History Bee Middle & Elementary School Stages

For students in the Elementary and Middle School divisions (in 8th grade and under), the History Bee comprises four stages in the 2021-22 school year. The first stage is offered free of charge; registration fees on a per student basis are charged for students who attend the Regional Finals, National Championships and the International History Olympiad.

1. Online Regional Qualifying Exams

All students in 8th grade and under must take an Online Regional Qualifying Exam to qualify for the History Bee Regionals. The ORQE consists of a 50 question multiple choice exam on all aspects of history. This exam is free of charge, and schools can enter as many students as they want for it. Sponsor registration and the Online Regional Qualifying Exam for the International History Bee will open in November and will stay open until midnight PST on the evening of February 28, 2022. This exam may be administered at the student’s school under supervision or at home under supervision for students engaging in remote learning due to Covid-19, homeschooled students, and others as needed. Scores on the Online Regional Qualifying Exam will be utilized to determine which students have qualified for the Regional. Scores on the ORQE will not be made public.

2. Regional Tournaments

The top scorers on the ORQEs qualify for the Regional Tournaments. The 2022 International History Bee Regionals will take place in person in March and April. Their exact dates will be posted on the page here as soon as they are finalized. The top half students in each division at the Regional Finals will qualify for the National Championships, and for the International History Olympiad.

3. National Championships

The top 50% students at any Regional Tournament qualify for the History Bee National Championships, to be held in Ottawa in May.

4. International History Olympiad

The top 50% students at Regionals and at the Canadian Championships qualify for the International History Olympiad, to be held in Princeton, NJ, and New York City, on July 25-August 1, 2022.