The competition has four tiers.
- The first tier, 50-minute Open Exam, is open to all students nationwide.
- In the second tier, the top 500 students in the USA from Tier 1 sit for a 2-hour exam to determine the top 20 students in the USA.
- These 20 students identified as National Finalists move forward to the third tier of the National Finals, a two-week training program with lectures, discussions and hands-on lab training conducted with instructors from top level universities which include Stanford, MIT, UC San Diego, George Washington University and others.
- Students are evaluated during this portion and the top four students compete against 80 other countries in Tier 4 International Biology Olympiad (IBO).
Students at each tier have declared that participation in the USABO has been a life-changing experience. In the past, students from Washington have become national finalists and gold medalists.
Students who participate in the USABO will have the opportunity for this life changing experience by sharing their passion for biology with like-minded students nationally and internationally and establishing lifelong relationships that extend into their future careers.
There is a flat fee of $95 per participating school, which covers all students who wish to participate. Students who become national finalists pay for their transportation only, the rest is covered. Support for transportation may be available if needed.
Please visit the USABO website for more information at https://www.usabo-trc.org/.