The Qualification Round is the first stage and consists of five linguistic problems: A, B, C, D, and E. The
problems encompass a wide range of topics and vary in difficulty. Problems may cover syntax, semantics,
phonetics, morphology, pragmatics, and language patterns to ensure everyone finds engaging challenges
to explore!
The problems will test your linguistic reasoning and pattern-recognition abilities. All participants of the Qualification Round will receive participation certificates. Each problem gives 5 points, and you need to score at least 15/17/20 points (Junior/Youth/Senior, see age groups ) to qualify for the Pre-Final Round.
The submission deadline is Tuesday, 30 December 2025, 23:59 UTC+0.
To avoid connection issues, upload errors, and other problems, please submit your solution
before the official submission deadline (30 December 2025).
You must provide a written analysis and explanation of your reasoning for all problems in the solution
document. You may submit handwritten or typed solutions. We value clear explanation of your analytical
process, pattern identification, and linguistic reasoning.
Make sure that you write your name, school, city and date of birth correctly! The
details will be used for all certificates. There are no fees or registration costs to participate in the
Qualification Round.
The results of the Qualification Round will be announced on Wednesday, 14 January 2026. You will receive an
email about the results; however, you can also check your participant account for your results, performance
report, and certificates online. Please log into your participant account so as not to miss any critical
information:
Participants who solved the Qualification Round successfully are qualified to participate in the Pre-Final Round. The problems will be more challenging but also more engaging!
The Pre-Final Round is a 60-minute supervised exam consisting of three problems that vary in difficulty and points:
On Friday, 6 February 2026, participants receive the research paper via email and through their participant account. You may use translation tools and AI to help you understand the paper.
The exam window is from Sunday, 8 February 2026 to Tuesday, 10 February 2026. You may take the 60-minute exam at any point during this window using a computer, laptop, or phone. The exam must be supervised by a teacher (recommended) or by ILC using our online supervision system.
The results of the Pre-Final Round will be announced on Wednesday, 25 February 2026.
Participants who qualify in the Qualification Round can register for the Pre-Final Round through their participant account.
The registration deadline for the Pre-Final Round is Thursday, 5 February 2026.
Organizing the ILC involves various costs: this includes human resources, technical infrastructure, materials,
and more. Participants are asked to contribute a
registration fee of 15 EUR for the Pre-Final Round. This
contribution covers evaluation, infrastructure, and administration.
Financial aid is available for participants facing financial hardship. There are no additional costs beyond the registration fee. For detailed information, please see the flyer
below:
FAQ:
Can I participate only in the Qualification Round and skip the Pre-Final Round?
Yes, you may participate in the Qualification Round, receive your participation certificate, and choose not
to
continue. However, only those who join the Pre-Final Round can advance to further stages.
Participants who have solved the Pre-Final Round successfully are qualified to participate in the Final Round: a 30-minute online exam taken from home.
The Final Round consists of a single 30-minute online exam involving mixed short-answer and multiple-choice questions (1–5 minutes per question), requiring knowledge about linguistics, in particular related to the Qualification and Pre-Final Round. A correct answer equals one point. There are no negative points for incorrect answers. The awards and prizes are given to the Finalists with the most points in the Final Round. If multiple participants have the same score, the points from the Pre-Final Round (and Qualification Round) are used to determine the final winners.
All Final Exams take place on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
Finalists take the exam via a dedicated online exam portal (https://lingchallenge.org/exam). The exam is taken from home and monitored using an online supervision system. No teacher supervision is required or permitted. Each finalist selects their specific time slot in advance at https://lingchallenge.org/schedule-exam. Participants need: a computer/laptop/phone with a webcam (exam device), a phone with camera and microphone (supervision phone), and a valid government-issued ID or passport.
The results of the Final Round will be announced on Monday, 16 March 2026.
Further information on all rounds and the competition can be found here: Official ILC Flyer 2025