Why every Australian student should do the Da Vinci Decathlon competition
What is the Da Vinci Decathlon?
Named after Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the world’s most renowned thinkers and scholars, the Da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition where students compete in teams of 8, in challenges across 10 disciplines - engineering, mathematics, code-breaking, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography, legacy, art and poetry. The competition is open for students from years 5 to 11.
Code-breaking
The competition is an initiative pioneered in 2002 at Knox Grammar School in Sydney. Since then, it has grown in participation across hundreds of Australian schools with events held annually in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, and nationals held in Sydney.
The themes for the 2025 events are on sustainability (regionals), light (state-level competitions) and turning points (national-level competition).
Why should students participate?
Students should aim to participate because it is an opportunity to practice and improve critical thinking skills, as well as collaborate with classmates to tackle a common goal. The decathlon encourages students to think analytically and laterally in a broad range of topics – through engaging with such problems, students can improve their ability to problem solve.
The competition also has a significant emphasis on logical reasoning, and creativity, among other higher-order thinking skills. It is a platform for students to apply their skills in novel ways and develop their confidence; these skills are crucial for handling real-world problems and are highly regarded in academic and professional settings.
How do I sign up?
Depending on the student’s state of residence, the process for the Da Vinci Decathlon slightly varies. The 2024 Decathlons have concluded, however, applications for 2025 are yet to open and all dates of all regions are yet to be finalized. Keep an eye on the Da Vinci Decathlon events page to be aware of when dates are confirmed. At present, the Northern NSW region regional dates are from Wednesday 14th May 2025 - Friday 16th May 2025, however, other regions are still awaiting confirmation.
Regional and state competitions generally take place in April, May or June, with nationals for year 7-10 teams scheduled to take place at Knox Grammar School from Saturday 28th June to Monday 30th June 2025. To be eligible for nationals, prospective teams must win first place overall in a state competition.
Registration for the competition is a school-based process, rather than an individual basis, meaning that at present, students are unable to sign up for the competition independently. Schools are instead responsible for forming and registering students and teams.
To participate, enthusiastic students should discuss their interests and intentions with their school’s administration or relevant teacher/s. Schools then initiate and complete the registration process on behalf of their students – this often involves submitting team details as well as paying associated registration fees which may vary depending on the region competed in.
How do I prepare?
In general, it is advantageous to read broadly across all 10 disciplines in the decathlon: engineering, mathematics, code-breaking, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography, legacy, art and poetry. Additionally, practising integrating logical reasoning and critical thinking skills during school subjects, and focusing on developing a deep understanding of the principles of subjects can be really beneficial to building a solid foundation – this will be beneficial for the Da Vinci Decathlon and beyond.
Some ideas include encouraging analytical activities such as debates and learning from case studies through which potential issues, solutions and the reasoning behind them can be discussed. Other problem-solving-based activities include math puzzles and brain teasers, as well as logic-based games including chess.
The official Da Vinci Decathlon website also has a section for resources, which can be a valuable source of preparation for participants. They can be accessed through the completion of a request form by a teacher.
For specific practice tasks, at the time of writing this article, Sunshine Coast Grammar School has a publicly accessible document with some practice tasks from previous da Vinci Decathlons.
This document can be an excellent way to become more familiar with the tasks of the Da Vinci Decathlon, however, it is important to keep in mind that it is a team-based competition designed to challenge and stimulate the enquiring minds of students, and as such, a focus on developing skills is likely to be extremely beneficial in the long run for the competition and beyond.
In the lead-up to the decathlon, schools and teams typically organize practice and preparation sessions for the group of students, as teamwork is a fundamental element of the decathlon.
FAQs
How much does it cost?
Costs for the 2025 year are yet to be announced and typically vary depending on the specific region or state competition signing up for, however, historically has ranged from $40 per student to $250 for a team of 8.
When is it usually held?
Dates have not been formalized for many regions, however, expect regional and state competitions to be held over several days in April, May or June. The 1st placing team from each state proceeds to nationals which are to be held on Saturday 28th June to Monday 30th June 2025.
How are the tasks marked?
In most of the disciplines, teachers from participating schools typically mark and score the tasks against a rubric, a process that is usually overseen by the adjudicator of the competition for the day. Arrangements are organized so that no staff members are asked to mark their own school’s response.
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Written by KIS Academics Tutor, Sue Nguyen. Sue is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from The University of Adelaide and has been tutoring for over 5 years. You can view Sue’s profile here and request her as a tutor.