Key Dates
- Registration deadline
- April 30, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
- Exam date and time
- Friday, May 7, 2027, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time. The competition consists of a single round.
- Proctors
- The exam must be taken onsite and proctored. Participants from anywhere in the world must take it at the same time.
Registration
- Complete the registration form.
- Find a proctor from your school, a university, a library, or a testing center.
Competition Details
Eligibility
- Be a full-time student in grade 8 or below.
- Be under 16 years old by August 30 of the competition year.
Registration
See registration instructions and arrange a proctor.
Topics covered
See the USA-J-AIO syllabus.
Schedule
The competition will be held on Friday, May 7, 2027. All times below are Eastern Time.
| Requirement | Single round |
|---|---|
| Required start window | 12:00–12:15 p.m. |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| System closes at | 1:15 p.m. sharp |
| No leaving before | 12:30 p.m. |
Your 60-minute timer begins when you start. The system closes at 1:15 p.m. for everyone.
Format
- The exam consists of 40 multiple-choice problems. Access the questions and submit answers at contest.usaaio.org.
- The maximum score is 300 points. A correct answer earns 7.5 points, an incorrect answer earns 0 points, and an unanswered question earns 1.5 points.
- App lockdown is enabled. Do not leave the contest app, switch to another app or website, or close and reopen the contest app.
- Leaving the app may trigger a temporary or permanent lock. Only your proctor can remove a temporary lock. Permanent locks cannot be removed.
Documents allowed during the competition
No reference documents are allowed.
Required software and computer setup
- Contest platform: Confirm that you can sign in to contest.usaaio.org before the competition.
- Lateran AI: Install and enable Lateran AI before the competition begins. Keep it running until the competition ends.
- OBS Studio: Install OBS Studio and record both your entire screen and your face throughout the exam. Make a test recording and play it back to verify that both are visible.
- One monitor only: Simultaneous use of multiple monitors is prohibited.
Restroom and departure policy
No restroom breaks are permitted. You may not leave before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Leaving during the exam ends your exam.
What to bring
- Your computer, set up to meet the software, recording, and single-monitor requirements above.
- Pens or pencils.
- Do not bring a cell phone, smartwatch, smart glasses, earbuds, or other electronic devices apart from your required computer.
- Do not bring rulers, compasses, or your own paper. Your proctor will provide blank paper for scratch work.
Sample problems
See the USA-J-AIO sample problems.
After the exam: Submit supplementary documents
Deadline: Before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, May 8, 2027 (the day after the exam).
- Sign in to contest.usaaio.org.
- Find the USA-J-AIO Supplementary Documents exam.
- Submit URLs for all required documents, including the URL or URLs for your OBS recording. Recordings may be hosted on YouTube, Google Drive, or Vimeo. Ensure your links are accessible to the competition reviewers.
Awards
- Distinguished Honor Roll
- High Honor Roll
- Honor Roll
Disqualification (Zero tolerance for cheating)
- One cheating incident, permanent ban: A student found to have cheated is permanently disqualified from the current competition cycle and all future competition cycles.
- If a disqualified student applies to an organization's educational program (such as a college, summer program, or scholarship opportunity) and the program requests information about the student's history with USAAIO, we will truthfully disclose the cheating behavior and the disqualification decision.
- All decisions are final.