Regional/Preliminaries: 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 home school, online, between November 30 and December 4.
November 1
National HOSA Membership affiliation due on CMS (Advisor Portal) Illinois HOSA Affiliation & Chapter Application (emailed to IL HOSA)
November 26
Competitor registration closes. Match your member with the events they are competing in for the 26-27 HOSA year.
November 30–December 3
Monday 7am–7pm Tuesday 7am–7pm Wednesday 7am–7pm Thursday, 7am–7pm
Regional/Preliminary testing window
November 30–December 4
Opens 7am November 30 Closes 4pm December 4
Regional/Preliminary upload window
November 30–December 4 is the 2026 season window. Confirm your event's guidelines each year.
Illinois HOSA State Testing Series
Three Rounds. This Is the First.
Illinois HOSA events include Regional/Preliminaries, State Leadership Conference Round 1, and State Leadership Conference Round 2. Illinois HOSA Regional/Preliminaries is the qualifying round, held at your home school, and every competitive event goes through it.
Regional/Preliminaries
Online - Your home school
November 30–December 4
State Leadership Conference Round 1
Online - At your home school
February 23–27
State Leadership Conference Round 2
BOS Center, Springfield, IL
March 17–19
Regional/Preliminaries and Round 1 use Illinois HOSA's event guidelines. ILC uses National HOSA event guidelines. They are different documents.
Eligibility
Two Things Have to Happen First
Neither of these is something you can fix once testing opens.
November 1
Active Membership Due National HOSA- Using CMS/Advisor Portal Illinois HOSA - Affiliation Form & Chapter Application Due via email to IL HOSA.
Student
Your dues and chapter affiliation must be submitted by your Advisor. Only active Illinois HOSA members are eligible.
Advisor
Submit National HOSA membership through the HOSA Advisor Portal (CMS) by November 1. Illinois HOSA Advisor Affiliation Form & Chapter Application Due to Illinoishosa32@gmail.com
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 Regional/Preliminaries, and no path to the State Leadership Conference.
Illinois HOSA Competitive Events
Competitive Event Guidelines on the National HOSA website are created specifically for the International Leadership Conference (ILC). Some elements may not apply to competitors at Regional/Preliminaries or the state level. This page is dedicated to all things competitive events in Illinois.
For ALL events, read the IL HOSA event guidelines to prepare for Regional/Preliminaries and the State Leadership Conference. To prepare for ILC, read the National HOSA event guidelines.
Event Guidelines All Updated 10/22/2026
Secondary and Postsecondary/Collegiate Events
Health Science Events
Health Professions Events
- Biotechnology
- Clinical Lab Science (Medical Lab Scientist)
- Clinical Nursing
- Clinical Specialty
- Dental Science
- Family Medicine Physician
- Genetics
- Home Health Aide
- Medical Assisting
- Nursing Assisting
- Occupational Therapy
- Patient Care Technician
- Personal Care (IDEA EVENT)
- Pharmacy Science
- Phlebotomy
- Physical Therapy
- Physician Assistant – Medical Case Challenge
- Respiratory Therapy
- Sports Medicine
- Surgical Technologist
- Veterinary Science
Emergency Preparedness Events
Leadership Events
- Extemporaneous Writing – Health Policy
- Health Career Photography
- Healthy Living
- Interviewing Skills (IDEA Event)
- Job Seeking Skills
- Organizational Leadership-SLC Only Running for State Office
- Prepared Speaking
- Researched Persuasive Writing & Speaking
- Speaking Skills (IDEA Event)
Middle School Events
Middle school members can compete in a total of 2 events listed below. Events must be in different categories. Middle School Events are for students enrolled in 6th-8th grade.
Middle School Health Science Events
Middle School Leadership Events
Middle School Emergency Preparedness Events
Middle School Teamwork Events
Recognition Events Upload and Hours are for State Leadership Conference Recognition
- America's Blood Centers & HOSA Blood Drive*
- American Red Cross Chapter Recognition
- Barbara James Service Award*
- Healthcare Issues Exam SLC ONLY State Officers & Running for State Officer
- HOSA Happenings*1 per chapter
- Hilarity for Charity Recognition (A Only)
Events with a "*" are also open to middle school members. Members will only complete testing/uploads during State Leadership Conference Round 1.
Event names follow this season's national HOSA competitive events list. Questions about a specific event? Email the state office.
TESTING CREDENTIALS
Testing Login Comes by Email. Check Spam.
Testing and uploads do not happen on this website. Both run through National HOSA's (CMS) system. The CMS system will send an email for each event with a unique login and password. Student members will recieve the emails the weekend before the testing window opens.
This page tells you what Regional/Preliminaries 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 testing opens
Advisors · Two weeks before Regional/Preliminaries
Two weeks before Regional/Preliminaries 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
Testing & Uploads. Check What The Event Requires.
Depending on your event, Regional/Preliminaries is either an online test or an online submission. Check your event guidelines before testing opens.
Regional/Preliminary Tests
November 30–December 3
Online multiple-choice testing: Monday 7am-7pm Tuesday 7am-7pm Wednesday 7am-7pm Thursday 7am-7pm Proctored by Staff Member Advisor supervises.
Regionals/Preliminary Uploads
November 30–December 4
Portfolio and project submissions through the HOSA Competitive Event Digital Upload system. Open 7am Monday- Closes Friday 4pm. For team events, only one member needs to upload 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 Regional/Preliminaries and for every round after it.
Submit the IEP Verification Form through your advisor. National HOSA accommodation guidance applies to the State Leadership Conference 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. Regional/Preliminaries happens at your home school, online.
- Which guidelines do I prepare from?
- Illinois HOSA's own Regional/Preliminaries Guidelines for this round. National HOSA guidelines apply from the State Leadership Conference 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 November 30–December 4, 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
Regional/Preliminaries 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.