Frequently Asked Questions

The Quadathlon Cup is a premium international academic team competition for students in Years 3–13. It is built around four cognitive domains — Verbal, Quantitative, Non-Verbal, and Spatial — and is designed to reward breadth of ability and quality of thinking, not just knowledge of a single subject.

Each year the competition follows one shared curriculum theme drawn from the UN Sustainable Development Goals, explored across eight subject areas: Art, Economics, English, Literature, Music, Science, Humanities, and Mathematics. The 2026/2027 theme is Life on Land (SDG 15).

The Quadathlon Cup is a high-challenge talent development competition for academically ambitious students who are ready to engage seriously across multiple disciplines. Because the competition rewards four distinct cognitive domains, students who are strong in verbal reasoning, mathematical thinking, visual logic, or spatial problem-solving all have a genuine pathway to contribute and excel. No single type of intelligence dominates.

The competition operates across three divisions:

• Explorers Division — Years 3–6 (primary; accessible high challenge)
• Junior Division — Years 7–9 (lower secondary; deeper reasoning)
• Senior Division — Years 10–13 (upper secondary; advanced challenge)

All three divisions study the same annual theme, with differentiated depth, complexity, and independence requirements appropriate to each stage. Division availability varies by round — please check the Calendar & Registration page for details of which divisions are offered at each event.

The championship comprises seven events across two categories:

• Core Domain Events: The Written Challenge (Verbal), the Maths Reasoning Challenge (Quantitative), the Abstract Reasoning Challenge (Non-Verbal), and the Sustainable Design Challenge (Spatial)
• Integrated Championship Events: The Academic Challenge, the STEM Innovation Pitch, and the Quiz Match

Students compete in teams of four across a two-day regional round, with events distributed across both days and a closing ceremony on the afternoon of Day Two.

The Quadathlon Cup follows a structured seasonal pathway:

• Early Qualifiers Round (online) — September to December
• Regional Rounds — January to May
• Championship Round — June/July, end of Term 3
• The Global Final — November or December (2027–2028 season, venue to be announced)

Teams that perform strongly at regional rounds qualify to progress through the championship round and ultimately to the Global Final — a prestigious end-of-season championship experience at a venue to be confirmed.

The Doha Regional Round — the inaugural pilot round of the Quadathlon Cup — takes place on 15–16 May 2026 at United School International, The Pearl, Doha, Qatar.

This is a two-day event. Events are scheduled across both days, with a closing ceremony and awards presentation on the afternoon of Day Two.

Division availability varies by round. For full details of which divisions are being offered at the Doha Regional Round — including year groups, registration deadlines, and team requirements — please visit the Calendar & Registration page on gaqcup.com.

Schools register teams of four students per division. A minimum of two students is required to form a team, though teams of four are strongly recommended as the competition is designed around that format — smaller teams will be at a disadvantage in certain events.

There is no upper limit on the number of teams a school may enter. Schools with larger cohorts of eligible students are welcome to register multiple teams.

Registration is managed through the school coordinator, who acts as the primary point of contact with the Quadathlon Cup team. Full registration details are available at gaqcup.com.

The registration fee for the Doha Regional Round is 380 QAR per student. This covers:

• Full participation across all seven championship events over both days
• Opening and closing ceremonies
• Medals and trophies for award recipients
• Participation certificates for all students
• All event materials, staffing, and management
• Meals — we almost always provide meals as part of the registration fee; this will be confirmed with schools ahead of the event

Fees at other rounds may vary. Please check the Calendar & Registration page for round-specific pricing.

No. The Quadathlon Cup operates on a straightforward per-student registration model. Schools pay the registration fee for each round they enter. There is no annual school membership fee, subscription, or ongoing financial commitment required to participate.

The Quadathlon Handbook and the School Handbook are provided to all registered students and schools at no additional cost.

Preparation for the Quadathlon Cup is primarily student-led. Every registered student receives The Quadathlon Handbook — a single, comprehensive document written directly for students that covers the annual theme across all eight subjects, explains every event, and guides students through how to prepare confidently at their own pace.

There is no minimum preparation requirement and no expectation that schools run a structured programme. Many students prepare by reading through the handbook, exploring the annual theme out of curiosity, and familiarising themselves with the event formats. The competition rewards genuine breadth of thinking, not a narrow set of rehearsed answers.

For schools that would like to support their students further — through enrichment sessions, discussion groups, or guided preparation activities — The School Handbook includes practical, optional ideas for doing so. This is entirely supplementary to the student-led approach.

The Quadathlon Handbook is the official preparation resource for students, provided to all registered participants at no additional cost. It is one document that contains everything a student needs:

• Part One — Curriculum & Themes: all eight subjects in relation to the annual theme, with division-specific content, key vocabulary, and preparation guidance
• Part Two — Championship Events: what each of the seven events involves, what judges look for, and how scoring works
• Part Three — On Competition Day: what to expect, how to approach each event, and the habits that make the difference

It is written directly for students and designed to be used independently. No teacher input is required. The Explorers Division handbook is available now; Junior and Senior versions will follow.

Registered schools receive The School Handbook — a practical guide for coordinators that covers everything from registration to competition day in clear steps. It explains what to do, when, and how to share materials with students. It also includes optional ideas for schools that want to run preparation sessions, though this is never a requirement.

Beyond that, the coordinator’s role is light-touch: manage communications, confirm team lists, arrange logistics, and accompany students on the day. The Quadathlon Cup team handles all event delivery.

If you have questions at any point, contact us at info@gaqcup.com — we are happy to help.

We recommend that each school nominates a coordinator or teacher-in-charge to manage communications and on-day logistics — but this is a light-touch administrative role, not an academic coaching commitment. The coordinator receives all official communications and operational guidance directly from the Quadathlon Cup team.

The level of school involvement in student preparation is entirely up to you. Some schools choose to run enrichment sessions or discussion groups; others simply share The Quadathlon Handbook with students and let them take ownership. Both approaches work well — and the materials are designed to support either.

The Quadathlon Cup is designed to grow year on year, with additional divisions, rounds, and regions opening as the programme develops. The annual theme rotates each year in line with the UN SDG framework, meaning schools that participate across multiple seasons will engage with a progressively broader academic programme.

Schools interested in hosting a regional round or being among the first to participate in a new location are welcome to contact us directly.

The Global Final is the end-of-season championship experience for qualifying teams. It is planned for November or December of the 2027–2028 season and will be held at a prestigious venue to be announced in due course.

Qualification is earned through strong performance at regional and championship rounds. Full details on qualification criteria and the format will be communicated to registered schools well in advance.