Two Ways to Join the Play-Off Qualifiers!
Haven’t participated in the National Finals Round yet?
Just joined Hippo? Still need to take the Preliminary Round and the National Finals and not sure how it will go? Don’t wait — you can already secure your spot for an unforgettable learning experience!
Book a Hippo Summer Camp now and enjoy a fantastic educational holiday in one of our three amazing destinations: Romania, Qatar, or United Kingdom.
And here’s the best part:
If you qualify later on, your Summer Camp will automatically turn into a Play-Off experience!
If a student applies for both RQ and POQ, and wins at the RQ event, they will be able to choose whether to use their POQ registration as a Hippo Summer Camp with a 15% discount or to get a refund.
Already participated in the National Final Round?
If your score didn’t qualify you for the World Finals or for the Regional Qualifiers, but is still higher than 50% of the top-ranked student’s score, you have another chance! Take part in the Hippo Play-Off Qualifiers 2026 and keep your dream of reaching the Hippo 2026 World Finals alive! Read below!
Growing Bigger and Better!
This year, the Hippo Play-Off Qualifiers are expanding — and so is our international reach! Building on the success of previous editions, we are thrilled to announce three amazing locations for 2026.
Each destination offers a different kind of experience: Romania and Qatar are perfect for those who want to combine the competition with a family-friendly holiday, while the United Kingdom provides a more independent atmosphere, ideal for students who enjoy travelling on their own and experiencing life in a college setting.
Wherever you choose to go, you’ll have the chance to challenge yourself, meet new friends from all over the world, and move one step closer to the Hippo 2026 World Finals.
Take your pick and make your journey to the World Finals an unforgettable adventure — full of learning, fun, and friendship!
To make sure you’re fully informed, take a moment to check out the detailed POQ terms and conditions in the Hippo Regulations, available here: [insert link].
Eligibility
The following students are eligible to participate:
• Students with top rankings who did not qualify for the World Finals or Regional Qualifiers.
• Students who qualified for the Regional Qualifiers but either did not attend or did not advance to the World Finals.
To qualify, students must achieve at least 50% of the points scored by the top-ranking student. However, places for the Play-Off Qualifiers are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Students with top rankings who did not qualify for the World Finals or Regional Qualifiers.
• Students who qualified for the Regional Qualifiers but either did not attend or did not advance to the World Finals.
To qualify, students must achieve at least 50% of the points scored by the top-ranking student. However, places for the Play-Off Qualifiers are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Travel and Accommodation
Participants are required to arrange and cover their own travel expenses. The package provided will include:
• All teaching and learning materials
• Accommodation
• All meals
• Arrival/departure transfers
• Activities
• One excursion
• All teaching and learning materials
• Accommodation
• All meals
• Arrival/departure transfers
• Activities
• One excursion
Course and Examination Details
The course will be taught by our selected teachers and will consist of 15 to 20 hours of classroom instruction, with each class containing up to 20 students. Students will be grouped by their Hippo category and entry test results. The lessons are tailored to meet the students’ needs and will include Hippo mock examinations to help them prepare for the main event. On the sixth day, the Play-Off Qualifiers exam will be held, consisting of a Hippo Test of English, of the same format as the one of the Regional Qualifiers: 30 Use of English open-ended questions and a crossword puzzle. Sample tests are available on the Sample Papers page of the Hippo website.
Awards
The winner of each category will be invited to the World Finals with the results being announced during the Awards Ceremony held on the evening of the examination day.
