2026 NACLO at Stanford University

Thank you for your interest in the North American Computational Linguistics  Open Competition!  The NACLO competition is for high school students (as well as middle school students who are looking for this kind of experience).  It consists of two rounds: the Open Round and Invitational Round. The judges expect that about one hundred contestants will advance from the Open to the Invitational Round. For registration and to find more information please visit http://www.nacloweb.org/
 
Please keep checking out this webpage regularly for updates!
 

Open Round (January 29, 2026)

The Open Round is open to all interested middle school and high school students; its purpose is to identify strong contestants who will advance to the Invitational Round. 

Time

The doors will open at 8:30am.  You should plan to be present at the contest room by 8:45. You should be seated by 8:55 when the announcements are read. The contest will start at 9:00 AM sharp, and will end 3 hours later at 12:00 PM.

Location

Simonyi Conference Center, CoDa, 389 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305. The room is on the fourth floor of CoDa and can be accessed by the elevators.

Parking

  • Visitor and hourly parking on the Stanford campus is now a contactless process using the ParkMobile app, website, or phone. Physical meters are no longer available.
  • For information on visitor parking, including how to purchase a virtual pass, please visit the Parking and Transportation page.
  • Stanford campus is big and confusing so make sure you allow time for finding a parking spot and making your way to the contest room. 

Notes

  • Plan to be at the contest room at least 15 mins before the start of the contest (8:45).
  • Please bring your own black pen -- all solutions must be written in pen. Scratch paper will be provided.
  • You are allowed a basic wristwatch (without built-in calculator) for time keeping. However, no electronic device is allowed.
  • Bring water and snacks to keep yourself fresh and energized during the contest. Place them on the desk before the contest begins.
  • When you arrive, place your bags under your seats. You cannot use your bags during the contest.


Invitational Round (March 19, 2026)

 

Time

The doors will open at 8:30am.  You should plan to be present at the contest room by 8:45. You should be seated by 8:55 when the announcements are read. The contest will start at 9:00 AM sharp, and will end 4 hours later at 1:00 PM.

Location

Terrace Room in Margaret Jacks Hall (450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305).  Building 460 of the Main Quad, facing The Oval/Palm Drive.

On the day of the contest, a member of the local organizing team will be at the front door of Building 460 to grant you access to the building.

Parking

  • Visitor and hourly parking on the Stanford campus is now a contactless process using the ParkMobile app, website, or phone. Physical meters are no longer available.
  • For information on visitor parking, including how to purchase a virtual pass, please visit the Parking and Transportation page.
  • Stanford campus is big and confusing so make sure you allow time for finding a parking spot and making your way to the contest room. 

Notes

  • Plan to be at the contest room at least 15 mins before the start of the contest (8:45).
  • Please bring your own black pen -- all solutions must be written in pen. Scratch paper will be provided.
  • You are allowed a basic wristwatch (without built-in calculator) for time keeping. However, no electronic device is allowed.
  • Bring water and snacks to keep yourself fresh and energized during the contest. Place them on the desk before the contest begins.
  • When you arrive, place your bags under your seats. You cannot use your bags during the contest.

 

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