The Carl Gauss Competition in Physics is an educational initiative of the AM Foundation for high-school students preparing for the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). The competition is built entirely around theoretical problems from past IPhO examinations, encouraging students to strengthen their preparation through independent study. Participants have five hours to solve three problems in an in-person event held in English at the Physics Faculty of Sofia University. Calculators and drawing instruments are permitted, but other aids are not.

The inaugural competition took place in 2023, attracting 51 participants from two countries, and a second edition followed in 2024. The organizers track contestants’ preparation and aim to assess whether participation supports stronger future IPhO results. Prizes include a week-long visit to the winner’s dream university, arranged by the foundation, a MacBook Air and an iPad; an additional prize may recognize an original solution. The initiative promotes academic ambition and informed university choices, offering students a structured way to practise Olympiad physics and pursue opportunities at leading academic institutions.