Q: How and where do I register for the competition?

A: You will need an account for the registration. Please sign up for an account if you haven’t acquired one before starting the registration process. Please remember to check for a verification email to activate your account. 

Now, you may begin your registration process by Signing Up an account. Then follow the instructions below:

• Fill in the registration form (if your teammate has registered before you, please make sure to ask for the QR code and upload the QR code to join the team before proceeding to finish the form).
• Confirm your team and team members’ information.
• Pay the registration fee as a team (no individual payment is accepted).
• Upload your team’s Business Proposal.

Once you complete the above steps before the respective deadlines, your team will be officially listed as First Round participants of the competition.

Q: How can my teammates and I form a team if we were unable to join each other’s team while filling out the registration form?

A: If you and your teammates have registered multiple teams independently, please ensure that only one account maintains the team registration. The other team member(s) should withdraw their team registration from their Dashboard. After the withdrawal, your teammate(s) can then proceed to the registration page and complete the form using the QR code associated with the team registration you’ve retained. 

Q: What forms of payment are accepted? Can I pay with a credit card?

A: We accept PayPal and credit cards. 

Q: How to apply for the scholarship for U.S. public schools?

A: If you’re a student attending a U.S. public school, you may email [email protected] for a scholarship application. Please provide us your name, team name, and the school name you’re attending with one of the following for verification: 

• Photo/screenshot of your student ID card
• Your school email address (we will send an email to this address for verification)

Q: What if I need to cancel the registration after my team has completed the payment? Can I get a refund?

A: Please refer to your refund policy below.

Q: If a team member withdraws during the competition, will the team be allowed to continue with the competition?

A: If a team member has to withdraw from the competition, as long as there are at least two members remaining in the team, the team will be allowed to continue with the competition. 

Q: What is the total number of participants that have joined the MEC since the competition began?

A: Approximately 12,000 high school students have participated over the last 9 years.

Q: What if I live in New York City and I do not need local transportation or accommodations during Offline Final Round?

A: Please contact us if accommodations and local transportation are not required.

Q: What are the format requirements for the Business Proposal for the First Round?

A: The Business Proposal must be uploaded to the participating team’s MEC First Round Dashboard. The Business Proposal must be in PDF format no more than 25 MB. The content should not exceed 20 pages. 

The file name should follow this naming convention: TEAM NAME_Business Proposal

Q: Is the revised Business Proposal required?

A: No. However, teams that have received judges’ feedback for a Business Proposal revision are recommended to upload a revised version to the teams’ MEC First Round Dashboard. 

Q: What is the refund policy for First Round Participants?

• Cancellation before the First Round Payment Deadline: A 50% service fee will be charged, and 50% of your payment will be refunded.
• No refund will be issued after the First Round Payment Deadline of the registration year.

Q: What is the refund policy for Online Final Round Participants?

• Cancellation before the Final Round Payment Deadline: A 50% service fee will be charged, and 50% of your payment will be refunded.
• No refund will be issued after the Final Round Payment Deadline of the registration year.

Q: What is the refund policy for Offline Final Round Competition’s Deposit?

• The deposit can be fully refunded until the First Round Registration Deadline (March 14th PDT), or if the student does not advance to the Final Round.
• No refund will be issued after the First Round Registration Deadline (March 14th PDT) of the registration year.

Q: How to request a refund?

A: To request a refund, please contact our support team at [email protected] with your registration details, including your legal English full name and team name. 

Q: How long is the refund processing time?

A: Refunds will be initiated within 14 working days from the date of the refund request.