North Carolina Science Olympiad

NCSO is one of the nation's largest Science Olympiad programs, hosting over 35 regional tournaments and a state final at NC State University. It is run by NC State University and a dedicated board, supporting STEM engagement statewide through in-person academic competitions.

North Carolina Science Olympiad (NCSO) is the largest K-12 STEM competition in the United States, organized by NC State University and the NCSO Board. It hosts over 35 regional academic tournaments across North Carolina, culminating in a state final held at NC State University. NCSO engages a robust network of volunteers and sponsors, fostering STEM education through hands-on, rigorous competitions covering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Competition Details

Judging Criteria

Teams compete in a series of STEM events that include tests, lab work, engineering challenges, and building tasks. Events are scored based on accuracy, speed, and completion of tasks as per official Science Olympiad scoring sheets. Individual and team points are tallied across all events to determine overall placement. Top-scoring teams from regional tournaments advance to the state competition. Scores are determined by event-specific rubrics adhering to the official Science Olympiad rules.