Missing a registration window is the single most avoidable way to lose an Olympiad attempt - and unlike the exam itself, it has nothing to do with preparation. Every major Olympiad exam is registered through your school, weeks before the actual test date, which means the dates below matter just as much as your revision plan.
This page tracks the complete, officially announced schedule for the 2026-27 session so you always know what's coming next. We'll keep it updated as new dates are confirmed - bookmark it and check back closer to results/Level 2 announcements.
Why the Schedule Matters More Than You Think
Unlike JEE or NEET, where you register individually online, Olympiad exams like IMO and NSO are registered in bulk through your school. Schools must submit their student list and pick a test date at least 30 days before that chosen date. If your school misses that window for a particular exam, you simply don't get to appear for it that cycle - no exceptions, no late registration.
That means the moment a new schedule is announced is the moment you should be talking to your school's exam coordinator, not a week before the test.
Complete SOF Exam Schedule 2026-27 (Level 1)
The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) conducts eight separate Olympiad exams across the year, each offered on up to three dates - schools pick whichever date suits their calendar.
| Exam | Date 1 | Date 2 | Date 3 | Classes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IGKO (General Knowledge) | Tue, 22 Sep 2026 | Tue, 6 Oct 2026 | Tue, 3 Nov 2026 | 1-10 |
| ICSO (Computer/Cyber) | Thu, 24 Sep 2026 | Thu, 17 Dec 2026 | N/A | 1-10 |
| IEO (English) | Wed, 30 Sep 2026 | Tue, 27 Oct 2026 | Tue, 17 Nov 2026 | 1-12 |
| IMO (Mathematics) | Fri, 23 Oct 2026 | Thu, 26 Nov 2026 | Thu, 10 Dec 2026 | 1-12 |
| ISO / NSO (Science) | Fri, 30 Oct 2026 | Thu, 19 Nov 2026 | Thu, 3 Dec 2026 | 1-12 |
| IHO (Hindi) | Mon, 23 Nov 2026 | Fri, 22 Jan 2027 | N/A | 3-10 |
| ISSO (Social Studies) | Mon, 30 Nov 2026 | Tue, 19 Jan 2027 | N/A | 3-10 |
| ICO (Commerce) | Mon, 30 Nov 2026 | Tue, 19 Jan 2027 | N/A | 11-12 |
A few things worth noticing in that table:
- NSO is officially "ISO" now (International Science Olympiad) - most students and even some schools still call it NSO out of habit, and our Chapterwise practice and Mock Tests sections use both names so you can find it either way.
- IMO and ISO have the latest final dates (early-to-mid December) - if your school picks the third slot, that leaves relatively little runway before Level 2, so don't leave revision to the last date.
- IHO, ISSO, and ICO stretch into January 2027 - these are the exams to watch for schools that register late in the cycle.
Level 2 (Second Level) Exam Dates
Only three of the eight exams have a second, harder level for students who qualify from Level 1: IEO, ISO (NSO), and IMO - and only for Classes 3 to 12. The other five (IGKO, ICSO, IHO, ISSO, ICO) are single-level assessments; if you took the exam, you already have your final result.
SOF typically announces exact Level 2 dates only after Level 1 results are out. Based on past cycles, expect the official announcement by December 2026, with the exam itself tentatively falling on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of February 2027. Treat this as a planning estimate, not a confirmed date - we'll update this section the moment SOF publishes the real one.
Qualified for Level 2? The gap between Level 1 results and the Level 2 exam is short - usually a few weeks. Start Level 2-difficulty practice the day your Level 1 result is out, not the day Level 2 is announced. Our HOTS Challenge section is built specifically for this jump in difficulty.
How Registration Actually Works
- Your school chooses the date. For each exam, your school picks one of the 2-3 available dates - not you individually.
- Registration closes 30 days before that date. This is the SOF-mandated minimum window schools need to submit student lists.
- Payment and forms go through the school. You won't register directly on the SOF website as an individual student in most cases.
- Ask early, not close to the deadline. If your school hasn't announced whether it's participating in a particular exam this cycle, ask your class teacher as soon as the schedule is out - not 30 days before the date, since school-side paperwork takes time too.
What About SilverZone, CREST, and Other Olympiad Boards?
SOF is the largest and most widely written Olympiad board in India, which is why its schedule gets the most attention - but it isn't the only one. SilverZone, CREST Olympiads, and NSTSE run on their own independent calendars, typically announced a few months ahead of their exam windows, and often with more flexible individual/online registration than SOF's school-only model.
If you're preparing for one of these, check the syllabus and format on our dedicated pages, and confirm exact dates directly with the organizing board since they change year to year:
Working Backward From the Date: A Simple Prep Timeline
Once you know your exam date, work backward rather than forward - it's far easier to stay disciplined when you can see exactly how many weekends you have left.
- 8-10 weeks out: Finish first-pass syllabus coverage chapter by chapter using Chapterwise tests.
- 4-6 weeks out: Shift to full-length Mock Tests under timed, exam-like conditions.
- 2-3 weeks out: Focus revision on your weakest chapters only, identified from mock test analytics, not a fresh re-read of everything.
- Final week: Light revision, formula/fact recall only - no new topics.
Conclusion
The Olympiad calendar rewards students who plan ahead of the syllabus, not just students who study the most. Confirm your exact exam date with your school the moment it's announced, mark your registration deadline, and build your revision timeline backward from that date rather than guessing at the pace.
Once your date is locked in, put your preparation to the test - start a free full-length mock test today and see exactly where you stand.