Round 1: National Qualifier

Overview

The first Vietnam selection round, open and free to all secondary-school students nationwide. A bilingual paper exam held at 5 to 6 test sites across the country.

Format and Duration

Two-part written paper exam. Duration: 180 minutes (09:00 – 12:00 ICT). Part A: multiple-choice questions (one or more correct answers). Part B: essay/open-ended questions — handwritten, submitted as PDF via the organizer portal.

Date and Venue

When:

Late October 2026. Exact date to be confirmed.

Where:

Test sites (5 to 6 locations): Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Thai Nguyen, Can Tho. Additional site(s) may be added depending on registration volume.

Eligibility

Open to secondary-school students (THCS and THPT) across Vietnam. No prior AI competition experience required. Registration is free.

Approximately 2,000 candidates are expected nationwide.

Syllabus Topics

Questions draw from the IAIO 2027 syllabus published by the IAIO Scientific Committee. Key areas include:

• •Supervised and unsupervised learning
• •Neural networks and deep learning fundamentals
• •Data preprocessing and feature engineering
• •Model evaluation and metrics
• •Applied AI problem-solving

Preparation and Tips

• Work through the practice challenges in the Resources section to sharpen your skills on real datasets before the exam. Practice Challenges
• Review the IAIO Scientific Committee syllabus for the full topic list. Focus on conceptual understanding alongside practical application.
• See the Registration page for the current deadline.