Rules
Competition rules
He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that.
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty
Eligibility
Who can take part?
- Who
- High school students (grades 10–12) across the country
- Requirements
- An interest in philosophy and good foreign-language skills
- Prior awards
- Not needed
- Fee
- Free
- Registration
- Usually open from around December to early February each year
Rounds
The road to the International Philosophy Olympiad
- Format
- Individual essay writing
- Language
- English
- Duration
- 4 hours per round
- 01Registration and review
You fill in the online form and write a letter of motivation. The organizers read the applications and email those selected for the qualifying round.
- 02Qualifying Round
Held online. You have 4 hours to write a philosophical essay in English. Results are expected within 1–2 weeks.
- 03National Final
In person in Hanoi, with another essay over 4 hours. Results are expected about a month before the international competition.
- 04International Olympiad (IPO)
The two students with the best results travel with the Vietnamese team, to meet and debate with students from many countries who love philosophy.
Timeline
Key dates
- Before Feb 2026Completed
VPO 2026, registration deadline
The 2026 edition took registrations until before the first week of February.
- 8 Feb 2026Completed
VPO 2026, Round 1
Qualifying Round, online.
- 22 Feb 2026Completed
VPO 2026, Round 2
National Final, in person in Hanoi.
- 14–17 May 2026Completed
IPO 2026
Warsaw, Poland. Theme: Freedom & Reason.
- 2027Coming soon
VPO 2027 and IPO 2027
Dates and registration details will be announced.
Assessment
How are essays marked?
Critical Thinking
Tư duy phản biệnQuestion views and assumptions.
Logical Reasoning
Tư duy logicArgue rigorously and consistently.
Philosophical Analysis
Phân tích triết họcUnderstand the problem and concepts.
Argumentation
Lập luận và phản biệnDefend your view and answer objections.
Independent & Original Thinking
Tư duy độc lập và sáng tạoBring your own perspective.
Academic Essay Writing
Viết luận học thuậtWrite clearly and coherently in English.
Awards
What do you gain?
From the VPO
- The top two students represent Vietnam at the International Philosophy Olympiad
- Practice in critical thinking and academic essay writing to an international standard
- A valuable academic experience for study-abroad applications
At the IPO
IPO awards change from year to year, including the number of silver and bronze medals. In 2023, the top-scoring 35% of candidates, as marked by the jury across 2 rounds, received awards; in 2025, medals went to 10% of candidates. Both years had 2 Gold Medals and 54 Honourable Mentions, which go to those with the next highest scores.
Every candidate and team leader receives a Certificate of Participation signed by a representative of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP). Award winners also receive a medal certificate.
IPO judging criteria
- Relevance to the topic
- Philosophical understanding of the topic
- Persuasive power of argumentation
- Coherence
- Originality