All participants need to be enrolled in a Chinese language program in a U.S. state-registered accredited school.

Contestants will be grouped by their grade levels.
 

• World Language Learners – learners who are learning Chinese as a foreign language
  (中文为外语学习者且非华裔血统者)

• Ethnically Chinese Group – learners who are ethnically Chinese, including adopted children
  （华裔组，华裔血统者，包括父母亲任何一方有华裔血统及领养儿）

• Immersion Program Learners – learners who are currently in immersion programs or students who have completed 5 or more years of immersion program in the past,and are not  ethnically Chinese
  （沉浸式项目学习者，包括曾经在沉浸式项目学习过5年以上，但是现在不在沉浸式项目中的非华裔学生）

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The contest will consist of four major groups and 10 subgroups:

1. Grades 3-5 Chinese language learners with the following subgroups

• World language learners (中文为外语学习者且非华裔血统者)

• Ethnically Chinese learners (华裔血统者)

2. Grades 6-8 Chinese language learners with the following subgroups

• Immersion program learners  (沉浸式项目学习者，包括曾经在沉浸式项目学习过5年以上，但是现在不在沉浸式项目中的非华裔学生）

• World language learners (中文为外语学习者且非华裔血统者)

• Ethnically Chinese learners (华裔血统者)

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3. Grades 9-12 Chinese language learners with the following subgroups

• immersion program learners  (沉浸式项目学习者，包括曾经在沉浸式项目学习过5年以上，但是现在不在沉浸式项目中的非华裔学生）

• World language learners (中文为外语学习者且非华裔血统者)

• Ethnically Chinese learners (华裔血统者)

• ​

4. College-level Chinese language learners with the following subgroups

• World language learners (中文为外语学习者且非华裔血统者)

• Ethnically Chinese learners (华裔血统者)

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AAICE reserves the right to change the groupings if necessary.