Roadmap to
Research-Level Competition
From global open participation to an intensive invitational sprint, AOAC is designed to test speed, depth, and computational thinking.
Competition Roadmap
Pre-Registrations
Pre-registrations open for all eligible students.
Registration & Onboarding
Registrations open for all eligible students globally. Participants gain access to their AOAC dashboard.
The Open Round (MCQ)
A 60-minute long online exam testing physical intuition, approximation skills, and astrophysics concepts.
Results & Shortlisting
Top performers are shortlisted based on their score in the Open Round. Selected participants advance to the Invitational Round.
The Invitational (Subjective)
A 72-hour take-home challenge requiring deep analytical thinking. Participants may use Python, numerical methods, and creative modeling to solve open-ended astrophysics problems.
Final Standings & Recognition
Top performers of the Invitational Round are recognized and honoured. High-performing candidates may be featured, invited for collaborations, or highlighted for research potential.
1. Eligibility
Open to all high school, gap-year, and first-year university students under 20.
2. Tools
The Open round is closed-book. Invitational encourages computational software.
3. Platform
Entirely online. Access problems and submit solutions through your AOAC dashboard.