FBLA offers 76 high school competitive events for 2025-2026. They span three categories — individual, team and chapter — and a handful of formats (objective test, presentation, role play, production and chapter report). For an international competitor, the smart move is not memorizing all 76; it is understanding the formats so you enter events that fit your strengths. This guide from the FBLA China desk explains the structure and how to choose.
The big picture: 76 events, three categories
Every FBLA competitive event falls into one of three categories. Knowing which is which tells you how many teammates you need and what kind of preparation the event rewards.
| Category | What it means |
|---|---|
| Individual | You compete alone — most objective tests and many presentations. Best if you want full control of your result. |
| Team | Two or three members compete together — common in role plays and larger projects. Rewards division of labour and rehearsal. |
| Chapter | Recognises your whole chapter’s work over the year (e.g., the Local Chapter Annual Business Report), not one student’s performance. |
The formats, and what each one rewards
Format matters more than topic when you are choosing. A student who tests well should look very different from one who shines on stage. Here is what each format demands, with representative events:
| Format | What it rewards | Representative events |
|---|---|---|
| Objective Test | Speed and accuracy on a timed multiple-choice exam of business knowledge. | Accounting · Business Law · Business Communication · Personal Finance · Organizational Leadership |
| Presentation | Building something over weeks, then delivering it well to judges. | Business Plan · Broadcast Journalism · Business Ethics · Career Portfolio · Job Interview |
| Role Play | Reading a case on the spot and reasoning aloud under time pressure. | Marketing · Business Management · Banking & Financial Systems · Management Information Systems · Parliamentary Procedure |
| Production / Prejudged | Producing a finished artefact (often code or design) submitted ahead of the fair. | Coding & Programming · Website / visual design · Computer-based production events |
| Chapter | Documenting a whole year of chapter work. | Local Chapter Annual Business Report |
Exact formats are reviewed each year, and some events combine a test with a presentation. Always check the current format of a specific event in the official FBLA competitive events guidelines before you commit.
How to choose events that fit you
Start from your strengths, not from the event that sounds most prestigious. The fastest way to a strong result is matching format to ability.
Two practical rules. First, you can only enter a limited number of events, and the caps vary by level and year — so spend your slots where you are strongest rather than spreading thin; confirm the current limit with your adviser and the official guidelines. Second, beginners often do best starting with one objective test (clear, study-driven) plus one presentation (showcases initiative), then adding role plays once they are comfortable improvising.
Which events travel well for international students
Some events lean on U.S.-specific context; others are universal business skills. For students competing from China, the most portable choices are typically objective tests on globally standard topics (accounting, finance, business law fundamentals), production events like coding and design (judged on the artefact, not local context), and business-plan-style presentations where your own idea is the content. Events steeped in U.S. regulatory detail are still winnable, but they cost more preparation. Whatever you pick, your project and delivery must be in English, FBLA’s language of competition.
If your school does not yet have a chapter, that comes first: FBLA membership is chapter-based, and in China the chapter and registration process runs through the FBLA China program rather than direct individual sign-up. See our companion guides on FBLA for international students and how to qualify for NLC.
Where to find the official, current list
This guide explains the structure; the authoritative, year-specific details live on fbla.org. Before you register, download the current Competitive Events guidelines for any event you are considering and read its format, eligibility, and the rating sheet judges use — that rating sheet is effectively your scoring rubric.
Frequently asked questions
How many FBLA competitive events are there?
There are 76 high school competitive events for 2025-2026, across individual, team and chapter categories. The exact line-up changes each year, so confirm the current list on fbla.org.
What are the FBLA event formats?
The main formats are objective test (a timed exam), presentation (prepared and delivered to judges), role play (an on-the-spot case), production or prejudged (a finished artefact such as code or design), and chapter events (a year’s chapter work). Some events combine a test with a presentation.
How many events can one student enter?
A limited number, and the cap varies by level and year. Choose where you are strongest rather than entering many, and confirm the current limit with your adviser and the official guidelines.
Which events are best for international students?
Portable choices include objective tests on globally standard topics, production events judged on the artefact (coding, design), and business-plan presentations built around your own idea. All competition is in English.
This guide is published by the FBLA China editorial desk, operated by Hanlin Education for international-school students in China. FBLA’s competitive-event line-up, formats and rules are set by FBLA and change each year — always confirm the current events list and official guidelines at fbla.org. Confirmed errors are corrected within 7 working days.