IT SKILLS STANDARD — Certification in Algorithmic Thinking and Programming

🧑‍💻 IT SKILLS STANDARD is a certification in algorithmic thinking and programming, part of the University Cup project (UCUP-2025) by Kharkiv IT Cluster and the Q-BIT Youth Scientific Society.

Participants work on real-life tasks covering key topics in modern IT, and the results are validated with a certification of the corresponding level.

In a time when technology is transforming the job market and artificial intelligence is becoming an everyday tool, it is essential not just to use ready-made solutions, but to understand how they work. Algorithmic literacy is not only a skill but a key to a successful career start.

📌 What should first-time participants know?

The IT SKILLS STANDARD certification:

• Takes the form of an online exam
• Lasts from 45 to 120 minutes, depending on the level
• Includes 4-5 tasks that need to be solved by writing program code
• Is graded per task, with a maximum score of 100 per task
• Supports popular programming languages: Python, C, C++, C#, Java, Rust, Go, Pascal, Kotlin, Scala

All tasks are submitted through the DOTS platform (an automated testing system), where you send your code solution and immediately receive the results.

📌 Who can participate?

The IT SKILLS STANDARD certification is open to everyone — students, high school seniors, young professionals, and beginners in programming. Participation is free, and you don’t need to be an expert!

📌 What levels are there?

• L0 (Beginner) — basic tasks on input/output and basic math
• L1 (Pre-Intermediate) — basics of conditions, loops, simple algorithms
• L2 (Intermediate) — arrays, functions, string manipulation
• L3 (Advanced) — advanced topics: graphs, dynamics, number theory, geometry, string processing

📌 What certificates can be obtained?

After completing the test, you can receive one of three certificates:

• ✅ Very Good — for results from 60%
• 🌟 Excellent — from 74%
• 🏆 Outstanding — from 90%

This document certifies your level of preparation and can be a valuable asset when applying to universities, seeking internships, or finding a job.

📌 What else is important to know?

• Your code is automatically checked: each task is tested on several sets of input data.
• You can submit your solutions multiple times until you achieve the best result.
• Output format and accuracy are critical — follow the instructions carefully.

📌 Academic Integrity

During the certification, it is prohibited to:

• Use external sources or artificial intelligence
• Communicate with others
• Use pre-written code or literature This is necessary to ensure equal conditions and fair results.

📌 Proctoring (for online participants)

If you are taking the certification online, the following is required:

• Screen recording (entire screen, not partial)
• Face recording with a webcam (or smartphone)
• Audio presence
• Minimum video quality — 5 frames per second

After completion, you must provide a link to the video (e.g., YouTube, Google Drive).

✨ IT Skills Standard is an opportunity to receive official certification and become part of the professional IT community.

🚀 Obtain your certification and change the future together with Kharkiv IT Cluster!