International Biology Olympiad (IBO) vs Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams
Comparing two elite STEM opportunities. International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is a olympiad while Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams is a competition.
| International Biology Olympiad (IBO) | Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams | |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige Tier | Tier 1 — Elite | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive |
| Type | Olympiad | Competition |
| Organization | International Biology Olympiad | Lemelson-MIT Program at MIT |
| Acceptance Rate | Highly competitive; typically only 4 students per country compete at international level. Exact global acceptance rate unknown but extremely selective | Approximately 8-10% (based on 8 teams selected annually; suggests 80-100+ applications per year, though exact applicant count not publicly available) |
| Applicants | Varies significantly by country; some countries have dozens to hundreds of participants in national preliminaries | Estimated 80-100+ schools apply annually (extrapolated from 8 selections) |
| Deadline | — | Rolling |
| Award | — | $7,000 |
| Cost to Apply | Free | Free |
| US Only | No / International | Yes |
| Grades | High school students (typically ages 14-20, exact age limits vary by country) | High school students (9-12) |
| College Impact | Extremely positive. Participation in the International Biology Olympiad—especially reaching the international finals—is one of the most prestigious achievements in high school STEM. College admissions... | Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams is viewed very favorably in college admissions, particularly for STEM programs. Selection as an InvenTeam demonstrates: (1) exceptional innovation and problem-solving ability; ... |