INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF CANADIAN CHEMISTS
The International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ) is an opportunity to introduce your students in grades 7-12 to exciting new concepts in chemical science. See where your class stands against same-grade students in more than 40 countries. One 60-minute sitting, written and marked by RACI; every student gets a result, and your school gets a private report.
Registration opens January 19, 2027.
Schools sit the quiz between March 29 and April 19, 2027.
A QUIZ BUILT TO
INSPIRE AND INFORM
Created and marked by RACI, Australia’s professional body for chemistry, the ICQ gives them the opportunity to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.
Format
30 multiple-choice questions, 60 minutes, one sitting. Six divisions across grades 7 to 12, each matched to a grade band.
Results
Every student gets an individual result, which you can choose to share with them, along with their certificate.
Comparison
Your school gets a private report showing where your class stands against same-grade students worldwide.
Reach
1.5 million students across over 40 countries have taken the ICQ since its inception in 1982.
PARTICIPATION
IS EASY
A confidential result for every student, and a read on where your class stands. Nothing needs teaching in advance, though some teachers use sample questions to help students prepare.
Individual reports
Every student who sits ICQ receives an individual result, which is delivered to you. You can choose to distribute their result, or just their certificate.
A FULL-CLASS ANALYSIS
See where individual students are strong, where your class needs support, and build your lessons around the momentum.
Nothing to prep or mark
No extra demands on your schedule. RACI writes and marks the quiz. You proctor one 60-minute sitting.
SEE MORE THAN ONE CLASS
Most chemistry activities work at a single grade or knowledge level. ICQ runs the same 60-minute format from Grade 7 to 12.
safe and confidential
RACI collects only the information we need to administer the quiz. All data are deleted from our system after we share the results.
celebrating excellence
Students that achieve a perfect score also receive a medal and commendation letter from the University of New South Wales.
An Objective,
External Read
on Your SCHOOL’S
Chemistry Program
Results go to your school only. There’s no public leaderboard or external ranking. Registration is $9.50 AUD per-student, paid before the sitting, and there’s no board-level approval process.
Four steps, one class period
Here’s what running the ICQ actually looks like.
GET THE GO-AHEAD
Confirm with your principal or department head who covers the registration fee.
Register your class
Once approved, sign up as your school’s coordinator and pick a sitting date.
Sit the
quiz
Proctor one 60-minute sitting in class, like any other quiz day.
Receive your results
Every student receives a certificate, and your school receives a private report.
WHY ICQ IS DIFFERENT
Other chemistry contests measure how far a school’s strongest students can go. ICQ helps determine where your whole class stands, with no qualifying cutoff or elimination rounds.
It’s a snapshot rather than a credential, and it’s built to sit alongside anything your school already runs.
faqs
For more information, please email us at icquiz@raci.org.au.
What is the format of the quiz?
Schools can choose to sit the quiz online or on paper (downloaded and printed by teachers). Braille and screen-reader-friendly versions are also available for students who require them. Regardless of format, the quiz content stays the same: 30 multiple-choice questions, to be completed in 60 minutes.
When can the quiz be taken?
The quiz can be sat at any time during the 5-day sitting window. Teachers may choose to have all students sit the quiz at once, or stagger it across the week by year level- the choice is entirely up to the teacher. We offer this window to give schools as much flexibility as possible, knowing how busy things can get.
What are the guidelines and requirements?
Students must sit the quiz under exam conditions, supervised by a teacher. They may use a calculator, along with the provided data sheets and periodic table.
What topics are covered?
The content of the quiz changes each year, but may be based on the following topics:
- Years 7 & 8: Mixtures and solutions; states of matter and particle motion; differences between elements, compounds, and mixtures; chemical change.
- Years 9 & 10: Composition of atoms; chemical reactions and conservation of mass; significance of reactions in living and non-living systems; atomic structure and the Periodic Table; types of chemical reactions and reaction rates.
- Year 11: Atomic models and bonding; enthalpy and energy changes; scientific inquiry in investigations; molecular structure and intermolecular forces; kinetic and collision theory.
- Year 12: Characteristics of equilibrium systems; strength vs. concentration of acids; redox reactions and electrochemical cells; historical development of chemical theories; functional groups in organic compounds; synthesis processes and analytical techniques.
- Across All Years: Designing, conducting, evaluating, and communicating scientific investigations into properties, behaviours, and reactions of substances.
How much does it cost and who pays?
For 2027, the quiz costs $9.50 AUD (approx. $9.40 CAD, dependent on exchange rate) per student during the early bird period, and $12 AUD (approx. $11.80 CAD, dependent on exchange rate) per student thereafter. The fee is paid by the school, either at the time of registration (via credit or debit card) or by bank transfer against an invoice (invoices are automatically generated when placing orders).
How are results delivered?
Results are released within 3 weeks of the sitting period ending, with all results, reports, and certificates available to download from our quiz portal. From 2027, teachers will also be able to request a braille edition of the quiz, posted to the school at no additional cost. For students that achieve a perfect score, a hard copy of their certificate along with a letter of commendation from The University of New South Wales and a medal will be posted to the school.
Bring the ICQ to Your Classroom
One class period, a set of real-world problems, and a private report for your school.
About RACI
RACI is Australia’s professional body for chemistry, founded in 1917 and holding a Royal Charter since 1932. RACI writes and marks the ICQ and serves as a hub for the exchange of ideas and promotion of scientific discovery.
