Codeforces
Codeforces Rounds
Codeforces's core contest format - regular rated rounds split into four divisions by rating band, using an ELO-style system, run frequently enough to treat as ongoing practice rather than a single event to peak for.
Brabble editorial · Updated 12 Aug 2026 · Official page
Registration is open nowParticulars
- Organiser
- Codeforces
- Mode
- Fully online, frequent (often multiple rounds weekly)
- Prize / outcome
- Rating progression; no standard cash prize for regular rounds
- Team size
- Individual (team rounds exist separately, e.g. ICPC-style)
- Application fee
- Free
- Rounds
- 3
What it is
Codeforces is one of the most widely used competitive-programming platforms globally, and its Rounds are the core contest format: Division 1 (roughly rating 1900+), Division 2 (below 1900/2100), Division 3 (below 1600), and Division 4 (below 1400), each targeting a different skill band, alongside frequent Div 1+2 combined rounds and Educational rounds. Div 1 and Div 2 rounds score by final point total ("Standard" scoring); Div 3, Div 4, and Educational rounds use "Extended ICPC" scoring, ranking by problems solved and penalty time, closer to how ICPC itself is judged.
Rounds
01. Round announcement
Codeforces publishes upcoming rounds with the division, date, and scoring format in advance on the platform.
02. The round itself
A timed contest (commonly 2-2.5 hours) with several problems of increasing difficulty, attempted in any order within the time limit.
03. Rating recalculation
Ratings update shortly after the round closes, based on performance relative to other participants in the same division.
Who can enter
- Open to anyone with a Codeforces account - no academic or age restriction
- Division eligibility is set by current rating (Div 1: 1900+, Div 2: below 1900/2100, Div 3: below 1600, Div 4: below 1400)
- Free to enter
What you actually get
A Codeforces rating, which is one of the most recognised portable signals of algorithmic ability in competitive programming worldwide - used informally in hiring conversations at companies that value strong problem-solving, and a direct, ongoing way to practice rather than a credential earned once and left static.
Frequently asked questions
- Division eligibility is set by your current rating: Division 1 is for 1900+, Division 2 for below 1900 or 2100 depending on the round, Division 3 for below 1600, and Division 4 for below 1400. Higher divisions get harder problems; your rating only moves within rounds you're eligible for.
- Division 1 and Division 2 rounds typically use "Standard" scoring, ranking by total points from solved problems. Division 3, Division 4, and Educational rounds use "Extended ICPC" scoring - ranked by number of problems solved, then by penalty time, the same style ICPC itself uses.
- Frequently - often multiple rounds a week across different divisions, which is why it functions more like an ongoing practice habit than a single event to prepare for months in advance.
- Yes, free with a Codeforces account.
What's the difference between Codeforces divisions?+−
How is a Codeforces round scored?+−
How often do Codeforces rounds happen?+−
Is Codeforces free to enter?+−
More guides
Checked against Codeforces's own blog documentation on rating divisions and scoring, 12 Aug 2026. Exact rating thresholds are occasionally revised by Codeforces - confirm current values on codeforces.com before relying on them.