Our stance on
academic integrity
The USA Computing Olympiad (USACO) holds strict academic-integrity policies: work alone, write all code from scratch, no generative AI, no pre-written templates — and a lifetime ban for anyone who breaks them. As an independent tutoring provider, we restate those rules here and commit to preparing students before contests, never during them.
Independent guide — a faithful restatement of the official policy in our own words, not the official text itself. Facts checked against usaco.org · Last reviewed 15 July 2026.
| Effort | by yourself only |
| Generative AI | prohibited |
| Templates | not allowed |
| References | language syntax only |
| VPN (US students) | not allowed |
| Sharing | none while a contest runs |
| Penalty | lifetime ban |
What do USACO’s integrity rules require?
[ USACO RULES ]USACO’s academic-integrity policy asks every contestant to work alone and write all code from scratch. Generative AI, pre-written templates, IP-masking VPNs for US students, and sharing contest information while a round is live are all prohibited — and the only references allowed are your programming language’s own syntax and library documentation.
Work by yourself
Solo effort only. USACO bars working in a team, prohibits consulting anyone other than the contest director, and forbids sharing any code or technical information while a contest is actively running.
Write it from scratch
No generative AI such as Copilot or ChatGPT, and no pre-written templates. The only references you may consult are those describing your programming language’s syntax and library functions.
Use your own connection
US students should not use VPNs or related technology to obscure their IP address during a contest; it should be the address of your school or home internet provider.
One standard, no second chances
USACO states it plainly: participants who violate any of these policies are banned for life from all USACO activities. USACO adds that it may follow up by contacting a student’s school, so the consequences can reach beyond the competition itself.
Lifetime banThis page restates the integrity policy in plain language; the complete contest rules — conduct, technical limits and the proctored US Open — live on the rules page. Read the full rules
How does our tutoring respect the rules?
[ TUTORING ]As a tutoring provider, our role ends when a contest begins. We teach algorithms, data structures and problem-solving on past problems, entirely before contest day; once a live USACO contest window opens we give no help of any kind. We expect every student we work with to compete honestly and independently.
The USACO contest environment is deliberately modeled on the International Olympiad in Informatics, where all code must be written from scratch and the only permitted references describe the programming language itself. Our teaching is built to honor that standard, not to work around it.
That means the value we add sits entirely in preparation — the weeks and months before a contest — where honest practice on past problems with official solutions is exactly what builds a real, promotable skill.
Before, not during
All of our instruction happens on past problems and practice sets, well outside any live contest window. Contest day is the student’s alone.
No help on contest day
Once a USACO contest window opens we provide no hints, no code and no problem discussion. Students compete alone, on their own connection, exactly as the rules require.
Honesty is the point
A promotion won by cheating teaches nothing and risks a lifetime ban. We hold every student to the same integrity standard USACO does.
Common Questions
[ FAQ ]Can I use ChatGPT or Copilot during a USACO contest?
No. USACO prohibits all generative AI tools during its contests — every solution must be written from scratch. The only references you may consult are documents describing the syntax and library functions of your programming language, and using AI assistance is grounds for a lifetime ban.
Does your tutoring help students during live USACO contests?
Never. We teach algorithms and problem-solving on past problems, entirely before contest day. Once a USACO contest window opens we provide no hints, code or problem discussion — students compete alone, on their own internet connection, exactly as the official rules require.
What happens if someone breaks USACO’s integrity rules?
USACO applies a single penalty: anyone who violates an integrity policy is banned for life from all USACO activities, with no second chances. USACO also says it may follow up by contacting a student’s school, so the consequences can extend beyond the competition itself.