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Junior Science Olympiad Y7-8 2026 Dates, Format and Preparation Guide
The Junior Science Olympiad Years 7-8 paper gives younger students early exposure to competition science and helps families see whether the student is ready for accelerated science reasoning.
What is this exam?
Junior Science Olympiad Exam Years 7-8
The Junior Science Olympiad Years 7-8 paper gives younger students early exposure to competition science and helps families see whether the student is ready for accelerated science reasoning.
Use JSO Y7-8 as an early science extension signal: the goal is not senior content first, but stronger concept transfer, data reading and experimental reasoning.
Official date
Friday 12 June 2026
Registration status
Registrations for the 2026 JSO Exam are closed.
Exam length
Two hours, completed wholly online under normal exam conditions and supervision.
Eligibility
Australian high school students in Years 7-10; registrations must come via schools, registered distance education facilities or home schools.
Exam levels
Students can only sit one level: JSOE Years 7 & 8 or JSOE Years 9 & 10.
When is the Junior Science Olympiad (Years 7-8) in 2026?
Before June
School registration
Organised by school, registered home school or distance education facility.
12 Jun
JSO Y7-8 exam
Two-hour online supervised sitting.
After results
Certificates and reports
Use the result to decide whether to continue science extension.
Next term
Targeted practice
Build graph, variable and explanation fluency before harder content.
Content map
What do students need to know for the Junior Science Olympiad (Years 7-8)?
The Junior Science Olympiad paper covers four topic areas: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and skills.
Biology
CellsBody systemsEcologyAdaptationEvidence
Chemistry
ParticlesReactionsMixturesAcids and basesConservation
Physics
ForcesEnergyCircuitsWavesMeasurement
Earth and skills
Earth systemsGraphsVariablesExperimental designUncertainty
Format and focus
Where to go next
JSO Y7-8, in the order most students take it.
Foundation
JSO Foundation
Lessons
30 lessons
Learning time
35–45 hrs
Difficulty
Year group
Y7–8
Best for
- New to science olympiad
- Strong ICAS or Big Science result
By the end: Solid across biology, chemistry, physics and earth science fundamentals.
A$299 one-time
Try 3 lessons freeFull curriculum & details →Advanced
JSO Advanced
Lessons
29 lessons
Learning time
35–45 hrs
Difficulty
Year group
Y7–8
Best for
- Finished Foundation or already scoring well
- Aiming at JSO selection
By the end: Able to handle multi-step olympiad science problems under time pressure.
A$299 one-time
Try 3 lessons freeFull curriculum & details →Acceleration
Y7-8 Chemistry Acceleration
Lessons
20 lessons
Learning time
25–35 hrs
Difficulty
Year group
Y7–8
Best for
- Talented students ready to work above year level
- Building toward science competitions
By the end: Covers 100% of NSW Stage 4 chemistry — matter, atoms, reactions.
A$269 one-time
Try 3 lessons freeFull curriculum & details →Acceleration
Y7-8 Physics Acceleration
Lessons
30 lessons
Learning time
35–45 hrs
Difficulty
Year group
Y7–8
Best for
- Talented students ready to work above year level
- Enjoys problem-solving over memorising
By the end: Confident with forces, energy, waves and circuits well before school covers them.
A$299 one-time
Try 3 lessons freeFull curriculum & details →Where should preparation effort go for the JSO paper?
Knowledge
Biology, chemistry, physics and Earth science
Preparation focus
Data
Read evidence before explaining
Preparation focus
Experiment
Fair comparison and limitations
Preparation focus
Transfer
Apply school knowledge to new systems
Preparation focus
AceAchievers preparation pathway
How should students prepare for the Junior Science Olympiad (Years 7-8)?
Preparation runs in three stages: build a solid foundation, then learn by topic and question type, then mock exam and targeted practice.
Build a solid foundation
Make sure the core school skills behind this competition are stable before moving into harder questions.
Learn by topic and question type
Practise the topic patterns and question types that appear most often in this competition.
Mock exam and targeted practice
Use timed mocks to find weak areas, then practise those exact topics deliberately.
What mistakes cost students marks in the JSO paper?
The most common mistake is preparing only by reading notes. JSO questions often require applying ideas, not reciting them. Another mistake is avoiding physics or chemistry because they feel harder. Balanced preparation matters.
Internal resources
Go deeper
Guides
- Junior Science Olympiad (JSO): The Complete Parent Guide — who runs it, eligibility, dates, fees, format and the pathway to international teams.
- How to Prepare for the JSO: An 8-Week Plan — free official past papers, a week-by-week schedule and mistakes to avoid.
- JSO vs Big Science Competition vs ICAS Science — dates, cost, format and difficulty compared, plus which to sit at each age.
Questions parents ask
FAQ
When is JSO Y7-8 in 2026?
The Years 7-8 exam is scheduled for Friday 12 June 2026.
What subjects are covered?
Biology, chemistry, Earth and environmental science, physics and science skills.
Is JSO Y7-8 only for top students?
It is designed for motivated students who want a challenge. They need curiosity, careful reading and broad foundations.
How is JSO different from Big Science?
Big Science is broad and accessible; JSO is more targeted toward science Olympiad pathways.
What should students practise?
Cross-topic science knowledge, graph interpretation, units, variables and experimental reasoning.