IKLC 2026 exam dates
Each row links to the organiser's original notice.
- Sept12IKLC 2026Indonesia
Saturday, 12 Sept 2026
Registration closedSource: IKLC IndonesiaUpdated 07 Oct 2026
Past
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About IKLC
The International Kangaroo Linguistic Contest (IKLC), also called Linguistic Kangaroo, is a foreign-language competition for students from Grade 1 to Grade 12. It is a single multiple-choice test that checks vocabulary, grammar, reading and everyday expression, and it is offered in English, German, French and Spanish. In many countries, only the English paper is run.
IKLC is designed to give language learners a goal beyond school tests. Papers are written for six age levels, so IKLC past papers are a practical way to see how a child's English compares with what is expected at each stage.
Overview
The contest began in Romania in 2004, when the SIGMA Foundation for European Integration and SIGMA Publishing House launched the Linguistic Kangaroo project. It opened to other countries from 2005, and today national partners run it in countries across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including Romania, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar and Vietnam.
Although IKLC shares the Kangaroo name and the same level names as the Kangaroo mathematics contest (IKMC), it is a separate competition with a different international organizer: IKMC is set by the Association Kangourou sans Frontières, while IKLC comes from SIGMA in Romania. The International Kangaroo Science Contest (IKSC) is also a separate contest.
The international IKLC site states that papers are aimed at levels from Pre-A1 to C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the scale many schools and exam boards use to describe language ability.
Levels and grades
| Level | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Ecolier | Grade 1-2 | Youngest level, shortest paper |
| Ecolier | Grade 3-4 | |
| Benjamin | Grade 5-6 | |
| Cadet | Grade 7-8 | |
| Junior | Grade 9-10 | |
| Student | Grade 11-12 | Includes Grade 13 in countries that have it, such as Qatar |
National partners may change which levels they offer. Some countries run IKLC only from Grade 3 and use separate Kangaroo reading contests for younger children.
Rounds
IKLC has no rounds. It is one test, with no preliminary round and no final. Partners describe it as held at about the same time in all participating countries, and awards are decided within each country.
Exam format and scoring
All questions are multiple choice. Papers are built around three skill areas:
- Knowledge of words and structures (vocabulary and grammar)
- Reading comprehension
- Spoken and written expression, such as choosing the right reply in a short dialogue
The number of questions, the time limit and the scoring are set by each national partner, so two countries can give quite different papers at the same level. Two published examples show the range:
| Qatar partner | Vietnam partner | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Ecolier | 24 questions | 25 questions |
| Ecolier | 24 questions | 30 questions |
| Benjamin to Student | 30 questions | 50 questions |
| Time | 120 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Correct answer | 3, 4 or 5 points by section | +1 point |
| Wrong answer | -1 point | -0.25 point |
| Blank answer | 0 | 0 |
Both partners add starting points, at least for the higher levels, so that totals do not go below zero. The international site describes up to 30 questions at the lowest level and up to 50 at higher levels.
When is it held
Partners describe IKLC as an annual contest held at the same time across participating countries, with the Qatar partner placing it in November. Registration goes through the IKLC partner in your country, usually via schools. In Vietnam, the contest is organized by the RICE institute and covers English only. Results normally come out about one month after the test.
How to prepare with past papers
- Read the rules on the cover first. Scoring changes from country to country. Know whether a wrong answer costs a quarter of a point or a full point before you decide whether to guess.
- Build vocabulary by topic. Many questions test words in everyday contexts such as school, family, food and travel. Learn words in groups, together with the phrases they usually appear in.
- Practise short reading under time pressure. Reading questions take the most time. Train yourself to read the question first, then scan the text for the answer.
- Learn natural replies. Expression questions often ask what a person would naturally say next. Watching and reading real English helps more than memorising rules.
- Review every mistake. For each wrong answer, write down why the correct option is right. Patterns, such as prepositions or verb tenses, soon become clear.
- Try the level above. Moving up one level shows which skills to build next.
On Edupiad you can take IKLC past papers online with a timer, get automatic marking and review each question afterwards. Available years and levels grow over time, and not every question has a written explanation yet.
Frequently asked questions
What grade is IKLC for?
IKLC is for Grades 1 to 12, in six levels of two grades each: Pre-Ecolier (1-2), Ecolier (3-4), Benjamin (5-6), Cadet (7-8), Junior (9-10) and Student (11-12).
Is IKLC only in English?
No. IKLC is offered in English, German, French and Spanish, but each country chooses which languages to run. Many countries, including Vietnam, run only English.
Does IKLC have a final round?
No. IKLC is a single test with no preliminary or final round. Awards are given at national level.
Does IKLC deduct points for wrong answers?
In the published partner rules, yes. The size of the deduction depends on the country, for example one point in Qatar and a quarter point in Vietnam.
Is IKLC run by the same organizer as IKMC?
No. They share the Kangaroo name and level names, but IKMC is set by the Association Kangourou sans Frontières, while IKLC started with the SIGMA Foundation in Romania.