International Economics Olympiad
An independent, student-first guide to the IEO — the three rounds, the syllabus, and the pathway from your regional round in Greater China to the global finals.
Photo: IEO
What is the International Economics Olympiad?
The IEO is an annual competition for high-school students around the world in economics and finance. It is built to reward creative problem-solving rather than rote learning, and it runs three complementary rounds — a Finance & Economics multiple-choice test, a set of open questions, and a team business case argued in English before a panel of judges.
Contestants are under 20, competing in national teams of up to five with one or two team leaders. Participation in the official Olympiad is free of charge, and the competition is supported by Eric Maskin, winner of the 2007 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or the official site of the International Economics Olympiad Association (ieo-official.org). “International Economics Olympiad” and “IEO” are referenced for identification only.
What the IEO builds
Economic thinking, tested
Real micro, macro, international economics and finance — reasoned the way top universities expect, not memorised.
Teamwork under pressure: a five-student squad, a live business case, one panel of judges.
A record that travels
A globally recognised olympiad — a strong signal for economics, PPE and finance applications abroad.
Measure yourself against an international field — 74 countries have competed since 2018 — on a genuinely global stage.
Parts of the competition
Finance & Economics MCQ
Forty multiple-choice questions across different aspects of economics and finance, against the clock.
Read moreFinance & Economics OQ
Five open questions, of which four are graded — you choose which to answer in depth.
Read moreBusiness Case
A team presentation of case solutions before a panel of judges, delivered in English.
Read moreThe syllabus at a glance
Each round draws on the same core toolkit — demand and supply, market structures, macro policy, trade, and the fundamentals of finance and risk. See the full breakdown and how each part is scored on the competition page.
Competition regions
The IEO runs across Greater China through regional rounds — Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei. Each region sets its own schedule and selection; contact us for the current details.
Chinese Mainland
Preliminary + national rounds · the largest delegation.
Hong Kong SAR
Its own regional round & team selection.
Macau SAR
Its own regional round & team selection.
Chinese Taipei
Its own regional round & team selection.
Guides & competition updates
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The IEO Honours Ladder: What 70 out of 100 Earns, and What Sits Above It
The China route recognises far more students than it selects. What a preliminary score of 70 out of 100 earns, what sits above it, and how to aim at the right line.
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Which IEO Division Should You Enter? SENIOR, JUNIOR-HL and JUNIOR-SL Before the December Preliminary
Only one IEO division on the Greater China route leads to the national team. How SENIOR, JUNIOR-HL and JUNIOR-SL differ, and what each choice quietly forfeits.
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You Did Not Get the Team Seat: How to Make a Second IEO Attempt Genuinely Different
Missing out is the normal outcome, not the exceptional one. Diagnose which gate actually stopped you, then build a second attempt that changes something real.