The National Science Bee now consists of Varsity, Junior Varsity, Middle School, and Elementary School Divisions. Please explore this website to learn more about how the competition works at each level.

You can download the IAC Privacy Policy which applies to all events that International Academic Competitions organizes in the USA, including the National Science Bee at this link below:
International Academic Competitions – Privacy Policy.

Varsity and Junior Varsity National Science Bee Stages for 2022-2023

The National Science Bee’s Varsity and Junior Varsity Divisions comprise two stages during the 2022-2023 academic year, the National Qualifying Exam and the National Championships. The JV Division is also open to students in 8th grade and younger who qualify on the National Qualifying Exam only.

  1. National Qualifying Exam – The National Qualifying Exam is a 50 question multiple choice exam with questions on all aspects of science. Students receive 2 points for a correct answer, 0 points for an answer left blank, and -1 point for an incorrect response. This system rewards partial knowledge but not random lucky guesses. There are three versions of the National Qualifying Exam: A Set, B Set, and C Set. These can be taken either at a Regional competition site or online with a teacher / homeschool instructor / community volunteer as a proctor. Students who score in the top 50% of the students in their age division, either in person at a Regional site or online, on a particular version of the exam qualify for the National Championships. The cost is $10 for in person events, and $15 for online exams.
  2. National Championships – The 2023 Varsity & JV National Championships of the National Science Bee will take place in conjunction with the IAC Varsity/JV National Championships in April 2023. The format of the competition will be entirely buzzer-based with 4 rounds of preliminaries and 2 rounds of playoffs. The cost is $95 for each student.

Middle School and Elementary School National Science Bee Stages for 2022-2023

The National Science Bee’s Middle & Elementary School Division will comprise three stages during the 2022-2023 academic year. The first stage is offered free of charge; registration fees on a per student basis are charged for students who attend the Regional Finals and National Championships.

  1. Online Regional Qualifying Exam – Sponsor registration is now open at orqe.iac-exams.com. The ORQEs will remain open through April 1, 2023. This exam may be administered at the student’s school under supervision or at home under supervision for students engaging in remote learning due to Covid-19, homeschooled students, and others as needed.
    There is no cost for students to take the Online Regional Qualifying Exam. All students are encouraged to participate. Scores on the Online Regional Qualifying Exam will be utilized to determine which students have qualified for the Regional Finals. Scores will not be made public.
  2. Regional Finals – The 2023 National Science Bee Regional Finals will take place in person on weekends through April and will cost $40-45 per student. Their exact dates will be posted on the page here as soon as they are finalized. The top half students in each division at the Regional Finals will qualify for the National Championships.
  3. National Championships – The National Championships of the National Science Bee will be held in Arlington, VA in conjunction with the other IAC Elementary & Middle School National Championship events in June 2023.