US Universities Debating Championship

The US Universities Debating Championship (USUDC) is one of the largest annual British Parliamentary (BP) debating tournaments in the United States, designed primarily for university and college debaters. Hosted by a different university each year and coordinated within the American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA) circuit, it attracts teams from across the U.S. (and often international guests) for several days of prepared and impromptu debates on current affairs, philosophy, public policy, and ethics. USUDC is **not a high school competition**; it is intended for undergraduate and other tertiary-level students. High school students generally cannot compete unless they are concurrently enrolled in a degree‑granting university program and meet the host institution’s eligibility rules. Participants gain intensive practice in argumentation, public speaking, critical thinking, and responding to unfamiliar topics under time pressure, with extensive feedback from experienced adjudicators and a high level of peer competition. While the event is most relevant to college students, motivated high school debaters often follow USUDC rounds online (when streamed or recorded) to observe advanced BP debating and to prepare for future participation once they enter university.