This is the autumn cohort of Junior Advanced 2026 — same prerequisites, same six pillars, same three-day team hackathon at the close. The difference is the schedule: instead of two intensive weeks in July, the autumn cohort spreads the same content across four weeks in September, with after-school sessions on weekday afternoons. Designed for pupils who can’t take two weeks out of summer (camps, family holidays, internships) but can fit a structured after-school programme into their term.
When and how
- Dates: 1 September – 1 October 2026.
- Sessions: Monday to Friday, late afternoon (16:00–18:30 CET).
- Hackathon weekend: 26–27 September, on campus or online.
- Hybrid track: in-person sessions roll between Craiova and Bucharest weekly; online track joins live by video.
What stays the same
Everything in the July edition — prerequisites, the six pillars, the cloud lab, the open-source contribution requirement, the external jury at the closing hackathon. See that page for the full curriculum and admissions criteria.
What is different
- Four weeks of after-school sessions instead of two intensive weeks.
- Closing hackathon held over a single weekend, not three weekdays.
- Smaller cohort (24 places vs. 36 in July) so each session has more individual time per participant.