Australia · Years 3 to 12 · Checked at each organiser

Australian coding and maths competitions

Australian students have more coding, maths and computational thinking competitions open to them than most families realise, and they are spread across the whole school year. Some take forty-five minutes in a classroom; others ask for months of project work. The trouble is that dates live on a dozen different websites, often in PDFs, and change every year. This page gathers the 2026 calendar in one place, with every date checked at the organiser's own site, explains which competitions suit which students, and shows how to plan preparation backwards from the day so nothing is crammed. We are not affiliated with any of these organisers. We help students get ready.

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Dates checked at source · Independent of every organiser · Preparation, not drilling

In short

Australian school students can enter coding, maths and computational thinking competitions all year. In 2026, Bebras ran 9 February to 8 March, the CAT 19 to 21 May, the AMC 4 to 6 August and the Australian Informatics Olympiad on 27 August, all run by the Australian Maths Trust. Young ICT Explorers judges national finalists from 9 to 21 November 2026. Every date here was checked at the organiser.

Where to start

Three courses for competition-minded students

Problem solving first; the competitions reward thinking more than speed.

Problem Solving and Computational Thinking for Kids course thumbnail

AUC / 01

Computational thinking for primary

Patterns, logic and step-by-step reasoning: the ground Bebras and the CAT stand on.

Open the syllabus →
Maths Olympiad & Competition Course course thumbnail

AUC / 02

Competition maths

Problem solving for the AMC, APSMO and the harder olympiad papers.

Open the syllabus →
Competitive Programming for Teens course thumbnail

AUC / 03

Competitive programming

Correct, efficient code under time pressure, for the Australian Informatics Olympiad.

Open the syllabus →

The 2026 calendar

Month by month, with every date checked at source

Dates below are the organisers' 2026 dates, read on their own sites on 7 October 2026. Most entries go through a school; check the organiser for entry details and for 2027 dates when they appear.

Coding, maths and computational thinking competitions open to Australian students, 2026
When (2026)CompetitionOrganiserYear levelsFormat
9 February to 8 MarchBebras computational thinking challengeAustralian Maths TrustYears 3 to 1260 minutes for Middle Primary, 45 for other divisions; Australia only
2 March to 26 JuneMaths ChallengeAustralian Maths TrustYears 3 to 10Problem-solving program over 3 to 4 weeks
24 to 26 MarchKangourou sans FrontièresAustralian Maths TrustYears 3 to 1260 minutes primary, 75 minutes secondary
30 March to 16 OctoberMaths EnrichmentAustralian Maths TrustYears 4 to 10Extension program over 12 to 16 flexible weeks
6 May, 10 June, 29 July, 9 SeptemberMaths Olympiad, Years 5 and 6APSMOYears 5 and 6Four separate contests about six weeks apart
19 to 21 MayComputational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT)Australian Maths TrustYears 5 to 1260 minutes; no coding experience required
16 to 18 JuneRaspberry Pi Foundation Coding ChallengeAustralian Maths TrustYears 5 to 1245 minutes; divisions by skill level, free activity
1 July and 31 JulyYoung ICT Explorers: registration, then project submissionYoung ICT ExplorersSchool students in teamsProject-based technology competition
3 to 7 AugustICAS Digital TechnologiesICAS AssessmentsSee organiserSitting window
4 to 6 AugustAustralian Mathematics Competition (AMC)Australian Maths TrustYears 3 to 1260 minutes primary, 75 minutes secondary
24 to 28 AugustICAS MathematicsICAS AssessmentsSee organiserSitting window
27 AugustAustralian Informatics Olympiad (AIO)Australian Maths TrustYears 7 to 123 hours; students must be able to write code
10 SeptemberAustralian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO)Australian Maths TrustYears 7 to 104 hours; pitched at Year 10
29 OctoberYoung ICT Explorers State AwardsYoung ICT ExplorersFinalistsCeremony via Zoom, 1pm AEST
9 to 21 NovemberYoung ICT Explorers national judgingYoung ICT ExplorersNational finalistsJudging sessions
26 NovemberYoung ICT Explorers National AwardsYoung ICT ExplorersNational finalistsCeremony, 1pm AEST

Two well-known competitions are missing dates on purpose. RoboCup Junior Australia runs regional events and national championships across the year, and Tournament of Minds runs its own program; neither published a 2026 date we could confirm on the day we checked, so both sit in the table below without one.

The Australian Maths Trust opened 2026 registrations on Tuesday 27 January 2026. It had not published its 2027 calendar when we checked, so 2027 dates are not given here.

Entry fees are not shown. They are set by each organiser, often paid through schools, and quoted in Australian dollars, so the organiser's own page is the place to check them.

Formats change. The AMT notes, for example, that its coding challenge now runs as the Raspberry Pi Foundation Coding Challenge, formerly the OUCC. Treat this page as a map and the organiser's page as the final word.

Competitions listed without a confirmed 2026 date
CompetitionWhat it involvesWhere to check
RoboCup Junior AustraliaRobotics challenges, with regional events and national championshipsrobocupjunior.org.au
Tournament of MindsTeam problem-solving across disciplinestom.edu.au

Sources: Australian Maths Trust, 2026 Competitions and Programs key dates; APSMO, Maths Olympiad Years 5-6; ICAS event calendar; Young ICT Explorers key dates. Each organiser's page was read on 7 October 2026. We have no tie to any organiser listed.

Which one fits

Matching a competition to a student

The right first competition depends on what a student enjoys and how they like to work, not only on their year level.

A starting guide, by stage and interest
StageLikes puzzles and logicLikes numbersLikes building things
Years 3 and 4BebrasKangourou sans Frontières, Maths ChallengeA first Scratch project, ahead of later team events
Years 5 and 6Bebras, CATAPSMO Maths Olympiad, AMCRaspberry Pi Foundation Coding Challenge, Young ICT Explorers
Years 7 to 10CATAMC, AIMOAustralian Informatics Olympiad, Young ICT Explorers
Years 11 and 12Bebras senior divisionAMC senior divisionAustralian Informatics Olympiad, Young ICT Explorers

A short first competition is usually wiser than an ambitious one. Bebras and the CAT need no coding experience at all, according to the AMT, and they show quickly whether a student enjoys algorithmic puzzles. The AIO is different: the AMT says students need some programming experience and must be able to write code.

For younger students, the point of a first competition is the experience of thinking hard for a sustained period. A result is information, not a verdict.

Project competitions such as Young ICT Explorers suit students who like making something over weeks. They reward planning, teamwork and explaining a project to judges, which a timed paper never tests.

Many students enjoy one maths contest and one computing contest in the same year. The calendar above shows how they can be spaced so preparation for one does not crowd out the other.

The method

Backward planning from the competition date

Preparation goes better when it is planned backwards from the day, so the hardest practice happens early and the final week is about calm and timing.

1. Fix the date

Start from the competition day or window. Mark it, then count back in weeks. Everything else hangs from that one date.

2. Place the stages

Put new skills furthest from the date, mixed practice in the middle, and timed practice close to the end. Leave the last few days light.

3. Check progress

At each stage, one honest question: can the student now do the thing this stage was for? If not, move the next stage, not the date.

A worked plan, counting back from the Australian Informatics Olympiad on 27 August 2026
Weeks beforeApproximate datesFocus
12 to 9Early June to late JuneCore skills: loops, arrays, reading input carefully
8 to 5Early July to late JulyProblem patterns: searching, sorting, simple dynamic programming
4 to 2Early August to mid AugustTimed practice on past-style problems, reviewing every mistake
Final week20 to 26 AugustLight practice, rest, and a plan for reading every task first

The same backward plan works for a primary student and Bebras, only shorter: two weeks of puzzle play, one week of timed sets, then a quiet day before. What matters is the direction of planning. Students who plan forwards from today tend to discover the date too late; students who plan backwards from the date know each week what the week is for.

How entry works

Entering, and what we do and do not do

Most of these competitions are entered through a school; some accept individual or team registrations. The organiser decides, and the organiser's page has the rules.

If a school does not offer a competition, it is worth asking a teacher first: many schools enter students when asked. Where an organiser allows home or individual entry, its site explains how.

Past papers and official practice belong to the organisers. We link to them where they are public and never reproduce them.

We are independent of the Australian Maths Trust, APSMO, ICAS, Young ICT Explorers, RoboCup Junior Australia and Tournament of Minds. We do not run any competition, enter students, or handle results.

We teach the problem solving, mathematics and programming these competitions reward, with our own practice problems. No score, medal or selection is promised.

Growing as a competitor

Four rungs from first contest to olympiad

Most students climb gradually, and the rungs matter more than the year.

From a first competition to olympiad-level work
AroundRungThe sign it is secure
Years 3 to 51. Enjoying puzzlesSticks with a hard puzzle for twenty minutes
Years 5 to 72. Explaining reasoningCan say why an answer is right, not just that it is
Years 7 to 93. Writing algorithmsTurns a method into steps, then into working code
Years 9 to 124. Olympiad problemsAttacks unfamiliar problems with a plan and checks the result

If a result disappoints

One paper on one day is a narrow sample. Look at which questions were attempted and how, not only at the score.

A student who keeps entering, with steady preparation between, usually sees more change than one who crams once.

Going further

Our Australian Maths Trust page covers the AMC, CAT and AIO in more depth.

For harder mathematics, see maths olympiad tutoring.

The catalogue

Nine courses for Australian competitors

Grouped by the kind of competition they prepare for. Full syllabuses open from each card.

I

Computational thinking

Bebras and the CAT

AUC / CT / 01

Computational thinking for kids

Logic and patterns, before any code.

Open the syllabus

AUC / CT / 02

Scratch for kids

Algorithms made visible, with real games.

Open the syllabus

AUC / CT / 03

Problem solving for teens

Algorithms and data structures, reasoned first.

Open the syllabus
II

Mathematics

AMC, APSMO and olympiads

AUC / MA / 01

Mental maths for kids

Number sense for younger competitors.

Open the syllabus

AUC / MA / 02

Competition maths

Problem solving for AMC-style papers and harder.

Open the syllabus

AUC / MA / 03

Middle years maths

The algebra and geometry competitions lean on.

Open the syllabus
III

Programming

The AIO and coding challenges

AUC / PR / 01

Python for teens

The language most students use in the AIO.

Open the syllabus

AUC / PR / 02

Competitive programming

Efficient code under time limits.

Open the syllabus

AUC / PR / 03

Python and AI for kids

A first text-based language for younger coders.

Open the syllabus

How lessons run

Weekly classes, fitted around the school term

Teaching happens from India, where the clock trails Australia: Adelaide is four hours ahead of India time in winter, Perth two and a half all year. That gap puts Australian after-school sessions in the Indian working afternoon, which is why weekly competition practice is easy to schedule.

Weekday after school

Steady weekly practice through the term.

Weekend morning

Longer problem-solving sessions.

Before a competition

A short timed-practice block in the last weeks.

Problem solving first

Students learn to read, plan and check, not to memorise answers.

Our own problems

Practice written by us, in the style competitions use, never copied papers.

Squads of five to ten

Competitors at a similar standard, arguing over methods until one is clearly right.

Individual coaching

For an olympiad hopeful or a student repairing one weak area.

Planned backwards

Each student's plan is built from their competition date.

No promises

No score, medal or selection is promised.

Student work

Projects our students have published

Things students built because they wanted to, separate from any contest. Browse them all in the student labs.

NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees

Classes are charged each month in US dollars, our international rate, with no sign-up charge and no lock-in. Any competition entry fee is separate and goes to the organiser, not to us.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A real lesson with a teacher
  • An honest view of readiness
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Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Fifteen to twenty students at one level
  • The same teacher each week
  • Practice reviewed together
  • A certificate at the end
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One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • A teacher for one student
  • A plan built from the competition date
  • Flexible weekly times
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What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Unedited reviews, reproduced from our Google listing.

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"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

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"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

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"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

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"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

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"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

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★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

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Questions about competitions

What Australian families ask

What is the Bebras challenge?

A computational thinking challenge for students in Years 3 to 12. In Australia it is delivered by the Australian Maths Trust; in 2026 it ran from 9 February to 8 March. No coding is needed.

What is the Australian Informatics Olympiad?

A programming competition run by the Australian Maths Trust for Years 7 to 12. In 2026 it was held on 27 August and ran for 3 hours. The AMT says students need some programming experience and must be able to write code.

When was the AMC in 2026?

The Australian Mathematics Competition ran from 4 to 6 August 2026, for Years 3 to 12, with 60 minutes for primary and 75 minutes for secondary students.

Is there a coding competition for primary students?

Yes. Bebras and the CAT suit primary students and need no coding, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation Coding Challenge is open from Year 5 with divisions by skill level.

What is backward planning?

Planning preparation from the competition date back to today: new skills furthest from the date, mixed practice in the middle, timed practice near the end, and a light final week.

Are the 2027 dates available?

The Australian Maths Trust had not published its 2027 calendar when we checked on 7 October 2026. Each organiser's own site will have 2027 dates first.

How do students enter?

Usually through their school. Some organisers accept individual or team registrations. Each organiser's page sets out who can enter and how.

Do you run any of these competitions?

No. We are independent of every organiser on this page. We teach the skills the competitions reward and help students plan their preparation.

Why are entry fees not listed?

They are set by each organiser, often paid through schools, and change each year, so the organiser's page is the reliable place to check them.

Can classes fit around sport and other activities?

Usually. The weekly slot is chosen with the family after the trial, and Australian afternoons and evenings fall in Indian working hours, so there is room to move it around a training night.

Related pages

More for Australian students

Deeper preparation pages, exams and the national picture.

Australian Maths Trust competitions

The AMC, CAT and AIO in depth.

Maths olympiad tutoring

For students ready for harder problems.

HSC Software Engineering help

The NSW course, its exam and its testing habit.

NAPLAN numeracy practice

How the test works and estimation practice.

Coding classes in Australia

Every state and every age.

Maths tutoring online

Weekly maths alongside competition practice.

Start here

Start with a free problem-solving class

Tell us the year level and which competition is on the horizon. The free class tries the kind of problem it uses and ends with a backward plan from the date.

Want to look around first? Each course outline is listed on the course atlas, and our page on how we teach explains the method.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

Messaging on WhatsApp is normally the fastest route to a reply. The number is an Indian one, because that is where we operate; there is no Australian branch.

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