USA Computing Olympiad (USACO)
by USA Computing Olympiad (USACO)
Programming and problem-solving skills
Free online programming contests run by USACO, in four divisions from Bronze to Platinum. All are welcome, including students outside the USA.
Mode
Online
Fee
Free
Participation format
Individual
Duration
Usually 4 continuous hours per contest
Time needed
Usually 4 continuous hours for each contest
Eligibility
All are welcome to take part, students and non-students, in the USA and outside it, and there is no fee. USACO trains high school computing students. Only students enrolled in a high school or middle school who are US citizens, or who live in the USA in the first half of the school year, can be chosen as finalists for the USACO training camp and the USA IOI and EGOI teams.
- Grade level
- Grade 6 to 12
- Eligibility region
- Available nationwide across India
- Prerequisites
- Knowing how to program in C, C++, Java or Python
See if your child qualifies.
Rewards and recognition
Recognition
A move up to the next division
Skills your child builds
Key dates
Last edition
- Competition
- 9 Jan 2026 to 28 Mar 2026
How to apply
- 1Create a free account on usaco.org with the student's real name
- 2During a contest weekend, open the contest from the button on the usaco.org home page
- 3Start when ready, and submit programs before the timer ends
Rules and guidelines
- Work alone, and ask nobody but the contest director about the problems
- No generative AI, such as Copilot or ChatGPT
- No pre-written code or templates
- One login ID, with a real name, graduation year and country
- Breaking a rule means a lifetime ban from all USACO activities
Technology requirements
- Internet access to usaco.org, where the problems are shown and programs submitted
- Programs in C, C++, Java or Python
About this opportunity
USACO runs free online programming contests. In each contest, a student solves algorithmic problems by writing programs in C, C++, Java or Python and submitting them on usaco.org.
All are welcome, students and non-students, living in the USA or outside it, and there is no fee. Only school students who are US citizens, or who live in the USA in the first half of the school year, can be chosen as finalists. Finalists attend the USACO training camp and contend for places on the USA teams at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) and the European Girls' Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI).
There are four divisions. Bronze is for students who have recently learned to program, and Silver, Gold and Platinum follow. Every new participant starts in Bronze. A perfect score moves a student up a division during the contest, and others who score above the contest's cutoff move up when results are announced. A move from Gold to Platinum also needs a certified score, which a student gets by starting the contest between 12:00 and 12:15 pm US Eastern Time on the Saturday.
Each contest is open over a Friday to Monday weekend. The student chooses when to start, and the timer runs from the moment the student logs in and downloads the problems. Each program is run against test cases, and the score for each problem depends on how many it solves within the time limit.
Past contest problems come with solutions and test data for practice. The USACO training pages are free, and former finalists have made a training site, the USACO Guide.
Exam format
- Duration
- 240 minutes
- Format
- Algorithmic problems, each solved by submitting a program in C, C++, Java or Python
- Language
- English
Rounds and format
Each contest is held in four divisions: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Every new participant starts in Bronze, and a student who scores well moves up a division for later contests.
How entries are judged
Each program is run against test cases. The score for each problem depends on how many test cases it solves within the time limit. The judges' decision is final.
Selection process
A perfect score moves a student up a division during the contest. Others who score above the contest's cutoff move up when results are announced. A move from Gold to Platinum needs a certified score.
Academic details
Difficulty: Mixed Levels
What's covered
Bronze: for students who have recently learned to program, with no training in algorithms beyond basic ideas such as sorting and binary search. Silver: basic problem-solving techniques, such as recursive search and greedy algorithms, and basic data structures. Gold: standard algorithms of a more complex nature, such as shortest paths and dynamic programming, and more advanced data structures. Platinum: for advanced students, with sophisticated and more open-ended problems.
Frequently asked questions
Can a student in India take part?
Yes. All are welcome, students and non-students, living in the USA or outside it. Only school students who are US citizens, or who live in the USA in the first half of the school year, can be chosen as finalists for the training camp and the USA IOI and EGOI teams.
What does it cost?
Nothing. There is never any fee to take part.
How does a student register?
By creating a free account on usaco.org with the student's real name. No other registration is needed: during a contest weekend, a button on the usaco.org home page opens the contest.
Which division does a new student start in?
Bronze, for students who have recently learned to program. A perfect score moves a student up to the next division during the contest. Others who score above the contest's cutoff move up when results are announced: Silver, then Gold, then Platinum. A move from Gold to Platinum also needs a certified score, which a student gets by starting the contest between 12:00 and 12:15 pm US Eastern Time on the Saturday.
How long is a contest?
A contest usually runs for 4 continuous hours. The student chooses when to start within the Friday to Monday contest weekend, and the timer starts when the student logs in and downloads the problems.
Which programming languages can be used?
C, C++, Java or Python. At the IOI, only C++ is supported.
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