Botanical University Challenge

BUC2026 Final result!

The semi-finals and final were on Wednesday 19 August 2026 at University of Reading. Teams from the universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin competed. University of Cambridge are the 2026 champions with University of Aberdeen as the runner-up. Both are previous BUC winners! You can see the exciting semifinals and final on our YouTube channel.

BUC2027

Botanical University Challenge will return in 2027 for another exciting contest between degree students at UK and Irish universities. The first, on-line rounds will be in February 2027, with the live semifinal, final and Fifth Student Botany Festival in August.

If your institution has not competed before, contact us about entering a team for BUC 2027!

What is Botanical University Challenge?

An annual contest of botanical knowledge between teams of UK and Irish university students. Universities and botanical institutions can enter teams of students (undergraduate or postgraduates) for this contest. In 2026, 32 teams entered.

BUC is a fun and friendly competition between teams of undergraduate & postgraduate students. It embraces many aspects of botany including plant ID, taxonomy & evolution, ecology & conservation, plant health, horticulture, agriculture & forestry as well as plants in culture & history.

The initial on-line knock-out rounds each February are multiple choice questions to find the four semifinalist teams, all streamed and recorded on our YouTube channel. The questions in the semifinal and final are for free answers and include some on live plant material.

The Student Botany Festival follows the final, open to all of the year’s BUC contestants. It is usually held in August and includes talks, career sessions, workshops, networking and visits as well as time for meeting students from around the UK and Ireland who are keen on plants.

Follow us on social media – TikTok, Instagram, BlueSky and X. As well as recordings of past competitions on our YouTube channel there is information about the teams, interviews with student team members and interviews with botanists about their careers.