How to Qualify for the Australian Informatics Olympiad
The Australian Informatics Olympiad itself is open — any student can enter through their school with no qualification needed — so ‘qualifying’ really means what a strong AIO result unlocks: an invitation to the December School of Excellence, the first selective step on the pathway toward Australia’s International Olympiad in Informatics team. Understanding the full ladder helps a committed student aim correctly from the start.
Key facts at a glance
- AIO entry: open to all, through your school — no qualification required to sit it.
- School of Excellence: December training school for top AIO performers up to Year 11.
- AIIO & FARIO: invitation-only contests used for further selection.
- April selection school: around eight students invited; four chosen for the IOI team.
- EGOI: AIIO results also help select four students for the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics.
- Official source: Australian Maths Trust / AIIO.
- Dates & format: see the AIO dates and format page.
Step 1: Sit the AIO (open to everyone)
There is no entry barrier to the AIO itself — it is run through schools and any student who can program may take part. The AIO is a three-hour, six-problem online exam with subtask scoring, sat in late August. The result you earn here is what determines whether the selective pathway opens, so strong preparation matters even though entry is free of any qualification. See our AIO preparation guide for how to train for it.
Step 2: The School of Excellence
Students with exceptional AIO results, up to Year 11, may be invited to the School of Excellence, an intensive training school held in December. It covers advanced algorithmic material — often the kind of content taught in second- or third-year university computer science — and is the first genuinely selective step. This is where a strong young performer’s pathway toward the national team really begins.
Step 3: The invitational contests (AIIO and FARIO)
Beyond the School of Excellence sit two invitation-only contests: the Australian Invitational Informatics Olympiad (AIIO) and the French-Australian Regional Informatics Olympiad (FARIO). Results from these are combined to select students for the next stage. The AIIO is also used to choose four students for the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI), so it serves more than one pathway.
Step 4: April selection school and the IOI team
Results from the AIIO and FARIO select roughly eight students to attend an April selection school for International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) team selection. At the end of that school, four students are chosen to represent Australia at the IOI — the pinnacle of school-level competitive programming. The full ladder, then, runs: open AIO → School of Excellence → AIIO/FARIO → April selection school → IOI team.
| Stage | Access | Roughly when |
|---|---|---|
| AIO | Open, via school | August |
| School of Excellence | Invitation (top AIO results, up to Y11) | December |
| AIIO / FARIO | Invitation | Early in the following year |
| April selection school | Invitation (~8 students) | April |
| IOI team | 4 students selected | After April school |
How to give a student the best chance
Because the AIO result is the gateway, the highest-leverage thing a committed student can do is prepare seriously for it and start young — the School of Excellence invites students up to Year 11, so beginning in Years 7–9 leaves the most room to progress. Build real algorithmic fluency first; CAT is an excellent no-code starting point, and the CAT preparation guide shows how to begin. From there, the AIO vs CAT comparison explains the move into coding, and the AIO preparation guide covers training in depth. A free diagnostic can help map where a student stands today.
Pathway details last verified June 2026 against the Australian Maths Trust and AIIO information. Selection structures and dates change — always confirm current arrangements with the AMT before relying on them.
Frequently asked questions
How do I qualify for the Australian Informatics Olympiad?
The AIO itself is open — any student can enter through their school, with no qualification required. Qualification matters for what comes after: a strong AIO result can earn an invitation to the December School of Excellence, the first selective step toward the Australian IOI team.
Is the AIO invitation-only?
No. The AIO is an open competition entered through schools. The invitation-only stages are later: the School of Excellence, then the AIIO and FARIO, then the April selection school that chooses the IOI team.
What is the School of Excellence?
It is an intensive informatics training school held in December for Australian students up to Year 11 with exceptional AIO results, covering advanced algorithms often taught at second- or third-year university level.
What are the AIIO and FARIO?
The Australian Invitational Informatics Olympiad (AIIO) and French-Australian Regional Informatics Olympiad (FARIO) are invitation-only contests whose results help select students for the April IOI team selection school and the EGOI team.
How is the Australian IOI team chosen?
Results from the AIIO and FARIO select around eight students for an April selection school; from there, four are chosen to represent Australia at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI).