"Ideas shape the course of history. The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones."
- John Maynard Keynes
Welcome to the International Economics Olympiad
Through an analytical essay and an online debate, the International Economics Olympiad challenges students to showcase their grasp on real-world economics on the world stage.
Participants will:
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Evaluate
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Consider
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Articulate and debate
the economic issues we face today.
See Guidelines and Rules for more information.
By answering questions about issues like:
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Wartime sanctions
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Trade tariffs
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Recessions
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Inflations
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The effects of AI and social media.
The International Economics Olympiad is entirely online and offers students from around the world the opportunity to test their insight on the ideas, structures, and forces that shape the global economy.
Essays are submitted via a Typeform link and the debate will take place online as well.
How does the Olympiad work?
Mission
The International Economics Olympiad is designed to bring the complexity and nuance of economics to high school students who aspire to understand and shape the forces driving our world. We champion the right for every student to test their knowledge and compete alongside the next generation of economists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and financial leaders.
Through a rigorous competition of case studies, problem-solving, and debate, participants engage with real-world economic challenges ranging from inequality and globalization to financial markets and sustainable development. The Olympiad empowers students to apply critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and interdisciplinary approaches to demonstrate their academic potential to top universities.
Outstanding participants are recognized through letters of recommendation, international distinction, and college consulting credit, helping them take the next step toward careers in economics, business, and entrepreneurship.
Objectives
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To promote economics education at the secondary school level and increase interest in the fields of economic theory, policy, and global economic development.
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To encourage the development of analytical reasoning, financial literacy, and economic problem-solving among pre-university students worldwide.
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To help students explore the purpose and impact economic systems have in shaping societies. In a world where markets reflect both opportunity and inequality, a solid understanding of economics is more vital than ever.
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To promote reflection on how economic institutions such as markets, governments, trade, and innovation shape social life, science, technology, and democracy.
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To encourage students to interpret global challenges through the lens of economic reasoning and ethics, especially in relation to issues such as sustainability, inequality, governance, and human welfare in a globalized world.
Structure
Step 2
Regional Round
August 2025
Participants are grouped into five global regions. On the launch date, urban planning prompts (e.g., wartime sanctions, tariff trade wars, online coins and currency) are announced. Students select a prompt and submit their essay. The top performers from each region advance.
Get prepared with our Resources page.
Step 3
International Round
September 2025
Regional finalists compete in a parliamentary style debate. Students receive a briefing of the debate seven days before the event with three possible debate topics and positions to advocate for (e.g., the gold standard, AI in the workplace, or digital currency).
Learn more on our Guidelines and Rules page.
Step 4
Finalists Announced
September 2025
After the debate, the top three international finalists are announced. Winners will be featured on our website and awarded for their exceptional achievement, gaining global recognition.
Method
The Olympiad is divided into two rounds: Regional and International. The regional round is an essay competition and the international round is a global debate where the regional round finalists are invited to compete.
Regional Round:
Write an analytical essay answering one of three economic questions provided on the olympiad launch date.
Submissions must be within 7 days of the launch date and responses must align with essay format standards (see Guidelines and Rules).
International Round:
Finalists from each region advance to an online economic debate in which they respond to a dynamic economic policy crisis with other finalists.
Students are assigned a nation or international organization such as the IMF or World Bank and debate international economic policy and theory (see Guidelines and Rules for more details).
Why You Should Participate
Expert Evaluation
Recognition & Prizes
Stand Out for Admissions
Submissions and debates are evaluated by economists and professors from leading institutions.
Finalists receive international recognition, letters of recommendation, college consulting services, and have their work published.
Universities select students who exhibit strong academic aptitude, analytical thinking, and a disciplined approach to economic inquiry.
Register for the Olympiad
Dr. Ceyhun Elgin
PhD, Economics – University of Minnesota
PhD Minor, Mathematics – University of Minnesota
MA, Economics – University of Minnesota
BA, Economics – Boğaziçi University, Turkey
BA, Law – Istanbul Şehir University, Turkey
BA, Public Administration – Anadolu University, Turkey
Dr. Ceyhun Elgin is a professor of economics whose research bridges macroeconomic theory with real-world policy, specializing in the informal sector, economic development, and public finance. He has held academic appointments at IMF, World Bank, Boston University, the American University in Bulgaria, and currently serves as Jean Monnet Chair at Boğaziçi University and lecturer at Columbia University. Dr. Elgin has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications and led numerous international research projects on fiscal policy.
Judges Panel
Testimonials
"Before the Olympiad, economics was just a school subject to me. After spending a week studying patterns in trade, policy, and numbers, I started to see the world differently."
Maxime Dubois
"I didn’t think I’d enjoy presenting my ideas in front of a panel, let alone in a second language but the Olympiad inspired me to find my voice"
Aanya Shah
"Competing with students from around the world reminded me how connected our decisions are and how one policy tweak in one country echoes somewhere else. It was more than a competition, I got to see the world through the eyes of an economist."
Tariq El-Khalil