UK Biology Competitions

UK Biology Competitions (UKBC) is a Special Interest Group of the Society of Biology. It was set up in 2010 as a single body to organise Biology Challenge and the British Biology Olympiad.

British Biology Olympiad

The BBO tries to challenge and stimulate gifted students with an interest in Biology to expand and extend their talents. In offering a wider syllabus than A-level, it allows gifted students to demonstrate their knowledge and to be suitably rewarded and publicly recognised by the award of medals, certificates and other prizes. It is hoped that competing in the Olympiad will encourage students already interested in this valuable, wide-ranging and rewarding subject to continue their study beyond A-level.

In addition to encouraging and rewarding pupils in their studies the BBO provides a means of selecting a team to represent the UK at the International Biology Olympiad. The IBO, underwritten by UNESCO, seeks to challenge by both theory and practical tests some of the top pre-university biology students in the world, with 60 countries taking part. The UK teams have had considerable success at IBO and we are very grateful to BBSRC for its continued support of the UK team's participation.

Biology Challenge

Biology Challenge is open to pupils in Year 9/Year 10 in England and Wales, Year 10/Year 11 in Northern Ireland and S2/S3 in Scotland. It aims to:

1. To encourage pupils in their interest in Biology.

2. To involve as many pupils as possible in a challenging and interesting biology competition.

3. To act as a junior version of the British Biology Olympiad, raising its profile and encouraging participation.

Further information on both competitions can be found here.