The 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) closed in Lithuania on 19 July 2026. It is the ceiling of high-school biology — and it is worth understanding, even if you never sit it, because the two exams most Greater-China students actually take, USABO and BBO, are the feeders that build the biology it demands. This is an independent guide; medal counts and cutoffs are set by the organisers and should be confirmed on their official channels.
The reported 2026 IBO numbers
IBO 2026 in Lithuania drew a reported 302 competitors from 78 countries, with medals distributed as:
| Medal | Count (reported) | How it is decided |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 33 | top ~10% of competitors |
| Silver | 60 | next ~20% |
| Bronze | 92 | next ~30% |
| Merit | 29 | recognition below bronze |
Two structural facts make an IBO result hard to fake. First, each country may send only four students, and each of those four has already survived multiple national selection rounds — so the field is pre-filtered to a national top handful. Second, the exam is 50% theory and 50% practical lab work, spanning molecular biology, animal anatomy & physiology, biochemistry and bioinformatics. That practical half is why an IBO placing evidences hands-on research capacity, not just recall — students we at Hanlin supported reached the global top 10 with a gold medal this year (per Hanlin, de-identified; national-team selection and eligibility are set by each country and must be confirmed officially).
Why USABO and BBO are the road, not a detour
There is no direct entry to the IBO — a student reaches it through a national selection route. For students building toward that level, the two most useful exams are the US and UK national biology olympiads, and the key insight is how much they overlap:
- USABO (USA Biology Olympiad, run by the Center for Excellence in Education) — sat in April, a 50-minute, 50-question multiple-choice exam, awards at gold (top ~10%), silver (top ~25%) and bronze (top ~35%).
- BBO (British Biology Olympiad, run by the Royal Society of Biology) — sat in January, a longer 90-minute paper.
The content of the two exams overlaps roughly 90% — cell biology, genetics & evolution, animal and plant anatomy & physiology, and ecology are almost identical across both. That is the practical takeaway: one body of preparation covers both exams. Sit BBO in January as a low-stakes calibration, then use April’s USABO as the main event. For the UK side and how the two dovetail, see our sister guide on the British Biology Olympiad; for the exam’s shape, see the USABO past papers and the China-region pathway.
What USABO actually tests
USABO’s weighting rewards a broad, college-level command of biology rather than one favourite topic. The reported blueprint: ~25% animal physiology & anatomy (including neurobiology), 20% cell biology, 20% genetics & evolution, 15% plant anatomy & physiology, 10% ecology, 5% animal behaviour, and 5% taxonomy. In practice that maps to AP Biology plus a layer of college General Biology — which is exactly why it is a genuine build toward IBO-level material and not a standalone quiz. Across the 2026 USABO and BBO cycle, students Hanlin prepared earned 10 super-gold, 106 gold, 103 silver and 69 bronze results, with six double-gold students (per Hanlin, de-identified; results vary and are not guaranteed).
A note on who competes where
Be clear-eyed about eligibility. The USABO route that selects Team USA for the IBO is for US students; Greater-China students typically engage USABO and BBO as preparation and through the available China-region participation, not as a direct berth onto a national IBO team. Which team a student can represent, and how, is set by the national organisers and the IBO — confirm it on the official channels before planning around it. What travels regardless of nationality is the biology itself: the depth these exams demand is the same depth an IBO paper rewards.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was IBO 2026?
The 37th International Biology Olympiad closed in Lithuania on 19 July 2026, with a reported 302 competitors from 78 countries. Confirm the official figures on the IBO channels.
How are IBO medals decided?
By ranking: roughly the top 10% earn gold, the next 20% silver, and the next 30% bronze, with merit awards below. The exam is half theory, half practical lab work.
How do USABO and BBO relate to the IBO?
They are the US and UK national biology olympiads that build the biology the IBO tests. Their content overlaps about 90%, so one body of preparation covers both.
Can a Greater-China student join Team USA through USABO?
No — Team USA selection is for US students. Greater-China students use USABO and BBO as preparation and through China-region participation. Confirm eligibility on the official channels.
This is an independent guide to the USA Biology Olympiad for Greater China students, operated by Hanlin Education. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or the official site of the Center for Excellence in Education, the Royal Society of Biology, or the International Biology Olympiad. Medal counts, cutoffs, dates and eligibility are set by the organisers and must be confirmed on the official channels; student achievements are Hanlin data, de-identified, and results vary and are not guaranteed. Confirmed errors are corrected within 7 working days.