About the competition
The Economic Reasoning Initiative (ERI) is a national economics and business competition for students in the United States.
Who can enter: students who are 13 to 18 years old on February 22, 2027, or who are in high school (grades 9 to 12, homeschool included). You must live in the United States, D.C., or a U.S. territory. You compete individually, so you do not need a team or a school club.
Events: pick one of five. Economics & Policy, Finance & Investment, Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, or Markets & Consumer Strategy. Each event uses short case problems: a business or policy situation with the numbers, and you decide what should be done and explain why. You do not need to have taken an economics class. Free practice cases are on the website.
Timeline: registration closes January 31, 2027 at 11:59 PM Eastern. Regionals are online on February 22, 2027. The top 12 in each event who score at least 65 out of 100 advance to Nationals, held online on March 27, 2027.
Judging: answers are scored with a published rubric. Judging will be by professionals.
Cost: $25 per student, nonrefundable.
ERI also runs a separate Research Competition with its own $25 entry fee (details on that will be published in a few months because we are focusing on our main competition).
Who can enter: students who are 13 to 18 years old on February 22, 2027, or who are in high school (grades 9 to 12, homeschool included). You must live in the United States, D.C., or a U.S. territory. You compete individually, so you do not need a team or a school club.
Events: pick one of five. Economics & Policy, Finance & Investment, Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, or Markets & Consumer Strategy. Each event uses short case problems: a business or policy situation with the numbers, and you decide what should be done and explain why. You do not need to have taken an economics class. Free practice cases are on the website.
Timeline: registration closes January 31, 2027 at 11:59 PM Eastern. Regionals are online on February 22, 2027. The top 12 in each event who score at least 65 out of 100 advance to Nationals, held online on March 27, 2027.
Judging: answers are scored with a published rubric. Judging will be by professionals.
Cost: $25 per student, nonrefundable.
ERI also runs a separate Research Competition with its own $25 entry fee (details on that will be published in a few months because we are focusing on our main competition).
Prize
Cash Prize
Top 3 in each of the 5 events win cash from a prize pool of at least $2,000
Deadline
January 31, 2027
in 3 months
Eligibility
High school Students
Open worldwide unless noted.
