International Computer Science Competition (ICSC) Youth
1st Prize Youth: $200 cash prize
The Youth group of a global online computer science contest, for students in 11th to 13th grade and under 19, with its own cash prizes.
Mode
Online
Eligibility
Grade 11 to 12
Fee
€15
Duration
Three online rounds, about eleven weeks from the Qualification deadline to the final results
Format
Individual
Time needed
Five take-home problems, then a 60-minute exam and a 40-minute final exam
Eligibility
- Grade level
- Grade 11 to 12
- Age range
- 16 to 18 years
- Location
- Nationwide
Prerequisites
- 11th to 13th grade, under 19 on the Qualification Round deadline
- Currently enrolled as a school student
- A computer and internet access to submit solutions and code
Current school students in 11th to 13th grade, or 16 or older, and under 19 years of age, from any country. Grade and age on the Qualification Round deadline set the group for the whole competition. Entry is individual and online.
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Rewards and recognition
Award
Youth prizes: $200, $150 and $100
The Youth 1st Prize is 200 USD, the 2nd Prize 150 USD and the 3rd Prize 100 USD, each with a special prize certificate.
Prizes
Special 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize certificates
The three Youth prize winners receive a special prize certificate as a printed copy by post. The top three finalists from each country who reach the minimum Final Round score receive a National Award.
Certificate
Certificate for every participant
Every participant receives an official participation certificate, and finalists earn a Gold, Silver or Bronze honor. Certificates carry a permanent verification ID. Qualification Round code files that pass every test earn a special honor on the certificate.
Recognition
International Youth prize ranking
Skills your child builds
How to apply
- 1Solve the five Qualification Round problems and upload one solution document on icscompetition.org
- 2Reach the Youth points threshold to qualify for the Pre-Final Round
- 3Register and pay the Pre-Final Round fee, or apply for financial aid
- 4Take the supervised Pre-Final and Final Round exams online
Fees & financial support
Fee details
The Qualification Round is free. Students who qualify and choose to continue pay a non-refundable Pre-Final Round registration cost, 15 EUR, by card, PayPal, Google Pay and other standard methods, and teachers can pay for a group. There are no other costs. Financial aid, a 50% reduction or a full waiver, is available in limited numbers for students who need it.
About this opportunity
The International Computer Science Competition (ICSC) Youth is the Youth group of a global online computer science contest, open to students in 11th to 13th grade, or 16 or older, and under 19 years of age. Youth students compete for their own three international prizes.
ICSC is organized each year by Edu.Harbour and runs in three online rounds that mix conceptual and programming problems. The free Qualification Round has five take-home problems worth 5 points each, answered in one written solution document with code in Python, Java, C or C++. Qualified students may register for the Pre-Final Round, a supervised 60-minute exam with a conceptual, a coding and a research problem built on a published scientific paper. The best go on to the Final Round, a 40-minute online exam of short-answer, multiple-choice and coding questions.
All age groups solve the same problems, but Youth students need more points than Junior students and fewer than Senior students to move on to each round, and the Youth 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes are awarded within the Youth group. Every finalist earns a Gold, Silver or Bronze honor, and the top three finalists from each country who reach the minimum Final Round score receive a National Award.
A student's age group is set by grade and age on the Qualification Round deadline and stays the same for the whole competition.
Rounds & format
Qualification Round: five take-home problems worth 5 points each, a mix of conceptual and programming problems, answered in one solution document with code in Python, Java, C or C++ and uploaded by the deadline. Pre-Final Round: a research paper is released before the exam window opens, then a supervised 60-minute exam with a conceptual, a coding and a research problem worth 20 points in all, with 10 minutes to upload scans. Final Round: a 40-minute online exam of short-answer, multiple-choice and coding questions, held on one day worldwide under online supervision.
How entries are judged
Each Qualification Round problem is worth 5 points, with partial points for shown reasoning, and the Pre-Final problems are worth 6, 6 and 8 points. The Final Round has no negative marking. The Youth prizes go to the Youth finalists with the most Final Round points, and ties are broken by Pre-Final Round points, then Qualification Round points.
Selection process
Students in the Youth group advance from the Qualification Round and then from the Pre-Final Round by reaching the Youth points threshold, which is lower than the thresholds for older groups. In the Final Round, the three Youth finalists with the most points win the Youth 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes. Ties are broken by Pre-Final Round points, then Qualification Round points.
How to prepare
- https://icscompetition.org/en/training
Academic details
Frequently asked questions
Who belongs to the Youth group?
Students in 11th to 13th grade, or 16 or older, and under 19 years of age, based on grade and age on the Qualification Round deadline. The group does not change during the competition.
Do Youth students get different problems?
No. All age groups solve the same problems, but Youth students need fewer points to advance than the groups above them, and they compete for the Youth prizes.
What can a Youth student win?
The Youth 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes pay 200, 150 and 100 USD with special certificates. The top three finalists per country can also earn a National Award.
Which programming languages are allowed?
Python, Java, C or C++, using standard libraries. Code goes into the solution document with comments, and runnable code files can be added for a special honor.
Is there a fee?
The Qualification Round is free. Students who qualify pay a registration cost for the Pre-Final Round, 15 EUR in 2026, and financial aid can halve or waive it.
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