AI Olympiad Prep
Build the Python, math and machine learning the AI exams test.
The USA Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (USAAIO) is the US route to the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI). Our self-paced course takes a student from Python basics to training and reading neural networks.
The course is self-paced, so a student works whenever it suits the family. The first module is free. Every problem in the course is written by us, and none is copied from a past contest.
The contest
A contest where students build and reason about models.
The USAAIO has two exams. USA-NA-AIO is the main contest for the United States and Canada. USA-J-AIO is a separate junior exam. Both lead toward Team USA at the IOAI.
The tested skills sit between coding, math and machine learning. A strong student can write Python, follow the math behind a model, and explain why a model behaves the way it does.
Who can enter
Who can enter
- The junior exam, USA-J-AIO, is for students in grade 8 or below who are under 16 on August 30, 2027.
- The main exam, USA-NA-AIO, is for the United States and Canada. Check usaaio.org for the current eligibility and citizenship rules before you register.
- Our course is written for students in grades 6 to 12 who are comfortable with algebra. It teaches the Python from the start.
The rounds
From Round 1 to Team USA
- 01
Round 1
A proctored exam taken on site.
- 02
Round 2
An in-person round. In 2026 it was held at Harvard and MIT in early April.
- 03
Summer camp and team selection
Top students are invited to a camp, and the team is chosen from the results.
- 04
The International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence
Team USA competes at the IOAI. The 2027 date and host are to be announced.
Dates
Key dates for 2027
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Main exam (USA-NA-AIO): registration closes | January 31, 2027 |
| Main exam (USA-NA-AIO): Round 1 | February 19, 2027, 12:00 to 3:00 pm ET |
| Junior exam (USA-J-AIO): registration closes | April 30, 2027 |
| Junior exam (USA-J-AIO): exam day | May 7, 2027 |
| Round 2 and later rounds | Date to be announced by the organizer |
| International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence | Date to be announced by the organizer |
Dates are from usaaio.org. We last checked on November 11, 2026. Dates can change, so confirm them on the official site before you register.
The course
What the course covers
Eight modules, taken in order or one at a time. Each one has:
- A lesson that teaches the idea from the ground up
- Worked examples, explained step by step
- A practice set with a full solution for every problem
The course ends with a timed mock exam. It is self-paced, the first module is free, and every problem is original.
- Module 1
Python for AI work
Variables, loops, functions and notebooks, written the way machine learning code is written.
- Module 2
Math for AI
Vectors, matrices and the idea of a derivative, with the intuition first.
- Module 3
Probability and statistics
Distributions, averages and spread, and how to reason about uncertain data.
- Module 4
Data and evaluation
Cleaning data, splitting it fairly, and telling a model that learns from one that memorizes.
- Module 5
Classic machine learning
Regression, classification, decision trees and nearest neighbors.
- Module 6
Neural networks from scratch
Neurons, layers, loss and gradients, built by hand before any library does it for you.
- Module 7
Deep learning with PyTorch
Tensors, training loops and the habits of a clean experiment.
- Module 8
Images and convolutional networks
How a network reads an image, and how to read the results it gives back.
Waitlist
Hear first when the free module opens.
We are building this course now. Join the list and we will email you once, when the free first module opens.
EduAvenues is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USA Artificial Intelligence Olympiad and the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence. Contest names belong to their organizers and appear here only to say which contest a student is preparing for.