Edu.Harbour, an education organisation based in Hamburg, Germany, runs the International Machine Learning Competition (IMLC) 2026 for school and university students from any country. Entry is free, and the deadline to submit the qualifying round solution is 13 December 2026 at 23:59 UTC+0. The competition runs over three online rounds until February 2027, with prizes worth US$1,500 in total.
Only students can apply, so the competition suits people building AI and data skills at school or university, not those working outside education.
At a glance
| Deadline | 13 December 2026 at 23:59 UTC+0 to submit the qualifying round solution |
| Who can apply | Secondary school and university students from all countries, in three age categories |
| Prizes | Prizes and awards worth US$1,500 in total, plus participation certificates for everyone |
| Format | Three online rounds: qualifying, then semi-final, then final |
| Cost to take part | Entry is free. Semi-final registration costs 12 euros for those who qualify and decide to continue |
| Official link | imlco.org |
Who can apply
- Current secondary school and university students. People between secondary school and university, such as on a gap year, can also take part if they plan to start university soon.
- Your age category is set on the qualifying round deadline, 13 December 2026. Junior category: grade 10 or below and under 16. Youth category: grades 11 to 13, or 16 and older. Senior category: first year of university and above, or 19 and older.
- All categories get the same problems, but higher categories need more points to qualify.
- You can work alone or in a group in the qualifying round, but the semi-final and final rounds do not allow teams.
What you get
- Prizes and awards worth US$1,500 in total, according to the competition page.
- Gold, silver and bronze medals for those who score at least 50% in the final round, in a 1 to 2 to 3 ratio.
- National awards for the top three participants in each country who score at least 50% in the final round.
- A participation certificate for every participant, whatever the result.
- Financial assistance to cover the semi-final fee for economically and socially disadvantaged participants.
The page does not give the value of each individual prize.
How to apply
- Solve the qualifying round problems and submit your solution through the official submission form before 13 December 2026 at 23:59 UTC+0. No separate registration is needed, and email submissions are not accepted. Only PDF files and images are accepted.
- Results are announced on 28 December 2026. Those who qualify receive instructions for registering for the semi-final and paying the 12 euros, along with details on requesting financial assistance.
- Semi-final: the preparation period starts on 22 January 2027 with a research paper, followed by a 60-minute proctored test between 24 and 26 January 2027. Final: a single 40-minute online test of about 30 questions on 23 February 2027, with results announced on 1 March 2027.
The qualifying round is free to enter. The 12-euro fee applies only when registering for the semi-final. The page recommends English for writing the solution, and accepts any language the site supports.
Advice from the al-khwarizmi team
- Check your age category first. It is set on 13 December 2026 and does not change after that.
- Start the qualifying round problems early and prepare your solution as a PDF or images, since Word files, ZIP files and email are not accepted.
- If you work in a group in the first round, prepare for the next two rounds on your own, because teams are not allowed in them.
- If the 12-euro fee is a barrier, details on financial assistance come with the qualifying round results on 28 December 2026.
- Put 24 to 26 January 2027 and 23 February 2027 in your calendar, and book your final test slot early, since slots are given on a first-come basis.
FAQ
Entry to the qualifying round is free. A 12-euro fee applies only to those who qualify and register for the semi-final, and financial assistance is available for those who need it.
No. Participation is limited to current secondary school and university students, and to those who plan to start university soon.
In the qualifying round, yes, alone or in a group. The semi-final and final rounds do not allow teams.
The competition recommends English, and you can write in any language its site supports.
