Contest Rules and Policies

• Use of generative AI (e.g., Copilot, ChatGPT, etc.) is strictly prohibited.

• You may not consult anyone about the contest problems except your team or the contest director.

• Do not share any code or technical information related to the contest with people outside your team while it is actively running.

  Coding Rules

• The USIOT environment is designed to mirror the International Informatics Olympiad in Teams (IIOT).

• All code must be written from scratch.

• The only resources you may use are those that describe the syntax or library functions of your programming language.

• You may not use pre-written code or templates.

• You may not consult online resources or documentation beyond what is allowed above.

• All IIOT rules must also be followed.

  System and Account Use

• Do not use multiple accounts or more than two computers.

• Do not submit any code that behaves maliciously toward the grading system (e.g., opening network connections, slowing down the machine, etc.).

  National Finals (Zoom Participation)

• If competing via Zoom, a 360º camera must be in the Zoom meeting and must be used as your computer’s webcam. One will be provided to you.

• You must share your screen at all times, and only the contest problems and your IDE may be open.

  Location Restrictions

• All team members must be from the same U.S. state

• Competitors may not compete in other countries' IIOT national qualifiers if you live in the U.S.

• Similarly, competitors may not compete in the USIOT if you do not live in the U.S.

  Team Composition and Eligibility

• Each team must consist of 4 students and may have up to 2 reserves for replacements if needed.

  • A team may not include:

    • More than one previous IIOT contestant who advanced to the international finals

    • More than one USACO Platinum-level participant

    • Any kind of student exchange between teams

    • Any participant over the age of 20 as of July 1, 2025

    • Any participant under the age of 13 (this only applies if the team qualifies for USIOT national finals, due to COPPA)

  • There is a maximum of two computers per team.

    - Do not cheat -

  Any violation of the rules above will result in a lifetime ban from all USIOT and IIOT activities. No exceptions.

  All interpretations of the rules by the USIOT contest director are final. All consequences are at the full discretion of the USIOT contest director. The USIOT contest director may block a competitor or team’s participation for any reason at any time. If you have any questions, please email director@usiot.net.

  Don’t cheat. There are no second chances.