Brain Bee Rules and Code of Conduct
The International Brain Bee, founded in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski, is a closed-book neuroscience competition run in more than 50 countries. This page is general guidance from an independent site; the official rules for each round are set by the organiser every season.
Know the structure. Respect the rules.
Neuroscience depends on careful observation and honest evidence. Brain Bee competition asks for the same discipline: independent work, exact terminology, and close attention to each season’s official instructions.
Who can enter the Brain Bee?
Eligibility is set by school grade and division. Students compete individually against others in the same age band.
The Brain Bee splits entrants into two divisions. The Junior division is for grades 5–8, and the Standard division is for grades 9–12. Exact grade and age boundaries vary slightly from country to country, so students should confirm their eligibility with the organiser or coordinator for their region before registering.
Entry is open to any student in the eligible grade range, regardless of prior neuroscience background — the competition is designed to reward independent study of the shared syllabus rather than school coursework. In China, the pathway follows the same three tiers and admits students across grades 5–12, sorted into the same Junior and Standard divisions. To reach the World Championship, a competitor must first win the highest level of Brain Bee competition available in their own country or region.
How does the closed-book exam work?
Every Brain Bee round is closed-book. Competitors answer from memory, without notes, devices, or help from anyone else.
The written exam is closed-book at all levels, and national-tier events add specimen or neuroanatomy identification and patient-diagnosis rounds. Across every round the same principle holds: you may use only what you have learned, and you may not consult materials or people during the exam.
No outside help of any kind
Mobile phones, programmable calculators, smartwatches, other electronic devices, and any written notes are not permitted in the exam room. Communicating with other competitors during a round is prohibited.
What you may bring
Competitors may bring their own writing instruments — pens, pencils, erasers, and a sharpener. Students from non-English backgrounds may use a plain translation dictionary that contains no notes; a chaperone may check it before the round begins.
What are the integrity expectations?
The Brain Bee applies a zero-tolerance standard to cheating. Any attempt to gain an unfair advantage can lead to disqualification.
Fair play is central to the competition. Cheating — including looking at another competitor’s work, using a hidden device, or bringing prohibited materials into the exam — is treated with zero tolerance and results in elimination. Because rules are enforced strictly, the safest approach is simple: leave devices and notes outside the exam room and answer only from your own preparation.
For a fuller explanation of honest preparation, permitted study aids, and how to work with a coach or teacher without crossing a line, see our academic integrity guidance.
How is the Brain Bee scored and how are ties resolved?
Scores come from the exam rounds, and a panel of neuroscientists judges the live stages. Judges’ decisions are generally final.
Written answers are marked against a set answer key, and the identification and case-diagnosis rounds are scored by expert judges. At national and world level, top scorers may advance to a live oral round in which a panel of professional neuroscientists poses questions; in that format a competitor is typically eliminated after a set number of incorrect answers.
Where competitors finish level, ties for a top place are usually broken by comparing earlier-round scores rather than left unresolved. Scoring criteria, tie-break method, and any process for questioning a result are defined by the organiser for each event, and the judging panel’s rulings during live rounds are generally treated as final. If you believe a scoring error has occurred, raise it with the on-site coordinator promptly, following the procedure announced for that round.
Official rules are set each season
This page is independent general guidance and not the official rulebook. Formats, permitted items, scoring, and dates are confirmed by the organiser for each season. Always check the official Brain Bee site at thebrainbee.org and your regional coordinator for the current, binding rules before you compete.
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We provide competition registration service and the entry form, periodic RMB 9.9 trial classes, complete Brain Bee tutoring, and a free level assessment.