ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® is asking members to help encourage licensed youth in their communities to participate in the ARRL Student Coding Competition, an initiative focused on developing practical resources for the Amateur Radio Service. The competition, which began January 1, 2026, challenges young amateurs to create a mobile application that ARRL will use as a long-term learning resource. Rules and App Specifications (PDF) were released on January 1 and are available at coding.arrl.org.
The competition centers on building a useful, accessible FCC exam preparation app for iOS devices. The app must support Technician, General, and Extra Class license exams and use the official NCVEC question pools. Judging will focus on usability, clarity, stability, and code quality — qualities that ensure the finished product can serve as a dependable study resource for current and future radio amateurs.
Eligibility is limited to ARRL members aged 21 or younger who hold a US amateur radio license, competing individually or in teams of up to three. ARRL membership is free for full-time students, making participation accessible to students already active in amateur radio and those newly licensed. Parents, educators, and ARRL members involved in radio clubs, VE teams, and youth outreach are encouraged to share this opportunity with students who have an interest in software development or STEM learning.
Project submissions will be accepted between February 1 and March 31, 2026, with source code and documentation submitted online. Winning entries will receive national recognition, with total awards of up to $25,000 authorized by the ARRL Board of Directors. While pre-registration is optional, it is recommended to receive competition updates and reminders. Complete information is available at coding.arrl.org.