Earth and Environmental Science Olympiad Prep
Understand the whole planet, from rocks to climate.
The United States Earth Science Organization (USESO) runs the National Open Exam, open to middle and high school students, and picks the US team for the International Earth Science Olympiad. Our self-paced course covers Earth science and the environmental science that goes with it.
The course is self-paced, so a student works whenever it suits the family. The first module is free. Every problem in the course is written by us, and none is copied from a past contest.
The contest
One exam, a wide map of the Earth.
The USESO National Open Exam is taken online with a teacher proctor. It draws on geology, oceans, the atmosphere and climate, and it rewards students who can connect one system to another.
The organizer publishes past exams, a syllabus and an unofficial guide written by former team members, all free. Our course adds teaching and an order to work in.
There is a second contest worth knowing about. The International Environmental Science Olympiad, run by International Academic Competitions (IAC), held its first event in December 2024 in Puerto Rico. We could not confirm that a later edition has been scheduled, so check the IAC page before you plan around it.
Who can enter
Who can enter
- Any middle or high school student can take the National Open Exam.
- The training camp is for high school students who live in the United States, and it is by invitation only.
- Our course is written for students in grades 6 to 12.
The rounds
From the National Open Exam to the international team
- 01
National Open Exam
An online exam taken with a teacher proctor.
- 02
Camp invitations
The top 16 scorers are invited directly. The other 24 camp places are filled by a review of submitted materials.
- 03
Training camp
Forty students attend a camp in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The US team is chosen from the camp.
- 04
The International Earth Science Olympiad
The US team competes at the international event, held in Japan in 2027.
Dates
Key dates for 2027
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| National Open Exam | Late February or March 2027. Check the official site. |
| Camp invitations | Second week of April 2027 |
| Training camp, Tulsa, Oklahoma | June 12 to 20, 2027 |
| LEES program (separate essay application) | July 12 to 17, 2027 |
| International Earth Science Olympiad, Japan | August 22 to 28, 2027 |
Dates are from the USESO calendar. The calendar and the organizer's homepage differ on the exam date, so confirm it on useso.org before you register. We last checked on November 11, 2026. Dates can change, so confirm them on the official site before you register.
The course
What the course covers
Eight modules, taken in order or one at a time. Each one has:
- A lesson that teaches the idea from the ground up
- Worked examples, explained step by step
- A practice set with a full solution for every problem
The course ends with a timed mock exam. It is self-paced, the first module is free, and every problem is original.
- Module 1
Earth as a system
How the land, water, air and life connect, and how to read an Earth science question.
- Module 2
Minerals and rocks
How to identify minerals, and how the rock cycle turns one rock into another.
- Module 3
Plate tectonics
Moving plates, earthquakes and volcanoes, and the evidence behind the theory.
- Module 4
Surface processes and deep time
Weathering, erosion, landforms, fossils and the geologic time scale.
- Module 5
The atmosphere and weather
Layers, pressure, fronts and how to read a weather map.
- Module 6
Oceans and the water cycle
Currents, tides, salinity and how water moves around the planet.
- Module 7
Climate and climate change
Energy balance, greenhouse gases, past climates and the data we use to study them.
- Module 8
Ecosystems, resources and people
Food webs, natural resources and how human activity changes the environment.
Waitlist
Hear first when the free module opens.
We are building this course now. Join the list and we will email you once, when the free first module opens.
EduAvenues is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Earth Science Organization, International Academic Competitions and the International Earth Science Olympiad. Contest names belong to their organizers and appear here only to say which contest a student is preparing for.