Q1. I have students in grade 9 who wish to enter, can they?
A1. Any student in or below grade 10 may enter the competition. Having completed Science 10 is not a prerequisite.
Q2. I have grade 10 students who took Science 10 a year early and are now in Bio 11/Chem 11/Phys 11. Can they still write the exam?
A2. The Michael Smith Challenge is designed to be written by students that have grade 10 knowledge. Students who have started their grade 11 science courses for a month or more prior to the Challenge official writing date, or have completed any grade 11 level science course, are not eligible for the competition.
Q3. What is the cost of writing this exam?
A3. There is a $6 charge per exam manuscript sent to us. This is used to pay for the marking staff.
Q4. Why can’t I login into the system using the email and password I registered for last year?
A4. To keep our records up to date, we require that you make a new account each year for the Michael Smith Challenge.
Q5. I am having trouble registering/downloading the exam (or past exams)/viewing the webpage, what should I do?
A5. Please email us at mschall@phas.ubc.ca. If you have any questions on the day of the Challenge, please phone us immediately at 604-822-3675.
Q6. What if there is a school event in conflict with the exam?
A6. Please contact us by phone at 604-822-3675 or email at mschall@phas.ubc.ca.
Q7. When will we get our results?
A7. The results will be posted as soon as possible. Usually, results are mailed out by the first week of May. When this happens, we will send an email to all participating teachers.
Q8. What do I do if I have not received a confirmation email?
A8. Please check your email’s spam folder for your confirmation email. If you are still having difficulties, please contact us by phone at 604-822-3675 or email at mschall@phas.ubc.ca.
Q9. I am a teacher at a Canadian accredited international school. OR, I am a teacher teaching at an Canadian school outside of Canada. It is possible for my students to participate in the Michael Smith Challenge?
A9. Students at international schools or Canadian school outside of Canada can participate as long as they fulfill other existing requirements. Teachers must contact us prior to registration to receive permission to conduct the challenge. The marking fee will be the same as that for Canadian students. Completed challenges can be submitted through email for international school students. However, participating students are not eligible for national/provincial prizes. We will review the participation of international schools on an ongoing basis.
Contact Information
If you require any additional information please e-mail us at mschall@phas.ubc.ca