Quarterfinals

The International Speech Contest begins at the club level and proceeds through Area, Division, and District. Following the District-level speech contest, videos of each District’s first-place winner are submitted for the quarterfinals level.

To ensure that District winners can participate in quarterfinals, Districts must video record the International Speech Contest at their District conference. Video of the first-place winner must be submitted to World Headquarters within one week of the District conference.

More information, including recording requirements, is available in the Speech Contest Rulebook and in the quarterfinals FAQ.

Program Quality Directors should take the lead on ensuring all rules are followed during the International Speech Contest. Use this checklist to ensure all required steps have been followed.

Quarterfinals Timeline

Conferences take place in March through May, based on the schedule determined by District leadership. View the timeline below to see the roles and responsibilities of contestants and District leaders, as well as the judging process.

District Leaders

Program Quality Directors (PQDs) will receive information about quarterfinals, along with tips to help ensure videos meet all requirements. The PQD must review the Speech Contest Rulebook and ensure they are familiar with video recording requirements.

District Leaders

In February, Program Quality Directors (PQDs) must ensure that their District is prepared to record the International Speech Contest at their conference. Read the International Speech Contest rules in the Speech Contest Rulebook and carefully review relevant communication from World Headquarters.

The PQD is the primary leader responsible for ensuring video submissions adhere to the outlined rules and that contestants complete all forms. If others are assisting with these areas of the contest, the PQD must share any and all communications and instructions from World Headquarters.

District Leaders

In March, Program Quality Directors (PQDs) must ensure that their District is prepared to record the International Speech Contest at their conference. Read the International Speech Contest rules in the Speech Contest Rulebook and carefully review relevant communication from World Headquarters.

The PQD is the primary leader responsible for ensuring video submissions adhere to the outlined rules and that contestants complete all forms. If other District leaders are assisting with these areas of the contest, the PQD must share all communications and instructions from World Headquarters.

PQDs will receive instructions from World Headquarters on how to upload the video recording and forms from the speech contest (approximately two weeks prior to the District conference). Review the information and forward it to any others who are assisting in this process.

During the District conference, PQDs must ensure the International Speech Contest is recorded and follows the requirements outlined in the Speech Contest Rulebook.

Within one week following the completion of the District conference, PQDs must submit video of the first-place winner to World Headquarters, along with:

A signed copy of the Video Release Form.
A completed Notification of Contest Winner form.
A completed Speaker's Certification of Eligibility and Originality document.

It is critical to the timing of the contest that Districts submit all required materials by the deadline provided in email communications from World Headquarters.

Judging

Invitations will be sent to judges. There will be a minimum of nine voting judges and one tiebreaking judge for each contest. The Immediate Past International President once removed will be named chief judge for all quarterfinals. World Headquarters will select judges based on the following criteria:

Judges must be Toastmasters members of clubs in good standing who have achieved Advanced Toastmaster Bronze, Advanced Communicator Bronze, Distinguished Toastmaster or have completed one full path in the Pathways learning experience.
No voting judge or tiebreaking judge shall be a member in the same District in which a contestant is a member.
No chief judge, voting judge, or tiebreaking judge shall be a member in the same club in which a contestant is a member.

Contestants

Contestants who placed first in their District’s International Speech Contest will receive an official confirmation and congratulations from World Headquarters.

Judging for each contest will begin as soon as all Districts in that contest have submitted video of their District-level contest.

The results from each contest will be announced as soon as they are final to allow semifinal contestants to begin planning for the next level of competition. All contestants and District leaders will receive an email from the chief judge with results from their contest.

District Leaders

Program Quality Directors (PQDs) will receive instructions from World Headquarters on how to upload video recordings of the speech contest (approximately two weeks prior to the District conference). Review the information and forward it to any others who are assisting in this process.

During the District conference, PQDs must ensure the International Speech Contest is recorded and follows the requirements outlined in the Speech Contest Rulebook.

Within one week following the completion of the District conference, PQDs must submit video of the first-place winner to World Headquarters, along with:

A signed copy of the Video Release Form.
A completed Notification of Contest Winner form.
A completed Speaker's Certification of Eligibility and Originality document.

It is critical to the timing of the contest that Districts submit all required materials by the deadline provided in email communications from World Headquarters.

Judging

Judges will receive an email from World Headquarters that includes judging guidelines and training materials.

Judging for each contest will begin as soon as all Districts in that contest have submitted video.

Judges will receive access to review video submissions. Each judge will have one week to view all video submissions from the contest for which they are serving as a judge. Judges will be instructed to view each contestant’s video only once. After all judges have completed their reviews, the results will be sent to the chief judge.

World Headquarters will send PQDs information about the timing for their contest.

Contestants

Contestants who placed first in their District’s International Speech Contest will receive an official confirmation and congratulations from World Headquarters.

Judging for each contest will begin as soon as all Districts in that contest have submitted video of their District-level contest.

To ensure contestants proceeding to the semifinal level can begin planning as soon as possible, the results from each contest will be announced as soon as they are final. All contestants and District leaders will receive an email from the chief judge with results from their contest.

District Leaders

At the District conference, PQDs must ensure the International Speech Contest is recorded and follows the requirements outlined in the Speech Contest Rulebook.

Within one week following the completion of the District conference, PQDs must submit video of the first-place winner to World Headquarters, along with:

A signed copy of the Video Release Form.
A completed Notification of Contest Winner form.
A completed Speaker's Certification of Eligibility and Originality document.

It is critical to the timing of the contest that Districts submit all required materials by the deadline provided in email communications from World Headquarters.

Judging

Judging for each contest will begin as soon as all Districts in that contest have submitted video.

World Headquarters will send PQDs information about the timing for their contest.

Contestants

Judging for each contest will begin as soon as all Districts in that contest have submitted video of their District-level contest.

Judging

Contestants

All quarterfinal results should be shared with contestants and posted to the Toastmasters International website in July.

To ensure contestants proceeding to the semifinal level can begin planning as soon as possible, the results from each contest will be announced as soon as they are final. All contestants will receive an email from the chief judge with results from their contest.