Schedule

Eligibility and Restrictions

• Out-of-school youth, non-enrolled students, and students of international schools, foreign schools, or unaccredited schools have their eligible division restricted by year of birth.
  • Elementary Division: born 2014 – 2019
  • Middle School Division: born 2011 – 2013
  • High School Division: born 2007 – 2010
• Applicants who passed a qualification exam (GED) have their eligible division restricted based on passing/enrollment status.
  • Elementary school qualification exam passers: Middle School Division
  • Middle school qualification exam passers: High School Division
  • High school qualification exam passers who have not entered university and were born in or after 2007 (including 2007): High School Division
  • Other passers are not eligible to participate.
• If both of the above conditions apply, applicants must register in the higher division.
  • Example 1: Born in 2012 but passed the middle school qualification exam → register in the High School Division
  • Example 2: Born in 2007 but passed the high school qualification exam and did not enter university → register in the High School Division
  • Example 3: Born in 2008 but passed the high school qualification exam and entered university → cannot register

Documents Certifying Socially Disadvantaged Status

1. Basic Livelihood Security recipients or their children
   • One copy of the Basic Livelihood Security recipient certificate (issued by a community center or Gov24)
   • One copy of the family relations certificate (issued in the name of the applicant's father or mother)
2. Near-poor welfare benefit recipients or their children
   • One copy of the near-poor welfare benefit certificate or verification
   • One copy of the family relations certificate (issued in the name of the applicant's father or mother)
3. Children of single-parent households
   • One copy of the single-parent household certificate or verification
   • One copy of the family relations certificate (issued in the name of the applicant's father or mother)
4. Children of multicultural households
   • Certificate of nationality acquisition or a copy of a Republic of Korea passport
   • One copy of the family relations certificate (issued in the name of the applicant's father or mother)
5. North Korean defectors or their children
   • One copy of the notice of decision as a protected North Korean defector or the North Korean defector registration certificate (issued by the head of a city/county/district office or by the Minister of Unification)
   • One copy of the family relations certificate (issued in the name of the applicant's father or mother)
   • One copy of the resident registration certificate (extract)
6. Persons themselves who are special-education recipients
   • Notice of placement as a special-education recipient (issued by the Office of Education)
   • One copy of the resident registration certificate (extract)

Accepted Identification

• Resident registration card (a resident registration card application within its validity period is also accepted)
• Passport (not past its expiration date)
• Disability registration card (welfare card) (must display the resident registration number)
• National technical qualification certificate (Craftsman, Industrial Engineer, Engineer, Master Craftsman, Professional Engineer, Word Processor, Computer Proficiency, etc.)
• Certificate or certificate-acquisition verification issued by the Korea Information Technology Promotion Agency (Immersive Content Expert, Technology Startup Strategy Manager, Information Technology Aptitude Test)
• Youth ID card (a youth ID card application within its validity period is also accepted)
• Elementary/middle/high school student ID (must display a photo, date of birth, and name, with the principal's official seal)
• Certificate of enrollment issued by Gov24, NEIS, or the school (must include a photo) (issued on or after March 3, 2026)
• Page 1 of the school life record issued by Gov24, NEIS, or the school (issued on or after March 3, 2026)

Group Application Guide

Problem Composition

Past Problems

• 1st Youth IT Contest (C/Python/Algorithms)
• 2nd Youth IT Contest (C/Python/Data Analysis/Algorithms)
• 3rd Youth IT Contest (C/Python/Data Analysis/Algorithms)
• 4th Youth IT Contest (Algorithms/Graphic Design)
• 5th Youth IT Contest (Algorithms/Graphic Design)
• Immersive Content Division workbook
• Technology Startup Strategy Division workbook
• Information Technology Theory Division workbook

Awards (Planned)

Relative Evaluation Awards

• Grand Prize: 1 per division (11 total)
• Gold Prize: 2 per division (22 total)
• Silver Prize: 3 per division (33 total)
• Bronze Prize: top 10% per division
• Encouragement Prize: top 30% per division

Absolute Evaluation Awards

• Grand Prize: 100 points for Immersive Content and Technology Startup Strategy / 990 points for Information Technology Theory
• Best Prize: 90 points or above for Immersive Content and Technology Startup Strategy / 900 points or above for Information Technology Theory
• Excellence Prize: 70 points or above for Immersive Content and Technology Startup Strategy / 700 points or above for Information Technology Theory
• Encouragement Prize: 50 points or above for Immersive Content and Technology Startup Strategy / 500 points or above for Information Technology Theory
• Special Prize: 30 points or above for Immersive Content and Technology Startup Strategy / 300 points or above for Information Technology Theory
• Group Grand Prize: 7 groups (in order of the highest number of award winners; on tie, in order of the highest number of higher-tier awards)

Application Fee Refund Policy

• Requests made within 7 days of the application date (based on 00:00 of that date) are eligible for a 100% refund.
  • Example: For a payment made at 17:00 on March 1, the refund window extends through 23:59 on March 7.
• Refunds are not available after that, including during the additional application period (from 00:00 on March 9 onwards).
  • Example: For a payment made at 18:00 on March 5, the refund window extends through 23:59 on March 8.
  • Example: For a payment made at 15:00 on March 9, no refund is possible.

Inquiries