Competition Rules

Eligibility

  • Open to high school students currently enrolled in school.

Competition Format

  • Individual contest – written paper only, no laboratory experiments.

  • The competition can be conducted online or on-site.

Online Exam:

  • English-language paper

  • Requires a computer with a webcam and a mobile device

On-Site Exam:

  • Four regions in China: East China, Central-West, South China, North China

  • Specific test centers are assigned by the regional schools

Paper Structure

  • Since 2021, the number of questions increased from around 70 to 90.

  • 90 multiple-choice questions (72 multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank)

  • Bilingual paper (English & Chinese)

  • Duration: 90 minutes

Exam Syllabus

  • Cell Biology: 20%

  • Plant Anatomy & Physiology: 15%

  • Animal Anatomy & Physiology: 25%

  • Animal Behavior: 5%

  • Genetics & Evolution: 15%

  • Ecology: 15%

  • Biological Classification: 5%

Past syllabus references are available for guidance.

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Important Competition Notes

Schedule

ASDAN Official Website:

  • Competition: Saturday, 17 January 2026, 10:00–11:30 (90 minutes)

  • Registration Deadline: 6 January 2026

UKBC Official Website:

  • Competition Window: 19–28 January 2026

Note: The start times differ between the ASDAN and UKBC websites. For participants in China, the ASDAN start time applies.

Participation Method

  • Students can register through their international school (on-site) or via ASDAN online registration.

  • Permitted items: paper English-Chinese dictionary, non-programmable calculator (individual use only; cannot be shared).

Awards

  • Gold, Silver, Bronze, Highly Commended, Commended

Award Criteria:

  1. For UK students, awards are based on percentile rankings of total scores:

    • Gold: top 5%

    • Silver: top 15%

    • Bronze: top 30%

    • Highly Commended: top 45%

    • Commended: top 60%

  2. International students’ awards are determined relative to the cutoff scores of UK students, not percentile rankings.

  3. Benefits of this system:

    • Ensures UK students’ award proportions are preserved

    • Outstanding international students may achieve a higher award rate if overall performance is strong

Recommended Study Materials

  • Biology – Campbell

  • Human Physiology – Vanders

  • Plant Biology – Raven

  • Biochemistry – Harvey

  • Color Atlas of Biochemistry – Koolman

  • Genetics – Brooker

  • How to Prepare for the Biology Olympiad

  • Molecular Biology of the Cell – Alberts

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