ICOA 2026 · Country & Region Entry

—
Days to Sydney · 27 Jun
—
Send visa info to ICOA · ~ 6-15 May (earlier better)
Today · —
▸ EVENT 27 Jun – 2 Jul 2026 · Sydney, Australia · 📄 Info Pack · 20p · 🤝 Extra Support

Pricing & specs

Tier Window Team 1
up to 4 contestants + 1 team leader		 Team 2
up to 4 contestants + 1 team leader · optional		 Observer
per person · non-competing
Early Bird · closed 15 Jan — 19 Mar 2026 €1,900 €2,900 €1,600
Standard · ACTIVE 20 Mar — 30 Apr 2026 €2,300 €3,500 €1,700
Late · upcoming · 1 May 1 May — 18 May 2026 €2,600 €3,700 €1,800
▸ Fees INCLUDE
  • 5-night accommodation
  • All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Competition & event access
  • Local transportation (in Sydney)
  • Event materials & kit
  • Excursions & cultural programme
▸ Fees do NOT include
  • International flights
  • Australian visa application fees
  • Travel insurance (recommended)
  • Personal expenses

Eligibility: born after 1 Jul 2007 (under 19, NOT 20 on 1 Jul 2026) · enrolled in secondary school.

Each accredited organization = Two formal committees (Non-Tech + Tech)
▸ Track 1 · Red

National Organizing Committee

non-technical — admin · finance · visa · logistics

 ▸ Track 2 · Blue

National Scientific Committee

technical — CLI · training · selection
✅ Accreditation — submit accreditation form to ICOA ❌ start here
⚑ Genuine certificate carries the "ICOA" wordmark and the red ICOA logo — reject any document missing either.
 ✅ CLI setup — icoa-cli on team-leader laptop ❌ start here
✅ Team registration — Team 1 + optional Team 2 + observers ❌ start here ✅ National Selection — Round 1, OBS, auto-results ❌ start here
📩 Apply for EXAM TOKEN — email accreditation@icoa2026.au or ask in your delegation WhatsApp Group.
📘 Exam hosting guide — 8-page proctor handbook covering student briefing, OBS setup, on-the-day contingency. Open PDF
✅ Payment — invoice / PayPal ✅ Training — Starter → Advanced → Extra → Full PDF 160p
✅ Visa — ICOA letters, embassy applications ❌ start here ✅ Pre-Sydney prep — AI4CTF / CTF4AI drills ❌ start here

Timeline

Apr 27(today)
① Accreditation · Ⓐ Install CLI · Ⓑ Demo
Apr 27 → May 163 weeks
Ⓔ National Selection — Round 1 · OBS · server-scored · auto-results. Macao’s ~6-min example.
~ May 6 - 15earlier better
③ Send visa info — passports for likely delegates. ICOA issues letters in 5–7 days, before final 4 lock. Earlier in the window = more buffer.
May 17 → 20
Ⓕ Confirm 4 · ④ Register · ⑤ Pay
~ Jun 1
⑥ Embassy visa applications (Subclass 600 + ICOA letter)
Jun 25 → 27
⑦ Arrive Sydney · opening 27 Jun
Jun 27 → Jul 2
Ⓖ Sydney finals — AI4CTF 29 Jun · CTF4AI 1 Jul · closing 2 Jul

Step-by-step // 1–7 Organizing · A–G Scientific

▸ Track 1 · Red

National Organizing Committee

admin · finance · visa · logistics

// non-technical · ICOA single contact
1

Initiate accreditation

today · ~10 min

Submit interest. ASRA assigns a Country Partner in 24–48 hrs + opens a private Slack / Discord / WhatsApp channel.

Open accreditation form
2

Confirm Founder Country status

≤ 2 weeks · private call

All 2026 participating nations and regions qualify as Founder Countries — 3-year ASRA commitment + 2029 host-priority. Closes after 2026 edition; not retroactive.

Review benefits
3

Send visa info to ICOA

~ 6 - 15 May · earlier better

Email passports of leader + likely delegates (final 4 not locked yet is fine). ICOA issues host-signed letters in 5–7 business days. Send anytime in the 6-15 May window — earlier is better; sending closer to 6 May puts letters in hand well before final 4 lock (~17 May) and gives more buffer for embassy submission.

▸ Visa info to put on each delegate’s application
  • Visa subclass: 600 (Visitor — Sponsored Family / Other)
  • Department: Department of Home Affairs (Australia)
  • Event Ref: ADF2025/294678
Streamlined visa pathways — citizens of these jurisdictions don’t need full Subclass 600
eVisitor (subclass 651) · free · online

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City.

ETA (subclass 601) · small fee · online

Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR PRC), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, USA.

Special Category Visa · on arrival

New Zealand citizens.

⚑ ICOA recommends Subclass 600 even when streamlined pathways are available, because it is tied to the host invitation letter and Event Ref ADF2025/294678 — entry as an officially-sponsored event delegate, not a tourist.

Email visa info
4

Register Team 1 (and optional Team 2 / observers)

May 17 → 20 · after selection ends

Team = 1 leader + up to 4. Team 2 = optional second 4-lineup. Observer = non-competing delegate (opening / closing / excursions). Register after Round 1 final 4 lock (Step Ⓕ).

Open registration
5

Process payment

4 days after team registration

PayPal / bank invoice. Tiers + INCLUDE / EXCLUDE lists in matrix above. Special accommodation cases — discuss 1:1 with Charlie.

Payment portal
6

Submit visa applications to Australian embassy

after ICOA letter arrives

Subclass 600 (Visitor) + ICOA letter + passport (6+ months validity) + return travel proof. Lead times vary — check your local Australian visa office or service provider first.

Visa FAQ
7

Travel & arrival in Sydney

25–27 Jun

Airport transfers · check-in · opening ceremony evening 27 Jun. Pre-brief delegates on schedule + excursion day + dietary needs.

Full 6-day schedule
Stuck? Email australia@icoa2026.au with your step number (24–48 hr reply). Visa issues → accreditation@icoa2026.au.
▸ Track 2 · Blue

National Scientific Committee

CLI · training · selection

// technical · team leader DIY · no IT staff needed
A

Install icoa-cli on the team-leader laptop

today · 3 min

npm install -g icoa-cli. Windows / macOS / Linux / WSL2. Selection Guide auto-detects OS.

Selection Guide · Install
B

Run the free demo exam end-to-end

this week · 30 min

demo — no token, no graded flags. Full contestant experience preview. Fastest credibility-builder for parents and ministry.

7-min walkthrough video
C

Pick paper level for your candidate pool

≤ 2 weeks

C 12–14 · 30 MCQ · 45 min · B 14–17 · 35 MCQ · 60 min · A 16–19 · 40 MCQ · 90 min. Most jurisdictions run two across age bands. Full specs.

Three-papers detail
D

Build a training plan

4–6 wks · ongoing

Free ladder (each opens new tab): Starter → Advanced → Extra → Training PDF (164 pp). Free forever.

Open the prepare ladder
E

Run your national / regional Round 1 selection

Apr 26 → May 16 · 3 weeks

Candidates run exam <token> on own laptop · OBS built in · server-scored · results in your inbox ~6 min after last submission. Macao SAR ran the first CLI-native olympiad selection in Apr 2026 with no human aggregation.

Macao Round 1 case study
F

Confirm final 4 contestants from results

~ May 17 · auto + 1 day

Server emails ranked PDF within ~6 min of last submission. Team leader signs off final 4 + reserves. See Macao closure example. Wildcard / independent entries — ask your Country Partner.

Email final roster
G

Sydney finals · AI4CTF + CTF4AI

29 Jun + 1 Jul

Day 3 = AI4CTF (AI solves cyber). Day 5 = CTF4AI (attack AI — prompt injection, adversarial ML, deepfake). 5 hr each · same CLI. Closing + medals 2 Jul.

Competition format
Stuck? See Selection Guide FAQ (12 troubleshooting entries). Email with OS + first error line. CLI logs at ~/.icoa/logs/.

Final checklist

Before you call your country ready — tick each off. Progress saves on this device.

0 / 7 done
✨ Country ready for Sydney 2026

Resources

▸ Documents · PDF
Info Pack
20 pp · executive summary
CLI Whitepaper v1.1
45 pp · technical architecture
Training PDF
164 pp · full curriculum
▸ Training · For students
Selection Guide (en)
K-12 entry hub · 22 languages
Starter
Concepts
Advanced
Techniques
Extra
Hard-set practice
practice.icoa2026.au
Live practice platform
▸ Press & proof
Macao Round 1 press release
25 Apr 2026 · first CLI-native olympiad live
CLI Live Demo
4 demo scenarios · terminal logs
Official Statement
For ICO 2025 veterans
▸ Reference
About ICOA
Mission · ASRA · Founder Country
Competition format
AI4CTF + CTF4AI · scoring
Technical Syllabus
Domains · difficulty bands
6-day schedule
27 Jun – 2 Jul
Venue · Sydney
Logistics · transport · climate
About Australia
Practical visitor info
Excursion day
Day 4 · Sydney sightseeing
FAQ
22 entries
Committee
International + Scientific
Participating nations & regions
Accredited & pending 2026
Partners & sponsors
Become a partner
README.first
8-persona compass
▸ Glossary
ICOA
International Cyber Olympiad in AI. Sydney-initiated 2026.
ASRA
Australia STEM and Robotics Advancement Association. NPO hosting ICOA 2026.
Founder Country
Brand status for all 2026 jurisdictions (sovereign / SAR / autonomous region). 3-yr ASRA commitment + 2029 host-priority. Not retroactive.
Paper C / B / A / S
Difficulty tiers. C/B/A in Round 1 by age. S = Sydney finals only.
AI4CTF
AI solves cyber. Day 3 Sydney finals.
CTF4AI
Attack AI (prompt injection / adversarial ML / deepfake). Day 5 Sydney finals.
CLI-native
Competition runs in terminal · no browser · hotfixable mid-event. Macao SAR was first, Apr 2026.
icoa-cli
~450 KB npm package. Competition client. Same commands across demo / selection / finals.
Team 1 / Team 2
Team = 1 leader + up to 4. Team 1 mandatory. Team 2 = optional second 4-lineup.
Observer Pass
Non-competing delegate. Accom / meals / opening / closing / excursions. No contest hall.
Country Partner
Brand role. Assigned ICOA contact at ASRA. Owns your jurisdiction’s onboarding end-to-end.
Buddy Country
Brand role. 2026 peer jurisdiction mentoring a newcomer. Macao SAR = inaugural Buddy.

Your people

▸ Your Country Partner

ASRA · Charlie Zhu

Founder + 2026 host. Single contact until your dedicated Country Partner lands (24–48 hr after Step 1). Sydney business hours (UTC+10).

australia@icoa2026.au →
▸ Buddy Country

Macao SAR

Just shipped first CLI-native olympiad Round 1 (Apr 2026). Asian timezone · Mandarin / English. Ask them anything — they lived it.

Read case study →
▸ Office hours

Weekly drop-in

4 timezone-rotating slots · >90% longitude coverage. Recordings + timestamp index. Join with your step number.

Request slot →
// Shared privately · not in public nav.