The IAI²O Global Final runs in-person September 14 (Mon)–17 (Thu), 2026 in the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Only students who pass the National Preliminary advance, and the finals are evaluated by each of the 3 tracks (AIIC Final / AI4SCI presentation / AI4BIZ presentation). CIT provides 1:1 tailored coaching to finalists—from adapting to the MIT environment, to English coaching for international presentations and Q&A, to completing track-specific finals deliverables.
| Course code | I4 · MIT Global Final Prep (run responsively, eligible students only) |
|---|---|
| Target | Students who pass the IAI²O 2026 National Preliminary |
| required | Preliminary stage of your own track (I1 AIIC / I2 AI4SCI / I3 AI4BIZ) completed |
| Recommended hours | About 10 hours (varies 6–14 hours depending on the track and how deeply deliverables need reinforcing) |
| Schedule | July to early September 2026 (starting right after the Preliminary results are announced on 6/30, finishing before the MIT Final on 9/14) |
| Location | The finals themselves are at the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (students and parents travel there themselves, 4 days) |
| Deliverable | AIIC: Final exam prep / AI4SCI: Updated Paper + Logbook + Backboard / AI4BIZ: Technical Execution Report + Updated Pitch Deck |
| Track | Finals evaluation format | What I4 covers |
|---|---|---|
| AIIC | 3 hours × 2 rounds of in-person exams (MIT campus, your own laptop) | 2 full mock runs in the Final format, adapting to the MIT environment and time-zone shift, time management, and re-checking the English exam interface |
| AI4SCI | A 5–10 minute English presentation in front of the Backboard Display + judges' Q&A | English proofreading of the Updated Paper, organizing the Logbook, visual design of the Backboard, and English presentation/Q&A simulations (mock judging by CIT instructors) |
| AI4BIZ | A 5–10 minute live presentation of the Updated Pitch Deck + judges' Q&A | Completing the Technical Execution Report, updating the Pitch Deck, and live presentation + Q&A simulations in English |
Students and parents cover the finals registration fee, airfare, lodging, and so on themselves. The exact finals registration fee and schedule from the IAI²O organizers will be announced right after the results (6/30), and CIT provides administrative guidance on airfare, lodging, MIT campus access, and more. A parent accompanying is recommended.
That's right. I4 is a finals-prep course only for students who pass the National Preliminary. For students who don't pass the preliminary, CIT provides follow-up coaching so they can repeat the I0–I3 cycle to try again next season, or repurpose their learning assets (code, papers, pitch decks) for other competitions (KSEF, ISEF, CAC, KOAI, etc.).
It works as a strong signal. Advancing to an in-person international final held on the MIT campus itself demonstrates depth of academic activity, and it validates a different quality by track (exam, research, business). That said, advancing in a single competition doesn't decide admissions on its own; it has to combine with GPA, SAT, and other ECs to become a multi-layered signal in STEM. If you go on to place at the finals, the signal grows stronger still.
1:1 MIT finals-prep coaching for students who pass the National Preliminary.