The theme for this year's Premier's Coding Challenge is Online Safety QLD.
Innovating for a safer digital future
Queensland has a proud history of world-class innovation. From
Professor Peter Doherty, Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine, to Ray Ashdown, inventor of the
pineapple peeler, Queenslanders have long used creativity, science and technology to solve real-world problems.
Over the past 10 years, more than 3,000 Queensland students have created innovative digital solutions as part of the Premier’s Coding Challenge—proving that young people can lead the way in shaping Queensland’s digital future.
Today, Queensland is also investing in emerging technologies, including quantum and other advanced technologies, that will help protect information, improve online security and solve complex problems. These technologies are shaping how we keep data safe, communicate securely and build trust online.
As a young Queenslander, your voice matters. You understand the digital world you live in and your ideas have the power to create real change. By taking part in this year’s challenge, you can help make Queensland a place where people feel safe, confident and protected online.
The Online Safety QLD theme challenges students to design digital solutions that help people:
- stay safe online
- protect their personal information and privacy
- recognise and respond to online risks
- build positive, respectful digital communities.
This theme supports schools to familiarise themselves with the revised Australian Curriculum—Digital Technologies, with a focus on the
privacy and security sub-strand.
It also connects directly to the
Online Safety Curriculum Connection, helping teachers link classroom learning with real-world digital issues.
When creating your digital solution, remember to provide tips and links to further information. Your solution could be an app, game or website and should be visually appealing and informative.
Primary (Years 3–6) entrants will submit:
- an interactive digital solution (game, app or website) that creates change and provides links for users to access more information
- a video explanation of your digital solution.
Secondary (Years 7–10) entrants will submit:
- an innovative digital solution (app, game or website) that could be developed into a fully functional application and provide links for users to access more information
- a video evaluation of your digital solution.
Entries will be assessed against a
set of criteria by a panel of official judges.
How to enter
Students can enter as individuals or in pairs.
Entries must be produced using software that is either free or free for educational purposes.
A valid coding challenge entry must have 2 components:
- A digital solution to the challenge. You must submit your code online via the submission portal and in accordance with the official rules and instructions.
- Scratch—upload the SB3 file for your prototype.
- MakeCode Arcade—upload the PNG file or provide a link in a notepad file
- Text-based code (e.g. Python or JavaScript)—submit as a text file.
- HTML entries—submit one zipped folder containing all folders, pages, and images. Hot-linked images will not be accepted.
- All other entries—submit your code so it may be easily compiled by the panel of judges, including specifying the language or application used when creating your digital solution. If your solution is hosted online—provide a link in a text file.
- A video of no more than 90 seconds explaining or evaluating your digital solution.
- Keep a high-resolution version of the video that can be used if selected as a winner.
- Recommended format for video files are: MPG, AVI, MOV and MP4.
Categories
All Queensland students in Year 3 to Year 10 can enter in 1 of 8 categories.
Primary—interactive game, app, or website:
- Years 3 and 4—MakeCode Arcade or Scratch
- Years 3 and 4—open platform
- Years 5 and 6—MakeCode Arcade or Scratch
- Years 5 and 6—open platform
Secondary—innovative game, app or website:
- Years 7 and 8—Python/HTML
- Years 7 and 8—open platform
- Years 9 and 10—Python/HTML
- Years 9 and 10—open platform
Selection criteria and official rules
Prizes
All participating students will receive a certificate signed by the Premier and Minister for Education. Winners will share in $15,000 worth of robotics prizes, attend an awards ceremony and connect with tech experts to explore future pathways.
Travel and accommodation will be covered for all winning students, their parent/carer and a school representative from outside the South East region to attend the awards ceremony.
Promoting the challenge
We encourage you to use this
2026 Premier’s Coding Challenger poster to help promote the challenge within your school.
Feel free to watch the video below to hear from staff and students at Springfield Central State School and Ripley Valley Secondary College as they share their experiences.
You can also explore a selection of inspiring videos from
previous winners. This collection showcases entries across all categories and age groups, from Year 3 to Year 10.