CALICO Fall 2026: Free coding contest for Indian students

Founder brief

Who should attend

Student founders, technical apprentices, and pre-college programmers looking to test their algorithmic skills will gain the most from this session. While open to students worldwide across experience levels, those yet to enter university compete directly for the official placement prizes.

What happens

Competitors tackle a series of programming problems designed for both novices and seasoned coders, starting at 16:00 America/Los_Angeles time. Entrants may work solo or collaborate in groups of up to three. Top-ranking pre-college squads secure placement prizes, and participants can also enter a raffle.

Who's in the room

University of California, Berkeley organizers run the platform alongside an international crowd of student coders. The virtual roster spans complete beginners, competitive high school teams eyeing official recognition, and university-level participants sharpening their technical foundations.

How to prepare

Take advantage of the week-long practice contest offered prior to the main date to calibrate your team's workflow and test problem strategies. Ensure your registration is finalized before the November 1, 2026 application deadline, and establish clear roles with your teammates beforehand if competing as a trio.

At a glance

Tickets

Free

Format

Participants can compete individually or form teams of up to three members. A week-long practice contest is available before the main event.

Theme

Fall '26

Who can apply

Open to all students, but only pre-college teams (students not studying at any university yet) are eligible for official placement prizes.

Prizes

Prizes for top pre-college teams, along with a raffle.