American Computer Science League (ACSL)

ACSL is an international K-12 computer science competition organized by the American Computer Science League, consisting of four online contests and a Finals, testing programming and theoretical CS topics across multiple skill divisions with thousands of global participants.

The American Computer Science League (ACSL) is a well-established international computer science competition for K-12 students, organized by the American Computer Science League since 1978. It features multiple divisions tailored to different age and skill levels and tests students on core computer science concepts including algorithms, data structures, programming in languages like Python, C++, and Java, digital electronics, and computer organization. The competition fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills through four regular online contest rounds plus a Finals event.

Competition Details

Judging Criteria

Each contest consists of a written and a programming section, each scored separately with a total of up to 10 points (5 points each). Team scores are calculated as the sum of the top 3 or top 5 individual scores from team members per contest. Student and team cumulative scores from all four contests determine regular season rankings. The top scoring students are invited to participate in an invitation-only Finals contest held online. Awards and certificates are given based on cumulative scores at state, national, and international levels. The Finals contest consists of a standardized timed online test where all participants compete simultaneously.