Code Battle Season 6 · Registrations open until 10 Nov · Grand Finale 21 Nov at Heriot-Watt Dubai Season 6 · Registrations close 10 Nov Register now →
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Season 6 · Registrations now open

Code Battle 2026: Season 6 is here

The UAE’s student hackathon for Grades 1–12 is back with a new format: online eliminators from 11–15 November, then a live Grand Finale at Heriot-Watt University Dubai on 21 November. Free for schools, with unlimited teams.

5+

Seasons

1,000+

Students Trained

100+

Schools Engaged

500+

Projects Built

NEW FOR SEASON 6

What’s new in Code Battle 2026

Two big changes this season. Registration is free and open until 10 November.

NEW FOR SEASON 6

Online eliminators

Every registered team now competes online first. The best projects in each division go through to the live Grand Finale.

Themes revealed at a launch webinar

5 days to build, from school or home

Top teams in each division reach the Grand Finale

NEW FOR SEASON 6

4 divisions, up from 3

Grades are split more finely, so every team competes against students of a similar age.

Cadet

Grades 1–2

Captain

Grades 3–5

Colonel

Grades 6–8

General NEW

Grades 9–12

By 10 Nov

Register your teams

11 Nov

Themes revealed

11–15 Nov

Build & submit online

17 Nov

Finalists announced

21 Nov

Grand Finale at Heriot-Watt

What is Code Battle?

Code Battle is the UAE’s leading student hackathon and inter-school coding competition, created and run by iCodejr in Dubai since 2021. From Season 6, every team starts with an online eliminator: themes are revealed at a launch webinar and teams have five days to build a project with block or text-based coding. The top teams in each division then present live to industry judges at the Grand Finale. It inspires creativity, teamwork, real-world problem-solving and next-generation tech skills.

Want a hackathon for your own school, company or event? See Hackathon as a Service.

Algorithm Challenges

Open to Grades 1–12

Block or text-based coding

Team-based challenge

Online eliminator + live finale

Judged by industry experts

Hackathon divisions by grade

Season 6 has four divisions. Compete in the one that matches your grade level

Cadet Division

Grades 1–2
Block-based coding on Bloqi.ai.

Captain Division

Grades 3–5
Block-based coding on Bloqi.ai.

Colonel Division

Grades 6–8
Block or text-based coding.

General Division · New

Grades 9–12
Text-based coding only.

How Season 6 works

1

Schools Register Teams

Register by 10 November. Enter as many teams as you like

2

Themes Unveiled Online

Themes revealed at the launch webinar on 11 November

3

Build for 5 Days

Teams build from school or home and submit by 11:59 PM on 15 November

4

Finalists Announced

The top teams in each division are announced on 17 November

5

Grand Finale

Finalists present live to industry judges at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, then Q&A

6

Awards Ceremony

Winners announced and celebrated on 21 November

Code Battle through the seasons

A journey of growth and innovation

Season 6

2026

Season 5

2025

Season 4

2024

Season 3

2023

Season 2

2022

Hall of Fame

Celebrating our champions from past years

Team Alpha

Dubai College

2025

Colonel

Robokatz

Delhi Private School, Ajman

2025

Captain

Team Codezilla

GEMS Millennium School, Sharjah

2025

Cadet

Logic Legends

Gems Winchester School Dubai

2024

Colonel

GFS Tech Titans

GEMS Founders School

2024

Captain

Tech Titans

GEMS Modern Academy Dubai

2024

Cadet

Gem Group

Al Mawakeb School Al Garhoud

2023

Colonel

Decorous

The Indian International School, DSO

2023

Captain

Collision Coders

Winchester School, Jebel Ali

2023

Cadet

Delhi Private School

Sharjah · Sharjah chapter winner

2022

Colonel

Leaders Private School

Sharjah · Sharjah chapter winner

2022

Captain

GEMS Millennium School

Sharjah · Sharjah chapter winner

2022

Cadet

Schools That Battle With Us

100+ schools have participated in Code Battle across seasons

Trusted by UAE’s Leading Schools

Judging Criteria

How projects are evaluated by our industry judges

Scoring Parameters (2025)

Creativity · 20%
UI/UX · 20%
Code Quality · 25%
Teamwork · 20%
Presentation · 15%

Additional Considerations

AI usage evaluation

Recycled code disclosure

Grade-level leniency

Photo & Video Gallery

Relive the moments from Code Battle 2025

Media & Press Coverage

Code Battle in the news

Sponsors & Partners

Welcome to Heriot-Watt University Dubai, our Season 6 partner, and thank you to the sponsors who made Code Battle 2025 possible

Season 6 Venue Partner

Heriot-Watt University

Dubai campus · Grand Finale 21 Nov 2026

Title Sponsors

iCodejr logo, organiser of Code Battle

iCodejr

Venue Sponsors

DTEC (Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus) logo, Code Battle partner

DTEC

UAE Innovates logo, Code Battle partner

UAE Innovates

42 Abu Dhabi logo, Code Battle partner

42 Abu Dhabi

Sheraa logo, Code Battle partner

UAE Innovates

Category Sponsors

UniHawk logo, Code Battle partner

UniHawk (Gr 9-12)

Noon logo, Code Battle partner

Noon

Color Land Toys logo, Code Battle partner

Color Land Toys

BITS Pilani logo, Code Battle partner

BITS Pilani

Skill Hub logo, Code Battle partner

Skill Hub

Blix logo, Code Battle partner

Blix

Why Code Battle Matters

Building tomorrow’s innovators today

Real-World STEM Skills

Builds practical coding and technical abilities

Creativity & Logic

Encourages creative problem-solving approaches

Teamwork

Promotes collaboration and communication

Industry Exposure

Connect with judges from leading companies

School Engagement

Strengthens STEM programs across UAE schools

Future Innovators

Inspires the next generation of tech leaders

What teachers say about Code Battle

Teachers who brought their students to the Code Battle Sharjah & Northern Emirates chapter in 2022.

Code Battle by iCodeJr is a valuable initiative that gives young learners an opportunity to develop their coding and problem-solving skills in a fun and inspiring environment. I would highly recommend experiences like this for students who are interested in technology and innovation.
Vivek CheroorTeacher, GEMS Millennium School, Sharjah
Code Battle was much more than a coding competition. It encouraged students to communicate, collaborate, share ideas, and work together towards a common goal — skills that will benefit them far beyond the classroom.
Aditi YadavTeacher, Delhi Private School Sharjah
Code Battle is a great initiative for developing the skills students will need for the future. It encourages logical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, and confidence with technology in a very engaging format.
Rachel ThomasTeacher, Progressive English School, Sharjah
Participating in Code Battle was a memorable experience for our students. It gave them the chance to challenge themselves, learn from others, and experience the excitement of building something through code.
Ruairi TubridTeacher, Victoria International School of Sharjah
Code Battle was a fantastic opportunity for students to put their coding skills into practice in an exciting and challenging environment. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm, creativity, and determination throughout the hackathon.
Ms AsmaTeacher, Al Mawahib British Private School
Code Battle encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones and take on new challenges. Watching them troubleshoot, improve their ideas, and keep going when things didn’t work immediately was a valuable learning experience.
Shirali GandhiTeacher, Leaders Private School

Ready for the Next Battle?

Season 6 registrations close on 10 November. Join Code Battle 2026!