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2026 Summer
Youth IT Academic Conference and University Student IT Paper Competition

Designed for youths and university students passionate about IT, this program aims to discover and cultivate future IT talent with creative thinking and academic capability by having participants independently explore diverse topics — big data, artificial intelligence, digital content, AI convergence applications, digital humanities — and express them in papers.

2026 Summer Youth IT Academic Conference and University Student IT Paper Competition

Submit preliminary applicationView 2026 Winter papersDownload paper templateDownload competition guide and poster

References

Learned Journal Paper Submission Rules

Announcements

2026 Summer Youth IT Academic Conference announcement2026 Summer University Student IT Paper Competition announcementRegistration period extension noticeFinalists and subsequent schedule announcementYouth IT Academic Conference additional finalist announcementFinal results announcement
The submission deadline has been extended to July 12 (Sun) 23:59.

Eligibility and Participation Units

Youth IT Academic Conference

As of 2026, students enrolled from 3rd grade of elementary school through 3rd grade of high school, or youths of equivalent status (born between 2008 and 2017).
Those who have entered college cannot participate.
  • Individuals or teams meeting the above eligibility may participate
  • Teams may consist of up to 3 people; gender, age, grade, and school may differ
  • Participants may enter multiple tracks

University Student IT Paper Competition

As of the Spring semester (1st semester) of 2026, students currently enrolled in a university (enrolled/on leave of absence/deferring graduation) who are 30 years or younger as of the final result announcement date (born on or after August 8, 1995).
Course completers, graduates, and graduate students are not eligible.
  • Individuals or teams meeting the above eligibility may participate
  • Teams may consist of up to 3 people; gender, age, grade, and school may differ

Tracks

Youth IT Academic Conference

  • Track 1. Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
  • Track 2. Digital Content Applications
Applications may be submitted to multiple tracks

University Student IT Paper Competition

  • Track 1. AI Convergence Applications
  • Track 2. Digital Humanities
Applications may be submitted to multiple tracks

Schedule

Youth IT Academic Conference

Schedule
Details
Mon, Apr 27 – Sun, Jul 12
Regular registration period Mon, Apr 27, 2026 – Sun, Jun 28, 2026 (Registration fee KRW 90,000)
Late registration period Mon, Jun 29, 2026 – Sun, Jul 12, 2026 23:59 (Registration fee KRW 110,000)
  • One representative per team pays the participation fee and submits the application on the KITPA website
Fri, Jul 17, after 18:00
Preliminary results announcement
Announced on the KITPA website and via individual text messages to successful applicants
Fri, Jul 17 – Fri, Jul 24
Finals registration (Registration fee KRW 120,000)
  • Preliminary qualifiers must complete registration and payment within the finals registration deadline to participate
  • The finals registration fee includes the journal publication fee.
Mon, Jul 27, after 10:00
Announcement of additional finalists
Sat, Aug 1, 9:00 – 16:00
Finals presentation (Venue: Online via Zoom)
  • Each team prepares and presents a PPT of about 12 minutes based on its paper
  • 7 minutes of Q&A in addition to the presentation time
  • Detailed schedule to be announced later
Fri, Aug 7, after 18:00
Finals results announcement
To be sent separately via text message

University Student IT Paper Competition

Schedule
Details
Mon, Apr 27 – Sun, Jul 12
Regular registration period Mon, Apr 27, 2026 – Sun, Jul 12, 2026 23:59 (Registration fee KRW 120,000)
  • One representative per team pays the participation fee and submits the application on the KITPA website
Fri, Jul 17, after 18:00
Outstanding paper selection results announcement
Announced on the KITPA website and via individual text messages to successful applicants
Sat, Jul 25, 10:00 – 13:30
Outstanding paper presentation session (Venue: Online via Zoom)
  • Each team prepares and presents a PPT of about 9 minutes based on its paper
  • Detailed schedule to be announced later
Fri, Aug 7, after 18:00
Final results announcement
To be sent separately via text message

Awards

Youth IT Academic Conference

The top 10 teams per track from the preliminary review advance to the finals.
Award
Recipients
Grand Prize
1 team per track (2 teams total)
Gold Prize
2 teams per track (4 teams total)
Silver Prize
2 teams per track (4 teams total)
Bronze Prize
2 teams per track (4 teams total)
Encouragement Award
3 teams per track (6 teams total)
Advising Teacher Award
Awarded to the advising teacher of the Grand Prize team in each track (2 people total)

University Student IT Paper Competition

The top 8 teams per track from the preliminary review participate in the outstanding paper presentation session.
Award
Recipients
Grand Prize
1 team per track (2 teams total)
Gold Prize
3 teams per track (6 teams total)
Silver Prize
4 teams per track (8 teams total)
Bronze Prize
Research teams not selected as outstanding papers with a paper review score of 60 or higher
Encouragement Award
Research teams not selected as outstanding papers with a paper review score of 40 or higher but below 60
  • Certificates for Bronze and Encouragement Award recipients are sent by email

Common

  • The top 3 teams by score in the combined outstanding paper presentation are offered an interview opportunity with the Korea Information Technology News (6 teams total)
  • Papers by finalists (Bronze or above for university students) will be published in the KITPA Journal and DBpia (submissions already published or scheduled to be published in another journal are not eligible)
  • If a finalist does not attend the finals presentation, the paper will still be published in the journal but the award will be revoked
  • One copy of the journal is provided free of charge to each finalist (additional copies incur additional cost)

Paper Regulations

  • Submission files must be prepared according to the paper template posted on the KITPA website.
  • The total page count of the paper must be within 10 pages (within 5 pages for university students).
  • Papers submitted to or published in other competitions or journals are not eligible.
  • For other regulations, please refer to the KITPA Journal Paper Submission Rules.

Registration Fee Refund Policy

To request a refund, please send your name, phone number, email, school, division of application, and refund account to academy@kitpa.org, and we will assist you with the cancellation.

Preliminary Round Registration Fee Refund Policy

100% refund is available within 7 days of the payment during the registration period.
  • Example) If paid at 17:00 on May 1, the refund period is until 23:59 on May 7
  • Example) If paid at 17:00 on July 7, the refund period is until 17:59 on July 10
  • After that (from July 12 23:59 onward), refunds are not available.

Final Round Registration Fee Refund Policy (Youth IT Academic Conference)

100% refund is available within 7 days of the payment during the registration period.
  • Example) If paid at 19:00 on July 17, the refund period is until 23:59 on July 23
  • Example) If paid at 12:00 on July 20, the refund period is until 23:59 on July 24
  • After that (from July 25 00:00 onward), refunds are not available.

Contact

Email inquiries: KITPA Education Planning Division, Academic Research Team academy@kitpa.org
KakaoTalk inquiries: KITPA KakaoTalk channel (Go to channel)