United States Physics Olympiad

The top 20 finalists are invited to a rigorous study camp at the University of Maryland to prepare for the IPhO.

Five students were selected for the International Physics Olympiad after a rigorous preparation at the University of Maryland.

Approximately 6,000 students take this first exam,[16] which consists of 25 multiple choice questions to be solved in 75 minutes, focusing on algebra-based mechanics.

[17] Approximately the top 400 students from the F=ma exam are invited to take a free-response, calculus-based exam covering all topics in introductory physics, including mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, fluids, relativity, waves, and nuclear and atomic physics.

[18] Approximately the top 20 students in the nation are selected for the U.S. Physics Team, and invited to a training camp at the University of Maryland.

In 2024, the USA did not participate in the IPhO due to conflict with the host venue, and took part in the European Physics Olympiad instead.