USA Computing Olympiad

What is USACO?

USACO, short for the USA Computing Olympiad, is a global programming competition for youth. It is open to middle and high school students worldwide and is completely free to enter. The goal of USACO is to identify top talent in programming and select outstanding students to represent the United States at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI).

Our third contest of the 2025–2026 season has recently concluded. Click here to view the results.

NEW! Aspiring participants can now preview the 2025–26 USACO Gold Course.

Get USACO past contest problems + video solutions for the first three monthly contests—free, with notes on grade, school, and participation level.

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I. USACO 2026 Season Schedule

This year, USACO will hold three online contests and one proctored contest.
Online contests will follow the same format as previous seasons.

Reminder: Gold and Platinum participants must start within the first 15 minutes after the contest problems are released (ET Saturday 12:00–12:15). Late entries will not be certified.

Top U.S. performers in online contests will be invited to the final proctored contest. The results of the proctored contest will determine who attends the 2026 Summer Training Camp and which four students represent the U.S. at EGOI 2026.

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II. USACO Contest Format

1. Participation: Individual, online.

2. Process:

   • Contests span 4 days, typically over a weekend.

   • Participants can view problems online and submit solutions during a 4–5 hour window.

   • Accepted programming languages: C, C++, Java, Python, Pascal.

   • Submissions are automatically graded by the system.

3. Advancement:

   • Levels: Bronze → Silver → Gold → Platinum.

   • New participants start at Bronze and advance progressively.

   • Advancement Criteria: Maximum score is 1000 points. Typically, scoring 600–800 points qualifies for the next level.

   • Full-score Fast Track: Scoring 1000 points allows immediate promotion within the same season (e.g., Bronze → Silver).

   • Cutoff-based Promotion: Others must wait for official cutoff scores, determined by contest difficulty and overall performance.

4. Official Language: All contests are officially in English. Other language versions may exist, but correctness is not guaranteed. Participants should use the English version whenever possible.

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III. 2026 Season Rule Updates

To ensure academic integrity, USACO has implemented the following changes for the 2026 season:

1️⃣ US Open is now proctored:

• For the first time, the US Open requires all participants to attend a designated proctored site.

2️⃣ Gold & Platinum must start within a fixed window:

• Bronze/Silver unaffected.

• Gold/Platinum participants must start between ET Saturday 12:00–12:15 (Beijing Time Sunday 01:00–01:15).

• Late submissions = “Non-Certified”, not eligible for advancement or US Open selection.

3️⃣ Training Camp Qualification:

• 2 certified scores = basic US Open invitation.

• 3 certified scores = more secure qualification.

• Certified score = completed within the time window + meeting a minimum score threshold.

4️⃣ Platinum “Reclassification”:

• Except for top IOI qualifiers, all Platinum participants will be reclassified as Gold for the 2026 season.

• Purpose: Levels are now annual, not permanent. All participants must prove themselves each season.

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IV. USACO Advancement Cutoffs

• Each contest has a maximum of 1000 points.

• Bronze→Silver cutoff ≈ 750, Silver→Gold ≈ 700–750, Gold→Platinum ≈ 750–800.

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V. Free USACO Preparation Resources

1. Past 10 Years of Contest Problems:

   • Learn the contest style and fill knowledge gaps.

   • Includes 2011+ USACO contest problems with solutions.

2. Six Must-Read Books for Beginners to Gold:

   • Digital format, easy to study and broaden knowledge.

3. C++ & Bronze/Silver Knowledge Maps:

   • Mind maps highlighting core concepts.

Sign up for a trial class and get the complete USACO resource package free:

• Includes past 10 years of problems, solutions, mind maps, and recommended books.

⇒ Access More USACO Prep Resources ⇐

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VI. Why Participate in USACO?

High Prestige & Recognition

• USACO is widely recognized by top STEM programs, including MIT, as an official recommended competition for Computer Science & Engineering applicants.

Pathway to Ivy League:

• Gold/Platinum awards help demonstrate advanced programming and algorithm skills to U.S. universities.

Stepwise Difficulty:

• Levels: Bronze → Silver → Gold → Platinum.

• Each level has multiple problems of increasing difficulty, allowing participants to start at a suitable level.

No Entry Fees:

• Open to all; only a free account is required.

Skill Development:

• USACO emphasizes practical skills, boosting logical thinking, algorithm design, and coding ability. These skills are highly valuable for future studies and careers.

2025 IOI & EGOI Highlights:

• IOI Bolivia 2025: Brian Xue (Silver), Alex Chen (Bronze), Bing-Dong Liu (Silver), Rain Jian (Gold)

• EGOI Germany 2025: Pearl Yu (Bronze), Helen Law (Gold), Luna Hudman (Gold), Grace Li (Gold)

Our Mission:
USACO supports computer education in the U.S. and globally by identifying, motivating, and training students at all levels:

• Hundreds of hours of free online training resources to improve programming and problem-solving skills.

• Online programming competitions (~6 per year) for all levels.

• Intensive summer training camp for top U.S. students to learn advanced concepts.

• Top four U.S. students may represent their country at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), the most prestigious high school-level international programming competition.

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