Two Divisions. Different Scoring.
The S16 Preliminary Stage uses different scoring by division: Junior is 100% simulated trading; Senior is 10% simulated trading plus 90% investment strategy report. Senior team trading scores average the members’ individual scores.
SIC S16 registration: 11 September–29 November 2026. Register and pay through Webloom, the official registration channel. Trading runs from 12 October to 11 December 2026 US Market Close. Senior reports are due on 11 December 2026 at 15:00 Beijing time. Complete registration and Senior team formation by 29 November at 23:59 Beijing time.
Who Can Apply
SIC is open to all students worldwide in grades 6 through 12. The choice of division — Junior or Senior — is yours; both accept all eligible grades. Choose based on whether you prefer individual portfolio work or collaborative research, not based on your age.
| Requirement | Junior Division | Senior Division |
|---|---|---|
| Grade level | Grades 6 – 12 | Grades 6 – 12 |
| Team size | Individual entry | Team of 2 – 4 students |
| School affiliation | Confirm school-specific requirements in Webloom | Cross-school teams permitted; confirm any school paperwork |
| Parent consent | Confirm guardian requirements in Webloom | Confirm guardian requirements in Webloom |
| Nationality / residency | No restriction — open globally | No restriction — open globally; team members may be from different countries |
| Prior competition history | Not required | Not required |
Trading Track — Individual Portfolio
The S16 handbook confirms that Junior is individual simulated trading, worth 100% of the Preliminary Stage result. Junior does not advance to the Global Stage.
Trading Track Format
- What you build
- An individual simulated trading portfolio. The handbook ranks portfolio returns at the specified close and converts rankings to scores, subject to the trading rules.
- Platform
- Use the simulation account and instructions in Bloom after registration. Account rules are set by the organiser.
- Submission cadence
- 12 October–11 December 2026 US Market Close. Junior has no Global Stage progression.
- What gets judged
- Simulated trading: 100%. No trading record or an incorrect account results in zero; exceeding the 100-trade cap incurs deductions under the Bloom trading rules.
- Mentor access
- Confirm support arrangements for the chosen division; do not assume Global Stage or Omaha access for Junior.
- Best fit
- Self-directed students who prefer working solo on a defined craft. If you enjoyed building one thing carefully across a long stretch of time, Junior fits you.
Strategy Track — Team of 2 to 4
Senior teams have 2–4 students across schools, grades or regions. Trading is 10% and the investment strategy report 90% of the Preliminary Stage total. Eligible teams may progress to the Global Stage and Omaha.
Strategy Track Format
- What you build
- Simulated trading and a team report analysing no more than three stocks. Use the Bloom task card for the report template, file format and detailed evaluation criteria.
- Team formation
- Teams have 2–4 students and may span schools, grades and regions. Choose a captain and complete team formation by 29 November 2026, 23:59 Beijing time.
- Submission cadence
- Trading runs from 12 October to 11 December 2026 US Market Close. Senior reports are due on 11 December 2026 at 15:00 Beijing time. Complete registration and Senior team formation by 29 November at 23:59 Beijing time.
- What gets judged
- Senior scoring: simulated trading 10% + report 90%. Team trading is the members’ average. The report is assessed by academic judges using the Bloom task-card criteria.
- Mentor access
- Bloom provides learning resources, report-writing support and examples. Senior has a later-stage progression route; confirm any additional mentorship or travel services separately.
- Best fit
- Collaborative students who enjoy debating a thesis, dividing research work, and producing one polished piece of intellectual output. If you’ve ever written a long paper with friends and enjoyed the process, Senior fits you.
S16 · September 2026 – May 2027
Trading runs from 12 October to 11 December 2026 US Market Close. Senior reports are due on 11 December 2026 at 15:00 Beijing time. Complete registration and Senior team formation by 29 November at 23:59 Beijing time. Optional Financial Capability Certification is on 19 December, 10:00–11:00 Beijing time; the first 30 minutes are environment checks and the last 30 minutes the assessment. It does not affect the total.
Application
SIC S16 registration: 11 September–29 November 2026. Register and pay through Webloom, the official registration channel. Senior team formation and division-change applications close 29 November at 23:59 Beijing time.
Regional Stage
Junior: trading 100%. Senior: trading 10%, report 90%. Report deadline: 11 December, 15:00 Beijing time; trading cutoff: 11 December US Market Close.
Global Stage
The handbook gives Senior progression rules: regional top 40% directly advance; other routes have additional conditions. Junior does not advance. Confirm the separate Global Stage notice.
Omaha Dialogue Summit
An in-person Omaha programme is listed for eligible Senior participants. Confirm selection, exact dates and travel arrangements separately.
Four dimensions in the S16 handbook
These are the report-evaluation dimensions listed in the S16 handbook. The report is worth 90% of the Senior total; detailed sub-scores follow the Bloom task card. No equal 25% weighting is stated.
Knowledge and Application
Apply relevant macroeconomic, financial and accounting knowledge and data to the investment question.
Understanding and Analysis
Use relevant financial and economic concepts, models and formulas to develop a logical analysis.
Critical Thinking and Insight
Use explicit assumptions and reasoned arguments to make a defensible assessment of the research subject’s future development.
Structure and Expression
Organise the report clearly, write accurately and fluently, and follow the required format and citation rules.
How SIC Recognizes Strong Entries
The S16 handbook describes Preliminary Stage evaluation and separate, optional academic-honour conversion through CP21. The bands below refer to that conversion; do not treat them as Global Stage awards.
The handbook lists top-45% bands for individual trading, Senior team trading and Senior team report honours, subject to applying for academic-honour conversion.
Senior overall team results use top-35% bands for this honour, subject to the handbook’s third-party conversion process.
Participants receive official participation proof. Optional Financial Capability Certification has separate advanced top-10% and elementary next-20% recognition bands and does not affect the main total.
About Competing in SIC
Can I switch from Junior to Senior (or back) mid-season?
You cannot change the division yourself after choosing it. For exceptional changes, email sic@sktedu.com by 29 November 2026, 23:59 Beijing time for organiser review. Students cannot enter both divisions.
What if my Senior team has members in different time zones?
Senior teams may span schools, grades and regions. Choose a captain, form the team by 29 November 2026 at 23:59 Beijing time, and organise collaboration around the 11 December report deadline.
How much time per week does SIC actually take?
Plan time around the requirements of your chosen division. Junior does not advance to the Global Stage; Senior teams should allow additional time for their report and any qualifying later stage.
Is a weekly thesis log part of the S16 scoring?
The S16 Preliminary Stage handbook scores Junior on simulated trading and Senior on trading plus the strategy report. It does not list a weekly thesis log as a separately scored requirement. Follow any additional instructions in Bloom.
Do I need a Bloomberg terminal or paid market data?
No. The simulation platform includes the market data needed for trading; primary-source research (10-K filings, regulatory disclosures, ESG reports) is freely available. SIC explicitly does not require paid data subscriptions, and entries are not judged on data-source affluence.
Can my submission be used for university admissions?
A Senior report can document your own research and analytical work. Describe your actual participation accurately; any academic-honour conversion follows the separate CP21 process in the handbook.
Registration deadline: 29 November 2026
SIC S16 registration: 11 September–29 November 2026. Register and pay through Webloom, the official registration channel. The S16 Preliminary Stage handbook lists standard fees of RMB 449 per Junior participant and RMB 649 per Senior participant. Eligible early-bird and returning-participant discounts have separate conditions; confirm the payable amount in Webloom.
SIC guidance is available through WhatsApp & WeChat. Scan the code to discuss division selection and preparation, then complete registration through Webloom.
Complete official S16 registration and payment through Webloom. The QR code connects you to an advisor for guidance; a chat inquiry does not complete registration.
