Scripps National Spelling Bee
How the bee works, how spellers qualify, and how to prepare — with links to the official Scripps study material. Free word lists and practice quizzes to work alongside it.
The 2026–27 season
Key dates for the season now getting underway. Your school sets its own bee date inside this frame, so the teacher running it is the one to ask about that.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| School enrollment opens | August 18, 2026 |
| Classroom and school bees | Throughout fall 2026 |
| Enrollment fee rises from $199 to $225 | December 1, 2026 |
| School enrollment closes | January 29, 2027 |
| Regional bees | Early 2027 — typically February and March, set by each regional partner |
| National finals, Washington, D.C. area | June 1–3, 2027 |
Enrollment dates, fees and finals dates are published by Scripps at spellingbee.com/enrollment and in their enrollment FAQ. Regional bee dates are set by each regional partner rather than by Scripps, so the month given is typical rather than official. Complete 2027 rules and eligibility are at spellingbee.com/rules from August 18, 2026. We are not affiliated with Scripps — check the official pages before relying on any date here.
Running since
Eligible grades
Champion's Prize
Words in the official study list
About the Scripps National Spelling Bee
America's most celebrated academic competition since 1925
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation's longest-running educational competition, established in 1925. Spellers start at their school bee, advance through a regional or sponsor bee, and a few hundred reach the national finals in the Washington, D.C. area each spring.
Winners receive national recognition and the Scripps Cup trophy. The later rounds are televised on ION and carried on the Scripps Sports network.
A speller advances through four levels to reach the national finals. Not every school runs a classroom round, and a school without a regional partner may go through RSVBee instead.
| Level | When | Who advances |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Classroom bee | Fall | Top spellers in each class, where a school holds this round at all |
| 2. School bee | Fall to winter | One school champion |
| 3. Regional or sponsor bee | Typically February–March | One champion per regional partner; RSVBee is the paid alternative route |
| 4. National finals | June 1–3, 2027 | A few hundred spellers; written test, vocabulary and on-stage rounds, televised on ION |
“Levels” can also mean word difficulty rather than competition rounds. Our lists sort every grade into easy, medium and challenging, and step up by grade from grade 1 through high school. Those are our own difficulty bands, not Scripps levels.
Preparation Resources
Everything you need to prepare for competition success
- Words of the Champions — the official study list, about 4,000 words
- Merriam-Webster Unabridged, the source for the later rounds
- Word Club, the official Scripps practice app
- Pronunciation audio for all words
- Word definitions and usage examples
- Interactive spelling games
- Etymology and root word patterns
- Memory techniques and mnemonics
- Competition day strategies
How Strong Spellers Prepare
Four habits that show up again and again in serious bee preparation
Word origins do a lot of the work for you. Once you know that “psych-” comes from Greek and means “mind,” a whole family of words stops being something you have to memorize one at a time.
Simulate competition conditions at home. Have someone quiz you while you stand up, with a time limit. Spelling a word at a desk and spelling it on a stage are different skills.
You are allowed to ask for the definition, part of speech, language of origin and an example sentence — so ask for all of them, every time. Those clues are often enough to reconstruct a word you have never seen.
Thirty to forty-five minutes a day, most days, beats a long session the week before. Spelling is recall, and recall needs repetition spread over time to stick.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the levels of a spelling bee?
There are four, in this order: the classroom bee in the fall (where a school holds one), the school bee that produces a single school champion, the regional or sponsor bee typically held in February and March, and the National Finals — June 1–3, 2027 in the Washington, D.C. area. A speller advances by winning at each level. Schools with no sponsoring regional partner may instead route through RSVBee, which charges a fee. Separately, "levels" is often used to mean word difficulty rather than competition rounds: our own word lists sort each grade into easy, medium and challenging bands, which are ours rather than anything set by Scripps.
Who is eligible to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee?
A speller must be in eighth grade or below, must not have reached their 15th birthday on or before August 31, and must attend a school that has enrolled in the Bee program at spellingbee.com. Homeschooled students can take part through designated enrollment coordinators in their area.
When is the 2027 Scripps National Spelling Bee?
Scripps has scheduled the 2027 National Finals for June 1, 2 and 3, 2027, in the Washington, D.C. area. Classroom and school bees run throughout the fall of 2026, and regional bees follow in early 2027 — typically February and March, though each regional partner sets its own date.
How does a speller qualify for the National Finals?
The path is school bee, then regional or sponsor bee, then nationals. A speller wins their school bee, advances to the regional bee covering their area, and the regional champion earns a place at the National Finals. Spellers whose school has no sponsoring regional partner may instead be able to enroll through RSVBee, an invitation program that charges an entry fee. A few hundred spellers reach the National Finals each year.
How much does it cost for a school to enroll?
Scripps charges $199 per school through November 30, 2026, rising to $225 per school from December 1, 2026. Enrollment for the 2026–27 season opens on August 18, 2026 and closes on January 29, 2027. That fee is paid by the school, not by families.
Are there costs for families?
School and regional bees are usually free to enter when a school or regional partner sponsors them. RSVBee, the route for spellers without a sponsoring partner, charges an entry fee and does not cover travel or lodging — check the current figure with Scripps before counting on it. The official study lists are free on the Scripps website; study guides and books are optional.
What prizes do winners receive?
The champion receives a $50,000 cash prize from Scripps, the Scripps Cup trophy, and a $2,500 cash prize from Merriam-Webster. The runner-up receives $25,000. Prize amounts are set each year, so confirm the current figures with Scripps.
How should a speller prepare?
Work through Words of the Champions, the official Scripps study list of about 4,000 words. Study word origins, because knowing a word came from Greek or French narrows the possible spellings. Practice aloud with someone quizzing you, and learn to ask the questions a speller is allowed to ask: definition, part of speech, language of origin, and use in a sentence. Consistency matters more than volume — thirty to forty-five minutes most days beats a weekend of cramming.
Official Resources
Connect with the official Scripps National Spelling Bee
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Begin your path to the Scripps National Spelling Bee with our comprehensive study resources.
Practice between now and the regional
Everything here stays free. The practice kit adds a definition, example sentence and pronunciation hint for every word, plus flashcards, worksheets, a host guide and a certificate — one print-ready PDF from $4.99.