About the American Biology Olympiad (ABO)

The American Biology Olympiad (ABO) is a new international biology competition established in June 2026. ABO is an independent competition and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with any other biology competition, organization, institution, or government.

ABO welcomes eligible middle school and high school students from countries throughout North America and South America, the geographic region specified in its name. As an international academic competition, ABO operates independently and is not governed by any national academic authority. Qualified students throughout the Americas are invited to participate.

Our Mission

The primary mission of ABO is to create a rigorous, prestigious, and fair biology competition that rewards genuine biological knowledge, scientific reasoning, and academic excellence. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and to minimizing opportunities for academic dishonesty, a challenge that has affected many large-scale academic competitions worldwide.

Competition Security and Academic Integrity

To support this mission, ABO utilizes a modern online examination platform designed to provide a secure testing environment while accommodating large numbers of participants simultaneously. Testing conducted during 2026 demonstrated the platform's ability to administer examinations at scale while incorporating multiple layers of security.

Security features include:

Randomization of both question order and answer choice order
AI-assisted remote proctoring
Full-screen enforcement
Detection of unauthorized tab switching or browser navigation
Monitoring for unauthorized departures from the examination environment
Mouse-boundary restrictions
Audio monitoring and anomaly detection
Identity verification procedures (with government-issued and school-issued ID)

While no examination system can be considered entirely foolproof, ABO continually evaluates and improves its security measures to uphold the integrity of the competition.

Proctor Qualifications

Human proctors play a critical role in preserving fairness and maintaining examination standards.

ABO seeks to recruit highly qualified proctors with advanced training in the biological sciences. Proctors are expected to possess substantial academic credentials and teaching experience in biology-related fields. All proctors undergo a review process before appointment.

Any proctor found to have knowingly assisted participants in violating competition rules will be permanently disqualified from future involvement with ABO.

Student Eligibility and Verification

To ensure that the competition remains appropriately challenging and academically meaningful, students competing in advanced divisions will be subject to eligibility verification procedures.

Applicants may be asked to provide evidence of advanced preparation in biology, which may include:

Standardized examination results (5 on the AP Biology exam for high school students)
Academic transcripts
Letters of recommendation from qualified biology instructors
Other documentation demonstrating advanced biological knowledge

These requirements help ensure that participants possess the background necessary to engage successfully with the competition's advanced content.

Code of Conduct

ABO maintains a strict code of academic integrity.

Participants are expected to complete all examinations independently and in accordance with competition rules. Any confirmed violation of these standards may result in disciplinary actions, including:

Disqualification from the competition
Revocation of awards and rankings
Suspension from future ABO events
Notification of the participant's school or educational institution when appropriate

Academic Standards

ABO examinations are developed by experienced biology educators and are designed to assess both foundational knowledge and higher-level biological reasoning. Questions emphasize conceptual understanding, problem-solving ability, and the application of biological principles across diverse areas of the life sciences.