The Qualification Round is the first stage and consists of five computer science problems: A, B, C, D, and E. The
problems encompass a wide range of topics, varying in difficulty and discipline. The problems range from
knowledge in theoretical computer science to machine learning to make sure that everyone finds interesting problems
to work out!
The submission deadline is Sunday, 7 September 2025, 23:59 UTC+0.
In order to avoid connection issues, upload errors, and other problems, please submit your solution
before the official submission deadline (7 September 2025).
You must provide a written description of your solution for all problems (conceptual and programming problems) in the solution document, including any source code. You may submit handwritten or typed solutions. Your source code can be written either in in Python, Java, C, or C++ and must be included on your solution document with comments explaining the functionality of your code.
For programming problems, you can optionally also upload your code files to qualify for a special honorary mention and a leaderboard feature. To ensure your code is evaluated correctly, please use the provided code skeleton from the Qualification Round Page .
Make sure that you write your name, school, city and date of birth correctly! The
details will be used for all certificates. There are no fees or registration costs to participate in the
Qualification Round.
Participants who solved the Qualification Round successfully are qualified to participate in the Pre-Final Round. The problems will be more challenging but also more engaging!
The Pre-Final Round is a -minute supervised exam consisting of three problems that vary in difficulty and points:
On Thursday, 16 October 2025, participants receive the research paper via email and through their participant account. You may use translation tools and AI to help you understand the paper.
The exam window is from to Sunday, 19 October 2025. You may take the -minute exam at any point during this window using a computer, laptop, or phone. The exam must be supervised by a teacher (recommended) or by ICSC using our online supervision system.
The results of the Pre-Final Round will be announced on Monday, 3 November 2025.
Participants who qualify in the Qualification Round can register for the Pre-Final Round through their participant account.
The registration deadline for the Pre-Final Round is Tuesday, 14 October 2025.
Organizing the ICSC involves various costs: this includes human resources, technical infrastructure, materials,
and more. Participants are asked to contribute a
registration fee of 11 EUR for the Pre-Final Round. This
contribution covers evaluation, infrastructure, and administration.
Financial aid is available for participants facing financial hardship. There are no additional costs beyond the registration fee. For detailed information, please see the flyer
below:
FAQ:
Can I participate only in the Qualification Round and skip the Pre-Final Round?
Yes, you may participate in the Qualification Round, receive your participation certificate, and choose not
to
continue. However, only those who join the Pre-Final Round can advance to further stages.
Participants who have solved the Pre-Final Round successfully are qualified to participate in the Final Round: a -minute online exam taken from home.
The Final Round consists of a single -minute online exam involving a mixture of short-answer, multiple-choice, and coding questions (1–5 minutes per question), requiring knowledge about computer science, in particular related to the Qualification and Pre-Final Round. A correct answer equals one point. There are no negative points for incorrect answers. The awards and prizes are given to the Finalists with the most points in the Final Round. If multiple participants have the same score, the points from the Pre-Final Round (and Qualification Round) are used to determine the final winners.
All Final Exams take place on Tuesday, 18 November 2025.
Finalists take the exam via a dedicated online exam portal (https://icscompetition.org/exam). The exam is taken from home and monitored using an online supervision system. No teacher supervision is required or permitted. Each finalist selects their specific time slot in advance at https://icscompetition.org/schedule-exam. Participants need: a computer/laptop/phone with a webcam (exam device), a phone with camera and microphone (supervision phone), and a valid government-issued ID or passport.
The results of the Final Round will be announced on Monday, 24 November 2025.
Further information on all rounds and the competition can be found here: Official ICSC Flyer 2025