FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about the contest:

Head to the Registration page to choose a track, or go straight to Individual Registration or Group Registration.

In short: You definitely need a fresh brain, a couple of pencils and pens and a lot of patience!

Longer version: You mostly need logical thinking, as well as general awareness of directions, calendars, etc. You do not need prior knowledge of linguistics, computer science, programming, or foreign languages.

The contest will last for 4 hours.
  • Track 1 (Regular): ₹1,000 + ₹180 GST, totalling ₹1,180
  • Track 2 (Access): ₹300 + ₹54 GST, totalling ₹354
  • Group registration: discounts of 10–20% for 10 or more students. See Registration.
Contestants must:
  • be under 20 years of age on the opening day of the IOL; and
  • be currently attending secondary school (high school) or a lower grade, or have only recently completed secondary school.
Unfortunately, no. Registration fees are non-refundable.
Expect around 6–8 problems in the contest booklet.
You can find past problems, graded by difficulty, and some reading materials on the Resources page. Note that these are not required reading to participate. You can find even more problems on the websites of the other Linguistics Olympiads listed there, or by surfing the web. 😉
No. Each registration must be made using a unique email ID. The same email ID cannot be used for multiple registrations.
Registration is open until 20 November 2026. However, participants whose registrations are received after 10 November will be accommodated through the walk-in arrangement. Examination centres will be confirmed only for registrations received on or before 10 November 2026.