International English Olympiad
English Olympiad by SOF for class 1 to 12
The International English Olympiad (IEO) is an annual English language competition conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) for school students of classes 1 to 12. It tests how well a student can use English in real situations: vocabulary and grammar, reading for information, and everyday spoken and written expression. The 2026-27 cycle is now under way, with the first-level exam running on three school dates between 30 September and 17 November 2026.
This page brings together the verified details for students and parents: dates, eligibility, registration, fee, pattern, syllabus, Level 2 qualification, awards and a practical way to prepare. Details come from the official SOF website, and anything that SOF has not yet announced is marked as tentative.
Table of Contents
IEO 2026-27 at a Glance
What Is the International English Olympiad
IEO Important Dates 2026-27
Eligibility, Registration and Fee
IEO Exam Pattern
IEO Syllabus Summary
Level 2 Qualification and Ranking
Awards and Recognition
Results and the Student Progress Report
How to Prepare for the IEO
A Note for Parents
IEO 2026-27 at a Glance
Particular | Details |
|---|---|
Exam name | SOF International English Olympiad (IEO) |
Conducting body | Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) |
Classes | Level 1: classes 1 to 12. Level 2: classes 3 to 12 |
Level 1 format | Objective (multiple choice), taken at the student's own school during school hours |
Medium | English |
Duration | 60 minutes |
Questions and marks | 35 questions and 40 marks (classes 1 to 4); 50 questions and 60 marks (classes 5 to 12) |
Registration | Through the school only. Individual registration is not accepted |
Fee | Rs. 170 per student, including GST (India, Bhutan and Nepal) |
Level 1 dates 2026-27 | 30 September, 27 October or 17 November 2026 (school chooses one) |
Level 2 date 2026-27 | Not yet fixed. Tentatively the second or third Sunday of February 2027 |
Official website: https://sofworld.org/ieo
What Is the International English Olympiad
The IEO is one of the Olympiads run by SOF, alongside science, mathematics, computer science and general knowledge contests. The English paper does not reward memorised rules alone. SOF describes its tests as focused on communication and use of English, with questions that take each school year's syllabus into account without being tied to it directly.
The exam has two levels. Level 1 is open to classes 1 to 12. Level 2 is open to classes 3 to 12 and is meant for students who qualify from Level 1. Classes 1 and 2 have a single level, and their ranks are based on Level 1 performance.
A student does not need a minimum score to sit Level 1, and every participant receives a participation certificate and a Student Progress Report, so the exam is useful as a language check even for students who do not win a rank.
IEO Important Dates 2026-27
Event | Date |
|---|---|
Level 1, Date 1 | Wednesday, 30 September 2026 |
Level 1, Date 2 | Tuesday, 27 October 2026 |
Level 1, Date 3 | Tuesday, 17 November 2026 |
Level 2 (classes 3 to 12) | To be announced by SOF by December 2026. Tentatively the second or third Sunday of February 2027 |
Results | Declared within 8 weeks of the exam, according to the SOF FAQ page |
Each school picks one Level 1 date, and the date cannot be changed after it is chosen. Each date has its own question paper. Schools normally register students at least 30 days before the chosen date, so the window for the 17 November date has already passed on a normal timeline. A school that has missed it should contact SOF directly.
Tentative dates come from the SOF exam schedule and can change. Track the official page at https://sofworld.org/exam-schedule and your school's circulars. For reference, the 2025-26 Level 2 exam was held on 8 February 2026 for the rest of India and on 15 February 2026 for Maharashtra.
Eligibility, Registration and Fee
Who can take the IEO
Any student of classes 1 to 12 can take Level 1. There is no minimum percentage and no stated age limit. The one condition is that the student must be registered through a school. Students can also take other SOF Olympiads in the same year, because each Olympiad is a separate competition. The full rules are on the IEO eligibility page.
How registration works
The school's coordinating teacher gets the prospectus. Registered schools receive it automatically, and others can request it from SOF.
The teacher fills in the School Registration Form and the Students' Registration Sheet.
The forms and fee reach SOF before the due date, and SOF generates roll numbers.
The school chooses one of the three Level 1 dates.
Any school can become a Level 1 exam centre, and the school pays no fee to do so. Students who want to take part should ask their Olympiad in-charge or principal.
Registration fee
Participant location | Fee per student per Olympiad |
|---|---|
India, Bhutan and Nepal | Rs. 170, including GST |
Other countries | US$11 on the SOF fee page (the FAQ page quotes US$12, so confirm with SOF) |
Schools may add up to Rs. 30 per student for the in-charge's honorarium and related expenses. Students with a major physical disability and Indian students whose parent died in defence operations are exempt from the fee. The fee details are at https://sofworld.org/registration-fee.
IEO Exam Pattern
The paper is objective and lasts 60 minutes. The sections and marks depend on the class band and the level. The detailed tables are on the IEO exam pattern page.
Level 1
Section | Classes 1 to 4 | Classes 5 to 12 |
|---|---|---|
Word and Structure Knowledge | 15 questions, 15 marks | 30 questions, 30 marks |
Reading | 10 questions, 10 marks | 10 questions, 10 marks |
Spoken and Written Expression | 5 questions, 5 marks | 5 questions, 5 marks |
Achievers Section | 5 questions, 10 marks | 5 questions, 15 marks |
Total | 35 questions, 40 marks | 50 questions, 60 marks |
Level 2
Level 2 drops the Spoken and Written Expression section. Classes 3 and 4 have 20 Word and Structure questions, 10 Reading questions and 5 Achievers questions of 2 marks each, making 35 questions and 40 marks. Classes 5 to 12 have 35 Word and Structure questions, 10 Reading questions and 5 Achievers questions of 3 marks each, making 50 questions and 60 marks.
What this means for you: the Achievers Section carries the most marks per question and is also the first tie-breaker in ranking. The official pages we checked do not mention negative marking, so confirm the marking rule in your school's SOF prospectus before the exam.
IEO Syllabus Summary
The syllabus is class-wise and grows in difficulty from simple word and picture work in class 1 to editorials, inference and pronunciation in classes 8 to 10. For classes 11 and 12, SOF lists the syllabus only as "as per your prescribed syllabus". The IEO syllabus page gives the topic lists class by class.
Class band | Main focus areas |
|---|---|
Classes 1 and 2 | Picture-based words, nouns and verbs, simple tenses, short dialogues, thanking and greeting |
Classes 3 and 4 | Synonyms, antonyms, prepositions, question tags, reading stories and timetables, apology and request |
Classes 5 to 7 | Idioms, phrasal verbs, voice and narration, reading letters and brochures, agreement and refusal |
Classes 8 to 10 | Analogies, conditionals, modals, concord, editorials, inference, compliments, pronunciation |
Classes 11 and 12 | No topic list published; follow the school English syllabus and international usage |
Level 2 Qualification and Ranking
A student qualifies for Level 2 by meeting any one of three conditions. The student is in the top 5% of their class among Level 1 candidates, is among the top 25 rank holders of their class in their zone, or is the class topper of a school where at least 10 students of that class appeared and the topper scored at least 50%.
Level 2 ranks are decided by Level 2 total marks first, then marks in the higher-priority sections, then Level 1 total, then Level 1 section marks. Level 2 may not run in every state. If it is not held, Level 1 results are final. The class-wise Level 1 cut-offs of the previous year are explained on the IEO cut-off and qualification page.
Awards and Recognition
Every Level 1 participant receives a participation certificate and a Student Progress Report. Rank holders receive more, and the awards page lists cash prizes, medals, gifts and scholarships. SOF states that it spent over Rs. 24 crores on awards and scholarships in 2025-26.
Rank band | Recognition (as listed by SOF) |
|---|---|
International top 5, classes 3 to 12 | Cash prizes from Rs. 50,000 for 1st rank down to Rs. 5,000 for 5th rank; medals for the top 3; certificate |
Zonal top 3, classes 3 to 12 | Cash prizes of Rs. 5,000, Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 1,000, with zonal medals |
Zonal ranks 4 to 10 | Gift worth Rs. 500 and a certificate |
Zonal ranks 11 to 25 | Certificate of Zonal Excellence |
Classes 1 and 2 international top 5 | Cash prizes from Rs. 25,000 down to Rs. 2,500, medals for the top 3 |
A student receives only the highest award they qualify for in one exam. Schools, principals and teachers have separate awards too. The full list is at https://sofworld.org/ieo/about-ieo-exam/awards.
Results and the Student Progress Report
SOF states that results are declared within 8 weeks of the exam, sent to schools and posted online. Students are ranked on five levels: school, city, zone, region and international. The Student Progress Report analyses strengths and weaknesses and compares a student's performance with peers at each level. If an admit card, roll number or certificate is missing, the principal or Olympiad in-charge should contact SOF, and a duplicate is sent to the school.
How to Prepare for the IEO
Preparation for an English Olympiad is mostly about steady reading and regular practice, not last-minute cramming. A simple plan works for most classes.
Start with the class syllabus: Go through the SOF topic list for your class and mark the areas you find hard, such as idioms, voice or question tags.
Read every day: Short passages from newspapers, stories and notices build the Reading skills that the paper tests.
Practise the Achievers Section: These higher-order questions are drawn from the other sections, so strong basics matter more than tricks.
Solve sample papers: SOF publishes class-wise sample papers. Attempt them in 60 minutes and review every wrong answer.
Registration happens through the school, so speak to the class teacher or Olympiad in-charge early, and check which Level 1 date the school has chosen. The Rs. 170 fee is fixed by SOF, with a small optional school charge. Younger children in classes 1 and 2 take a single level, so the focus there should be on enjoyable reading and word games rather than pressure.