- How much will it cost to participate in the National History Bee?
The State-Level Bees costs $15 per student. The National Championships cost $80 per student (there are no host school, buzzer, or champion discounts this year for the Bee at Nationals).
- Will it be possible to participate in both the History Bee and the History Bowl?
Yes, at all locations, and at all levels of both competitions. The tournaments are designed with this in mind.
- What will the winners of the State and National Bees win?
Fame, glory, and prizes! These will include trophies, book prizes, and money! The amount of scholarships and/or money will vary from region to region depending on local sponsors. Most regions do not have scholarships or prize money associated with them yet, though this will change in years to come. However, we are aiming to have $3000 in prizes at our National Championships, including $2000 for the Varsity Bee winner to travel to the South of France to attend our European Championships in May or June.
- Can I participate in any State Bee, or do I have to attend a specific one?
Your school can participate in any Bee that it chooses; it does NOT have to be the one closest to your school or even one in your state. Also, unlike 2010-2011, for the 2011-2012 competition season, all schools may participate in up to 3 History Bees this year – they just have to be on different question sets. All students from your school who choose to compete on a particular question set must do so at the same site.
- Are there alternative ways of qualifying for the National Finals?
You must qualify as per the rules of the National History Bee unless you live over 250 miles from the nearest regional or state-level tournament site. If this is the case, please email the National History Bee (see under Contact Us) and you can take an alternate qualifying exam at your school.
- Can I study for the National History Bee?
Yes! Students study for the spelling bee, the geography bee, and other competitions, so why not for the National History Bee? If you’d like some hints on studying, click on the tab for the Study Guide to your left. Also, try the practice questions both on this site and on the site for the National History Bowl. Meanwhile, the book An Incomplete Education and any other almanac or cultural literacy book with an emphasis on history is another good place to look.
- What if I change schools during the school year?
If you change schools during the school year, you can compete at your new school on question sets that both your old school at the time you left, and your new school haven’t attended.
- Can I participate if I attend a junior high school? Middle school? Live outside the USA?
Yes! Middle schoolers (and even the random brilliant elementary schooler) can come and compete. Middle schools should also check out the National History Bee Middle School Competition at www.ms.historybee.com and if you live outside the USA, please see our European tournaments at www.nhbbeurope.com or our Asian tournaments at www.nhbbasia.com.
- When and where will the State Bees be held?
For the most up-to-date list, you can click on the “State Bee Sites” tab for the most up to date information.
- When and where will the National Finals be held?
The National Finals of the National History Bee will be held on Sunday April 29 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA (2 metro stops from downtown Washington). The top 20 Varsity and 10 JV students will be bused out to Mount Vernon to compete there in the afternoon for the National titles! No National History Bowl games will be held on Sunday, though the weekend and general location (i.e. the Washington area) are the same for the National Championships of the National History Bowl.
- What is the structure of the National Finals?
This is largely still to be determined, but will consist entirely of buzzer-system based competition. There will be some initial round-robin or non-elimination form of competition (likely 6 rounds) which will include 7-10 students playing at the same time followed by a number of rounds at Mount Vernon to determine the National Champions. More information on the format can be found on the National Championships pages.
