What is ICQ?
Register Now!
Date and time: 19:00-20:00, 4 August 2025 (Mon)
Closing date of registering: 18 July 2025
Fees for the competition is $60/student.
Please note: If you registered after the deadline, the fees will be doubled.
BANK: ANZ
Name of Account: Pinnacle Education Group
Account: 06-0241-0684634-00
Please make payment with the students 'full name + ICQ ' as reference.
⚠️ Please note that any fees and payments made are non-refundable.
⚠️ Before you make any payment, make sure you read through the refund policy on our website to avoid misunderstandings.
(Terms and conditions apply).
PGA reserves the right to interpret all competition and course arrangements.
Competition date details
Date: 4 August 2025 (Monday)
Time: 19:00-20:00 (NZ time)
15:00-16:00 (Singapore, China, Perth Australia, NZ-4)
17:00-18:00 (Melbourne & Sydney Australia, NZ-2)
Format: Remote online (Students can participate at home).
The quiz comprises 30 multiple-choice questions to be answered within 60 mins.
Calculators: Permitted.
Deadline for registering: 18th July, 2025
The successful registration is confirmed upon receipt of the registration fee.
The International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ) stands out as a unique chemistry education initiative, providing a dynamic and focused exploration of chemistry for school students between NZ years 8 - 13.
It aims to kindle interest in chemistry and underscore the crucial role of chemists in society.
Going beyond standard syllabus content, the Quiz is designed to be engaging and thought-provoking.
With questions that encourage students to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios, ICQ is truly an international competition, attracting participants from Australia and across the world. Come explore the world of chemistry!
Entry Categories
Junior Division 1 (Ages 12 - 13 / G7 or NZ Year 8)
Junior Division 2 (Ages 13 - 14 / G8 NZ Year 9)
Intermediate 1 (Ages 14 - 15 / G9 or NZ Year 10)
Intermediate 2 (Ages 15 - 16 / G10 or NZ Year 11)
Senior (Ages 16 - 17 / G11 or NZ Year 12)
Final (Ages 17 - 18 / G12 or NZ Year 13)
Tools Allowed and Online Quiz Instructions
For those participating in the quiz online, please await instructions from PGA teacher before proceeding.
You have only one opportunity, so make it count!
🚫 Internet Access Restriction
Access to the internet is strictly prohibited during the quiz, except for accessing the online quiz site.
Results
Once the results are ready, we'll be sending out an email to all students. Students will receive their results and e-certificates.
🏆Award Criteria
Excellence
Awarded to students who answer 100% of the questions correctly.
High Distinction
Awarded to the top 10% of students in the region.
Distinction
Awarded to the next 20% of students in the region.
Credit
Awarded to the following 20% of students in the region
Participation
Awarded to students scoring below 50% of the total participants in the region
Prize
Students who obtain a perfect score of 30 out of 30 receive a medal.
A letter of commendation from the University of New South Wales, and physical certificates for all students who achieved a perfect score in the competition.
Topics covered in ICQ
The content of the quiz changes each year, but may be based on the the following topics:
Years 8 & 9:
Mixtures and solutions;
states of matter and particle motion;
differences between elements, compounds, and mixtures; chemical change.
Years 10 & 11:
Composition of atoms;
chemical reactions and conservation of mass;
significance of reactions in living and non-living systems;
atomic structure and the Periodic Table;
types of chemical reactions and reaction rates.
Year 12:
Atomic models and bonding;
enthalpy and energy changes;
scientific inquiry in investigations;
molecular structure and intermolecular forces;
kinetic and collision theory.
Year 13:
Characteristics of equilibrium systems;
strength vs. concentration of acids;
redox reactions and electrochemical cells;
historical development of chemical theories;
functional groups in organic compounds;
synthesis processes and analytical techniques.
Across All Years
Designing, conducting, evaluating, and communicating scientific investigations into properties, behaviors, and reactions of substances.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ICQ aims to foster an understanding of chemistry's essence and significance among high school students, nurturing an interest in further exploration of the subject and highlighting its pivotal societal role. Moreover, the questions are tiered in difficulty, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of students.
1. What's the purpose of the ICQ?
ICQ is not your typical syllabus test. While some questions align with the Australian Curriculum, the quiz isn't handcuffed to it. The aim? To keep things interesting and promote chemical thinking. We want students to apply their knowledge beyond what's covered in syllabus documents.
2. Does ICQ follow a specific curriculum?
Achievement levels are determined by comparing student performances across participating countries within the same grade. Depending on their results, students may receive certificates ranging from Excellence to Participation, with those achieving a perfect score earning an ICQ Medal.
3. How are certificate levels decided?
The Online Quiz is a timed event, completed within a span of 60 minutes. However, students should await their teacher's approval before diving in. The questions mirror those in the hard copy paper, with calculators permitted but mobile phones and internet-connected devices strictly prohibited.
4. How does the Online Quiz work?
