picoCTF (CyLab Security Academy)

Carnegie Mellon's free capture-the-flag program where players solve jeopardy-style puzzles by reverse engineering, hacking, and decrypting to find hidden flags. Teams of up to five enter the annual competition, and picoGym practice is open year-round.

Offered by Carnegie Mellon. Competition for high school students in Worldwide. Format: Online. Cost: Free. Grades 9–12. Deadline: rolling or not yet announced.

Fields: Computer Science

Key facts

Who can apply: High school students in grades 9 to 12. It runs online.
Cost: Free to take part.
Dates: No date is posted for the 2026-27 cycle yet. Check the official page for when applications open.

Info checked October 2026.

Questions about picoCTF (CyLab Security Academy)

When is the picoCTF (CyLab Security Academy) deadline?

No date is posted for the 2026-27 cycle yet. Check the official page for when applications open.

Is picoCTF (CyLab Security Academy) free?

Yes. picoCTF (CyLab Security Academy) is free to take part in.

Who can apply to picoCTF (CyLab Security Academy)?

High school students in grades 9 to 12. It runs online. Age, residency and citizenship rules are on the official page.

Official program page

More academic competitions for high school students