Econometrics Game 2026
The Econometrics Game is an annual competition jointly organized by Oeconomica, the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics, and the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics.
Brief Overview
The Econometrics Game is an annual competition jointly organized by Oeconomica, the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics, and the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics. It is a fast-paced competition that takes place over a weekend: On Saturday, teams of one to four undergraduates from across the U.S. and around the world are given a dataset and tasked with devising an answer to a question of economic importance in the next 13 hours in the form of a research paper. On Sunday morning, the finalists are selected and present their findings in front of a panel of judges, who determine the final placement. In previous years, judges included Nobel Prize-winning economists such as James Heckman and Lars Peter Hansen.
Prizes for top-performing teams include iPads, top range Bluetooth speakers, and economics-themed merchandise. We also provide opportunities to network with our sponsors, which include top economic consulting firms such as Cornerstone Research and Analysis Group.
Event Logistics
The 2026 Econometrics Game will begin with a remote preliminary round in January or February. The preliminary round will be an asynchronous take-home task testing the teams’ ability to apply econometric techniques to real-world problems. The qualifiers will be invited to the in-person final round, held in person from Friday, April 10 to Sunday, April 12, 2026.
Registration for the preliminary round is now open and will close at 5 PM Central Time on February 17. The registration form can be found here.
For the final round, we will cover hotel arrangements for teams based outside of Chicago. Travel is not covered, so please contact your department for assistance. For Chicago-based teams, we will not cover hotel arrangements but will reimburse teams for any travel expenses incurred.
Additional Resources
Additional information about the Game, including the competition rulebook and prompts from previous years, can be found on our website or in the registration form.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team at oeconomica.uchicago@gmail.com or through our website. We look forward to hearing from you and having you with us at this year's Econometrics Game.