IAC is delighted to announce the Northern California Winter Model UN, which will be held on Sat, Jan 30, 2027 at Stratford School - Fremont Osgood! IAC's Model United Nations Regional Conferences are open to students in grades 4–8 with the composition of each committee dependent on the size of the competition. Where possible, we will try and separate students by age (so that, for example, students in grades 4-6 compete in one committee room, and students in grades 7-8 compete in another). Separate awards, however, will be given to students in each grade.
Students do not need to have previously qualified to compete at this conference, nor do they need to participate as part of a school-led group (though that is permitted of course). Students may compete at any Model UN Regional Conference (including outside their state), but are only eligible to compete on each Topic Set once each school year.
The Northern California Winter Model UN will run on Topic Set 1. Please review the Preparation Resources, particularly the Topic Set 1 Standard Committee Background Guide. Country assignments will be made after the registration deadline, approximately two weeks before the conference.
IAC also offers lunchtime qualifying exams as described below. Up to a total of 4 exams may be taken during the lunch break at an IAC Model UN Regional Conference.
Exams
The In-Person Regional Qualifying Exam (IRQE) is a single exam with 45 questions, split evenly between Science, Geography & History. Students who get at least 23 questions correct qualify for the Regional Tournaments of the National Science Bee, National Geography Bee, and National History Bee. The IRQE is free of charge, but students must be registered for it online in advance. Available Exams:
- National Biology Bee NQE
- National Citizenship Bee NQE
- National Humanities Bee NQE
- National Mathematics Bee NQE
- National Spanish Bee NQE
- US Geography Bee NQE
- US History Bee NQE
* The National Spanish Bee exam is only meant for students studying Spanish in school. Students who speak Spanish at home can compete in the Advanced Classification of the Spanish Bee, which does not require prior qualification.
Each of these exams costs $20 and consists of 35 multiple choice questions. Students who score high enough on each National Qualifying Exam qualify directly for the National Championships of those events.
Registration & Deadlines
- Morning Committee: $85
- Afternoon Committee: $85
- Both Committees: $125
- Registration deadline: Fri, Jan 15 · 11:59 PM PT: committees close after this
- Tournament day: doors open 8:30 AM · day ends 5:20 PM (Pacific Time)
- NQE exams: can be added until Fri, Jan 29 · 5:00 PM PT
- Committees, before the deadline: full refund minus a $10 processing fee
- Deadline to the Thursday before: 50% refund
- From 12:00 AM ET that Thursday: no refunds
- NQE exams: not refundable, but count as credit for taking them online
Schedule
Events & Pricing
Middle & Elementary School National Qualifying Exams
| Event | Grades | Price |
|---|---|---|
| National Biology Bee NQE | Grades 4–8 | $20 |
| National Citizenship Bee NQE | Grades 4–8 | $20 |
| National Humanities Bee NQE | Grades 4–8 | $20 |
| National Mathematics Bee NQE | Grades 4–8 | $20 |
| National Spanish Bee NQE | Grades 4–8 | $20 |
| US Geography Bee NQE | Grades 4–8 | $20 |
| US History Bee NQE | Grades 4–8 | $20 |
Model UN Committees
| Event | Grades | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Committee | Grades 4–8 | $85 |
| Crisis Committee | Grades 4–8 | $85 |
| Both Committees | Grades 4–8 | $125 |
Questions?
Email help@iacompetitions.com or call 802-822-2899 during business hours. Confirmation emails arrive within one hour of registration.