The New Zealand Physics Cup is more than just a competition. Since 1999, there has not been a national physics olympiad in New Zealand. Now, after more than two decades, we are taking the first steps to revive it. By offering Olympiad-level physics to students in New Zealand, we hope to kindle participation in physics problem solving, and build momentum towards establishing an official national olympiad for the IPhO.  

We are a student-led organization with members from around the world. The competition content is prepared by a dedicated exam committee made up of talented physics students and numerous IPhO medalists.

The New Zealand Physics Cup is open to all high school students. To ensure fairness, the competition is divided into two brackets: Seniors (Y12-13) and Juniors (Y11 and under).

The competition requires only high school level physics. It is designed to test your problem-solving ability rather than your memory of formulas. The difficulty of the paper is similar to that of BPhO Round 1. For a sample paper and more information, visit Resources.

Marking will be conducted throughout the Term 3 holidays, and we aim to return your marks by the start of Term 4. 

Digital gift cards and certificates will then be emailed to top participants in the Junior and Senior brackets. For more information, visit Results & Prizes.

To register, visit Exam details & Registration.