The NACLO stands for the North American Computational Linguistics Open competition. The NACLO is a contest in which high-school students solve linguistic problems. In solving these problems, students learn about the diversity and consistency of language, while exercising logic skills. No prior knowledge of linguistics or second languages is necessary.  Each January, thousands of middle and high-school students across North America participate in the NACLO, with the top-performing participants moving forward to the invitational and then international competitions.

Training Sessions

Held online via Zoom. If you plan to attend a training session, please register by Jan. 9, 2026.

• Saturday, January 10, 2026, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. EST
• Saturday, January 18, 2026, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. EST

Students who perform well in the Open Round will be invited to take part in the Invitational Round on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

The top students in the Invitational Round from across North America will have a chance to participate in the International Linguistics Open competition in the summer. More information about the NACLO can be found at the NACLO site.