“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society... It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
- Nelson Mandela
Welcome to the
International Policy Olympiad
Through comprehensive essays and an international online debate, the International Policy Olympiad is the platform that invites high school students to critically examine today’s most pressing policy challenges.
By analyzing:
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Political science
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Philosophy
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Ethics
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Law
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Economics
Students will propose actionable solutions and articulate them with clarity, originality, and scholarship.
With an emphasis on
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Clarity of Argument
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Feasibility of Solutions
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Depth of Insight
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Research Quality
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Rhetorical Persuasiveness
Students will have a chance to present their arguments through essays and a structured debate to test their diplomatic capabilities. Join the ranks of future leaders that champion creative thinking and honest debate.
Essays are to be submitted via a Typeform link and the debate will take place online as well.
How does the Olympiad work?
The International Policy Olympiad is separated into two parts: regional and international. The regional round is an essay competition. The finalists from the regional round will be invited to compete in the international debate competition.
Regional Round:
The first round of the Olympiad is an individual competition where participants will be asked to write an essay answering one geopolitical and policy related questions we will send.
On the start date of the Olympiad (see our Timeline for more information) students will be sent the question(s) for the first round via email. We will also post the questions on our website.
Students will have 7 days to answer and submit their response. Responses must be in an essay format (with a 1000 word limit, see our Guidelines and Rules for more details) and submitted to a Typeform link we will send.
International Round:
Finalists from each region will be invited to participate in an online policy debate, in which they will take on the roles of diplomats to critique a major international issue with other finalists.
The Olympiad is fully online and designed for individual participants.
Step 2
Receive the questions on the start date and submit your essay before the deadline.
Step 3
Submissions are evaluated by our panel of judges who will name the regional winners.
Step 4
The international round will be a debate that will be held online between the winners of the regional round.
Step 5
3 finalists for the International Policy Olympiad will be announced and have their work featured on our website.
General Timeline
See our Timeline page for more a more detailed schedule.
June
Registration
July
Olympiad Begins
August
Finalists Announced
Why You Should Participate
Expert Judges
Prizes
Stand Out
Participants will have their work reviewed by a distinguished panel of doctoral-level professors, and social science experts.
Finalists will receive international recognition, their work featured on our website, college consulting services, and letters of recommendation.
An International Policy Olympiad victory is a mark of scholarly distinction that stands out on any university application.
Register for the International Policy Olympiad
“The Policy Olympiad provides a great opportunity for these students to showcase their prowess in analysis while continuing to build a competitive profile for the college admissions process.
— Ria Jagasia, Former Johns Hopkins Admissions Officer
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Brenna Salkin
MPhil - Politics and International Studies - University of Cambridge
BA - Human, Social, and Political Sciences, Politics and International Relations - University of Cambridge
After completing her undergraduate degree in Human, Social, and Political Sciences Brenna earned her MPhil degree in Politics and International Studies, during which she worked for the undergraduate admissions office at King’s College, and was the managing editor of the Cambridge Journal of Political Affairs.
Policy Olympiad Judges
Testimonials
"It was nice to have a chance to truly explore the ideas of government and compete at the same time. I felt challenged and enjoyed every minute of it.”
Carson Andrews
"Being a part of the Policy Olympiad showed me I could have a voice on the issues of the world. The Olympiad also showed me that I was capable of doing college level research and using my voice to make sound arguments."
Chris Gonzales
"One of the best parts about the Policy Olympiad was the challenge of it all. It was unlike anything I had done at school and it was a great addition to my college applications."
Nancy Lee