Training Camp

The USESO Training Camp program is a week-long residential program for U.S. high school students that occurs annually in June, and is the only path through which students are selected to represent the United States at the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO). Students qualify for the Training Camp through the National Open Exam.

December 1, 2025: Student registration opens for the 2026 National Open Exam
February 21, 2026: National Open Exam student registration deadline
February 28, 2026: Proctor Verification form deadline
March 19–23, 2026: National Open Exam window
April 18, 2026: Invitations for Training Camp released
June 13–21, 2026: Training Camp in Tulsa, Oklahoma (Top 40 students, invitation only)
August 20–27, 2026: International Earth Science Olympiad in Turin, Italy (US National Team only)

Cost to attend 2026 Training Camp will be $2,600. Need-based financial aid is available. You MUST have a valid, unexpired passport to qualify for the US National Team at IESO. If you qualify and do not have a passport, an alternate will take your place.

Sign up for the USESO newsletter to be notified when registration opens for the next USESO Training Camp!

At the conclusion of the program, we announce the 8 students selected for the U.S. Earth Science Team at the IESO occurring later in the summer.

Learning earth science at every competition level

Camp Eligibility

Selected to attend from the National Open Exam
Attending grades 9-12 in the spring prior to Camp
At least 15 years of age by the first day of Camp
Fluent in English, the official language of the IESO
A U.S. citizen or green card holder

Students do not need to have a U.S. Passport to participate in USESO programs or the IESO.

National Open Exam

Participants for the Training Camp are chosen from students achieving outstanding scores on an exam of general Earth science (past exams are available for practice).

Up to 40 students are invited to our training program each year based on their performance on the open exam. More information about our exact selection criteria can be found in our FAQ. Students younger than ninth grade may also take the exam for experience, but cannot
attend the training camp.

The link to register for the next Open Exam will be posted on our home page.

Training Camp

Up to 40 qualifying students from the National Open Exam may attend the Training Camp. Students are expected to come with a solid foundation in Earth science in order to be well-prepared for camp activities, including:

Outdoor field trips designed to enhance understanding of theoretical Earth science knowledge and expand practical field skills
Team projects using self-collected data and online resources similar to the challenges at the IESO
Discussions with distinguished faculty and industry experts doing work relevant to the Earth and environmental sciences

Upon conclusion of camp, scores from a theoretical and practical exam will be considered along with the team investigations to select the members of the U.S. Earth Science Team.

U.S. Earth Science Team & IESO

Each year, the top four qualifying students from the Training Camp are selected for the U.S. Earth Science Team (international team).

In most years, up to four additional guest students may travel with the team. While guests cannot qualify for individual medals, they may participate and earn awards in international team events where students from up to ten countries collaborate on projects examining real-world issues. The USESO recognizes the importance of the IESO international team events for representing global work essential in the field of earth science.

USESO has attended the international event since the first IESO in 2007. Past USESO students have achieved numerous gold and silver medals in the individual competition, the best practical exam, and more international team awards than any other country.