A typical FBLA competition year runs September through July, with predictable milestones at each month. Students hear about the high-level structure — chapter qualifier, state conference, National Leadership Conference — but rarely see the month-by-month operational rhythm. This article walks through one complete year as students, parents, and chapter advisors actually live it.
August – September: Enrollment & Event Selection
The school year opens with chapter recruitment. Chapter advisors run an introductory meeting, typically the first or second week of September. Returning members re-enroll, new members sign up. The chapter’s national dues ($6/year for high school) and state dues are collected by the advisor in this window.
By late September, students choose their competitive events. Most students enter 2-3 individual events plus one team event. Popular events fill quickly within a chapter (the chapter can only enter a limited slate per event at the state qualifier), so early commitment matters.
October – November: Skill Building
October and November are the preparation months. Objective-test event prep involves working through the annual Competitive Events Guidelines (released each fall on connect.fbla.org), identifying the knowledge area outline for each event, and building topical question banks from recommended textbooks.
For production and project events — Business Plan, Marketing Plan, Coding & Programming, Website Design — teams begin drafting pre-submitted material. These events require 4-6 months of work, so November is the latest realistic start for a competitive submission.
December – January: Mock Testing
Chapter advisors run mock objective tests in December and January. These are full-length, 50-minute, 100-question simulations that mirror the state conference test format. Mock results identify which events a student is competitive in and which need more preparation or possibly a different event choice.
For presentation events, December rehearsals begin: 7-minute talks plus 3-minute Q&A. Most chapters run two full dress rehearsals before the state qualifier, with feedback from the advisor or guest judges.
February: Chapter Qualifier
The chapter qualifier is typically held in February — either at the school or at a regional event hosted by the state association. This is where the chapter selects which students represent it at the state conference.
Most states allow chapters to send 2-4 students per individual event to state. Larger chapters with 50+ members run robust internal qualifying competitions; smaller chapters may skip a formal qualifier and send everyone interested. Either way, by end of February the state-conference roster is locked in.
March 1: Dues Deadline
March 1 is the national membership dues deadline. Students whose dues are not paid by this date are ineligible for spring state competitions and the summer NLC for that membership year. Chapter advisors submit all dues through the FBLA-PBL member portal before the March 1 cutoff.
March – April: State Leadership Conference
State Leadership Conferences run from mid-March through late April, with dates varying by state. The format is essentially a mini-NLC: opening session, two days of competitive events, recognition session. State conferences typically draw 1,000-3,000 student attendees per state.
Top placers at the state conference — typically top 2-5 per event, depending on state size — qualify for the National Leadership Conference. Qualifying placements are typically announced at the state recognition session and confirmed by email within 48 hours.
May – June: NLC Preparation
The 6-8 weeks between state results and the NLC are the final polish phase. NLC competition fields are roughly 5-10x larger than state, and the difficulty is calibrated higher. Students who placed well at state continue practicing; chapter advisors coordinate NLC travel logistics through the official housing portal.
Pre-submitted material for project events at NLC has its own deadlines, typically 30 days before the conference. Most students submit final versions of their pre-submitted work in late May or early June.
Late June – Early July: NLC
The National Leadership Conference is the year’s capstone. The 2026 MS/HS NLC runs June 29 – July 2 in San Antonio. The Collegiate NLC runs slightly earlier in June. Four days of opening sessions, competitive event finals, leadership workshops, and the closing Awards of Excellence Recognition Session.
Top-10 placers in each event are called to the stage at the awards session. National first-place winners receive trophies, scholarships, and corporate-sponsored prizes. The NLC also includes the national student officer election, with delegates voting on the team that will represent FBLA for the coming year.
August: Year-End Reflection & Reset
August is the reset month. Graduating seniors transition out. Returning members assess what worked and what didn’t, and begin planning for the new year. Chapter advisors review recruitment for the incoming school year. The cycle starts again in September.
Related Resources
- Competition Format & Rules — 5 event categories
- Registration guide — dues, deadlines, eligibility
- 2026 NLC guide — San Antonio, schedule, costs
- Study Resources — knowledge area outlines, sample questions
The month-by-month timeline above reflects FBLA-US standards. State associations vary in exact conference dates and qualifying procedures — confirm with your chapter advisor for state-specific details.