The NZIC online programming contest series, run by the New Zealand Olympiad in Informatics, is continuing in 2024! There will be 3 rounds. In each round, students choose a time during the week of that round to solve a selection of programming problems. The difficulty ranges from entry-level implementation problems to more challenging algorithmic problems. You can find examples on our training website.

Registration

Registration for NZIC 2024 is now open!
Registration for all NZIC rounds will remain open until the last competition day in Term 3. However, you should register well before you plan to sit the next round - if there is an issue with registration during a round, we are not guaranteed to respond in time for you to compete in that round. If you have missed a round, or you know that you won’t be able to make one of the rounds, you are still welcome to register and compete in the other rounds.

  • Register for NZIC 2024 - you will also be signed up to the NZIC mailing list. We will keep you informed about upcoming rounds, results, solutions, and camp selection. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Schedule

There will be 3 rounds in NZIC 2024. Contest weeks are:

  • Monday 8 April - Sunday 14 April
  • Monday 1 July - Sunday 7 July
  • Monday 19 August - Sunday 25 August

Updates

For interested teachers, parents, and students who do not want to register, you can still sign up to the NZIC mailing list. We will keep you informed about upcoming rounds, results, solutions, and camp selection. You may unsubscribe at any time.

What is Informatics?

In the context of this competition, informatics involves problem-solving with computer programs. Problems of a mathematical nature are posed, and students will write a computer program to solve the problem. The competition tests the efficiency and correctness of the algorithms the students come up with. The use of a programming language is not the goal itself, but rather a method by which a solution is expressed. A big part of informatics is breaking down and understanding the problem itself.

Overview

Log in to our training site and start the competition at any point between the above dates. Once a student has begun the competition they typically have 3 hours to view the problems and submit solutions. During their 3 hours, students are not permitted to access any websites (other than train.nzoi.org.nz) or collaborate with any others. This is an individual contest. You are, however, permitted to consult the documentation for your chosen programming language during the contest - remembering syntax can be hard. For details, please view the offical rules.

If you’re at a school with multiple students wanting to participate you might want to arrange to all sit it at the same time, either after school or during class time (with a teacher’s support).

See these pages for more info:

What now?

We recommend some practice first. Sign up at https://train.nzoi.org.nz/ and have a go at some past NZIC rounds. The contest is held on this training site and problems will be of a similar format. You will also save reading time during the contest.

If you have any further questions, want to be added to the list for reminder emails, or just want to say hi, email us at nzic@nzoi.org.nz.