists per country can also earn a National Award.
Is there a fee?
The Qualification Round is free. Students who qualify pay a registration cost for the Pre-Final Round, 13 EUR in 2026, and financial aid can waive part or all of it.
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