Global Student Challenge 2026

These terms and conditions govern your participation in the Global Student Challenge 2026 (the “challenge”), sponsored by The MathWorks, Inc. (“MathWorks”), 3 Apple Hill Drive, Natick, Massachusetts 01760-2098.

How to Participate

• Register on the challenge web page.
• Choose a project from one of the challenge project categories listed on the challenge web page. If you are working on a relevant project that is not listed, you may contact MathWorks for guidance on whether the project is eligible for submission.
• Upload your solution into a GitHub repository:
  • Code and documentation (GitHub README / index.md) should be in English.
  • The documentation should clearly describe the project title, problem statement, solution approach, how MATLAB and Simulink as well as generative AI were used, repository structure, and key results.
• Create an original video that includes:
  • A short introduction to the problem or application you developed
  • A demonstration of how you used Simulink
  • A showcase of how you used Generative AI
    
• Upload your video to YouTube or BiliBili (China only). Include the tag #GlobalStudentChallenge2026 in the title of your video.
• Submit your entry on the challenge web page by March 5, 2027, by providing the link to your GitHub repository and the link to your video. 

Challenge Rules

• You must currently be an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at a degree-granting institution.
• Participants may work individually or in teams. If entering as a team, each team should designate only one representative per entry who will receive the prize should that team win.
• MathWorks employees are not eligible to participate.
• Participants are required to submit a solution to a project from one of the challenge project categories listed on the challenge web page: Autonomous Vehicles, Robotics, Drones, Sustainability and Renewable Energy, or Wireless Communication. If you are working on a relevant project that is not listed, you may contact MathWorks for guidance on whether the project is eligible for submission.
• The video submitted may be in English or in a local language, provided that captions are included. The recommended length for the video is 3 to 5 minutes. Videos longer than 6 minutes will not be judged. 
• Submissions must be received by March 5, 2027.
• Teams can enter, but each team should designate only one representative per entry who will receive the prize should that team win.
• Participation is free, and no purchase is required.

Judging

All entries will be judged by MathWorks application support engineers on a 100-point scale using these criteria: 

• Depth of the solution (20-point maximum)
• Real-world applicability (15-point maximum)
• Novelty (15-point maximum)
• Quality of the code, models, and documentation (15-point maximum)
• Generative AI usage (20-point maximum)
• Creativity and originality of the video (15-point maximum)

If two or more entries receive the same winning score, the tiebreaker will be decided first based on the highest score in the depth of the solution category, then the real-world applicability category, and then the novelty category.

The top winners will be notified via email and announced on the challenge page(s). The winners will receive prizes as follows:

• Global Winner – 1st Place: $2,000 (USD)
• Global Winner – 2nd Place: $1,500 (USD)
• Regional Award – APAC: $500 (USD)
• Regional Award – AMER: $500 (USD)
• Regional Award – EMEA: $500 (USD)

Decisions by the judges are final.

The names of the winning teams and their team members, along with their affiliation, may be announced on the websites and/or via the social media accounts (which may include without limitation Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn) of MathWorks and/or its affiliates.

General

One team member may submit the registration form on behalf of the team. By doing so, such team member represents and warrants that they have been authorized by each of their other team members to agree to these challenge terms and conditions, including without limitation any rights granted to MathWorks and any obligations required to be undertaken on their behalf. No more than one prize will be awarded per team and the team member who submits the registration form on behalf of the team is responsible for distributing the prize, if applicable, among other team members as appropriate.

MathWorks reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify or terminate this challenge for any reason, including in the event of any act or occurrence that it believes would corrupt the integrity, administration, or fairness of the challenge. MathWorks is not responsible for lost, late, stolen, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, undelivered, delayed, or misdirected entries. By participating in the challenge, you agree to release, discharge, and hold harmless MathWorks, its respective affiliates, and any individuals engaged in the development or execution of this challenge from any liability, claims, losses, and damages arising out of or related to your participation in this challenge or the acceptance, use, misuse, or possession of any prize received in this challenge. All taxes, fees, and surcharges on the prizes won are the sole responsibility of the winner(s).

MathWorks collects personal information from you when you enter the challenge. The information collected is subject to the MathWorks Privacy Policy. Should you be selected as a winner, you hereby authorize MathWorks to identify you as the winner of the contest on websites owned by or affiliated with MathWorks and/or its affiliates, as well as certain third-party websites and/or applications.

You will continue to own any applicable intellectual property rights in your submissions, but by entering a submission, you grant to MathWorks a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to, without limitation, post the textual descriptions of the submissions on any website owned by or affiliated with MathWorks and/or its affiliates. Once you enter a submission, the submission cannot be modified in any way until after the judging period is complete.

You also agree to provide your submission directly to MathWorks, and grant to MathWorks a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, copy, modify, distribute, and license others to use, copy, modify, and distribute your submission, or any portion thereof, for any and all MathWorks promotional purposes, on any and all media, in any and all formats, and via any and all modes of transmission, distribution, or dissemination, whether now known or hereafter developed. Nothing herein shall obligate MathWorks to exercise these rights. You hereby waive any right of inspection or approval of the uses to which the submission may be put. 

You warrant and represent that: (1) you are eighteen (18) years of age or older; (2) you have complied with all applicable terms, conditions, and guidelines of GitHub and any other relevant third-party site, applications, tools, services, or code sources, as may be relevant, regarding your submission including without limitation the creation, use, and hosting of same; (3) you have the full right, power, and authority to grant these rights and permissions; and (4) your submission is a) original; b) solely owned by you so that no other party has any rights or interest in the submission, whether known or unknown; and c) does not violate the intellectual property, common law, or any other rights of any third parties. MathWorks disclaims any and all liability arising out of or related to your submission. You agree that these terms constitute the entire agreement between you and MathWorks and supersede all prior communications and/or understandings, whether written or oral, pertaining hereto.

You agree that these terms will be governed by and construed under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. You hereby consent and agree to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal and state courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in connection with any lawsuit, action, or proceeding arising out of or related to these terms and/or the contest. This contest is void where prohibited. Proof of purchase is not required, and purchase will not improve your chances of winning.