FAQ
International Latin Olympiad FAQs
Program Details
Q: Who is organizing the International Latin Olympiad?
A: The International Latin Olympiad is being organized by International Academic Competitions. Since 2010, IAC has organized over twenty separate competitions for hundreds of thousands students from over 50 countries. IAC also organizes the International History Olympiad, International Geography Championships, which like the ILO are week-long summer programs for the top students in those subjects worldwide. For more information, please see www.iacompetitions.com or contact us at info@iacompetitions.com
Q: Will some events be required? Will some events be optional
A: Roughly half the competition events will be required while the rest will be optional. Certain sightseeing opportunities will be optional, though some (such as the day trip to Naples and Pompeii) will be mandatory. Which events are optional and which events are mandatory will be determined by when registration opens in September 2022 and the draft schedule of events is released.
Q: When will the International Latin Olympiad take place?
A: The International Latin Olympiad will take place biennially beginning in Summer 2023. The inaugural ILO will be held on July 24-30, 2023 at St. Stephen’s School in Rome. Qualifying for the ILO will begin in February 2022 and run until June 2023, or whenever the field caps are reached.
Q: Is the registration first-come, first-served?
A: We will not open registration until July 2022. Thereafter it is first-come, first-served; a higher score on the Qualifying Exam does not give one priority in terms of registration over other students. The one caveat to that is that no more than 140 students will be permitted to attend from the USA to maintain a balance with students from other countries.
Qualifying & Eligibility
Q: How do I qualify to attend the 2023 International Latin Olympiad?
A: Please view the qualification rules on this page.
Q: Can I qualify if I have never taken Latin before / do not expect to be taking Latin in school in the next two years?
A: There is no requirement for you to be enrolled, nor to have ever been enrolled, in Latin in school to qualify for the International Latin Olympiad. Likewise, you do not need any approval from your school to qualify or compete. However, in all cases, in order to pass the Qualifying Exam, students will be expected to learn some basic Latin vocabulary, grammar, Roman culture, and simple conversational Latin. We can help advise students who are interested in attending but are not taking Latin classes how best to study for the Qualifying Exam.
Q: When will the International Qualifying Exam begin to be offered?
A: February 2022 for all age divisions.
Costs and Registration
Q: What is the projected cost of the International Latin Olympiad?
A: Approximately $2000, not including travel, unless students stay with their parents (this option would be approximately $500 cheaper as it would not include breakfast or accommodation costs). The costs will be finalized once registration opens in September 2022. There may be slight variations in cost depending on which accommodations a student desires (e.g. whether in the dorms at St. Stephen’s or at a nearby inn). IAC reserves the right to determine these after September 1, 2022 depending on which inns are used and what their prices are.
Q: Is there a cost for the International Latin Olympiad qualifying exam?
A: The International Latin Olympiad Qualifying Exam is offered free of charge.
Q: What is the cost for the National Latin Bee
A: The International Latin Olympiad Qualifying Exam is offered free of charge.