Competition regions

Each region sets its own schedule, eligibility window and selection, and these change season by season. Rather than post dates that may go stale, we keep them current through direct contact — scan the QR below (or use Contact) and we’ll walk you through your region’s exact schedule and how to enter.

Across Greater China the shape is broadly similar — a preliminary round, then a regional or national round, then selection to the July finals. The Chinese Mainland programme, for example, holds its national round (the China Station) in Huzhou, Zhejiang in early March 2026 before its teams advance. Exact rounds, dates and eligibility differ by region and are updated each season, which is why we keep them current by contact rather than posting figures that may go stale.

Wherever you enter, a regional round tests the same three things the international finals do — a multiple-choice paper and open questions on economics and finance, and a team business case. To take part in the main track you must be a high-school student under 20 on 30 June of the competition year, entering in a team of up to five with one or two adult team leaders. What changes from region to region is the timetable, how many qualifying stages there are, and how many places carry through to the July finals.

The Chinese Mainland runs the fullest pathway — an online preliminary in December, then the national China Station in Huzhou, Zhejiang in early March, with team registration closing in mid-January. Hong Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei each run their own, usually lighter, selection on their own calendars. Because those windows shift every season, the most useful thing you can do early is confirm your region’s current dates and eligibility rather than work from last year’s figures — that’s exactly what we help with.