In addition to organizing the International History Bee and Bowl, International Academic Competitions organizes the International Geography Bee and the International Geography Championships! See below for a summary of our geography event calendar. Practice questions (both Qualifying Exams and buzzer-based questions) can be found here. For further information on our geography competitions, please contact david@iacompetitions.com
1. International Geography Bee – Championships Qualifying Exam
The International Geography Bee Championships Qualifying Exam (CQE) is offered at all International History Bee and Bowl regional tournaments. Students take the Qualifying Exam during the lunch break. The cost is 10 Euros, British Pounds, US Dollars, Swiss Francs, or 20 Azerbaijani Manat, and may be paid in cash on the day of the tournament. The Qualifying Exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions on all aspects of World Geography; students have 20 minutes to take the Exam.
Students can also take the exam for free at their school if a teacher agrees to proctor it for them if they are unable to attend an International History Bee and Bowl tournament where the Qualifying Exam is offered. Two separate Qualifying Exam versions are offered each year; the Gamma Set CQE is given at International History Bee and Bowl tournaments that run on the Gamma Question Set and the Beta Set CQE is given at International History Bee and Bowl tournaments that run on the Beta Question Set.
Students qualify for the IGB European Championships and the International Geography Championships by accomplishing one of the following things:
1. Finishing in the top half of students in their age division who take their respective version of the CQE at any given tournament site. If there is an odd number of students, or if two students tie for the last spot, we “round up” so that 4 students out of 7 would qualify, for example, unless there was a tie for 4th place, in which case 5 (or more, if more than two students tied for 4th) would qualify.
2. Students can also qualify by finishing in the top half throughout Europe among all students who take the CQE within their age division for any given exam. These median scores are calculated for Gamma and Beta Sets for all students who have taken an Exam by March 19 for Gamma Set, and May 10 for Beta Set.
3. Students who score at the automatic qualifying level for the International Geography Championships: a score of at least 75 (if they are Varsity), 65 (if they are Junior Varsity), 55 (if they are Middle School) and 45 (if they are Elementary) – also qualify for the IGB European Championships.
Students only need to qualify once (either on either version of the Championships Qualifying Exam or at any Regional Tournament, whether online or in-person) each year for the European Championships, and once in every two year cycle (i.e. either in the 2022-23 or 2023-24 school years) for the International Geography Championships.
2022-2023 International Geography Bee – Championships Qualifying Exam Results
Official Gamma Set IGB Median Scores:
Varsity 90 Junior Varsity 83.5 Middle School 71.5 Elementary 41
Combined IGB Gamma Set Exam Results and Median Calculations are found here. Note that the official medians reflect all Exam scores received by March 19. These Official Medians do not change further.
2023 Cyprus Tournament Site – International Geography Bee Exam Results – Mar. 18, 2023
2023 Geneva Tournament Site – International Geography Bee Exam Results – Mar. 11, 2023
2023 Azerbaijan Tournament Site – International Geography Bee Exam Results – Mar. 4, 2023
2023 London Tournament Site – International Geography Bee Exam Results – Mar. 4, 2023
2023 Paris Tournament Site – International Geography Bee Exam Results – Feb. 4, 2023
2. International Geography Bee – Regional Tournaments
Regional Tournaments for the International Geography Bee are held both in-person and online. Students can compete either online or in person. All questions used at our Regional Tournaments are buzzer-based, and the rules follow the same rules as are used for the International History Bee. Regional Tournaments consist of 3 rounds of buzzer-based questions for all participants and a final round for the top students in each age division (High School, Middle School, and Elementary). The top 50% of students at each Regional Tournament qualify for both the European Championships and the International Geography Championships. Students only need to qualify once (either on either version of the Championships Qualifying Exam or at any Regional Tournament, whether online or in-person) each year for the European Championships, and once in every two year cycle (i.e. either in the 2022-23 or 2023-24 school years) for the International Geography Championships.
2A: Online Regional Tournaments
Online Geography Bee of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East: Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Registration is now open here!
The cost of this tournament is 25 euros per student. The same price is charged for all students, regardless of whether they attend a fee-charging or tuition-free school. All students are guaranteed 3 preliminary rounds. The top students make the final round.
2B: In-Person Regional Tournaments
Geography Bee of France: Wednesday, May 10, 2023, Lycée Internationale, St. Germain-en-Laye. Registration is now open here!
The cost of this tournament is 35 euros per student. The same price is charged for all students, regardless of whether they attend a fee-charging or tuition-free school. All students are guaranteed 2 preliminary rounds. The top students make the final round. This price also includes 2 guaranteed rounds of competition in the History Bee of France on the Beta Set of Questions, with the top students in that making the final round. The schedule of this tournament is as follows:
1:30 Doors Open
1:45 Opening Meeting
2:00 History Bee of France Round 1
2:30 History Bee of France Round 2
3:00 Geography Bee of France Round 2
3:30 Geography Bee of France Round 2
4:15 History Bee of France Finals
4:50 Geography Bee of France Finals
5:20 Awards
5:30 End
3. International Geography Bee – 2023 European Championships
Saturday, June 10, 2023, Benjamin Franklin International School, Barcelona, Spain
At the European Championships, qualified students from across Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Africa compete in three rounds of buzzer-based Bee play, followed by a Final Round to determine the European Champions. High School, Middle School, and Elementary Divisions will be offered. The rules for game play are identical to those of the History Bee. Details can be found on the European Championships weekend, including a schedule for the International Geography Bee, can be found by clicking on the above posted link.
4. International Geography Championships
Summer 2024
The International Geography Championships is a multi-faceted, week-long competition for the best geography students from around the world. Held every two years (the next IGC will take place in July 2024), the International Geography Championships features numerous separate buzzer-based quiz competitions, other geography competitions, field trips, cultural activities, and a chance to meet other students who excel at and enjoy studying geography. Further details can be found on the website at www.geochampionships.com