The NZYP National Tournament supports the team to represent NZ at the International Young Physicists’ Tournament. In 2026 this will be held in Zurich, Switzerland. However, the team selection process is seperate and has two stages. It will be completed BEFORE the schools’ team tournament.takes place.

NB: Representative team members must be New Zealand Citizens or Permeant Residents.

Students wanting to be considered for a place on the New Zealand team MUST register their interest here. This signs them up to receive the instruction emails about the team selection process that WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED elsewhere. From the New Year, there will be a series of five weekly newsletter to support students preparing to enter a video. The contents will, at the appropriate time, include the assessment rubric and details of how to make their video entry.

Stage 1 is a video competition open to all students who meet the residency requirement AND are enrolled in a recognised NZ secondary education establishment. that may be a state school, a private school, registered home schooled and Te Kura.

Stage 2 is a residential camp that will present new problems to be investigated in an environment similar to the IYPT tournament.

The Video competition

Students must make a 12 minute video of their best problem from the seven NZ problems. The format is similar to the presentation they would make in the school tournament. They must upload it (instructions supplied) before February 15th 2026. NB: this is before the national team competition. Late entries cannot be considered. It is preferable, but NOT essential, that students then take part in the national tournament as part of a school team. This will allow students to experience the competition and give them opportunities to practice.

The results of the vdeo competition will be announced on February 21st. Up to 16 students, those who score most highly on the assesment rubric, will be invited to participate in the stage two residential camp .All students will be informed of their result. Preferably thi swill be by phone, but if we cannot contact them, it will be by email at 8pm on February 21st.

The Residential Camp

The residential camp will take place over the weekend of February 28th and March 1st. Full details will be shared with the students invited as part of their invitation. It is a residential even if the student lives nearby and a $250 inc GST fee is charged to contribute towards costs. The students will stay at the Sebel hotel in Manukau, sharing a twin, en-suite room with another student. (Teachers are also taying at the Hotel). Workshops will be at the MIT manukau city campus, a five minute walk away. An evening social event will also take place.

At the camp all students will work on another problem they have not seen before. It will NOT be one of the seven NZ problems.

The five New Zealand Representative team members will be selected from their overall performance at the residential camp. At the camp, students will be assessed on team work, problem solving, confidence, their ability to think on their feet and to express physics concepts without external reference, as well as their physics knowledge and ability to apply it appropriately.

Being a member of the New Zealand team is a significant commitment which is explained in depth to students, and their parents, before team membership can be confirmed. Significant preparation time is needed and attendance at key events is compulsory. Camp venues are chosen to minimise travel so the first two camp venues will only be agreed once the team is confirmed. The Trust will pay for out of town team members travel, meals and accomodation. Travelling students are also welcome to stay with friends or whanau with parental permission.

• Key event 1. There will be an initial meeting after the school’s tournament on March 22nd. It is expected that most students will be attending as part of their school team so this should not be extra travel. The focus will be on the team members getting to know each other, meeting the team leaders, finding out more about the international tournament and to plan the remaining research allocations. Each team member will end up being the team “expert” on three of the 17 international problems. Parents and guardians are welcome to attend this meeting.
• There will be a weekly online, check in meeting with the team leaders to see how research is progressing, sort out problems arising, etc.
• Key Event: There will ba training weekend camp in late April or early May at a date and place yet to be decided.
• Key Event: There will be a three-day training camp over the Kings birthday weekend, May 30th, May 31st and June 1st, probably in Auckland but venue TBC.
• Key Event: The final training camp is pre-departure in Auckland at Auckland Grammar School. Starting on June 29th 2026it runs until the New Zealand team flies out to Switzerland. This date depend on Flights but is likely to be July 1st or 2nd.

Team members will have to contribute to the cost of travel to the international competition. NZYPT expects, but cannot guarantee, to subsidise this cost. We have for many years received a grant from the progressing, of Education and have other sponsors. We will also help students with their own fundraising where we can.