Organized with the support of the British Council, Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy, the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), and Beijing Grouphorse Translations, the Grouphorse Cup National English Speaking Contest will soon launch in June 2022. This national contest aims to help young people in China improve their English skills, enrich their knowledge, elevate their cross-cultural understanding, and refine their creative thinking skills.

The Grouphorse Cup National English Speaking Contest will stay true to the original aspiration of educating the people, taking on talent building as our mission, empowering foreign language education, and fostering a generation of passionate learners. By featuring current and up-to-date contest questions, a rigorous, calculated structure, professional and fair judging, and a variety of practical rewards, the contest offers an engaging platform for China’s modern youth to tap into the pulse of the times, show their awareness of the most current issues, and promote Chinese wisdom.

The contest strives to be an authoritative, fair, open and honest contest.

▲2022 Grouphorse Cup National English Speaking Contest Promotional Video▲

1. Organizational Structure 

Supporters 

British Council, Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy

Organizers

Chartered Institute of Linguists, Beijing Grouphorse translations Co., Ltd.

▲Official letter of support from the British Embassy▲

▲Letter from the co-organizer, CIOL▲

2. Contest Rules

(i) Contestant Eligibility

The contest is open to Chinese nationals between the ages of 18-35 (born between May 31, 1987 and May 31, 2004 inclusive). There are no restrictions on occupation or education.

(ii) Contest Structure

❶ This contest will consist of four online rounds: the preliminary (student group/non-student group), intermediary (student group/non-student group), semi-final (non-student group) or regional (student group), and final rounds.

❷ There are two ways to register for the preliminary round: student group and non-student group (which involves uploading contest videos and speech notes). Contestants can choose to take part in one or both contest formats simultaneously. The two contest formats will run side by side, contestants of whichever format can only advance through their chosen format, and have no connection to the other format. If a player advances to the finals through the regional competition and the semi-finals at the same time, they will no longer need to progress through the semi-finals to the finals, and vacated spaces will be filled sequentially according to the ranking from the semi-finals.

Once their contest videos have passed the first round of judging, the top 360 contestants to advance through the preliminary round (non-student group) will participate in the intermediary round (non-student group) by undergoing the second round of judging; The contestants who advance through the preliminary round (student group, specific number to be determined by the organizing committee at the time) will participate in the intermediary round (student group) held in their province, municipality, or autonomous region.

❸ The intermediary rounds (student group), held in various provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, will select their respective Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place to advance to the regional round; the top 90 contestants selected from the intermediary round (non-student group) will advance to the semi-finals.

❹ The regional round will take place across five regions (Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central Regions). The Eastern Region includes: Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, and Jiangxi; the Southern Region includes: Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan; the Western Region includes: Sichuan, Chongqing, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Tibet; the Northern Region includes: Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Shandong, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Inner Mongolia; the Central Region includes: Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hunan, and Hubei.

The Champions, Runners-up, and Third Place winners selected by each region, along with the top 9 contestants from the semi-finals, will advance to the final;

❺ The final is divided into two rounds (completed on the same day). The top 10 contestants from the first round will advance to the second round. The second round consists of an unprepared one-on-one match and a championship final. The top three contestants from the unprepared one-on-one will compete for the titles of Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place at the championship final.

(iii) Content

❶ Preliminary Round

Preliminary Round (Non-student group)

A video of your speech on a set topic (3 minutes) will be submitted for the first round of judging. For guidance on speech topics, please refer to the speech topics video posted on the official contest website (the same topics apply to preliminary and intermediary rounds).

Preliminary Round (Student Group)

Speech on a set topic (3 minutes). For guidance on speech topics, please refer to the speech topics video posted on the official contest website (the same topics apply to preliminary and intermediary rounds).

❷ Intermediary Round

Intermediary Round (Non-student group)

The video of your speech on a set topic from the preliminary round (3 minutes) will be submitted for the second round of judging. For guidance on speech topics, please refer to the speech topics video posted on the official contest website (the same topics apply to preliminary and intermediary rounds).

Intermediary Round (Student Group)

Speech on a set topic (3 minutes). For guidance on speech topics, please refer to the speech topics video posted on the official contest website (the same topics apply to preliminary and intermediary rounds).

▲Speech topics video (applies to both preliminary and intermediary rounds) ▲

❸ Semi-final (Non-student group) / Regional Round (Student Group)

◈ Speech on a set topic (3 minutes), see the speech topic video published on the official contest website on November 8, 2022 (applies to both semi-final and final rounds);

◈ Unprepared speech (3 minutes), drawing questions 30 minutes before delivering the speech;

◈ Answering the judges’ questions (1 question for each contestant, the answer should not exceed 1 minute)

❹ Finals

Round 1

◈ Speech on a set topic (3 minutes), see the speech topic video posted on the official contest website on November 9, 2022 (applies to both semi-final and final rounds);

◈ Answering two questions (answers should last no longer than 1 minute)

Round 2

Unprepared One-on-One Match

(Two contestants per group; for example, Contestant A and Contestant B)

◈ Contestant A’s unprepared speech: the speech topics are confidential, the contestant will give an unprepared speech (3 minutes), having drawn their topic 30 minutes before delivering the speech.

◈ Contestant B’s unprepared speech: the speech topics are confidential, the contestant will give an unprepared speech (3 minutes), having drawn their topic 30 minutes before delivering the speech.

◈ A asks B a question (only 1 question, derived from B’s speech), B’s answer should last 1 minute.

◈ B asks A a question (only 1 question, derived from A’s speech), A’s answer should last 1 minute.

◈ A answers a question from the judges (answer 1 question, the answer should not exceed 1 minute). 

◈ B answers a question from the judges (answer 1 question, the answer should not exceed 1 minute).

Championship Final

◈ Deliver an unprepared speech (3 minutes) immediately after drawing a random topic;

◈ Answer all of the judges’ questions (rapid fire questions, no more than 5 minutes).

(iv) How to Enter the Preliminary Round

You can choose to participate as a student or a non-student, or you can participate in both formats at once.

To sign up for the contest, please visit the official contest website (www.grouphorse.cn) to register your account, then select “Preliminary (Non-student group)” and/or “Preliminary (Student Group).”

Steps for Non-student group

✓ Step 1: Enter the “My Tournament” page and select “Preliminary (Non-student group),” fill in and submit the registration form, then pay the adjudication fee (RMB 99)

✓ Step 2: Enter the “Contestant Center-Preparation Guide” to watch the guide video (the video includes two parts: ① Introduction to the contest structure, ② Speech topics for the preliminary and intermediary rounds)

✓ Step 3: Start preparing the competition materials (① Chosen title of your speech, ② Draft of your speech, ③ Video of the speech recorded as required, ④ 1 inch electronic photo)

✓ Step 4: From June 1 to October 8, 2022, you can log into the “My Contest” section and upload the materials you have prepared, in accordance with the system’s requirements

✓ Step 5: After clicking “Confirm & Submit Participant Information”, you have completed the preliminary round and the materials submitted cannot be modified

Steps for Student Group

✓ Step 1: Enter the “My Tournament” page and select “Preliminary (Student Group) -Sign Up”. Then, search for the contest location in the search box (I.e.: the full name of the college/university where the contestant is located). Select an existing contest location (if the college/university or unit does not yet have a preliminary contest location, click on “contest location not found” next to the search box for further support)

✓ Step 2: Fill in and submit the registration form, and wait for the approval of your school’s (or unit’s) preliminary contest system administrator

✓ Step 3: Enter the “Contestant Center-Preparation Guide” to watch the guide video (the video includes two parts: ① Introduction to the contest structure, ② Speech topics for the preliminary and intermediary rounds)

✓ Step 4: Follow the notifications issued via the system by your preliminary round location as required, upload the competition materials (① Chosen title of your speech, ② Draft of your speech, ③ 1 inch electronic photo)

✓ Step 5: Follow the notifications as mentioned above, and take part in the preliminary round at the time organized by the preliminary round location

3. Contest Date

(i)            Schedule

National Finals & Awards Ceremony

On March 19, 2023, the organizing committee will hold the National Finals & Awards Ceremony online, which will be attended by British Embassy official representatives. The list of finals winners will be announced on the contest registration system, the official website, and the “CEME-CHINA” WeChat account before March 31.

4.  Prizes & Awards

The organizing committee will set up special prizes (Champion, Runner-up, Third Place) for the intermediary round, regional round and semi-final round, as well as First Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize, and the Excellent Instructor Award. Special prizes (Champion, Runner-up, Third Place) will also be set up for the final round, as well as First Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize, the Excellent Instructor Award and the Best Style Award. Excellent Organization awards will be presented to the organizers of the contest events mentioned above who showed exceptional mobilization, organization and efficiency.

With regard to instructors, contestants should think carefully when deciding whether or not to fill in their instructor’s information when registering for the preliminary, intermediary, regional, semifinal, and final rounds. Only one person can be entered as an instructor, and this cannot be modified after your submission is successful.

In addition, the organizing committee will also provide special rewards for contestants and excellent instructors, as follows:

(i) Special Awards for Contestants

● Impressive prize money

China’s major foreign language competitions generally do not offer prize money, but the Grouphorse Cup offers impressive prize money for all finalists in order to reward their motivation and hard work.

● Letters of commendation issued by members of the British royal family

The organizing committee of the Grouphorse Cup National English Speaking Contest is honored to specially invite members of the British royal family to issue letters to the Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place winners at the contest finals, commending them for their outstanding achievements.

● Fully funded one-week visit to London

The Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place winners at the contest finals will be rewarded with a fully funded one-week research visit to London, England. The trip will give winners an overview of British customs and gain an international perspective. 

● Visit to the Chartered Institute of Linguists

During their fully funded visit to Britain, the Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place winners at the Grouphorse Cup finals will be invited to visit the CIOL headquarters, an authoritative, century-old academic organization.

●Direct recommendations for internship opportunities at internationally focused institutions

The contest organizing committee will recommend all finalists at the intermediary, semi-final, regional, and final rounds for language or foreign affairs internship opportunities, and provide these finalists with one-stop job search assistance.

● Job recommendations for world-renowned companies

The contest organizing committee will recommend the Champion, Runner-up, Third Place, First Prize, Second Prize, and Third Prize winners at the contest final for employment opportunities at globally recognized companies, and provide these winners with one-stop job search assistance.

●Access to express, exam-free admission channels at prestigious British and American schools

The contest organizing committee will work with a number of well-known overseas colleges and universities in the United States, United Kingdom, etc., to arrange express channels for outstanding contestants at the semi-final, regional, and final rounds to access study abroad opportunities without having to take entrance exams.

▲The City University of New York is offering exemption from language proficiency verification exam to the finalists of the 2021 Grouphorse Cup National English Speaking Contest▲

 ● Listing on the Grouphorse Translations talent pool 
The contest finalists at the semi-final, regional, and final rounds will have the opportunity to be included in the high-end foreign affairs talent pool of Grouphorse Translations – the official United Nations translation service provider.

(ii) Special award for outstanding instructors

 ● Letters of commendation issued by members of the British royal family
The contest organizing committee is honored to specially invite members of the British royal family to issue letters to the instructors of the Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place winners at the contest finals, commending them for their exceptional teaching.

 ● Fully funded one-week visit to London

The instructors of the Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place winners at the contest finals will be rewarded with a fully funded one-week research visit to London, England. The trip will give the winning instructors an insight on the cutting edge of international education. 

 ● Visit to the Chartered Institute of Linguists

During their visit to England, the instructors of the Champion, Runner-up, and Third Place winners at the Grouphorse Cup finals will also be invited to visit the CIOL headquarters, an authoritative, century-old academic organization.

5.  Special Note

❶ Contestants should ensure that their personal information is genuine and accurate, and all their work is original. If any plagiarism or fraudulent manuscripts are discovered, the contestant will be disqualified by the organizing committee.

❷ The relevant rules and latest developments of the contest schedules will be published as early as possible on the official contest website and on the official “CEMA-CHINA” WeChat account. The contest registration system will notify the qualifying contestants reminding them to participate in the next stage of the contest as early as possible.

❸ Contestants participating in the preliminary round (non-student group) must pay an adjudication fee of RMB 99 for this round, and the adjudication fee standards for preliminary rounds (student group) are determined by the preliminary round location. Contestants who qualify for the intermediary round must pay a further RMB 199 adjudication fee through the contest registration system. Contestants who advance to the regional round and semi-final round must pay a further RMB 299 adjudication fee through the contest registration system. Contestants who qualify for the finals must pay a further RMB 299 adjudication fee through the contest registration system. The food, lodging, transportation, and other expenses incurred by contestants taking part in the contest shall be borne by the contestants themselves.

❹ The copyrights to contestants’ speeches and submission videos, as well as the photos, audio, and video recordings of the entire contest are all owned by Grouphorse Translations.

❺ If the contest cannot continue due to force majeure such as pandemic restrictions, the contest will be terminated automatically.

Secretariat of the Contest Organizing Committee 

Address: Unit 707, Tower A, Yonghe Plaza, 28 Andingmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Telephone: 400-8118-120

Website: www.grouphorse.cn

Email: speech@grouphorse.com

Supervision hotline: 010-57207319

Register Now!

Scan the QR Code below to register now

Officially launching June 1!