Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

The Shiing-Shen Competition (“the Competition”) is an annual, pan-African academic initiative organized to identify, reward, and develop outstanding students aged 13–19 across Africa. By registering for or participating in the Competition, all participants, schools, teachers, and guardians agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

The organizers reserve the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time, with updates communicated through official channels.

2. Eligibility

• Students must be aged between 13 and 19 years at the time of application.
• Students must be enrolled in a registered secondary school within Africa.
• Each candidate must select only one subject category to compete in:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• English Literature

Schools must have a valid, physical, and verifiable location. Any school found to be fictitious or unverifiable will be disqualified along with its candidates.

3. Application Fees

The only fee required throughout the entire Competition is the initial application fee. There are no participation fees, examination fees, facilitation fees, visa fees, flight ticket fees or hidden charges at any stage of the Competition.

The organizers will furnish and submit all necessary documentation and introduction letters to the Embassy/High Commission on your behalf for express entry.

4. Competition Structure

• Preliminary Round – Proctored online examination conducted simultaneously across participating countries.
• National Round – Conducted online or physically, depending on country-specific arrangements.
• Continental Final – Final stage of the Competition.

The 2026 Continental Final will be hosted in Pretoria, South Africa, with all qualifying students and mentor teachers fully sponsored.

5. Scholarships and Awards

Participants compete for over USD 10,000,000 in scholarships and educational grants.

5.1 Student Scholarships

• Tuition fees
• Accommodation
• Monthly living stipends
• Round-trip flight tickets

Scholarship beneficiaries are expected, upon completion of their studies, to return to their home countries to contribute to national development.

6. Approved Universities in Asia

Scholarship funding is strictly conditional upon the student securing admission into one of the approved institutions listed below. Guidance and admission support will be provided by the Competition Organizers.

• National University of Singapore (Singapore)
• Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
• Tsinghua University (China)
• Peking University (China)
• University of Tokyo (Japan)
• Kyoto University (Japan)
• Seoul National University (South Korea)
• KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (South Korea)
• University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong)
• Fudan University (China)
• Zhejiang University (China)
• Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China)
• Tohoku University (Japan)
• Osaka University (Japan)

7. School and Teacher Awards

• The top 50 schools will each receive USD 20,000 in institutional grants.
• The top 50 mentor teachers will each receive USD 5,000, regardless of the number of students represented.

Rankings are determined by the aggregate performance of the top 50 students across all subject categories.

8. Financial Disbursement and Payments

• All payments to students, schools, and teachers will be made strictly in accordance with the personal details submitted during registration.
• Winners must ensure that all provided information is accurate, complete, and verifiable.
• Any discrepancy between submitted data and verification records may result in payment delays, forfeiture, or disqualification.

The organizers shall not be held liable for losses arising from incorrect or falsified information supplied by beneficiaries.

9. Examination Integrity and Conduct

• All examinations are monitored using AI-driven remote proctoring systems.
• Candidates must comply fully with all technical and environmental requirements communicated before the assessment.
• Impersonation, cheating, collusion, or use of unauthorized materials will result in immediate disqualification.

10. Zero-Tolerance Policy on Malpractice

The Competition operates a strict zero-tolerance policy for misconduct. All decisions relating to examination breaches are final and non-appealable.

Severe violations, including impersonation or organized exam fraud, may result in legal action in the candidate’s country of residence.

11. Data Protection and Privacy

• Competition administration
• Assessment and ranking
• Security and integrity enforcement

Personal data will never be sold, shared, or used for marketing purposes.

12. Limitation of Liability

• Technical failures beyond reasonable control
• Visa denials by host countries
• Delays caused by third-party institutions

13. Acceptance of Terms

Participation in the Shiing-Shen Competition constitutes full acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.