The 2026 UK Bebras Challenge will run from 9th–20th November 2026

Aim of the challenge

The UK Bebras Challenge exists to promote and build computational thinking — the set of problem-solving skills that underpins computing, but that students use well beyond it. Every task is built around one or more of these skills:

  • Decomposition
  • Pattern recognition
  • Abstraction
  • Algorithms
  • Logical reasoning
  • Debugging
  • Evaluation
  • Generalisation

Because the tasks test thinking rather than prior knowledge, students do not need to have studied computing to take part and do well.

Students have 45 minutes. There is no expectation that anyone answers every question — the tasks are designed to stretch, and it is rare for a student to finish them all. Students are encouraged to attempt as many as they can, and to move on when they get stuck rather than spending the whole time on one problem.

Try past challenge questions

Example task: 2024-Juniors  Online class
A grid of nine video call windows, each showing a student sitting at a computer in front of the same long desk.

Ava’s friends are sitting next to each other in a row, but at different computers. This is how Ava sees them on screen. Order Ava’s friends to show how they are seated in the row.

Age groups

The UK Bebras Challenge is available for the following age groups:

Challenge Group Suggested age group England & Wales (year group) Northern Ireland (year group) Scotland
*Kits 6—8 2 and 3 3 and 4 P2 and P3
*Castors 8—10 4 and 5 5 and 6 P4 and P5
Juniors 10—12 6 and 7 7 and 8 P6 and P7
Intermediates 12—14 8 and 9 9 and 10 S1 and S2
Seniors 14—16 10 and 11 11 and 12 S3 and S4
Elites 16—19 12 and 13 13 and 14 S5 and S6
SSI 11—19 7 and 13 8 and 14 P7 and S6

* Kits and Castors can enter individually or as a small team (up to 3)

Rules

  • Students may not use websites or reference materials to help them solve the tasks.
  • Students may use a pencil, paper and a calculator during the challenge.
  • Students must work independently, unless they are entering as a Kits or Castors team.
  • Students must not discuss the tasks or how they solved them until the end of the Bebras Challenge fortnight.

Question difficulty and scoring

Category A tasks are the least challenging and category C tasks the most.

Difficulty Correct Incorrect Unanswered
A +6 points 0 points 0 points
B +9 points -2 points 0 points
C +12 points -4 points 0 points

Incorrect answers are penalised to discourage random guessing. An unanswered task never costs points, so students who are unsure are better off leaving a task blank than guessing.

Achievements 

Student achievements

Every student who takes part receives a certificate. Certificates recognise achievement in two ways: within a student’s own school, and nationally across all UK entrants.

Students are only ever compared with others in the same challenge group, so a Year 7 student is never measured against a sixth former.

Achievement Criteria
Gold Awarded to the top 10% of participants nationally in each challenge group.
Best in school Awarded for the best score in each challenge group in a school.
Distinction Awarded to the top 25% in each challenge group, based on performance within the school.
Merit Awarded to the next 25% in each challenge group, based on performance within the school.
Participation Awarded to the remaining 50% in each challenge group, based on performance within the school.

 

Want to see how students across the UK performed? Explore the UK Bebras Challenge statistics.

 

Share your success

We’d love to see how your school is celebrating. Share your acheivements on social media and tell us how your students got on in this year’s UK Bebras Challenge.

Don’t forget to tag us so we can celebrate with you: (@Raspberry Pi Foundation)