Economics Olympiad
The world’s largest and fastest-growing global competition in economics for high school students.
What is Economics Olympiad?
The Economics Olympiad is the world’s largest and most prestigious international academic economics competition that ignites the minds of young individuals and empowers them with essential economic knowledge and skills. Participants compete at school, national, and international levels with the finals held in the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Olympia, Greece.
Last year, over 1400 students from 10 countries in North and South America participated in the Americas Challenge.
What is the Economics Olympiad like?
The America’s Challenge
The International Round
Olympiad Structure
Every round tests students across the same three pillars: microeconomics, macroeconomics, and personal finance.
School Round
The School Round is open to high school students across the world. It’s a 25 multiple-choice online test administered at school and proctored by a teacher, designed to introduce students to foundational economic concepts such as voluntary exchange and markets.
The School Round also gives schools a benchmark of how their students’ economic understanding compares with peers elsewhere. Teachers and school officials register their schools, and students register through them.
Top performers advance to the National Round.
National Round
The National Round combines written and oral exams and is held in person where possible. Five students from the National Round are selected to represent their country as the national delegation in the International Final Round.
Students in countries without a national delegation compete together through a shared regional track, open to participants from across the Americas.
International Round
National delegations from participating countries come together for a rigorous academic competition that celebrates excellence in economic understanding, to be held in Ancient Olympia, Greece, on August 2–6, 2027.
National Delegations
If your country does not have a national delegation, you can participate in the Americas Challenge.
Not in the Americas? Look for your National Organizer at economicsolympiad.org.
For Teachers
Ignite a passion for economics and empower your students to excel through engaging competition.
Get Started: Become a School Coordinator
By registering your school or homeschool to participate in the Economics Olympiad, you’ll become a School Coordinator and join a global community of educators nurturing the next generation of economic thinkers. Find your national delegation above and register there.
We proudly welcome homeschool parents as School Coordinators in the Economics Olympiad. As a homeschool parent, you can register your students, support their preparation, and help them engage in this exciting competition.
For Students
Participate in the Olympiad by having a teacher register you. Deepen your economic knowledge and connect with peers from around the world who share your interest in economics.
Why Participate?
The Economics Olympiad invites you to embark on an unparalleled journey into the realms of economic and financial literacy. This is an opportunity to challenge yourself, to explore complex ideas, and to connect with a global community of highly motivated and curious students.
Eligibility
Eligibility is for students aged 14 to 20 from any secondary school background. Whether you have previously engaged in formal economic studies or are newly curious about the subject, the competition is designed to be accessible and enriching for all participants.
To take the first step on this exciting journey, we encourage you to speak with your teachers about how you can get involved. Your teacher must register as a School Coordinator for you to participate.
Preparation
Take an Olympiad practice test and view study resources.
For Organizations
Bring the Economics Olympiad to your country. Empower the next generation.
Organizer
If located outside the USA, create a national delegation by organizing a competition in your country.
Sponsor
Support the Olympiad through funding, resources, or in-kind contributions.
Champion
Volunteer to help the Econ Olympiad reach as many students as possible through outreach and promotion.
Book a call with us at [email protected] to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Economics Olympiad
What is the mission of Economics Olympiad?
The mission of the Economics Olympiad is to provide students and young adults around the world with in-depth economic and financial education, to empower educators with the necessary tools to facilitate this learning, and to drive systemic change in educational systems globally to elevate the importance and quality of economic and financial education.
Economics Olympiad is the world’s largest and most prestigious international competition that ignites the minds of young individuals and empowers them with essential knowledge and skills.
This global competition is designed to test students’ knowledge of economics and financial literacy. Through multiple rounds of competition, participants will address complex problems, analyze economic trends, and propose innovative solutions to challenges facing people worldwide. The competition includes qualifying rounds by country or region and an international championship hosted in the birthplace of the Olympics — Ancient Olympia, Greece.
What is a School Coordinator?
A School Coordinator oversees student participation in the Economics Olympiad Americas Challenge at their school. They handle registration, organize practice sessions, ensure students meet deadlines, and serve as the primary contact for competition-related updates. This role supports students’ preparation and ensures a smooth competition experience. As a School Coordinator, you will be a cornerstone in your students’ academic growth, with the opportunity to:
- Register your school: Your main responsibility as a School Coordinator will be to register your school during the registration period and coordinate with us, in order to ensure a seamless implementation of the Economics Olympiad in your school.
- Cultivate competencies: Prepare students for the EO, enhancing their understanding and performance.
- Facilitate communication: Serve as the primary connection between Economics Olympiad, your school, and participating students.
- Uphold standards: Ensure adherence to the competition’s rules during School Rounds.
- EO expansion: Coordinate with educators and administrators to foster EO awareness and participation in your school.
- Mentorship journey: Support students at every stage of the Economics Olympiad, from initial preparation to potential international success.
Your dedication as a coordinator will be the driving force behind the economic acumen developed at your school. Throughout this process, the Economics Olympiad and our National Organizers will be at your side, supporting you in every way possible.
What if I can’t find a teacher to sponsor my school?
In order to guarantee academic integrity, all students that take the test must be supervised by a teacher or school official. All you need is someone who is willing to sign up and supervise you for 40 minutes while you take the test.
Am I eligible to participate in Economics Olympiad?
- The Economics Olympiad is open to all students ages 14–20 from any secondary school, including home-schooled students. Participants are eligible until they turn 21.
- The Olympiad welcomes high schoolers with an interest in economics, without requiring prior formal education in the subject, making it accessible to any student eager to explore economic principles.
- To participate, students must apply through a teacher at their school or a homeschool parent registered as a School Coordinator. This structure ensures students have the necessary guidance and resources to fully engage in the competition, creating a meaningful and enriching educational experience in economic education.
What is the curriculum used by Economics Olympiad?
This curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation in economics, mirroring the depth and rigor found in leading textbooks like those by Gregory Mankiw, ensuring participants are well-prepared for both the Economics Olympiad and their academic pursuits.
Why is payment required for US-based students?
FEE charges a small fee per student to offset the costs of hosting the national round in Washington, DC. The payment is made by the School Coordinator to cover all the students participating from their school.
The cost is based on the total number of your students who are taking the School Round test.
- 1–10 students: $10 per student
- 11–20 students: $8 per student
- 21–30 students: $6 per student
- 31+ students: $3 per student
If you register before January 1, you can get a discount of 50% off the above pricing. Use the discount code EARLYBIRD when you complete payment to receive the discount.
If you are facing financial hardship, your School Coordinator should contact FEE at [email protected].
School Round
I’m a teacher. What happens after I register?
You receive join codes for your students, share them with them right before starting the exam, and proctor the test. (US-based teachers must submit their payment before they can receive the join codes.)
How long is the test and what format is it?
It’s online: 25 multiple-choice questions, to be completed in 40 minutes.
What do I need to take the test?
A device with internet access and the join code.
What language can I take the test in?
English or Spanish.
Can a whole class or school participate?
Yes!
Can more than one teacher from a single school register?
If more than one teacher will administer the test to their students, then yes — each teacher should sign up individually.
Can a teacher register more than one class?
Yes! Simply include the total number of students from all your classes in the estimated number on the registration form.
Can homeschooled students participate?
Yes, but a parent or tutor must register and proctor the test.
What if a student needs accommodations for a disability?
Please reach out to your National Organizer point of contact for case-by-case assistance. You can find this by clicking on the flag for your country above.
What if there are technical problems during the test?
Contact your National Organizer or [email protected].
Can students use calculators, notes, or the internet?
No.
When and how will I get results?
Students receive a completion certificate automatically after finishing the test, with their scores. Advancements to the next round are shared via email once scores are validated, usually within 1–2 weeks.
How do students advance to the National Round?
Top scorers advance, and some are waitlisted. Your advancement to the National Round will be shared via email.
National Round
Who qualifies?
Top scorers from the School Round, with some students waitlisted.
What happens at the National Round?
A written exam (multiple choice and short answer) plus additional academic programming. The top 10 scorers move to the International Final Round.
Is it in person or online?
In person for countries with national delegations (see above); online for everyone else in the Americas.
Does it cost anything to attend? Are travel or lodging covered?
This varies by country. Each National Organizer will communicate the cost to qualified students and teachers.
Do I need a parent or teacher to accompany me?
This varies by National Organizer.
Can students under 18 attend?
Yes. Please contact your National Organizer for details on chaperone requirements.
What if I qualify but can’t attend?
You must decline the invitation so waitlisted students may move up.
How can I prepare?
FEE has put together a recommended preparation course for students at students.fee.org/courses/diagnostic.
International Round
What happens at the International Round?
Students compete against delegations from around the world.
How big is the International Round?
Last year’s International Final Round had 147 students from 33 delegations.
When and where is it?
In 2027, the final round will be held at the International Olympic Academy in Ancient Olympia, Greece, August 2–6.
Who goes?
Each country’s delegation of five students, selected at the National Round.
Do students have to pay to attend?
Scholarships and what is covered vary according to your National Organizer.
Do students need a passport or visa?
You will need a passport. Check with your government to determine if a visa is needed to visit Greece.
Who travels with the delegation?
Please contact your National Organizer for details on chaperone requirements.