6thseason

CodeBattle2026

Team interest form for Merryland International School · UAE Inter-School Coding Competition

This is an interest form only, not a registration. Registrations can only be completed by a teacher, Once your team is successfully registered, you will receive a confirmation email. Each team submits just one form.

What is CodeBattle 2026?

CodeBattle, powered by Codejr, is an annual team hackathon that brings together students from schools across all seven Emirates. Teams solve coding challenges and build projects around a given theme, showing off their programming, creativity, teamwork and problem-solving. It is open to students in Grades 1–12, and teams compete against others in their own grade category.

Freefor schools and students
2–3 studentsin every team
Top 20teams per category reach the Grand Finale
Everyone wins a certificatewinners also get trophies and medals

Four categories, by grade

Your team is placed by the grades of its members.

1–2

Cadet

Block-based coding on Bloqi.ai

3–5

Captain

Block-based coding on Bloqi.ai

6–8

Colonel

Choose block-based on Bloqi.ai, or Python / web development on the iCodeJr IDE

9–12

General

Text-based only: Python or web development on the iCodeJr IDE

The road to the finale

  1. 10 November · Launch webinar
    Themes are revealed. Online elimination round runs 10–15 November, entirely online.
  2. Up to 15 November, 11:59 PM · Submit
    Teams have six days to build their project, submit it with its code and record their pitch.
  3. 17 November · Finalists announced
    The top 20 teams in each category qualify.
  4. Saturday 21 November · Grand Finale
    Heriot-Watt University, Dubai. Finalists get a brand-new theme on the day, build a fresh project on-site and present it to a panel of industry judges.

Good to know

How AI can be used

  • Allowed for sprites, storylines, concepts and ideas.
  • Not allowed: asking AI to write code.
  • The iCodeJr IDE's built-in assistant helps with debugging only and won't write code.

How projects are judged

  • Creativity
  • Implementation
  • Problem-solving approach
  • Overall quality

What teams practise

  • Programming and computational thinking
  • Solving practical problems creatively
  • Teamwork and logical reasoning
  • Presenting and explaining their projects

Prizes

  • A certificate for every participant
  • Trophies and medals for winning teams in every division
  • Extra 1st-place prizes announced on the day

Tell us about your team

One form per team.

Your team
Your team members

Add 2 or 3 students, then choose one main contact.