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2026
Korean Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (KOAI)

The competition raises young people's interest and capability in artificial intelligence and offers an opportunity to compete and grow in AI knowledge and skills. It draws out participants' potential to develop creative ideas and problem-solving ability, giving students a chance to measure themselves and grow through feedback obtained in competition. It further contributes to broadening the base of Korea's AI education by discovering next-generation AI talent and establishing a domestic selection basis for participation in the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI).

Host · Organizer

Affiliation

국제인공지능올림피아드 (IOAI) 로고

Korean Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (KOAI) 2026

Registration

Apply (High-School Division)Apply (Middle-School Division)

Exam Preparation

Print Exam TicketAccepted ID DocumentsCandidate NoticeDownload Exam ClientRemote Test Room Information

Competition Information

Competition Brochure and PosterSyllabus

Materials

Personal Statement Form (High-School Division)Sample Written-Test Items

Announcements

High-School Division Stage 1 Results and Stage 2 NoticeNational Team Selection Advancers Announcement3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) Korean Delegation Announcement
The weighting of Stage 3 for the High-School Division has been partially adjusted.

Schedule

High-School Division

Date
Details
Mon, May 4 –
Mon, May 25
Stage 1 Document Review (Screening fee: KRW 90,000)
  • Applications are submitted online.
  • Review of the school record, personal statement, and AI Activity Portfolio
  • If not selected in Stage 1, KRW 60,000 of the screening fee will be refunded
  • Results announced: Fri, May 29, 14:00
Wed, June 10
Check test-room address and print admission ticket
Wed, June 10 –
Fri, June 12
Test Environment Check
  • Wed, June 10, 10:00 – Fri, June 12, 22:00
  • Download the exam program and confirm that your test environment works properly.
Sat, June 13
10:00 – 16:00
Stage 2 Online Written Test (selection of candidates who meet the cutoff)
  • An online test is held for students who passed the Stage 1 document review.
  • The test consists of problems spanning artificial intelligence as covered by the syllabus and lasts 6 hours. (80 multiple-choice questions, 10 essay questions)
  • Results announced: Tue, June 16, 14:00
Sat, June 20
9:00 – 17:00
Stage 3 National Team Selection Interview and Coding Test (approximately 10 selected) (Screening fee: KRW 80,000)
  • Interviews are held for students who passed the Stage 2 online written test.
  • The interview evaluates understanding of artificial intelligence, problem-solving ability, creativity, and English communication skills.
Fri, June 26
14:00
Final Results Announced (top 4 + 1 reserve selected)
  • Participation in the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) 2026
    • Dates: Sun, August 2 – Sat, August 8, 2026
    • Venue: Astana, Kazakhstan

Middle-School Division

Date
Details
Mon, May 4 –
Sun, June 7
Registration (Registration fee: KRW 50,000)
  • Applications are submitted online.
Wed, June 10
Check test-room address and print admission ticket
Wed, June 10 –
Fri, June 12
Test Environment Check
  • Wed, June 10, 10:00 – Fri, June 12, 22:00
  • Download the exam program and confirm that your test environment works properly.
Sat, June 13
13:00 – 16:00
Online Written Test
  • The test is held online.
  • The test consists of problems from Subjects 1 and 2 of the syllabus and lasts 3 hours. (40 multiple-choice questions, 5 essay questions)
Tue, June 16
14:00
Results Announced

Eligibility and Restrictions

High-School Division

  • Students in high-school grades 1, 2, and 3 (non-enrolled applicants are not permitted)
  • Holders of Republic of Korea nationality

Middle-School Division

  • Students in middle-school grades 1, 2, and 3 (non-enrolled applicants are not permitted)
  • Holders of Republic of Korea nationality
  • Note: Students who wish to participate in the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence must apply for the High-School Division.

Stage 1 Document Review Criteria

Documents to Submit

  • Copy of the school record
    • Students in high-school grade 1 or below submit their middle-school record
    • Students in high-school grades 2 and 3 submit their high-school record
  • Personal statement download form
    • Question 1. Describe your motivation for applying to the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence selection. (within 200 characters)
    • Question 2. Describe your learning experience in artificial intelligence or information science and the effort you have put in. (within 300 characters)
  • AI Activity Portfolio
    • In a free format, organize projects, competition awards, related learning history, and so on in artificial intelligence or information science, and submit as a single website such as Notion or GitHub Pages

Review Criteria

Criterion
Weight
Details
Academic Competence
5%
Achievement in computer science, mathematics, science, and English courses, and related teacher-written subject remarks
AI Competence
30%
Depth and specificity of AI-related learning and implementation experience, such as machine learning and deep learning, shown in the documents
Portfolio
40%
Creative approaches and tangible outcomes shown in the portfolio
Growth Potential
25%
Learning attitude, self-direction, and development potential shown in the personal statement

Stage 2 Online Written Test Information

Problem Composition

  • The High-School Division covers the full scope of Subjects 1–4 in the syllabus (80 multiple-choice questions, 10 essay questions, total 6 hours)
  • The Middle-School Division covers Subjects 1 and 2 in the syllabus (40 multiple-choice questions, 5 essay questions, total 3 hours)

Recommended Study Materials

Accepted ID Documents

Please refer to the Accepted ID Documents page.

Stage 3 National Team Selection Interview and Coding Test

Approximately the top 10 candidates from the Stage 2 written test undergo an in-depth interview and coding test, from which the final 4 members and 1 reserve are selected.

Test Schedule

Saturday, June 20, 2026
Time
Details
9:00 – 9:30
Check-in
Venue to be announced individually
9:30 – 10:00
Opening Ceremony and Orientation
  • Explanation of competition rules and exam procedures
  • Guidance on precautions during the exam and how to use the exam program
10:00 – 14:00
Session 1: AI Coding Test
  • Problems consist of AI implementation tasks based on the syllabus and IOAI problem trends. (4 problems)
  • Solve the problems using Google Colab and submit results through the Kaggle platform.
14:00 – 14:50
Break and Lunch
14:50 – 15:00
Check-in
15:00 – 17:00
Session 2: Interview
  • The interview order is determined randomly on site on the day.
  • Each candidate is interviewed by 3 interviewers, who evaluate AI knowledge, problem-solving thinking, English communication skills, and more.
  • Each interview lasts about 7 minutes, and candidates may leave immediately afterward.

Interview Format

  • Conducted by an interview panel composed of experts from academia and industry
  • Individual in-depth interview (conducted in a mix of Korean and English)
  • AI coding test based on the syllabus

Review Criteria

Criterion
Weight
Details
AI Knowledge (Interview)
20%
Explanation of the solution process for the Stage 2 test and answers to additional technical questions
AI Coding Test
30%
Evaluation of the ability to solve AI-related coding problems based on the syllabus
English Communication Skills
20%
Evaluation of the ability to communicate in English when participating in the IOAI on site
Problem-Solving Thinking
10%
Logical approach and solution methods for problem situations in artificial intelligence or information science
Teamwork and Collaboration
10%
Collaborative attitude and communication skills in preparation for the team challenge
Ethical Awareness
5%
Awareness of the social impact and ethical use of AI technology
Representative Qualities
5%
Evaluation of the qualities and sense of responsibility as a national team member in the field of artificial intelligence

Awards (Planned)

High-School Division

Awards are given based on the Stage 2 online written test.
Approximately the top 10 advance to the Stage 3 National Team Selection interview and are exempted from the Stage 1 document review at the Korean Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence High-School Division that is held within 1 year (KOAI 2027).
Award
Recipients
Grand Prize
1 person
Gold Prize
Top 2%
Silver Prize
Top 5%
Bronze Prize
Top 15%
Honorable Mention
Top 40%

Middle-School Division

Grand Prize and Gold Prize winners are exempted from the Stage 1 document review at the Korean Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence High-School Division that is held within 2 years (KOAI 2027, KOAI 2028).
Award
Recipients
Grand Prize
1 person
Gold Prize
Top 2%
Silver Prize
Top 5%
Bronze Prize
Top 15%
Honorable Mention
Top 40%

Refund Policy

To request a refund, send an email to koai@kitpa.org with your name, phone number, email, school, division applied for, and refund bank account you provided at registration, and we will assist with the cancellation.
  • A 100% refund is available for applications made within 7 days from 00:00 of the registration date.
    • High-School example) If payment was made at 17:00 on May 4, the refund window runs until 23:59 on May 10
    • High-School example) If payment was made at 18:00 on May 15, the refund window runs until 23:59 on May 17
    • Middle-School example) If payment was made at 17:00 on May 4, the refund window runs until 23:59 on May 10
    • Middle-School example) If payment was made at 18:00 on June 5, the refund window runs until 23:59 on June 7

Inquiries

Phone inquiries about the competition are not accepted.
Email inquiries: KITPA Education Planning Division, KOAI Organizing Committee, koai@kitpa.org
KakaoTalk inquiries: KITPA KakaoTalk channel (go to channel)