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Study Plans

Three ready-to-use templates. Adjust hours to match your school load and energy — consistency matters more than total hours in one week.

3-Month Sprint

A focused 12-week plan that assumes solid basics and targets the pre-selection / selection rounds. Heavy on timed practice, light on new theory.

Duration
3 months
Target
You already know school physics well and your first test is close.
Weekly hours
10–14

Weekly blocks

  1. Weeks 1–2

    10 h/week · Diagnose and patch gaps
    • Take one full past paper cold, untimed — mark every question you could not start.
    • Read the relevant chapters for those topics (Concepts of Physics or equivalent).
    • Start an error notebook: date, problem, mistake type, fix.

  2. Weeks 3–6

    12 h/week · Core topics, timed sets
    • Mechanics + electromagnetism, two topics per week.
    • Two timed 90-minute problem sets per week.
    • Review every wrong answer the next morning.

  3. Weeks 7–10

    14 h/week · Second-tier topics + mixed papers
    • Optics, thermodynamics, modern physics at calculational level.
    • One full past paper per week under exam conditions.
    • Weakest-topic drill every Sunday.

  4. Weeks 11–12

    10 h/week · Exam simulation
    • Two full mocks at the real test time. [TO VERIFY test time]
    • Formula sheet from memory: write it daily, compare to reference.
    • Sleep schedule aligned with the exam day.

Milestones

  • End of week 2: full diagnostic paper marked and analysed
  • End of week 6: all mechanics + electricity core problems solvable in time
  • End of week 12: two mocks completed above your target score

Recommended resources

  • Concepts of Physics — H. C. Verma (Parts 1 & 2)

    The most popular bridge between school physics and olympiad-level problem solving. Strong mechanics and modern physics sections.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismModern physics
    H. C. VermaBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore

  • Nepal Physics Olympiad past papers

    Official NePhO pre-selection papers listed year by year, with links to the Nepal Physical Society page.

    Past paperIntermediatePre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics
    Nepal Physical Society/past-papers →

  • Khan Academy — Calculus and Linear Algebra

    If maths is your bottleneck, fix it here first: derivatives, integrals, vectors and simple linear algebra cover most olympiad needs.

    VideoBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMath methods
    Khan Academywww.khanacademy.org ↗

  • Cambridge International A-Level Physics past papers

    Clean, well-structured papers with published mark schemes. A realistic first timed-test experience before attempting olympiad papers.

    Past paperBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics
    Cambridge International

6-Month Balanced Plan

24 weeks alternating new theory, olympiad problem solving and timed tests. The most common path for serious candidates.

Duration
6 months
Target
You want to build university-level physics while preparing for selection rounds.
Weekly hours
12–16

Weekly blocks

  1. Weeks 1–6

    12 h/week · Foundations + maths
    • Finish a calculus-based first-year textbook (mechanics, waves, thermo).
    • Maths track: derivatives, integrals, vectors, series (2 h/week).
    • One graded problem set per topic.

  2. Weeks 7–12

    14 h/week · Electromagnetism + optics
    • Gauss, potential, circuits, induction.
    • Geometric and wave optics.
    • Weekly timed set (90 min).

  3. Weeks 13–18

    16 h/week · Olympiad problem solving
    • Selected chapters of Savchenko and Irodov.
    • One past paper every 10 days, marked strictly.
    • Weekly study-group discussion of two hard problems.

  4. Weeks 19–22

    14 h/week · Modern physics + experimental skills
    • Atomic, nuclear and quantum basics with calculations.
    • Error analysis, graph linearisation, one lab report per week.

  5. Weeks 23–24

    10 h/week · Peak and taper
    • Two full mocks (theory + lab where applicable).
    • Revision from error notebook only — no new material.

Milestones

  • Month 1: maths gaps closed, mechanics solid
  • Month 3: full electromagnetism paper attempted in time
  • Month 5: first olympiad-level past paper above 40%
  • Month 6: mock exams consistent with target

Recommended resources

  • The Feynman Lectures on Physics (free online)

    The complete three-volume classic, free and legal online. Excellent for building physical intuition beyond the school syllabus.

    BookIntermediateAll levelsMechanicsElectromagnetismThermodynamicsModern physics
    Caltech / Feynman, Leighton, Sandswww.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu ↗

  • Fundamentals of Physics — Halliday, Resnick, Walker

    A complete calculus-based physics course in one book. Use it as your main textbook if school classes feel too slow.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics
    Halliday, Resnick, WalkerBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore

  • MIT OCW 8.01 & 8.02 — Classical Mechanics / Electromagnetism

    Full university lectures with problem sets and solutions. Watch at 1.25× and do the tutorials — passive watching is not enough.

    VideoIntermediatePre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetism
    MIT OpenCourseWareocw.mit.edu ↗

  • Classic experimental physics setups: error analysis guide

    A practical primer on uncertainty, significant figures, graph linearisation and how to write a lab report that earns marks.

    NotesIntermediateSelection roundsNational campInternationalExperimental
    [TO VERIFY — source]

  • Selected Problems in Physics — Savchenko (2000+ problems)

    Soviet-style graded problem collection with short answers. Great for drilling one topic per week with timed sessions.

    Problem setIntermediateSelection roundsNational campMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics
    A. P. Savchenko

12-Month Foundation Plan

A full year: build the physics, build the maths, then convert that knowledge into olympiad problem-solving skill. Includes rest weeks to avoid burnout.

Duration
12 months
Target
You are in grade 9–10, or starting from scratch with time on your side.
Weekly hours
8–12 (school on) / 15 (holidays)

Weekly blocks

  1. Quarter 1 (Weeks 1–12)

    8–10 h/week · School physics done properly + maths
    • Cover your school syllabus deeply, not just for marks.
    • Maths: algebra, trigonometry, functions, basic calculus.
    • One PhET simulation per week to build intuition.

  2. Quarter 2 (Weeks 13–24)

    10–12 h/week · First-year university physics
    • Mechanics and waves from a calculus-based textbook.
    • End-of-chapter problems: all odd-numbered, then selected even.
    • Monthly: one A-Level or pre-selection level paper, timed.

  3. Quarter 3 (Weeks 25–36)

    10–12 h/week · Electricity, magnetism, optics, thermodynamics
    • Circuit analysis, fields, induction.
    • Optics and thermodynamic calculations.
    • Two graded problem sets per week from an olympiad collection.

  4. Quarter 4 (Weeks 37–48)

    12–15 h/week · Olympiad conversion + experiments
    • Past papers every 10 days: national papers first, then international.
    • Lab skills: measurement, uncertainty, reporting (2 h/week).
    • Teach one topic per month to a friend — teaching exposes gaps.

  5. Final weeks (Weeks 49–52)

    8 h/week · Taper
    • Revision via error notebook and formula recall.
    • Two final full mocks, then rest before the exam.

Milestones

  • Month 3: school syllabus secure; maths no longer blocking
  • Month 6: can solve first-year university mechanics problems
  • Month 9: olympiad-style problems attempted without help
  • Month 12: multiple full past papers under exam conditions

Recommended resources

  • Concepts of Physics — H. C. Verma (Parts 1 & 2)

    The most popular bridge between school physics and olympiad-level problem solving. Strong mechanics and modern physics sections.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismModern physics
    H. C. VermaBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore

  • IPhO & Asian Physics Olympiad past papers (official compilations)

    Theory and lab papers from past international olympiads, with marking schemes where published. The single best indicator of final-round style.

    Past paperAdvancedNational campInternationalMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physicsExperimental
    IPhO / APhO organizing committees

  • Khan Academy — Calculus and Linear Algebra

    If maths is your bottleneck, fix it here first: derivatives, integrals, vectors and simple linear algebra cover most olympiad needs.

    VideoBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMath methods
    Khan Academywww.khanacademy.org ↗

  • Classic experimental physics setups: error analysis guide

    A practical primer on uncertainty, significant figures, graph linearisation and how to write a lab report that earns marks.

    NotesIntermediateSelection roundsNational campInternationalExperimental
    [TO VERIFY — source]

  • Measurement tools simulation — PhET Interactive Simulations

    Free simulations for circuits, waves, forces and more. Useful to build intuition when you have no lab equipment at home.

    ToolBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics
    University of Colorado Boulderphet.colorado.edu ↗

  • University Physics with Modern Physics — Young & Freedman

    13th edition. Widely used university textbook with strong worked examples and end-of-chapter problems at several difficulty levels.

    BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics
    Young, Freedman, FordBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore
[TO VERIFY] — these are sample student-made plans, not official recommendations from the Nepali Olympiad committee. Tune them to your school�s exam calendar. school�s exam calendar.