InstaLogic is a multi-stage international maths and computing competition for students ages 10-16, typically students in grades 5-8. It begins as a maths competition and gradually develops into a programming challenge. Over 22,000 students took part in the previous edition. This year, we are excited to announce the 2026/2027 edition.

In addition to the global competition, the InstaLogic Competition continues to have dedicated editions in specific countries:

• UK Edition
• Poland Edition

The aim of InstaLogic is to develop logical thinking and programming skills while promoting equal access to educational opportunities. Participation is free and open to all students.

The Competition caters both for students who already have experience in programming and for those who are passionate about maths and just beginning their journey into computing. Our goal is to demonstrate that STEM subjects can be both exciting and accessible to any student willing to give it a try.

Over a period of six months, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of programming and computational thinking, starting with mathematical problems and culminating in programming their own solutions. To support them along the way, we provide free resources and online courses between each of the three qualification stages. Sample tasks are available on our website.

Organisation of the Competition

The Competition is divided into three stages:

• Stage 1: October 1 - 28, 2026 (closes at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT) (02:00 UTC, October 29)
• Preparation course for Stage 2 (minimum duration 3 weeks)
• Trial session before Stage 2: November 26, 2026, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. PT (00:00 - 01:00 UTC, November 27)
• Stage 2: December 5, 2026 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. ET / 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. PT (17:00 - 18:30 UTC)
• Preparation course for Stage 3 (minimum duration 3 weeks)
• Stage 3: March 13, 2027, 12:00–1:30 p.m. ET / 9:00–10:30 a.m. PT (16:00 - 17:30 UTC)

Stage 1

Stage 1 is designed for a broad group of students and requires no prior knowledge of mathematics or programming. The tasks are logic-based and presented as short story scenarios. Each task includes all necessary models and instructions.Students have nearly a month to work through the problems, giving them time to reflect, analyze, and understand the challenges. Teachers can support students during this phase. Encouraging deep problem analysis is a key educational goal of the competition.

The first stage consists of answering online test questions related to several mathematical and logical tasks described in the form of a story. Tasks are marked either for ages 10-13 or 14-16.

Programming skills are not required to complete the tasks in stage 1. The tasks contain the necessary descriptions of models and diagrams, and the student's role is to understand and apply them. Students have one month to work on and complete the tasks in this stage.

Stages 2 & 3

The tasks in the second and third stages of the competition are divided into mathematical and logical tasks and programming tasks in the simple visual language Assembly. The time for completing the tasks is 1.5 hours.

In Stage 1, students will be introduced to a few basic Assembly commands. Before Stage 2, a full programming environment and training materials will be made available on the competition website. The Assembly language used in the competition includes only 9 instructions, making it easy to learn. Students will also be able to participate in open trial sessions to practice solving programming tasks.

Registration

Participants from Poland and the UK should register for the InstaLogic Challenge via instalogik.pl and instalogic.uk, respectively. Participants from other countries are welcome to contact us by email for information about registration.

Prizes and Certificates

Digital certificates for all participants, finalists and winners.

Digital certificates for participating teachers.