2025 NZOAA Registration
Kia ora,
The NZOAA Committee is inviting you to participate in the 2025 NZOAA! This is a competition bringing together young astronomy enthusiasts from all across New Zealand.
When: Wednesday October 15th, 2025, at a time convenient to your school. The exam is one hour long.
Where: The exam will be sat in person, under a teacher’s supervision.
Who: The exam will be suited to students taking any of: Earth and Space Sciences, Physics, Mathematics (NCEA or international equivalent), or students with a strong astronomy interest. See also eligibility criteria below.
Why: Based on results from this exam, a number of students will be selected to continue training toward the IOAA competition, including attending one to two camps. A final team of around four students will be selected to travel to the IOAA competition in 2026 (location and dates TBC).
What: Questions will be a mix of multiple choice, short and longer answers. The questions will be a mix of astronomy/astrophysics knowledge, calculations and problem solving. We attach the front page of the exam and the formula sheets that will be provided for more information.
We ask that one teacher at the school registers the school’s interest using this form (https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/EYjAD13FkQ), including an indicative (non-binding) number of students who might sit the exam.
If you are a student and would like to participate in the NZOAA, please approach a teacher at your school for them to fill out this form.
On the morning of the exam, we will email those who register a copy of the exam to be printed out and given to students, and we will ask you to scan and return the exams via email.
Based on the eligibility criteria for the IOAA, we have established these criteria for the NZOAA. We ask you to check these with the students planning to sit the exam:
Participants must be under 20 years old on 1 July of the Olympiad year (2026);
they must not have completed secondary school before 1 January of that year, and
they must be citizens or regular residents of New Zealand.
For any further information, please contact secretary@rasnz.org.nz or see the IOAA and/or NZOAA websites. We look forward to receiving your registrations before Friday October 10th to ensure your school's participation!
Ngā mihi nui,
The NZOAA Committee
Yvette Perrott
Alston Yam
Penglong Zhou
Haritina Mogoshanu
Antony Gomez
Jenny Pollock
Clare Worley
Bruce Ngataierua
