Are you Interested in taking the CAP Exam and potentially representing Canada on the Physics World Stage?
High Scores on the CAP Exam = potential for selection at our Canadian Physics Olympiad Training Camp, and a place on Team Canada competing at an International Physics Olympiad.
Are you a high school student wondering whether you should sit the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) High School Prize Exam next year? Are you curious about what it’s like to participate in an International Physics Olympiad?
From learning through intensive physics classes at training camp, to representing Canada as part of the national team in this world competition, our Canadian Olympiad alumni have stories and unique perspectives that will encourage and inspire high school physics students to reach for the top!
How to Participate
Students take part in the Olympiad by first writing the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) High School Prize Exam.
The CAP exam is prepared in cooperation with the Canadian Physics Olympiad program and is the principal method by which students are screened for invitation to the National Physics Olympiad Finals. All high schools and CÉGEPs in Canada are notified of this examination by the CAP in the spring of each year. It is a fully bilingual examination which usually takes place around mid-April.
July, 2026 Update:
The 2026 CAP Exam was scheduled on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Interested teachers and students can find more information about the CAP exam on the CAP website here. To find out how to participate in 2027, please contact your appropriate provincial coordinator
The National Training Camp (May 17th to 23rd) took place on UBC campus. During the finals camp participants were selected to join Team Canada at the International Physics Olympiad.
The 2026 IPhO was hosted in Bucaramanga, Colombia where Team Canada scored two bronze medals and two honourary mentions. Participation in the National Finals camp or an International Olympiad is a tremendous experience and a unique opportunity to travel and meet fellow students from around the world who share similar interests.
Eligibility and Cost:
To be eligible for selection to the National finals and the Canadian Team, students must ace the CAP High School Prize Exam. Eligible students must also be in full time attendance at a Canadian high school or CÉGEP and must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. They must be available for the entire period of the International Physics Olympiad competition. Finally, they must not have reached 20 years of age at the time of the International competition.
Canadian Junior Physics Olympiad Camp:
The Canadian Junior Physics Olympiad Camp (CJPhO) is an online camp, run by CPhO alumni during the month of August. By invitation only, participants (students who scored highly on the CAP exam, but were not selected for the May CPhO Training Camp) engage with alumni mentors in mini lectures and question sets on Quantum, Geometric optics, relativity, mathematical and experimental techniques, thermodynamics, mechanics and E&M content. This extra practice is to help prepare students for the following year’s CAP exam, equipping them with further physics education and techniques to compete for places in May 2027’s CPhO Training Camp.
Learn more about our Junior Camp mentors here: Meet Our Alumni – Canadian Physics Olympiad
Looking for something else?
*Looking for information about the UBC Physics Olympics? The UBC Physics Olympics is an annual high school competition for physics classes. This competition includes six events: two labs, two pre-build projects, ‘quizzics’ and a Fermi questions competition. This year (March 2025) the Olympics will be held in-person on UBC campus. For teams unable to participate in-person, there will be a virtual pre-build event to compete for prizes. Please see our Physics Olympics webpage for more information about this event, as well as for our new workshop for Teachers interested in participating!