The 25th edition of the Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) 2025 will kick off on Monday, May 4–12, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Education, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), at the university’s campus in Dhahran, with exclusive sponsorship from Saudi Aramco.
The Asian Physics Olympiad is the second international Olympiad to be hosted by the Kingdom, following the 56th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in July 2024 in Riyadh, which saw the participation of 333 students from 90 countries and received wide acclaim for its organization and competitive spirit.
This year’s edition of the APhO features participation from 29 Asian countries, represented by 240 male and female students, competing in two main exams—one theoretical and the other practical—each lasting five hours. The exams are prepared and evaluated under the supervision of the APhO’s International Board, based on strict scientific standards.
In addition to the scientific competition, the Olympiad program includes educational tours and cultural and entertainment activities, offering participants—students, team leaders, and supervisors—a comprehensive learning and networking experience while discovering the Kingdom’s heritage and development.
The first edition of the Asian Physics Olympiad was held in 1999 in Indonesia with the participation of 12 countries. It is one of the most prestigious international scientific competitions aimed at talented high school students in physics. Participating countries are usually those that have achieved high rankings in the International Physics Olympiad.
Students are nominated to participate in the APhO based on their cumulative performance in both theoretical and practical training camps. Through several training levels, the top students reach an intensive fourth level involving qualification exams, through which the national team is selected.
Saudi Arabia first participated in the APhO in 2012 and has since won 16 international medals and awards in this competition, contributing to a total of 864 international awards achieved by Saudi students in global Olympiads and scientific competitions. This reflects the capabilities of Saudi talent and underscores the efforts made by Mawhiba, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, to prepare, qualify, and empower students to excel in leading international scientific platforms.
