Overview
The United States Academic Decathlon (USAD) is a team competition for high-school students across ten academic events. Teams compete locally, in their state and then at the national finals. The details below come from the USAD website and its 2025-26 Coach Handbook.
Who can take it
A team is nine full-time students from grades 9 to 12 of the same high school, split by grade point average into three groups of three. The USAD site gives these unweighted GPA ranges for the 2026-27 season (the 2025-26 Coach Handbook used different cut-offs, so check the current season):
| Division | GPA |
|---|---|
| Honor | 3.85 and above |
| Scholastic | 3.50 to 3.8499 |
| Varsity | 0.00 to 3.499 |
A student may compete in a higher division than their GPA category, but not a lower one.
Exam pattern
Each team member competes in all ten events: art, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science, and speech. Each student can win individual medals in all ten events.
Marking and results
Only six scores count towards the team standing: the top two Honor, top two Scholastic and top two Varsity scores. A school with fewer than nine students can still earn team awards if it has at least two in each division.
Levels or stages
Competition runs locally and by state, and ends at the national finals. The handbook also refers to regional competitions.
How to apply
Coaches deal with their local competition manager and state director; see the USAD site for contacts.
Preparation tips
Study the annual curriculum guide, which centres on a yearly theme.
Prepare for the speech and interview events with your coach.
Do all team members need to be top students?
No. A full team has three Honor, three Scholastic and three Varsity students, and the divisions are set by GPA.