15 Coding Competitions for High School Students
If you're a high school student interested in computer science, participating in a coding competition can be a valuable way to test your skills outside the classroom. Coding competitions are competitive events where students, individually or in teams, can showcase their programming skills and tackle problems that range from beginner-friendly to highly advanced. While many contests expect a solid theoretical foundation, plenty are specifically designed to welcome beginners, so don't be discouraged from participating even if you're just getting started.
Why should you do a coding competition in high school?
Coding competitions help you build skills that go beyond what a typical classroom can teach, like debugging under time pressure, thinking algorithmically, and working as a team to solve a problem from scratch. Beyond the technical challenge, these competitions foster critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, while signaling genuine initiative and passion to college admissions officers. Participating also gives you hands-on experience that shows your dedication to pursuing computer science outside the classroom, whether you place at the top or simply finish the contest. A standout result, especially at a prestigious or highly selective competition, can meaningfully strengthen your application to Ivy League and other top universities.
How did we rank these competitions?
In order to determine the prestige and ease of these competitions, we have ranked them according to the following criteria:
We looked at how prestigious these competitions were through their credibility, their complexity, and the problems given in the competitions.
We looked at the size of these competitions, believing that larger competitions are usually better known, run, and have more resources for you to learn.
We also looked at the tournament size– how many teams participated, and how open and accessible registration was for participants – whether the competition was open to different skill levels.
Key takeaways
Several competitions are completely free to enter, including USACO, the Congressional App Challenge, Imagine Cup, Technovation Girls, HPI, VEX V5, Cornell HSPC, and HPE CodeWars, making this list strong for students seeking no-cost ways to build a competitive coding portfolio.
Competitions span a wide range of formats, from individual or small-team algorithmic contests (USACO, Stanford ProCo, HPI, Cornell HSPC, HPE CodeWars, ACSL) to app-development challenges (Congressional App Challenge, Imagine Cup, Technovation Girls) and robotics-and-coding hybrids (FIRST Robotics, VEX V5, Botball, RoboRAVE International).
The most prestigious, highly selective competitions on this list are USACO (the U.S. qualifying pathway to the International Olympiad in Informatics), FIRST Robotics Competition, and VEX V5, all of which carry significant weight with college admissions officers.
Several competitions are specifically designed for beginners or younger students, including Technovation Girls (ages 8–18, no experience required), RoboRAVE International (ages 7–20), HPE CodeWars, and ACSL, while others like USACO and Imagine Cup assume strong existing programming or technical skills.
Many competitions are regionally restricted, including Stanford ProCo and HPI (Bay Area students) and Cornell HSPC (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania residents), so students outside those regions should look to nationally or globally open options like USACO, the Congressional App Challenge, or HPE CodeWars.
Deadlines cluster between October and March, with the Congressional App Challenge closing October 26, CyberPatriot's main registration window running through October, and most contests like ACSL, Cornell HSPC, HPI, and HPE CodeWars falling between December and March, so students should map deadlines early and build a programming foundation in a language like Python, Java, or C++ before applying.
1. American Computer Science League (ACSL)
Location: Virtual (contests administered online via HackerRank)
Cost: $175 for the first team in a division ($125 for Elementary); $150 for each additional team ($100 for Elementary); a nominal per-student fee applies for Finals
Dates: Four contests run October through May, with Finals held on Memorial Day weekend
Application Deadline: December 31
Eligibility: Elementary, middle, and high school students, registered through a school team advisor
ACSL organizes computer programming and computer science contests for K-12 schools, organizations, and local groups. ACSL offers multiple divisions, and each challenge tests students in various age groups and abilities. Each season is divided into four contests, testing students on fundamental concepts in computer science, ranging from Number Systems to Boolean Algebra to Digital Electronics. In the upper divisions, each contest also includes a problem to solve by programming using Python, C++, or Java.
For more information on ACSL, check out our detailed blog here.
2. Congressional App Challenge
Location: Virtual
Cost: No cost
Dates: Pre-registration opens January 1; the challenge launches in May; judging runs in November; winners are announced in December
Application Deadline: October 26, register here
Eligibility: Middle and high school students who reside in — or attend school in — a participating congressional district. Teams of up to four members; if competing as a team, at least half must be eligible in that district. All entrants must be U.S. residents at the time of submission (no citizenship requirement).
This district-wide contest is hosted by members of the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage students to learn to code and explore careers in computer science. In this program, you develop and submit an original app for mobile, tablet, or computer, with no restrictions on theme, topic, or platform. Apart from commonly used programming languages, it's beneficial to brush up on app development platforms like Xcode or Android Studio.
For more information on Congressional App Challenge, check out our detailed blog here.
3. USA Computing Olympiad (USACO)
Location: Virtual (online contests), with an in-person training camp for top finalists
Cost: Free; sharpen your skills first with USACO's free training resources
Dates: Three online contests — January 9–12, January 30–February 2, and February 20–23 — followed by the proctored US Open championship on March 28
Application Deadline: No registration fee; register an account anytime and compete during each contest window
Eligibility: Open to high school students; competitors advance through four divisions — bronze, silver, gold, and platinum
USACO serves as the United States' national qualifying pathway toward the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), one of five international science olympiads, held to stimulate interest in informatics and information technology, with UNESCO and IFIP as patrons. The contest consists of two days of computer programming and algorithmic problem-solving, and is one of the most prestigious computer science competitions in the world. To participate, you'll need to be proficient in a competitive programming language (Java, C++, or Python) while also having a strong understanding of fundamental algorithms and data structures. Note: winners of national rounds like USACO go on to represent their countries at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI).
For more information on USACO, check out our detailed blog here.
4. Stanford ACM ProCo
Location: Stanford campus (in person)
Cost: No cost; travel expenses are not reimbursed
Dates: Held on a Saturday in early March (most recently March 1)
Application Deadline: Registration typically opens about a month to six weeks before the contest; join the mailing list for announcements
Eligibility: High school students in the Bay Area, in teams of up to three. International students are welcome but aren't eligible for prizes/swag.
Stanford ProCo is a coding competition for high school students modeled after the college-level ACM-ICPC. Teams of up to three people compete in solving algorithmic problems. The contest lasts three hours and consists of 9 to 15 unweighted problems, with submissions accepted in C, C++, Java, or Python. This competition will test your algorithmic thinking and exercise your skills in debugging and troubleshooting your code effectively. ProCo has both Novice and Advanced divisions, designed for first-time competitors and returning/experienced competitors respectively.
5. Imagine Cup
Location: Virtual, progressing through online rounds to a global World Championship final
Cost: No cost
Dates: MVP submissions lead to semifinalist announcements in mid-February; top finalists are announced in early April; the World Championship winner is announced in early June. The schedule is available here
Application Deadline: Register and choose your path here
Eligibility: Enrolled high school or college/university students who are 18 or older. Teams of up to four members; submissions must use Microsoft AI services (e.g., Azure AI).
Be sure to complete the student-focused trainingto help you through the competition!
This competition seeks to honor the most innovative, accessible, ground-breaking, and appealing software built with Microsoft tools and technology. The Competition may be structured differently based on the country/region you are representing. Please make sure to read your local country/region competition rules. This is a team-based event where you can choose between the AI, Social Impact, or Mixed Reality Streams. In these streams, you will have to design and propose a technological project that addresses an issue in the relevant streams. Apart from using Microsoft tools and tech, you’ll need to practice your skills in UI and UX design.
For more information on Imagine Cup, check out our detailed blog here.
6. Technovation Girls
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Season opens in August; registration closes March 18, submission deadline is April 20, judging runs through June, with the World Summit (live finals) later in the year
Application Deadline: March 18 (registration); April 20 (project submission)
Eligibility: Must identify as female, transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming, and be between ages 8–18. Teams are composed of 1–5 students; you can only join one team.
Every year, girls across the globe step up to solve problems in their community with technology through Technovation Girls, which has reached more than 100,000 girls from over 120 countries since its founding. In this competition, you'll work in a team to identify a local problem in your community and design a mobile or AI-based app to address it, with guidance from a volunteer mentor throughout. Local Chapter Ambassadors support teams without reliable internet access by connecting them to community resources like schools or libraries, and some chapters host in-person events to help bring projects to life. While Technovation encourages teams to plan how their app could realistically be implemented, building and launching the actual app remains the team's own work.
For more information on Technovation Girls, check out our detailed blog here.
7. Harker Programming Invitational (HPI)
Location: In person at the Harker Upper School campus, San Jose, California, with an online mirror available for remote participants
Cost: No cost
Dates: Held on a Saturday in early March (a ~2-hour contest of USACO-style problems)
Application Deadline: Registration typically opens a month to six weeks before the contest; sign up via the link on the Harker Programming Club site
Eligibility: Middle and high school students, in teams of up to three, competing in a Novice or Advanced division
The Harker Programming Invitational is a coding competition for middle and high school students that models its questions USACO-style, similar in spirit to Stanford's ProCo. Within a two-hour contest, teams tackle 10 problems in the Novice division or 12 in the Advanced division, depending on their experience level. Solutions to problems can be coded in any language, including Java, Python, or C++.
8. Technology Student Association (TSA) Coding Competition
Location: Regional and state competitions lead to the National TSA Conference, held in a different location each year — currently at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort, National Harbor, MD
Cost: No standalone competition fee; students join via a school TSA chapter, with membership dues averaging around $15 per student
Dates: State conferences run in spring; the National TSA Conference takes place June 22–26
Application Deadline: Varies by state chapter; registration runs through your school's TSA advisor, typically in fall/winter ahead of state-level testing
Eligibility: Middle and high school students, through a school TSA chapter. More detailed eligibility criteria here.
The Technology Student Association invites middle and high school students with an interest in STEM to participate through their school's TSA chapter. TSA hosts competitions at the local, state, and national levels, with categories ranging from coding and robotics to cybersecurity and engineering design. Given the wide range of events offered, you can usually find both team-based and individual options to fit your interests. Across nearly all of them, the most important foundational skill is problem-solving, since most events combine a qualifying test with an onsite challenge.
9. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)
Location: A broad variety of locations across the U.S. and internationally
Cost: Season registration is $6,500, which includes one Regional Event (Regional Model) or two District Events. Find more information here
Dates: The new game kicks off in January, with the season running through the FIRST Championship in late April/early May
Application Deadline: Team registration fee is due November 17; additional event fees are due January 21
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–18 (grades 9–12). Teams are guided by adult mentors and typically affiliated with a school or local organization — independent teams can also be organized
While not a coding competition in the traditional sense, FIRST Robotics Competition involves heavy use of coding as you build an industrial-sized robot capable of competing in a complex field game. This competition also challenges you to fundraise for your team and build a team identity, so you'll need to flex non-technical skills alongside the engineering work. In terms of basic skills students would need to compete, it's beneficial to know prototyping, CAD (computer-aided design), and programming languages like Java or C++.
For more information on FRC, check out our detailed blog here.
10. VEX V5 Robotics Competition
Location: Multiple regional and signature events across the U.S. and internationally, leading to the VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri (America's Center Convention Complex)
Cost: No cost to register a team directly; a $10 per-team fee applies on Signature Events.
Dates: Regional and signature events run fall through spring, leading to the World Championship on April 21–24
Application Deadline: Registration opens in spring via RobotEvents.com; rolling thereafter — teams can register at any point
Eligibility: Middle and high school students, registered through a school or organization affiliated with VEX's competition program; independent teams can also be organized
VEX V5 Robotics Competition is a highly prestigious, annual international event where teams of students design a robot that competes with other robots in a series of challenges and activities. Each match is two minutes long, with a 15-second autonomous period followed by a 1:45 driver-controlled period. If you want to participate, you'll need to join a team registered through VEX's competition program. Beyond programming in VEXcode or PROS, you should also practice your skills in robot design and your knowledge of sensors and feedback mechanisms.
For more information on VEX V5 Robotics Competition, check out our detailed blog here.
11. CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition
Location: Online for all rounds except the National Finals, held in person in the Washington, D.C./Maryland area
Cost: $225 for Open Division ($180 with early-registration discount for teams created before July 1); $175 for Middle School Division ($140 with early discount). Fees are waived for JROTC, Civil Air Patrol, and Naval Sea Cadet Corps teams, all-girl teams, and Title I schools.
Dates: Round 1 in late October, Round 2 in mid-November, the State Round in mid-December, Semifinals in late January, and the in-person National Finals in March
Application Deadline: Team registration runs April 1 – October 1; competitor rosters are due by October 22, with payment due November 5
Eligibility: Middle and high school students (including JROTC, Civil Air Patrol, and Naval Sea Cadet Corps units, which compete in the All Service Division). Teams have 2–6 students.
CyberPatriot's National Youth Cyber Defense Competition is the world's largest cybersecurity competition and is open to all schools and approved youth organizations. This is a team-based event where high school and middle school students are placed in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. Each team is given a set of virtual operating systems where they have to find and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities while still maintaining critical services. To participate, you'll want to build an understanding of computer networking concepts such as IP addressing, subnetting, routing, and protocols like DNS. Participants should also have familiarity with the operating systems used in competition, namely Windows and Linux. That said, this competition wants to encourage growth, so don't be afraid to try it as a beginner.
For more information on CyberPatriot competition, check out our detailed blog here.
12. Botball Tournament
Location: Regional tournaments held across the U.S., with the season finale at the Global Conference on Educational Robotics (GCER) in Norman, Oklahoma
Cost: $2,750 for a new team's full kit (includes electronics, controllers, a 3D printer, and game pieces); $1,750 for returning teams using a partial-reuse kit. Scholarships are available for teams that fall short of the full fee after fundraising.
Dates: Educator workshops run January through March; teams then have a seven-week build period leading to regional tournaments, with GCER finals July 14–18
Application Deadline: Registration is open on a rolling basis through the Botball Team Home Base
Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students; teams typically have a minimum of three members
Botball organizes a robotics tournament every year where teams design, build, and program fully autonomous robots to compete against each other. You first compete at a regional tournament before the season culminates at GCER, the Global Conference on Educational Robotics. An advantage of participating is that Botball provides the necessary kit and curriculum to develop real-world skills in AI strategy and embedded systems. To participate, you should brush up on languages such as C, C++, or Java.
For more information on Botball Tournament, check out our detailed blog here.
13. RoboRAVE International
Location: Events are hosted in member countries across multiple continents
Cost: Varies by national/regional event; check with your local RoboRAVE Director for current fees
Dates: Held year-round across different countries, with the World Championship as the flagship event from August 11–12
Application Deadline: Set individually by each national or regional event; register through your local organizer
Eligibility: Open to students of all ages (roughly 7–20, depending on the event), competing in age-based divisions; specific age bands and team sizes vary by national event
RoboRAVE International is a global competition where students create self-designed robots to compete against each other, with team sizes varying by national event. This competition allows participants from around the world to take part, culminating each year in an international World Championship hosted in a different country. Founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico, RoboRAVE is now hosted across multiple continents through member countries worldwide. Before participating, it's worth practicing programming languages such as Python or C++, along with hands-on experience using platforms like Arduino or Scratch.
Formore information on RoboRAVE International, check out our detailed blog here.
14. Cornell High School Programming Contest
Location: Held simultaneously at Cornell's Ithaca campus and the Cornell Tech NYC campus
Cost: No cost
Dates: Held annually in late March (most recently March 29); pre-contest workshops are hosted on both campuses to help students prepare
Application Deadline: Registration typically opens in winter ahead of the March contest; sign up via the interest form on the official page to be notified
Eligibility: Open to all high school students living in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania
The Cornell High School Programming Contest is a coding competition where students solve 6–7 problems of varying difficulty in three hours. Each problem tests not just coding skills but also strategy and teamwork, with students competing using Python, Java, C, or C++. A more beginner-friendly companion event is the Women in Computing at Cornell (WICC) High School Programming Contest Workshop, which walks students through sample problems and contest strategy to help prepare them for the main contest.
15. HPE CodeWars
Location: Multiple sites worldwide (including Houston, Roseville, Ft. Collins, New Jersey, Taipei, Barcelona, and Bengaluru), with remote participation also available
Cost: Free; the only cost is travel to an in-person site if you're not participating remotely
Dates: Held annually in early March (most recently March 7)
Application Deadline: Registration opens about a month before the contest and closes roughly two weeks before the start date
Eligibility: Students ages 13–18, enrolled in an accredited high school or state-registered homeschool and in good standing. Teams are typically two to three students with an approved adult sponsor (who can sponsor up to three teams). Remote participants must be physically located in the U.S. or Canada.
HPE CodeWars is a coding competition for high school students in which teams of two to three students have three hours to solve more than 30 problems of varying difficulty. The programming languages accepted in recent competitions include C, C++, Java, and Python. To prepare for this competition, you should practice not only your problem-solving skills but also coding techniques such as the two-pointer technique, binary search, and other tools that improve algorithm efficiency.
For more information on HPE CodeWars, check out our detailed blog here.
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Frequently asked questions
What types of coding competitions are available for high school students?
Options include algorithmic programming contests (USACO, Stanford ProCo, HPI, Cornell HSPC, HPE CodeWars, ACSL), app-development competitions (Congressional App Challenge, Imagine Cup, Technovation Girls), cybersecurity competitions (CyberPatriot), and robotics-and-coding hybrids (FIRST Robotics, VEX V5, Botball, RoboRAVE International). They span subdomains including competitive programming, AI and machine learning, app development, and embedded systems.
Are there free coding competitions for high school students?
Yes, several are free to enter. USACO, the Congressional App Challenge, Imagine Cup, Technovation Girls, HPI, VEX V5 (apart from a small Signature Event fee), Cornell HSPC, and HPE CodeWars all have no cost. ACSL and CyberPatriot charge a registration fee through the school or team, though fee waivers are available for eligible groups. FIRST Robotics and Botball require a more substantial team registration fee to cover materials and event access.
Which coding competitions are most prestigious or selective?
USACO is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious computer science competitions for high schoolers, serving as the U.S. qualifying pathway to the International Olympiad in Informatics. FIRST Robotics Competition and VEX V5 are both highly selective, internationally recognized robotics competitions with strong scholarship networks. CyberPatriot is the world's largest cybersecurity competition and carries significant weight for students interested in that field.
Which competitions are best for beginners or students new to coding?
Technovation Girls is designed for students as young as 8 with no prior programming experience required. RoboRAVE International welcomes students from age 7 and offers beginner-friendly divisions. HPE CodeWars and ACSL both explicitly support beginner-to-intermediate skill levels, and the Congressional App Challenge has no theme or platform restrictions, making it approachable for first-time coders.
Are any of these competitions limited to specific regions?
Yes. Stanford ACM ProCo and the Harker Programming Invitational are geared toward Bay Area students, though HPI offers an online mirror for remote participants. The Cornell High School Programming Contest is limited to students living in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania. The Technology Student Association Coding Competition and CyberPatriot are open nationally through school chapters or registered teams. Students outside these regions can still pursue nationally or globally open options like USACO, the Congressional App Challenge, or HPE CodeWars. You can also build foundational programming and AI skills through Veritas AI, which is open to students anywhere in the world.
When should I apply to coding competitions for high school students?
Many of the most competitive programs have early deadlines. CyberPatriot's main registration window runs April through October, and the Congressional App Challenge closes October 26. ACSL's season deadline falls December 31, while Cornell HSPC, HPI, and HPE CodeWars all run between February and March. FIRST Robotics registration is due in mid-November for the following season. Students should begin researching in the fall and prioritize early deadlines, while using flexible options like Veritas AI to build skills on a rolling basis year-round.