British Biology Olympiad 2026
An international biology competition where students complete two online multiple-choice papers covering advanced school-level biology and unfamiliar applications. Open mainly to students in the final year of post-16 education through recognised schools worldwide. Rated Expert Level, with difficulty mainly coming from broad biological knowledge, scientific reasoning and challenging unfamiliar questions.
Verified information
Competition details can change. Always confirm dates, eligibility and entry requirements on the official organiser's website.
Official website ↗OVERALL COMPETITION LEVEL
Expert Level
5 evaluation dimensions have source-backed automatic scores; 0 dimensions need conflict review.
Competition overview
Key information
Eligible ages
16–19
School level
Y12/Y13 (England & Wales), Y13/Y14 (Northern Ireland), S5/S6 (Scotland)
Registration method
School Only
Competition stages
Two-paper olympiad round
Fee
Free for UK schools
Online / in-person
Online
Dates
Competition timeline
Registration opens
Not yet announced by the organiser
Registration closes
28 Jan 2026
Competition starts
19 Jan 2026
Competition ends
28 Jan 2026
Editorial perspective
Our Take
The British Biology Olympiad is the senior competition in the UK Biology Competitions family, an organisation that began in 1995 and now operates as a registered charity with more than 30 years of experience. UKBC is run by volunteers, works closely with the University of Warwick School of Life Sciences and reaches tens of thousands of secondary students through its competitions. That background gives the BBO a useful dual role: it is both a challenging enrichment exam in its own right and the first recognised step in the UK route towards the International Biology Olympiad. The competition is designed for students near the end of pre-university education. Its two supervised 45-minute papers are not simply a faster version of school biology. Questions introduce unfamiliar or topical ideas and ask students to transfer core principles, interpret information and solve problems under time pressure. This is why the BBO can feel different from ordinary A-level revision: breadth, flexibility and scientific reading matter alongside recall. Its place in the national pathway is particularly important. The strongest UK-school performers are contacted through their teachers and may be invited to further practical and theoretical training and assessment. A small group is then selected to represent the UK at the IBO, with the University of Warwick hosting long-established selection and training rounds. In other words, a BBO result can be meaningful in two ways: it records advanced biology engagement, and, for eligible students, it can open the door to a national team process. We rate the British Biology Olympiad at Expert Level. School entry is straightforward, but the paper assumes strong post-16 foundations and rewards the ability to apply them to unfamiliar material. It is a particularly good fit for students considering biology, medicine, veterinary science, biomedical science or related research, provided they understand that the competition is a demanding problem-solving experience rather than a certificate-only activity.
Read full guide →Preparation support
Recommended resources
BBO Past Papers
Open resource ↗Recent official papers for practising broad, unfamiliar-context biological reasoning.
Official · Free · Past-paper archive · Essential
BBO Syllabus and Topic Weightings
Open resource ↗Official topic map covering cell biology, physiology, genetics, ecology and systematics.
Official · Free · Syllabus and study map · Essential
Official BBO Sample Paper
Open resource ↗Ninety questions demonstrating the competition's breadth and reasoning style.
Official · Free · Sample paper · Recommended
Official Sample-Paper Answers
Open resource ↗Answer key for checking the official sample when recent-paper answers are withheld.
Official · Free · Answer key · Recommended