#Japan #Tokyo #Programming #AtCoder #Junior League

AtCoder Junior League 2025 Winter: Winners Announced

AtCoder Inc., based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, has officially revealed the winning schools and participants of the AtCoder Junior League 2025 Winter competition, a prominent programming contest tailored for middle and high school students in Japan. With a significant number of 598 participants from 168 high schools and 63 middle schools, the competition ran from October 2025 to March 2026.

What is AtCoder Junior League?

The AtCoder Junior League is an annual school-based programming contest organized by AtCoder. It is divided into two main categories: the algorithm division, based on performance in the AtCoder Beginner Contest (ABC), AtCoder Regular Contest (ARC), and AtCoder Grand Contest (AGC), and the heuristic division, determined by performance in the AtCoder Heuristic Contest (AHC). This structure encourages schools to compete fairly and motivates their students to enhance their programming skills.

The Competition Details

The recent AtCoder Junior League 2025 Winter saw participation from 63 middle schools with 147 students and 168 high schools with 451 students registered. The competition aimed to promote programming culture among students nationwide while fostering interactions similar to club activities.

In the algorithm division, the top 20 schools and the top 20 students from each grade level received awards, while the heuristic division recognized the top 10 schools and students. AtCoder will present certificates and commemorative gifts to all winners, celebrating their achievements.

Winners’ Insights

Participants shared their experiences, reflecting on the excitement of competing with their peers. An individual user identified as `kirameku` expressed joy over their ranking and enthusiasm for future competitions, despite placing lower than their peers. Another participant, `econan`, was thrilled to receive a school award and aims to improve in the next Junior League.

Comments like these embody the competitive yet supportive atmosphere that AtCoder cultivates through its program. Another participant, `imoken_p`, shared their satisfaction at achieving their goal of first place, underscoring the intense dedication and passion required to excel at this level.

Rules and Eligibility

To participate, students must be enrolled as first or second-year students in middle schools, high schools, or vocational schools registered with the Japanese Ministry of Education by October 2025. Scoring depends on individual performances in AtCoder contests, summing up the scores from all registered participants at each school to determine the school score.

Ongoing Competitions

Furthermore, the AtCoder Junior League 2026 Summer is currently underway, welcoming new participants to engage in this spirited and challenging environment. More details can be found on their competition page.

About AtCoder Inc.

AtCoder is the largest competitive programming contest website in Japan, with over 900,000 registered users, including approximately 345,000 from Japan alone. It hosts weekly contests attracting around 11,000 participants. Beyond competitions, AtCoder also provides services like AtCoderJobs for job support and career development, as well as skills assessments through their programming examination services.

Through initiatives like the Junior League, AtCoder continues to make significant contributions to cultivating interest in programming among youth, shaping the next generation of talented developers in Japan.