Junior category
Ages 6–12 · Grades 1–6Early years and primary. The questions reward curiosity and clear thinking rather than speed, for most children it's their first taste of a real competition, and that's the point.
International olympiad
NextGen Olympiad: enter from New Zealand
A global academic and cultural competition for ages 6–17. New Zealand students sit online rounds in Maths and Science, from home or at our Avondale centre, from NZ$39. Every student who scores 50% or above qualifies for the Global Round in Sydney, alongside students from 12+ countries.
Ages 6–17
Maths · Science
NZ$39 one subject · NZ$59 both
Online exams 24–25 Oct 2026
50 min · 25 questions
Global Round: Sydney, Apr 2027
Mathematics
Problem solving
50 minutes
25 questions
Science
Curiosity, tested
How it works
Two rounds. One big stage.
One online round, sat in a 48-hour window at the end of October. Then, for every student who scores 50% or above, the Global Round in Sydney.
1 · Online round
25 multiple-choice questions in 50 minutes, per subject, on the organiser’s browser-based platform. Nothing to install. The paper opens for a 48-hour window, so you pick the time, New Zealand students may sit it from home, or come to our Avondale centre for a supervised sitting with familiar faces around them.
2 · Global Round, Sydney
Score 50% or above and your child qualifies for the live Global Round in Sydney: eight days of competition, ceremonies, campus visits and cultural exchange with students from 12+ countries.
More than medals
Beyond prizes and certificates, students gain exam experience, resilience and friendships that span continents, a genuine head start, whatever the result.
Divisions & subjects
Six grade bands. Two subjects.
Students are grouped into six grade bands spanning Grade 1 to Grade 12, sitting inside two categories, Junior and Senior. Nobody competes outside their own band. The organiser works in grades rather than New Zealand year levels, so we confirm the right band for your child when you register; on their site you'll see the two categories called Cooee and Bunji.
Senior category
Ages 13–17 · Grades 7–12Intermediate through to NCEA years. Harder problems, tighter timing and genuine international competition, the kind of thing that reads well on a CV and prepares students for exams that matter.
Cooee and Bunji artwork © NextGen Olympiad, used with permission.
Mathematics
Number, algebra, geometry and problem solving, pitched at the student's age group.
Science
Everyday science reasoning across biology, chemistry, physics and the world outside.
The Olympiad also runs an English paper internationally, but it is not offered to New Zealand entrants, so students here sit Maths, Science, or both.
Key dates
The 2026–27 season
Now open
Registration
Registration for the 2026–27 season is open. NZ$39 for one subject, NZ$59 for both. Register your interest below and we'll guide your family through it.
23 Oct 2026
Registration closes
The last day to enter. Entries can't be added once the exam window opens, so don't leave it to the final week.
24–25 Oct 2026
Online exams: 48-hour window
50 minutes and 25 multiple-choice questions per subject, on the organiser's browser-based platform. The window is open for a full 48 hours, so students sit at a time that suits them, at our Avondale centre or at home.
Late Oct 2026
Results and certificates
Scores, certificates and Global Round qualification are announced. Every participant gets a certificate; 50% or above qualifies for Sydney.
13–20 Apr 2027
Global Round, Sydney
Qualifying students travel to Sydney for the live Global Round, ceremonies and cultural programme.
The Global Round
Eight days in Sydney
Students who qualify travel to Sydney for 13–20 April 2027. The week is built in two halves, the competition itself, then an optional cultural tour for families who want to stay on.
The Olympiad
- Sat papers in each entered subject, alongside students from every participating country
- Opening ceremony and team events
- Awards ceremony, medals and certificates
Cultural tour
- Sydney landmarks, harbour and museums
- Campus visits and sessions on Aboriginal heritage
- Time with the families and students you've just competed against
Gold90% and above
Silver70% and above
Bronze50% and above
Every single participant receives a certificate of participation, whatever they score. Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates are awarded on the thresholds above, and the top performers in each category also receive prizes.
How Vertex helps
We handle the details. You focus on the learning.
1
Entry & eligibility
We confirm your child's age division and subjects, and walk you through registration step by step.
2
Preparation
We send you the official practice papers for your child’s grade band and subjects, plus the platform tutorial videos. Targeted work in our Study Hub builds the multiple-choice technique the paper actually rewards.
3
Sitting the exam
We book your slot inside the 48-hour window and walk your child through the platform first, so nothing on the day is a surprise. Sit it at our Avondale centre, supervised and properly set up, or at home.
4
The road to Sydney
If your child qualifies, we help with the Global Round logistics: travel, consent paperwork and what to expect.
Questions?
NextGen Olympiad FAQs
Students aged 6–17, from Grade 1 to Grade 12. There are six grade bands inside two categories, Junior (ages 6–12) and Senior (ages 13–17), and students only ever compete against their own band, in Maths and Science. You don't need to be a Vertex member to enter, though members get preparation built into their weekly sessions.
The exam is open for a 48-hour window across 24–25 October 2026, sat on the organiser's own browser-based platform. There is no software to install and it runs on a normal laptop or desktop. Because the window is that wide, families choose their own time. Vertex runs supervised sittings at our Avondale centre in Auckland for anyone who wants the calm of a proper exam room and a spare machine on hand; if you're outside Auckland, or you'd rather sit at home, that works too. Register your interest and we'll book you a slot either way.
Every student who scores 50% or above in the online round qualifies for the Global Round in Sydney, 13–20 April 2027. It is a threshold, not a shortlist, so this is a realistic goal rather than a long shot. Qualifying is an invitation, not an obligation: results come out in late October and families then choose whether to take up the place. We'll help with the logistics if you do.
Entering through Vertex costs NZ$39 for one subject, or NZ$59 for both, so Maths and Science together saves you NZ$19. That covers registration on the organiser's platform, your child's practice papers and platform walkthrough, a supervised sitting at Avondale if you want one, and getting the entry in before the 23 October cut-off. The Global Round in Sydney is separate and only becomes a decision if your child qualifies: it is priced as a package, the four competition days, with the four-day cultural tour as an optional add-on, and there is usually an early-bird rate for families who commit well ahead. Flights, visas and travel insurance are not included. We'll send you the Sydney figures with the results in October, and nothing is payable until you've decided to enter.
Register Interest
Put your hand up for the 2026–27 season
Tell us who's keen and we'll come back with subjects, preparation options and everything you need to enter. NZ$39 for one subject or NZ$59 for both, payable only once you've decided to go ahead. Registration closes 23 October 2026.
You're on the list!
Thanks. We've noted your interest in the NextGen Olympiad and we'll be in touch with subjects, dates and next steps.
Registering interest doesn't commit you to anything. It just means we'll keep you in the loop for this season.