The Chem 13 News Exam Contest began in 1971. The Avogadro Exam Contest followed in 1988. These popular online exams are an excellent opportunity to challenge your accredited high school’s Grade 11 and 12 chemistry students' knowledge with students in high schools around the world! In May 2024, these annual contests had more than 6,900 participants worldwide!
In mid-February, each online exam contest is available for registration by teachers on behalf of eligible Grade 11 and 12 chemistry students in accredited high schools. (Tutoring schools are not eligible.) Each online exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions completed over a 75-minute exam period.
Participants of both contests are eligible for a Certificate of Distinction and/or Participation. Top performing students from Canada and the United States receive recognition from the University of Waterloo.
Chem 13 News Exam Contest Scholarship
New for 2025! A Faculty of Science Contest Award valued at $1,000 will be provided to eligible students entering their first year of a full-time undergraduate degree program in the Faculty of Science at Waterloo (excluding Aviation, Optometry, and Pharmacy) who have completed the Chem 13 News Exam in May 2025. If you have applied to Biochemistry, Chemistry, Materials and Nanosciences, or Medicinal Chemistry in the Faculty of Science, you should consider writing the Chem 13 News Exam.
Please note: Exam results are not used as a criterion for admission to university studies. We do not share results with any admission committee. A Faculty of Science Contest Award is based on participation only. The University of Waterloo's Admissions Office will send details to students who receive an offer of admission on how to apply.
Important links
Chem 13 News Exam Contest
Exam date: Thursday, May 8, 2025. Order online mid-February.
The Chem 13 News Exam Contest is designed for Grade 12 high school chemistry students in their second high school chemistry course. Topics include organic chemistry, equilibria, kinetics, oxidation-reduction, bonding, structure, reactions, solutions, gases, and some probing questions beyond standard high school content.
Avogadro Exam Contest
Exam date: Thursday, May 15, 2025. Order online mid-February.
The Avogadro Exam Contest is designed for Grade 11 high school students in their first high school chemistry course. Topics include structure of matter, bonding, reactions, solutions, and gases. The test includes a few probing and demanding questions on some of the main topics of high school chemistry.
Exam results
Teachers can access the Chem 13 News and Avogadro Exam Contest results by visiting Waterloo’s Online Testing Platform: SciOn. Here teachers can configure distinctions for their own students to see how students’ achievements ranked compared to peers in their school, country, and around the world, then generate student certificates. For more information on viewing results and generating certificates, visit the Chem 13 News and Avogadro exam results page.
Please note: Exam results are not used as a criterion for admission to university studies. We do not share results with any admission committee. The University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Science Contest Award is based on participation only. The Admissions Office will send details to students who receive an offer of admission on how to apply for a Faculty of Science Contest Award.
Questions
If you have any questions, please email us at chem13news@uwaterloo.ca.