International
economics
Olympiad
Annual competition for high school students in the field of economics.
The competition’s activities are designed to stimulate
creative problem-solving skills among students
interested in Economics, Business, and Finance.
8
years of IEO
71
participating countries
>600K
national competitions participants annually
54
new national selections
About IEO
International Economics Olympiad (IEO) is an annual competition for high school students around the world in the areas of Economics and Finance. The Olympiad is supported by Eric Maskin, winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2007. Participation is free of charge.
The IEO is operated by the "International Economics Olympiad (IEO)" Association pursuant to art. 60 et seq. Civil Code (CC) headquartered in Bern, Switzerland. The Association is politically independent and denominationally neutral.
IEO Mission
Transforming global economics, finance, and business education for high school students through competition and collaboration.
IEO Goals
Setting Standards in Competitions
To encourage the development of national, regional, and
local contests in Economics, Finance, and Business
among pre-university students worldwide.
Identifying and Nurturing Talent
To inspire collaboration, innovation, and cultural
exchange by promoting friendly relations, international
communication, and a healthy spirit of competition among
young economists.
To discover, encourage, bring together, challenge, and give recognition to young people who are exceptionally talented in the field of Economics, Finance, and Business.
To foster logical reasoning, innovative problem-solving, and leadership abilities among promising young economists, empowering them to make meaningful contributions to the global economy.
Promoting Awareness and Advancing Global Education
To promote awareness of Economics, Finance, and Business.
To enhance education systems by facilitating the exchange
of knowledge and best practices on school curricula and
teaching methodologies worldwide.
We are supported by the world's leading economists
Eric Maskin
Adams University Professor, Professor of Economics and Mathematics at
Harvard University, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences laureate (2007)
It is reassuring to me that there are young people coming into the picture who are
seriously interested in economics. We are going to rely on you to solve the economic
problems that are the foundation of our political problems.
Daron Acemoglu
Institute Professor of Economics at the Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences laureate (2024)
It is wonderful to see youth from over 50 countries gather together for this competition, but more importantly, for their appreciation of economics and social knowledge. We live in an age of turbulence, and economics is one of the many disciplines that has a critical role in enabling us to navigate these turbulent waters. While there’s nothing easy or automatic about progress, economics reminds us that there is always the possibility of turning our circumstances to our betterment. I see no better venue for starting to think about these issues than the International Economics Olympiad.
Gregory Mankiw
Professor of Economics at Robert M. Beren
This is a great time to be an economist: a lot of difficult things are going on around the world, but economics can contribute a lot to helping solve the world’s problems. So thank you for participating in this activity and good luck!
Laurence Kotlikoff
Professor of Economics at Boston University, president of Economic Security Planning, and a New York Times best-selling author
Economics is a terrific thing to study: it can actually prescribe solutions to people's problems, not just study mistakes. You're really on the right path in getting into it.
I wish you all the best in this very exciting Olympiad, and enjoy yourselves.
Mark Uzan
Executive Director and Founder Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee
You are the International Economics Olympiad, it means that you care about the interactions among countries, the interactions among people, and the capacity that trade is a driver for growth, so whatever you are going to do in your life, you have to think and you have to create and to imagine the world of tomorrow.
Gita Gopinath
Professor of Economics at Harvard University, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (2022-2025)
An education in economics and finance provides a critical analytical lens through which to understand and shape policies that can transform the lives of millions of people around the world.
Humberto Llavador
Associate Professor of Economics at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra
After visiting many editions of the IEO, I can say that it is always a great event.
Parts of competition
Financial Literacy
Set of 25 multiple-choice questions
focused on different aspects of Financial Literacy
Economics
Blend of open and multiple-choice questions on the theory and practice of Economics
Business case
Presentation of case solutions before a panel of judges (in English)
How to participate
For high sChool students
- Check the Participating Countries section of this website.
- If your country is on the list, it means that we have a long-term partner there.
- If your country is not on the list, please contact us via email or the Contact Us form at the bottom of the page. We will be glad to provide the contact information of our partner in your country if we have one.
- Contact your national organizer to receive information about the national competition.
- Study hard and win the national competition!
- Come to the IEO, meet like-minded students from around the world, and enjoy yourself!
For organizations/ institutes
- Make sure that your organization can hold an appropriate selection process and support the team (including finding means to cover their travel costs).
- Appoint a coordinator.
- Form a team that consists of no more than 5 contestants and 1 or 2 team leaders.
- Ensure that the contestants will all be under the age of 20 years on 30 June of the year of the Olympiad.
- Ensure that team leaders can communicate well in English and are competent in the fields tested in the IEO.
- Send the application to our official email address, info@ieo-official.org. To learn more about the application form, please refer to the Application Guideline.
- Wait for the decision of the Executive Board.
3-year Agreement
Once your organization has participated in the IEO once, you are eligible to apply for a 3-year agreement.
- Check the deadline for sending in the application in the Regulations of Competition.
- Follow the same steps as for a regular application.
If your application is accepted by the Executive Board, our Central Office will notify you and ask that you sign the Agreement.
Countries and territories with 3-year Agreements
Click on your country to learn more about your national competition
IEO Structure
Executive Board
14 members from 12 countries
Responsible for the sustainable development of the IEO, long-term coordination of essential IEO processes and overall monitoring
International Board
As of 2025, 60 members from 52 countries
Consists of the EB members as well as Team Leaders of a particular year. Makes the most important and strategic decisions regarding the IEO, including (but not limited to) the general guidelines for the IEO tasks composition and selection of the Host Organizations
Advisory Board
Provides advice for the long-term
development of the IEO. Assists in
the communications with government
organizations, NGOs, and business
communities around the world
Problem Committee
The Problem Committee is responsible
for providing tasks, solutions,
and marking schemes for the IEO
Steering Committee
Members are appointed by the Host Organization each year
Responsible for organizing all IEO processes and events, including opening and closing ceremonies, rounds of the competition, visa support, logistics and etc
Ambassadors
People who promote our Olympiad
all over the world
The IEO is supported around the World
Our contestants meet world leaders and share their IEO experience on the national TV
Team UAE meets the President of the United Arab Emirates
2024
Team Mexico meeting with the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank
2025
Greek National Team performance in the International Economics Olympiad on the national television
2023
Brazil’s national team formation on Bloomberg Brazil and their meeting with the President of the Central Bank of Brazi
2023
President of Latvia speaks at the IEO Opening Ceremony
2021
Latvian team interview on the national TV
2020
Team Latvia meeting the President of Latvia
2018
Eric Maskin during the Opening Ceremony of the IEO 2019 in Saint-Petersburdg
2019
Team Spain meeting the Minister of Education of Spain
2019
Team Brazil meeting the President and Minister of the Economy of Brazil
2020
Not Only the Olympiad
IEOx is a project-based platform aimed at strengthening the IEO Community as well as improving the IEO and introducing new projects.
While most of the IEOx projects are conducted outside of the main IEO event, in 2020, one of the projects involved creating a separate part of the Olympiad available to the general public— IEO OpenTrack.
Past IEOs
2025
Azerbaijan, Baku
52 participating countries and territories
2022
China, Shenzhen
40 participating countries and territories
2021
Latvia, Riga
44 participating countries and territories
2020
Kazakhstan, Astana
29 participating countries and territories
2019
Russia, Saint Petersburg
24 participating countries and territories
2018
Russia, Moscow
13 participating countries and territories
