About SAIO
The international arm of South Africa’s premier academic competition programme.
Our Story
Who We Are
The South African International Olympiad (SAIO) is an academic competition platform dedicated to developing critical thinking and academic excellence. SAIO is the international arm of SA Olympiads, South Africa’s premier academic competition programme.
SA Olympiads, run under FEMSSISA NPC, has been hosting Mathematics, English, Natural Science and Afrikaans competitions for learners from Grade 1 to Grade 12 across South Africa for years. SAIO takes the top performers and creates pathways for them to compete globally — and brings the world’s best international events to South African soil.
SA Olympiads is how you qualify. SAIO is where you go next.
Mission
To inspire students worldwide through high-quality Olympiad competitions.
Vision
To become a globally recognised academic competition platform.
Why SAIO?
For learners
A fair path from the classroom to international competition — earned on merit through the National Round.
For schools
Recognition on the international stage and a framework to identify and develop top talent.
For partner countries
A trusted South African hub for world-class academic events.
Get Involved
Whether you are a parent, school coordinator, or international partner — we’d love to hear from you.