About the competition
The International Computer Science Competition (ICSC) is a global computer science competition open to high school and university students worldwide. ICSC takes participants beyond the standard curriculum through a mix of conceptual, programming, and research-based problems in a format that blends education with friendly competition.
In a world where AI is part of everyday life, understanding how technology actually works is integral: not just as a developer, but as someone who can think critically, adapt, and shape what comes next.
Students compete across three progressively challenging rounds, with a total prize pool of over 1,500 USD. Awards include international cash prizes (1st, 2nd, 3rd) across all age categories, national honours, and Gold, Silver, and Bronze distinctions for finalists. All participants receive an official digital certificate.
With problems available in multiple languages and no specialised equipment required, ICSC welcomes participants from around the world into a growing global community of students, educators, and alumni passionate about computer science.
Process:
1. Qualification Round
- Five problems spanning conceptual and programming topics
- Completed at your own pace; collaboration is permitted
- Submission deadline: 05 July 2026
- Free to enter
2. Pre-Final Round
- Supervised 60-minute online exam with three problems: one conceptual, one coding, one research-based
- A research paper is released during the preparation phase ahead of the exam
3. Final Round
- Digitally monitored exam with questions covering the material from previous rounds and beyond
- Mix of short-answer, multiple-choice, and coding questions
- Conducted on a single global exam day
- Final rankings and prizes determined by performance in this round
Eligibility:
Open to all middle school, high school, and university students worldwide.
Participants are grouped into three age categories: Junior: Grade 10 or below (under 16), Youth: Grades 11-13 (under 19), Senior: First year of college/university or above (19+).
In a world where AI is part of everyday life, understanding how technology actually works is integral: not just as a developer, but as someone who can think critically, adapt, and shape what comes next.
Students compete across three progressively challenging rounds, with a total prize pool of over 1,500 USD. Awards include international cash prizes (1st, 2nd, 3rd) across all age categories, national honours, and Gold, Silver, and Bronze distinctions for finalists. All participants receive an official digital certificate.
With problems available in multiple languages and no specialised equipment required, ICSC welcomes participants from around the world into a growing global community of students, educators, and alumni passionate about computer science.
Process:
1. Qualification Round
- Five problems spanning conceptual and programming topics
- Completed at your own pace; collaboration is permitted
- Submission deadline: 05 July 2026
- Free to enter
2. Pre-Final Round
- Supervised 60-minute online exam with three problems: one conceptual, one coding, one research-based
- A research paper is released during the preparation phase ahead of the exam
3. Final Round
- Digitally monitored exam with questions covering the material from previous rounds and beyond
- Mix of short-answer, multiple-choice, and coding questions
- Conducted on a single global exam day
- Final rankings and prizes determined by performance in this round
Eligibility:
Open to all middle school, high school, and university students worldwide.
Participants are grouped into three age categories: Junior: Grade 10 or below (under 16), Youth: Grades 11-13 (under 19), Senior: First year of college/university or above (19+).
Prize
Cash Prize
1500 USD
Deadline
July 05, 2026
1 month from now
Eligibility
High school Students
Open worldwide unless noted.
