In Russia, the prizes consist of linguistic books appropriate to the age level of the students. The championship phase is conducted very similarly to the initial phase. Of course, there is a much smaller group of students, and the puzzles are a bit more challenging. Grand prizes are awarded to the winners of the championship Olympics. The US Linguistic Olympics event is still very much in the formative stages.
Students only work for one to two hours, and there is no championship level.
However, other than this the US event has followed the Russian model fairly closely. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in two grade-level categories. The Linguistic Olympics is a unique activity that combines analytic reasoning and cultural awareness. Students learn about the richness, diversity and systematicity of language. Students are often amazed when they discover the different ways that languages can express ideas.