Competition Details
Eligibility, rules and dates
Eligibility
Who can compete
- Open to high school students in grades 9–12 worldwide
- Compete in teams of 1–3 people
- No prior finance, coding or maths coursework required
- Free to enter, with no registration fee
- A teacher or mentor advisor is welcome but not required
Rules
Individual & team
- Teams are 1–3 people; solo entries count as a team of one
- Teams may span schools and countries
- One account per entry; no coordinating trades across entries
- Your strategy declaration is submitted in week one and cannot be rewritten after trading opens
- All work must be the participants' own, with sources cited
Platform
Where you trade
The full simulation runs on StockTrak, the official simulation platform of IQIC. Every participant gets institution-level trading infrastructure with access to a global variety of assets and markets: equities, ETFs, options, futures, bonds, FX and crypto across international exchanges. Registered participants receive account credentials and a practice window before trading opens.
About the platform →Important Dates
All times Eastern (EST)
- Registration opensEntries accepted through the online form
- Registration closesAll entries must be submitted by this deadline
- Strategy declaration beginsWrite up your thesis, rules, quantitative method and risk limits
- Strategy declaration endsStrategy declaration report due before trading opens
- Trading beginsLive simulated trading opens on StockTrak
- Trading endsPositions close at the final bell and judging begins
Prizes
Prizes TBD
First place
TBD
Cash prize, quant firm merchandise, IQIC merchandise and a champion certificate.
Second place
TBD
Cash prize, quant firm merchandise, IQIC merchandise and a certificate of distinction.
Third place
TBD
Cash prize, quant firm merchandise, IQIC merchandise and a certificate of distinction.
All participants
Included
Certificate of participation and written judge feedback on the strategy declaration.
Prize types
- Cash
- Quant firm merchandise
- Certificates
- IQIC merchandise
Specific awards to be announced.
FAQ
IQIC is open to high school students in grades 9–12 from countries around the world. Participants must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the official competition rules.
No. IQIC is completely free to enter.
Registration closes on October 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. We recommend registering early to ensure enough time to prepare for the competition.
IQIC begins with the Strategy Declaration Phase from October 26 to November 1, where participants turn in a strategy declaration report. It is followed by the Trading Phase from November 2 to November 20, where participants test their strategy in simulated markets.
Trading will take place through StockTrak, IQIC's official simulation platform. Registered participants will receive instructions for accessing the competition and setting up their accounts before trading begins.
Participants are evaluated on multiple factors, including quantitative metrics, the strategy declaration report and trading integrity. Full scoring criteria are available in the official competition rules.
Yes. Top-performing participants will receive prizes including cash, quant firm merchandise, certificates and IQIC merchandise. Specific awards are posted in the Prizes section above.
Yes. Teams may include students from different schools and countries. All team members must individually meet IQIC eligibility requirements.
Registration
How to enter
- 01Submit the entry formTeam name, members, school and country.
- 02Activate your platform accountStockTrak credentials arrive by email before the practice window.
- 03Attend the opening workshopRules briefing, strategy primer and live Q&A.