One team of 4 Diploma, BSc, MSc or PhD students (with one reserve) can enter the competition from each institution. Where there is a lot of interest (and why wouldn’t there be?!) why not hold an internal contest to select team members and the reserve?

The first rounds will be on-line and consist of multiple choice questions on topics including plant ID, ecology, conservation, plant pathology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, plant uses and also plants and botanists in history and culture.

The first two rounds will be on 11, and 18 February 2026, streaming on YouTube. The quarterfinal will be on-line on 25 February and the 4 teams with the highest scores will be asked to take part in the live semi-final and final on 19 August at the University of Reading.

The Fourth Student Botany Festival will be 20 and 21 August at University of Reading. All students who have taken part in BUC2026 will be invited to it.

The registration form has gone live and the first team to register was the University of Nottingham, Hooray!  Join them and botanical fun and games by following the link below.

To enter a team for BUC 2026 follow the link:  https://forms.gle/nzk2PfvvGMU1FT9f8

Registration Deadline:

Friday 16 January 2026.

If you have any questions, email j.mitchley@reading.ac.uk