Eligibility
All participants should be junior/middle or senior/secondary high school students and aged below 20 by June 30, 2027.
IEOx project
IEOx Essay Challenge 2026/27
An international essay competition for high school students exploring climate economics, sustainable finance, carbon markets, and environmental policy.
- Theme
- Climate Economics
- Deadline
- December 15, 2026, 23:59 UTC
- Eligibility
- High school students below 20 by June 30, 2027
Registration is open
Sep 15 - Dec 15
2026, UTC
Top 40
preliminary winners
Top 5
special awards
Feb 16
online seminar
English
submission language
About the challenge
Research as a way to join the global economics conversation
The International Economics Olympiad is dedicated to enhancing skills in economics, finance, and business through contemporary, historical, and practical resources.
As part of this commitment, the IEOx Essay Challenge gives young minds across the globe the chance to transform academic work into compelling and impactful research results.
Annual theme 2026/27
Climate Economics
In recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol, the IEOx Essay Challenge 2026/27 is dedicated to climate economics.
Participants are invited to explore carbon market mechanisms, sustainable finance, environmental policy, and other economic questions connected with climate action.
Special annual category
Kyoto Protocol 30th Anniversary Special Award
The top 40 papers will be selected as preliminary winners. From this shortlist, the top 5 papers will be chosen for the special awards and featured during a dedicated online seminar.
Who can participate
Open to high school students worldwide
Team format
Participants may submit an essay individually or as part of a team of up to 3 people.
One submission per participant
Each participant may submit only one article per year, whether participating independently or as part of a team.
Steps to take
From research idea to submission
Read
Read the Specific Regulations and choose your research angle.
Register
Register on the official website and fill in the author details.
Upload
After registration is confirmed, use the confirmation email link to upload your anonymous file.
Follow
Follow the results announcements and prepare for the seminar if selected.
Key dates
All times are UTC
Start of registration and submission
End of registration and submission, 23:59 UTC
Announcement of the top 40 papers
Announcement of the top 5 papers
Online seminar
LanguageEnglish only
Abstract250-400 words
Body text1,500-2,000 words
File format.docx or .odt
File nameSerial number and title
AnonymityNo names, schools, or identifying details
CitationsAPA format
IntegrityNo plagiarism, impersonation, or unauthorized third-party generation
Evaluation criteria
What judges will look for
Consistency to the theme
The essay should clearly address the annual theme and maintain a strong connection to climate economics.
Perspective creativity
The essay should present an original angle or an innovative way of approaching the selected topic.
Complete narration
The essay should develop its idea clearly from introduction to conclusion.
Contextual analysis
The essay should connect its argument to relevant economic, environmental, or policy contexts.
Formatting
The essay should follow the required structure, file format, citation style, and formatting rules.
Readability
The essay should be clear, coherent, and easy to follow for an academic audience.
Previous cycle
Essay Challenge 2025/26 Winners
Final Report 2025
Open Final Report
Read the Essay Challenge 2024/25 season report
Explore the previous cycle results, participation overview, winning essays, and key highlights from the IEOx Essay Challenge community.
People behind the challenge
Meet our team
Joseph Tsai
Project Lead
Anna Bondareva
Operations
Julia Levantovskaya
Communications
Sofia Vlasova
Social Media
Farangiz Djuraeva
Advisor
Aybek Almatov
Communications
FAQ
Questions participants ask first
Who can participate?
Junior/middle and senior/secondary high school students below 20 years old by June 30, 2027 can participate.
Can I participate with a team?
Yes. You can participate individually or in a team of up to 3 people.
When is the submission deadline?
Submissions are accepted until December 15, 2026, 23:59 UTC.
Can I include my name or school in the file?
No. Submissions that disclose author information will be disqualified.
Ready to submit?
Turn your research into a global economics discussion
Already registered?
Submit your essay
Use the submission form after your registration has been confirmed.