STEAM AHEAD: VANDA International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO) Global Finals
<< STEAM AHEAD 2026 Info Request Form Here >>
(For students studying in Malaysia only)
You may fill up this form and we will send the Invitation + Info Pack to your email.
*Do look out for it under Junk/Spam mail too, just in case.
All students who have won ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ/ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฟ/ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ/ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป Award inย Vanda International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO)ย will be invited to compete in STEAM AHEAD : VANDA International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO) Global Finals. Students who have won ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ/ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฟ/ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ Award in Junior Canadian Chemistry Olympiad (JCCO) 2026 are eligible to join VIJSO GF as well.
Please join as soon as possible as places are limited.
Year Level: 3 to 11 (Primary 3 to Secondary 5)
*According to School Year Level in January 2026
Language(s): English
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐: 11-16 December 2026 @ Tashkent, Uzbekistan
๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: 28 October 2026
๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐:ย https://forms.gle/v2tXf3uHP8hvh33C8
How to Register
Step 1:ย Fill in the Info Request Form: https://forms.gle/v2tXf3uHP8hvh33C8
*Note that this is not the Registration Form
.
Step 2:ย Invitation will be sent to your email when you are eligible to participate.
*Take note that Info Request Form is not โRegistration Formโ ๐
<DOWNLOAD STEAM AHEAD INFO BOOKLET HERE>
The Vanda International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO) Global Finals is an annual event held in a SIMCC Partner’s Country. This competition places a strong emphasis on students’ abilities to engage in critical and creative thinking, allowing them to uncover hidden information to assist in problem-solving.
One distinctive feature of VIJSO is its significant emphasis on teamwork within the competition. The gold-winning group showcases exceptional levels of collaboration and mutual support. These skills hold high value, as many of our previous winners have successfully gained admission to top schools by sharing the experiences they acquired through their participation in the Vanda International Junior Science Olympiad during admission interviews.
The competition questions are built upon a solid foundation of scientific knowledge and methodology. They encourage the development of reasoning and analytical skills, decision-making and problem-solving abilities, flexibility in responding to diverse contexts, and the cultivation of an open and inquisitive mind. All of these aspects are aligned with the essential 21st-century competencies.
This international competitionย is open to Year 3 to Year 11 (Primary 3 to Secondary 5) Malaysian students whoย have wonย Gold/ Silver/ Bronze/ Honorable Mention Award in VANDA International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO). Students studying in Malaysia who have won Gold/ Silver/ Bronze Award in Junior Canadian Chemistry Olympiad (JCCO) 2026 are eligible to join VIJSO GF as well.ย
Date
STEAM AHEAD 2026-VIJSO Global Finals: 11-16 December 2026 @ Tashkent, Uzbekistan
*Registration Closing: 28 October 2026!
Format
The contest consists of 2 rounds:
Round 1 Written paper – Individual (90 minutes) โ Total points (100 points), the paper starts with 10 points. Section A & Section B are MCQ. Section C is Multiple Correct Answer(MCA)
| Section | Questions | Correct Answers | Wrong Answers | No Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 to 10 | +2 points | -1 point | 0 point |
| B | 11-20 | +4 points | 0 point | 0 point |
| C | 21 to 25 | +6 points | 0 point | 0 point |
Round 2 Team Challenge (3 hours)
| Section | Questions | Weightage |
| A | Sketch and Design Rationale | 10% |
| B | Free-response Conceptual Questions | 20% |
| C | Construction, Testing, and Modification | 65% |
| D | Cleanup and Sustainability Practices | 5% |
- Section A – Sketch and Design Rationale
- ย Tests design thinking, planning, and application of scientific principle
- Section B – ย Free-response Conceptual Questions
- ย Assesses theoretical understanding and application of relevant science concepts.
- Section C – Construction, Testing, and Modification
- ย Evaluates engineering skills, iterative and modification improvement, and data analysis.
- Section D – Cleanup and Sustainability Practices
- Assesses environmental responsibility and discipline.
Students will be separated into teams based on their grade. The team divisions will be as follows:
Refer to the Info Pack here to view more about the format!
Sample Papers
Primary 3 (Grade 3)
Primary 4 (Grade 4)
Primary 5 (Grade 5)
Primary 6 (Grade 6)
Secondary 1 (Grade 7)
Secondary 2 (Grade 8)
Secondary 3 (Grade 9)
Secondary 4-5 (Grade 10/11)
VANDA International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO) Global Finals
The following awards will be given out for the contest:
Individual Awards – Round 1 (Written Paper)
Team Awards – Round 2
| Gold Award | Top 10% |
| Silver Award | Next 15% |
| Bronze Award | Next 25% |
VIJSO Global Finals Overall Championship Awards
Vanda Overall Championship awards are given to the top 3 winners per grade level from Year 3-10/11 based on the VIJSO GF Individual Score from Round 1 (must be Gold Award) and team score from Round 2. Winners will be announced during the award ceremony.
SIMCC Contest Cash Vouchers will be awarded:
| Overall Champion | SGD250 |
| Overall Runner-up | SGD150 |
| Overall 2nd Runner-up | SGD100 |
In the event of any ties, a tiebreaker round will be conducted.ย
OVERALL CHAMPION AWARDS – PRESIDENTโS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) – PAExS & PAExS Star Award
The top performing contestants who win all 2 out of 5 Individual Gold Awards in IJMO, VIJSO GF, IJIO GF, IJCO and IJAO will be honored with the Presidentโs Award for Excellence in STEAM (PAExS).
For Grades 3 to 11 (1 winner per grade)
- Trophy
- Certificate
- Induction into the International Junior Honor Society (IJHS)
>>>ย Download the STEAM AHEAD 2026 Info Booklet here <<<
ย
STEAM AHEAD (A COMBINATION OF 5 COMPETITIONS – IJMO, VIJSO GF, IJIO GF, IJCO GF, IJAO)
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. STEAM AHEAD is our initiative to combine our international academic competitions to educate students and bring them international exposure about possible career choices in these fields.
So, STEAM AHEAD is the first to combine 5 international arts and academic competitions in one location and offer multiple opportunities for students to win awards. The following are the awards participants can stand to win:
- IJMO โ Math Olympiad Individual Award
- Vanda International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO) Global Finals Individual Award
- Vanda International Junior Science Olympiad (VIJSO) Global Finals Team Award
- International Junior Informatics Olympiad (IJIO) Global Finals Individual Award
- International Junior Informatics Olympiad (IJIO) Global Finals Team Award
- International Junior Cybersecurity Olympiad (IJCO) Global Finals Individual Award
- International Junior Cybersecurity Olympiad (IJCO) Global Finals Team Award
- International Junior Arts Olympiad (IJAO) Individual Award
- IJMO Overall Champion, Runner-up, 2nd Runner-Up in each grade level
- VIJSO Global Finals Overall Champion, Runner-up, 2nd Runner-Up in each grade level
- IJIO Global Finals Overall Champion, Runner-up, 2nd Runner-Up in each grade level
- IJCO Global Finals Overall Champion, Runner-up, 2nd Runner-Up in each grade level
- Presidentโs Award for Excellence in STEAM (PAExS) winners in IJMO, VIJSO GF
Individual & IJIO GF Individual
PAExS Award
The top performing contestants who win all 2 out of 5 Individual Gold Awards in IJMO, VIJSO GF, IJIO GF, IJCO GF and IJAO will be honored with the Presidentโs Award for Excellence in STEAM (PAExS).
These contestants will be awarded a PAExS Trophy, certificate and International Junior Honor Society (IJHS) Induction.
PAExS Star Award
The top performing contestants who win all 3 out of 5 Individual Gold Awards in IJMO, VIJSO GF, IJIO GF, IJCO GF and IJAO will be honored with the Presidentโs Award for Excellence in STEAM (PAExS).
These contestants will be awarded a PAExS Platinum medal and certificate plus get inducted into the International Junior Honor Society (IJHS) and win a full scholarship to attend the Young Achievers Leadership Academy (YALA).
STEAM AHEAD 2026 is brought to you by SIMCC in collaboration with Scholastic Trust Singapore Limited and our global partners in over 35 countries and territories.
At each STEAM AHEAD event, we will start to promote linkages across the subjects so that it will up-skill students and boast their interest in STEAM.
Our goal is to help our students get into professional paths that are future proof. Our societyโs demand for technically driven roles is rising and therefore it is crucial that students are encouraged to get qualifications in Science, Technology, and related fields. By getting qualifications that will allow students to work in innovative fields, they are guaranteed to have fulfilling and well-paid professions.