Season 6 · Registrations open
Code Battle 2026
The UAE’s student hackathon is back with a new format: four divisions, an online eliminator round, and a live Grand Finale at Heriot-Watt University Dubai. Free for schools.
11–15 Nov
Online EliminatorsNEW
21 Nov
Grand Finale
Heriot-Watt
University Dubai
4
DivisionsNEW
Free
For schools
NEW FOR SEASON 6
Two big changes for Season 6
More students get to compete, and every team competes against students their own age.
NEW FOR SEASON 6
Online eliminators
Every registered team now competes online first, from school or home. The best projects in each division win a place at the in-person Grand Finale.
11 Nov
Themes revealed at the launch webinar
5 days
Build from school or home
15 Nov
Submit by 11:59 PM
17 Nov
Finalists announced
NEW FOR SEASON 6
4 divisions, up from 3
Grades are split more finely, so every team competes against students of a similar age. There’s a brand-new General division for Grades 9–12.
Cadet
Grades 1–2
Captain
Grades 3–5
Colonel
Grades 6–8
General NEW
Grades 9–12
Unlimited teams per school
Enter as many teams as you like. There’s no cap per school or per division, and it’s free.
How Season 6 works
Two stages, one champion per division. Every registered team takes part in the online eliminator, and the best projects in each division earn a place at the in-person Grand Finale.
Stage 1 · Online
Online Eliminator
11–15 November · Build from school or home
1
Themes revealed at the launch webinar
11 November. Webinar time to be confirmed and shared with registered schools.
2
Build for 5 days
Teams design and code a project on the theme.
3
Submit online
The deadline is 11:59 PM on 15 November. Late entries can’t be accepted.
4
Finalists announced
17 November. The top teams in each division qualify for the Grand Finale.
Stage 2 · In person
Grand Finale
Saturday 21 November · Heriot-Watt University Dubai
5
Present live to the judges
Finalist teams demo their project and explain how they built it to a panel of industry judges.
6
Q&A with the panel
Judges ask about the team’s ideas, code and design choices.
7
Awards ceremony
Winners are announced and celebrated in each of the four divisions.
In short: register by 10 November, build your project online from 11 to 15 November, and if your team is selected, present it live at Heriot-Watt University Dubai on 21 November.
Key dates
All times are UAE time (GST). The highlighted step shows where we are now.
19 Oct – 10 Nov
Happening now
Registrations open
Schools register as many teams as they like. Registration closes on 10 November.
11 Nov
Happening now
Themes unveiled at the launch webinar
The online eliminator begins. Webinar time to be confirmed.
11 – 15 Nov
Happening now
Build & submit online
Submissions close at 11:59 PM on 15 November.
17 Nov
Happening now
Finalists announced
The top teams in each division are invited to the Grand Finale.
Sat 21 Nov
Happening now
Grand Finale at Heriot-Watt University Dubai
Finalists present live to the judges, followed by the awards ceremony.
Hackathon divisions by grade
Compete in the division that matches your grade level. This season there are four.
Entry at a glance
Free
No entry fee for schools or students
2–3
Students per team
Unlimited
Teams per school
Grades 1–12
Across four divisions
Grand Finale venue
Heriot-Watt University Dubai
Our Season 6 partner hosts the Grand Finale on Saturday, 21 November 2026, where finalist teams from across the UAE present live on campus. Timings will be shared with finalists.
Code Battle 2026: questions from schools
How much does it cost to take part?
Nothing. Code Battle is free for schools and students, including the online eliminator and the Grand Finale.
How many teams can our school enter?
As many as you like. There’s no limit per school or per division this season.
How big is a team?
Teams have 2–3 students, the same as previous seasons.
Does every team come to Heriot-Watt University Dubai?
No. Every registered team competes in the online eliminator from 11 to 15 November. The top teams in each division are announced on 17 November and invited to the in-person Grand Finale on 21 November.
When is the launch webinar?
The webinar is on 11 November, when the themes are unveiled. The exact time is still being confirmed and will be shared with all registered schools.
What’s the submission deadline?
Projects must be submitted online by 11:59 PM (UAE time) on 15 November. Submission details will be shared with registered schools.
Which coding platforms can students use?
Cadet (Grades 1–2) and Captain (Grades 3–5) teams use block-based coding on Bloqi.ai. Colonel (Grades 6–8) teams can use text-based or block-based coding. General (Grades 9–12) teams must use text-based coding.
What happens at the Grand Finale?
Finalist teams present their projects live to a panel of industry judges, answer their questions, and winners are announced in each division.
Ready for the Next Battle?
Registrations close on 10 November. Get your school’s teams signed up today. It’s free.