ABSTRACT We present results of a UBVIC variability survey in the young open cluster NGC 2244. In total, we found 245 variable stars. Most of them, 211 stars, are variables with irregular variations. Furthermore, 23 periodic variables were found. We also detected four candidates for δ Scuti stars and seven eclipsing binaries. Based on the mid-infrared Spitzer and WISE photometry and near infrared JHKS 2MASS photometry, we classified 104 young stellar sources among our variables: 1 Class I object, 1 Class I/flat spectrum object, 4 flat spectrum objects, 91 Class II objects, and 7 transition disc objects. This classification, together with r′i′Hα IPHAS photometry and JHK UKIDSS photometry, were used for identification of pre-main sequence stars among irregular and periodic variables. In this way, 97 CTTS candidates (96 irregular and one periodic variable), 68 WTTS candidates (54 irregular and 14 periodic variables), and 6 Herbig Ae/Be stars were found. For 223 variable stars we calculated membership probability based on proper motions from Gaia DR2 catalogue. Majority of them, 143 stars, are cluster members with probability greater than 70 per cent. For only 36 variable stars the membership probability is smaller than 20 per cent.