Kingdom of Bahrain · National selection for IOAI 2027
Bahrain National AI Olympiad
A free competition open to every school student in Bahrain. It selects the four students who will represent the Kingdom at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence in Singapore, 4–10 July 2027.
Registration is open. The National AI Olympiad takes place in January 2027.
Bar lengths are proportional. Participation targets may change as registrations come in.
About the Olympiad
The world's school olympiad in artificial intelligence
The International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) is the international science olympiad for AI. Secondary school students from around the world solve problems in machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing, and compete as individuals.
Each country sends a team chosen through a fair national competition. In Bahrain, that competition is the Bahrain National AI Olympiad, run by Kerne Youth as the organisation accredited by the IOAI Board for the Kingdom.
Our aim goes beyond selecting four students. Every round is designed to teach, so that every participant leaves understanding AI better than when they started.
- 2024Burgas, Bulgaria1st edition
- 2025Beijing, China2nd edition
- 2026Astana, Kazakhstan3rd edition
- 2027SingaporeBahrain's target
IOAI 2027 is hosted by AI Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, 4–10 July 2027.
Who can enter
If you're at school in Bahrain, you can take part
These rules follow the IOAI Regulations for contestants. You do not need to be chosen by your school, and you do not need any prior AI or coding experience for the first round.
Studying in Bahrain
You receive your education in Bahrain, at a government, private or international school, or you are home-schooled here.
20 or younger
You are aged 20 or under on 1 July 2027.
Still in school
You are enrolled full-time in primary or secondary education on or after 1 December 2026. Home-schooled students must be working toward a secondary diploma they have not yet received.
Entry is free at every stage
No student pays to enter the qualifier, the National Olympiad or the National Final. Following IOAI rules, no institution or person may profit from any stage of the selection process.
How selection works
Four stages, from an open online round to the national team
Early rounds are open and designed to teach. Later rounds become selective and prepare students for international competition. The stages follow the IOAI national olympiad model: Ignite, Orient, Advance and Immerse.
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Stage 01
500students
Open National Qualifier
Online · from school or home- Foundational reasoning and AI concepts
- No coding required
- Target: 30–50 schools taking part
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Stage 02
100students
Bahrain National AI Olympiad
In person · January 2027- Programming
- Data and AI problem solving
- Practical, hands-on tasks
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Stage 03
20finalists
National Final
In person- Advanced assessment modelled on IOAI tasks
- Competition readiness
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Stage 04
4team members
Bahrain National Team
Training to July 2027- Team preparation with mentors
- Represent Bahrain at IOAI 2027, Singapore
Student numbers are targets and may be adjusted with schools and partners. Places at each stage are decided only by results in the previous stage.
What we look for
Potential matters as much as prior exposure
We want students who think deeply, learn quickly and can solve problems they have not seen before. The rounds test:
Timeline
The road to Singapore
IOAI dates are fixed by the international organisers. National dates are planned around them and will be confirmed on this page.
- Open nowRegistrationStudents and schools register below. Registration closes before Stage 1 begins.Open
- Nov – Dec 2026Stage 1 · Open National QualifierOnline round open to all eligible students.Planned · dates to be confirmed
- January 2027Stage 2 · Bahrain National AI OlympiadIn-person competition for the top qualifiers. The national selection event.Confirmed month · exact date to follow
- Feb – Mar 2027Stage 3 · National FinalThe top 20 sit an advanced assessment. IOAI requires all national rounds to finish by 1 April 2027.Planned · dates to be confirmed
- By 15 Apr 2027Stage 4 · National team confirmedFour students named to represent Bahrain.IOAI deadline
- 4 – 10 Jul 2027IOAI 2027, SingaporeBahrain competes at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence.IOAI fixed
One last step: send your registration
Your registration is complete once we receive it. Send it on WhatsApp, or copy it into an email to itskerne@kerne.me.
Fair selection
A transparent process, decided on merit
An independent academic and technical committee sets and marks the rounds. The national team is chosen by results alone.
Get involved
For schools, universities and partners
The national pathway reaches further when schools, academia and industry take part. Beyond the four team members, strong performers join a talent pool for mentoring and future competitions.
Schools
- Name a teacher as olympiad coordinator
- Share the qualifier with all eligible students
- Host the online round in a computer lab if students need devices
Universities
- Contribute experts to the academic committee
- Judge and mentor finalists
- Offer venues for in-person rounds
Industry partners
- Fund team preparation and travel to Singapore
- Provide computing resources and technology
- Help keep entry free for every student
Questions
Frequently asked
Does it cost anything to take part?
No. Entry to every stage of the national selection is free.
Do I need to know how to code?
Not for the first round. Stage 1 tests reasoning and basic AI concepts. Programming becomes important from Stage 2, and the free resources above are a good place to start learning.
My school isn't registered. Can I still enter?
Yes. Schools help us reach students, but any eligible student can register on their own using the form above.
Do I need to attend a training course to be selected?
No. Selection depends only on your results in the official rounds. Paid courses are never required and give no advantage.
How is the national team chosen?
The four highest-performing students in the National Final, as assessed by the academic and technical committee, form the Bahrain National Team for IOAI 2027.
What happens if I'm not selected?
Strong performers are invited to stay involved through mentoring, future competitions and next year's olympiad. Many students who reach later rounds will still be eligible for IOAI 2028.
Contact
Questions about the national selection?
Students, parents and schools can contact the national organiser directly.