1. We send you an email with instruction on how to register your students for the Competition.
2. You run the Competition under test conditions over a 30-minute period within the Competition dates. The mainly multiple-choice questions test knowledge and skills, within the time constraints of responding to stimulus material.
3. Students’ individual results and certificates – top 1%, high distinction, distinction, credit or participation – are returned to you in July 2024.

We recommend that all students from one school complete the Competition on the same day. It is up to the school which of the days is chosen. We realise that not all schools can arrange to have all their students compete on the same day so, if necessary, schools may spread the Competition over two or more days.

Schools may increase the number of students entered, but to decrease the number, or to withdraw the entry, you must notify the Competition Office via email by Monday 8 April 2024. If required, a refund will be made, less a $30.00 handling fee. No refund will be given if notification is received after this time.

The entry fee is $5.00 per student, GST exempt. There is no minimum number of students. There is no charge to the school for accessing Janison for the Competition.

Students are graded at secondary school Year levels. The students’ scores, percentiles and certificate categories are calculated within their Year cohorts.

• Year 7 – students younger than Year 7 may enter as Year 7
• Year 8
• Year 9
• Year 10
• Year 11
• Year 12

Students in Years 7 and 8 are tested on 30 questions, in Years 9 and 10 on 40 questions, and in Years 11 and 12 on 40 questions. 

Students complete the Competition individually under test conditions, that is: they are supervised at all times; the time limit is adhered to; no access to external resources is allowed; no advice on the content of the test is given to students after the test has been seen by teachers / supervisors.

This optional field in the student registration template is for use by schools that enter large numbers of students and want their results sorted by Year and Class. If you choose to use the Class ID field, assign a letter (e.g. A, B, C, …) to each separate class. Your school results will then be returned sorted first by Year level and then by Class ID.

Distance education students must complete the Competition under test conditions – see FAQ above. Teachers should contact us to discuss any issues.

Yes, we accept entries from home schools and there is no minimum entry fee. Home schools should use the entry form and pay online at the same time as entering. Home school students must complete the Competition under test conditions – see FAQ above.and pay online at the same time as entering. Home school students must complete the Competition under test conditions – see FAQ above.

For each Year level, the highest-scoring student in Australia, in each State and in the combined Territories (ACT, NT and the External Territories) each receive a book and special certificate. First in Australia also receives a medal. 

Prizes for these Years use scores with a weighting on the final 10 questions. At each Year level, the highest-scoring student in Australia, in each State and in the combined Territories (ACT, NT and the External Territories) each receive a book and special certificate. First in Australia also receives a medal.

For students in Year 11 who are between 15 and 18 years old on 30 June, two high-scoring geography students from each State and the combined Territories each win a place at Geography’s Big Week Out. Two other high-scoring geography students from across Australia are also awarded this prize. Tied students may be separated using school assessment.

A book voucher and framed certificate will be awarded to the top school in Australia, in each State and in the combined Territories, based on the scores of the school’s best 5 students from each of Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

Geography’s Big Week Out is a mix of stimulating and hands-on geography activities, focussing on fieldwork, designed to challenge and extend high-performing senior students. Students are selected from the Year 11 level of the Competition. Costs (airfares, accommodation, meals and activities) of participation in the Big Week Out are met by the organisers. The four members of Australia’s team to the 2024 International Geography Olympiad, to be held in Dublin, Ireland, will be selected based on students’ performances during the 2023 Big Week Out. Geography’s Big Week Out and Australia’s participation in the International Geography Olympiads are supported by the Australian Government, Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

Low resolution versions of past Competition Questions can be downloaded.

We report to students and schools on students’ scores, and specifically highlight achievement in the cognitive domains outlined in the Trends in International Geography Assessment Study’s Framework. These domains are part of a proposal to include geography in the Earth Science strand of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assessment from 2023. See www.tigas2023.com for more information.

The cognitive domain is divided into three dimensions that describe the thinking processes students are expected to engage in while studying geography. The first domain, knowing, addresses the student’s ability to recall, recognise, describe, and provide examples of facts, concepts, and procedures that are necessary for a solid foundation in geography. The second domain, applying, focuses on using this knowledge to compare, contrast and classify concepts; relating knowledge of a geography concept to a specific context; generating explanations; and solving practical problems. The third domain, reasoning, includes using evidence and geographic understanding to analyse, synthesize, and generalize, often in unfamiliar situations and complex contexts.

For more information, download the pdf on Cognitive Processes found here.

Terms and Conditions can be found here.