About this tournament
IAC is delighted to announce that the Arendell History Bee and Bowl History Bee & Bowl will be held on Sat, Jan 2, 2027 at Elsa's Ice Castle and Speedway! This tournament is open to all students regardless of what state they are located in, as long as they have not yet played the set of questions in use at this tournament in the 2026-27 academic year.
The Day
The History Bowl and the History Bee take turns through the day, so a student can play both: bowl rounds in the morning, bee rounds before lunch, qualifying exams over lunch, then the final bowl rounds, the bee finals and the bowl playoffs in the afternoon.
The History Bowl
Each game is one team against another, with up to 4 players from each team playing at a time. A game has four quarters and is buzzer-based, except for the second-quarter bonuses and the third-quarter category rounds, where teammates may confer. There is no penalty for a wrong answer. Teams play 5 preliminary rounds, then the top teams play a single-elimination playoff.
Teams
A team can have 1 to 6 students. Everyone on a team attends the same school, even if the school is not sponsoring the team. The exceptions are IAC's homeschool policy, and non-magnet, non-selective public high schools, which may play students from their feeder middle schools. Rosters do not have to be final until the morning of the tournament.
Divisions
Varsity, Junior Varsity and Middle School. Intermediate and Elementary School divisions are offered when enough teams register. The oldest student on the team sets the division, and a middle school team may choose to play in Junior Varsity instead. Divisions may be combined under IAC's Small Field Rules.
Readers and Buzzers
Each school brings at least one coach, parent or other adult reader or scorekeeper for every one or two bowl teams. Schools entering only solo teams, or only bee and exam students, need no reader. Schools that bring buzzer systems get a registration discount.
The History Bee
Players play 3 preliminary rounds of 30 questions, then the top players play a final round. High school students playing only the History Bee must qualify on the Online Regional Qualifying Exam (ORQE). Students also playing in the History Bowl here do not need it. Middle school students need the ORQE for the Middle School division of the History Bee, unless they also play on a Middle School bowl team here.
Awards and Qualification
Plaques go to the top bowl teams and medals to the top 3 bee players in each division. Bowl teams finishing in the top half of their division qualify for the Varsity & JV National Championships and the International History Olympiad. In the bee, the top half qualify for Nationals and the top third for the International Championships. A middle school team in the Junior Varsity division can qualify only for JV Nationals, and one in the Middle School division only for the Middle & Elementary School National Championships.
Qualifying Exams
Students can take up to five exams here. We recommend registering for no more than three on site. Available Exams:
- US History Bee NQE
- National Geography Bee NQE
- National Political Science Bee NQE
- National Science Bee NQE
- National Biology Bee NQE
- National Humanities Bee NQE
Refund Policy
View our Events Costs & Policies here
Quiz Bowl for All
Students eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch can apply to Quiz Bowl for All (QB4All) for financial aid to cover their tournament registration. This organization is separate from International Academic Competitions. Please refer to their website for more information and to apply for assistance. Quizbowl For All (QB4ALL) Financial Assistance Request Form
Registration & Deadlines
- Registration deadline: Fri, Dec 25 · 11:59 PM AK: late fees apply after
- Tournament day: doors open 7:15 AM · day ends 6:00 PM (Alaska Time)
- Late fee window: closes Mon, Dec 28 · 11:59 PM AK
- Very late fee window: after Mon, Dec 28, until the final close: registration closes Fri, Jan 1 · 5:00 PM AK, after which contact the tournament director
- Bees: refunded minus $10 per event until Fri, Dec 25 · 11:59 PM AK
- After the registration deadline: no refunds; seats can still be rescheduled to another tournament
- NQE exams: not refundable
Schedule
Events & Pricing
Team events
| Event | Price |
|---|---|
| History Bowl$59 for 1 student, $79 for 2, $99 for 3 to 6. | $59–$99 |
Buzzer-based bees
| Event | Price |
|---|---|
| History Bee$30 for a student who is also on a History Bowl team here | $54 |
Middle & Elementary School National Qualifying Exams
| Event | Grades | Price |
|---|---|---|
| National Mathematics Bee NQE | Grades K–8 | $20 |
| US Geography Bee NQE | Grades K–8 | $20 |
| US History Bee NQE | Grades K–8 | $20 |
| National Biology Bee NQE | Grades K–8 | $20 |
| National Citizenship Bee NQE | Grades K–8 | $20 |
| National Humanities Bee NQE | Grades K–8 | $20 |
| National Spanish Bee NQE | Grades K–8 | $20 |
Varsity & JV National Qualifying Exams
| Event | Price |
|---|---|
| US History Bee NQE | $20 |
| National Geography Bee NQE | $20 |
| National Political Science Bee NQE | $20 |
| National Science Bee NQE | $20 |
| National Biology Bee NQE | $20 |
| National Humanities Bee NQE | $20 |
Questions?
Email help@iacompetitions.com or call 802-822-2899 during business hours. Confirmation emails arrive within one hour of registration.