Costs and Policies for Academic Bowl Regional Events – In-Person Events (Updated 10/22/25)

Preregistration prices (at least 8 days ahead of the event) for the 2025-2026 academic year are:

$90 – Academic Bowl team 0f any size

In-Person Regional Qualifying Exams
Before the lunch break, students will take an additional competition, a multi-subject assessment. This required 90-question multiple choice exam will contain 30 science questions, 30 history questions and 30 geography questions. Participants that score at least 15 points in any section will qualify for our National Science/History/Geography competitions in that event, and can subsequently qualify students for our Middle & Elementary School National Championships in May.

Please note that registration and participation in International Academic Competitions implies the acceptance of the following policies. In particular, please note our policy on preregistrations, cancellations and reader requirements!

Advance Registration
Advance registration for the Academic Bowl is REQUIRED. Registration for the Academic Bowl will not be accepted via email or any other means; all Bowl teams must register online. Registration by credit card includes a 5% online processing fee.

Late Academic Bowl Registration
Registrations for Academic Bowl teams (regardless of team size) are subject to an additional $15 per team penalty if made after 11:59pm Eastern time 8 days in advance of a tournament (i.e. to avoid this penalty, you need to register by 11:59pm Eastern time by the second Friday before a Saturday tournament).

Very Late Academic Bowl Registration
All Academic Bowl registrations fewer than 5 days in advance (i.e. after 11:59pm Eastern time on the Monday before a Saturday tournament) are subject to an additional $25 per team penalty and are only allowed by emailing the Tournament Coordinator for the tournament and seeing if it is still possible. At this point, registration is no longer guaranteed.

Team Cancellation
There is a $40 fee, regardless of team size, for not bringing a registered team if the cancellation occurs after 11:59pm Eastern time 5 days in advance (i.e. at that time on the Monday of the week before a Saturday tournament); if this means a team no longer can attend, the fee must be paid prior to the next IAC event they do attend.

Refunds
Refund requests made 5 days in advance (i.e., by 11:59pm Eastern time on the Monday of the week before a Saturday tournament) will be honored minus $10; refunds will not be given after that point.

Team Size
There is no penalty for dropping in team size (e.g. from 3 students to 2 students) at any point.

Reader Discount
If you bring a reader for every one or two teams you bring, your cost will be reduced by $45. Solo teams cannot take this discount.

Team Rosters
While we will ask you for your team rosters ahead of time in order to make sure your divisions are correct and to calculate your entry fee more efficiently, you do not have to have your rosters finalized until the morning of the tournament.

Team Names
Teams do not need official school approval and are permitted to register using a pseudonym if this would help facilitate their participation. However, all teams must consist of students from the same school, even if the school is not sponsoring the team. For Academic Bowl events, the only exception to this is our homeschool policy.

Payments
An official invoice and confirmation will be emailed to you upon submission. If you do not receive an immediate confirmation, please email hs-info@iacompetitions.com to get confirmation. Payment must be made by one of the following options:

  • At the tournament by cash or check (made payable to “International Academic Competitions”)
  • At the time of registration by credit/debit card (which includes a 5% online processing fee).
  • We do not accept payments sent by mail in advance of any regional tournament!

Returned Checks
Any checks of $500 or less that are returned will incur a $30 charge, while any checks greater than $500 will incur a $50 charge.

Nonpayment
No one is ever turned away at a tournament for lack of payment, but if you haven’t paid your registration fees by the end of the event, there will be a 15% penalty charged to you, and you will not be allowed to participate in the next event until your balance is paid.

For any other questions pertaining to registration matters, contact hs-info@iacompetitions.com.