Hackathon for High Schools
A timed, on-site build sprint for high-school teams around a released theme.
Up to 4 students per team
7–18 yrs (K-12) · 16+ yrs (University)
A hackathon is a fast-paced, collaborative event where individuals or teams come together to develop software solutions within a short timeframe. Participants work intensively to create innovative projects.
Get ready for the Infomatrix 2027 finals! A day before the big event, you'll find out what the competition is about. Your task is to create a piece of software in just two days and present it to the judges on the final day. You can team up with up to four people. Both high school and secondary students will be competing in the same category, while university students will have their own category.
Judging Criteria
Hackathon Rubric
Each criterion is scored on a scale of 1 to 5 by the international jury.
- 1 · Needs work
- 2 · Limited
- 3 · Adequate
- 4 · Strong
- 5 · Exceptional
| Criteria | 1 Point | 2 Points | 3 Points | 4 Points | 5 Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. Originality / Creativity | The project lacks originality and creativity, relying heavily on existing solutions. | Limited creativity with minimal innovative elements. | Some creative features, but the overall project lacks uniqueness. | Demonstrates creativity with a few original elements. | Exceptional originality and creativity are evident throughout the project. |
| 02. Practicality | The solution is impractical and lacks real-world application. | Limited practicality; the solution has minimal usefulness. | The project is somewhat practical but may have some usability issues. | Practical with a good balance of usability and functionality. | Highly practical, demonstrating a clear understanding of user needs. |
| 03. UI / UX | The user interface is confusing, and the user experience is severely compromised. | UI/UX needs improvement; navigation is not intuitive. | Acceptable UI/UX, but some aspects could be more user-friendly. | Well-designed UI/UX with good user interaction principles. | Exceptional UI/UX, creating a seamless and enjoyable user |
| 04. Functionality | The program lacks essential functionality and has numerous bugs. | Limited functionality with significant bugs or errors. | Basic functionality is present, but there are noticeable issues. | Good functionality with minor bugs that do not hinder performance. | The project demonstrates flawless functionality with no observable issues. |
| 05. Technical Skills | Little evidence of technical skills; the project seems beyond the student's abilities. | Basic technical skills demonstrated; significant room for improvement. | Competent technical skills; meets the expected standard. | Strong technical skills displayed with advanced techniques. | Exceptional technical skills; the student demonstrates mastery of programming concepts. |
| 06. Oral Presentation | Incoherent presentation; lacks structure and clarity. | Presentation is somewhat disorganized and difficult to follow. | Adequate presentation with clear communication but may lack enthusiasm. | Engaging and well-structured presentation; effectively conveys key points. | Exceptional oral presentation with enthusiasm, clarity, and strong engagement. |
| 07. Responsible AI Usage | AI use (if any) is opaque or improper (no credits; licensing/privacy ignored). | Minimal citation; limited oversight; unclear value added by AI. | Cited tools/models and prompts; human review present; generally appropriate. | Transparent, well-justified AI use with editing/validation and compliance. | Exemplary: ethical, transparent AI integration that elevates the product with reproducible process. |
registration_status: open
Ready to enter Hackathon for High Schools?
Registration for Season 2027 is open until 15 March.
Open the registration portal