Prelims: Where Every Competitive Event Begins
Illinois HOSA's qualifying round. Every competitive event goes through it, not a selection of them. You compete from your own chapter, online, in the first week of December.
November 1
Membership affiliation due
November 26
Competitor registration closes
December 1–4
Preliminary testing window
December 1–5
Upload window
December dates are the 2026 season window. Confirm your event's guidelines each year.
The Structure
Three Rounds. This Is the First.
Illinois HOSA competition runs in three tiers. Prelims is the qualifying round, held at your own chapter, and every competitive event goes through it.
Preliminary Round
Your own chapter
December 1–5
SLC Round 1
Online
February 23–27
SLC Round 2
BOS Center, Springfield
March
The rule that catches people
Prelims uses Illinois HOSA's own scoring guidelines. SLC and ILC use National HOSA guidelines. They are different documents. Prepare from the Illinois guidelines for this round only.
Eligibility
Two Things Have to Happen First
Neither of these is something you can fix in December.
November 1
Active membership
Student
Your dues and chapter affiliation must be submitted. Only active Illinois HOSA members are eligible.
Advisor
Submit membership through the HOSA Portal by November 1.
November 26
Competitor registration
Student
You don't register yourself; your advisor does.
Advisor
Enroll every competitor through the National HOSA online portal. Contact Illinois HOSA if you need help.
Missing either deadline means no Prelims, and no path to SLC. Advisors receive the calendar from the state office.
Credentials
Your Login Comes by Email. Check Spam.
Testing and uploads do not happen on this website. Both run through National HOSA's system, and you reach them with credentials sent to you by email.
This page tells you what Prelims is and when it happens. The actual test and the actual upload happen through the National HOSA system. You will not find a “start test” button here.
The email comes from onlinetesting@apps.hosa.org
It contains a unique username and password
Check your spam and junk folders, because this is where most missed logins end up
Add the address to your contacts before December
Advisors · Two weeks before Prelims
Two weeks before Prelims begins, you can request a master list of your chapter's login credentials from Illinois HOSA. If a student can't find theirs, you check the list, and you don't reset anything. Keep it confidential.
What You'll Do
Two Formats. Check Which Yours Is.
Depending on your event, Prelims is either an online test or an online submission. Check your event guidelines before December.
Preliminary tests
December 1–4
Online multiple-choice testing, open from 7am to 7pm each day. Proctored, so your advisor supervises.
Preliminary uploads
December 1–5
Portfolio and project submissions through the HOSA Competitive Event Digital Upload system. For team events, one member uploads for the team.
Not every event translates to your event's guidelines, so check the guidelines for your event first.
Accommodations
Testing Accommodations
Students competing with an IEP or 504 plan can request accommodations for Prelims and for every round after it.
Submit the IEP Verification Form through your advisor. National HOSA accommodation guidance applies to SLC and ILC and is linked on those pages.
Requests go through your advisor, not directly from a student to the state office.
Questions
Questions
- I can't find my login email.
- Check spam and junk first. If it isn't there, ask your advisor, who can request your chapter's credential master list from Illinois HOSA.
- Do I compete at a conference?
- No. Prelims happens at your own chapter, online.
- Which guidelines do I prepare from?
- Illinois HOSA's own Preliminary Round Guidelines for this round. National HOSA guidelines apply from SLC onward.
- What if I miss the testing window?
- Testing is open 7am–7pm across four days. Contact your advisor immediately, and they can escalate to Illinois HOSA.
- My event needs an upload. When is it due?
- Uploads run December 1–5, one day longer than the testing window.
- We're a team event, so do we all submit?
- No. One team member uploads on behalf of the team.
- Who do I ask if my advisor can't help?
- Advisors contact Illinois HOSA directly. Students should always start with their advisor.
Deadlines
Prelims Starts With November 1
Membership by November 1. Registration by November 26. Everything else follows.
Advisors: see the Conference Coordinators section on the Conferences & Events page.