Latin League

The Latin League is a year-long, school-based competition that challenges students’ knowledge of the ancient Mediterranean world across topics like Latin language, mythology, history, and culture. Structured to mirror school athletics, this flexible, asynchronous competition allows teams from middle and high schools to participate regionally and nationally without travel.

Interested in the competition?

Competition Overview

Students in grades 12 and below

Eligibility

$5 per team

Entry Fee

Early August 2025

Registration Opens

October 6, 2025

Registration Closes

October - February

Regular Season

March and April

Playoffs

📌 Note: Aralia is not the organizer of this competition. For official rules, deadlines, and updates, please refer directly to the competition organizer. Aralia provides listings and information about competitions for student reference. Aralia is an online education platform offering competition preparation classes to students worldwide.

Competition Details

1. Levels and Divisions

Latin League has two levels: middle school and high school; and each level has two divisions: varsity and junior varsity (JV):

High School – Varsity: Grades 9-12
High School – Junior Varsity (JV): Grades 10 or below
Middle School – Varsity: Grades 6-8
Middle School – JV: Grades 7 or below

2. Team Structure

Team Size: Any team size, with up to 5 competing per round. New team members can be added to a team at any time during the year.
Roster Rules: Students cannot switch between teams within the same subdivision (e.g., from JV Purple to JV Gold) but may move up to a higher level, such as from JV to varsity.
Playoff Team: Varsity teams that win their region or rank in the top 15% nationwide based on total points from all five regular-season rounds will qualify for the super-regionals. Teams with a regional bye should still play the round to earn points toward their total.

3. Competition Format

Question Breakdown: Each round includes 100 multiple-choice questions (45 minutes):
- 50 questions on Latin language skills (reading comprehension, vocabulary, Latin derivatives, mottoes, phrases, abbreviations, and Latin in modern usage).
- 50 questions on ancient culture, covering mythology, history, daily life, and a monthly special topic.
Timing: Each round has a 2-week window for teams to complete the test asynchronously.

4. Additional Requirements

Membership Requirement: All participants must be members in good standing of the National Junior Classical League (NJCL).
Flexibility: The Latin League offers asynchronous competition to accommodate different schedules and avoid travel requirements.

Seasons

1. Regular Season (October-February)

Five matches from October to February; teams encouraged to play even if they have a bye.
Regional Play: Teams play all others in their region; regions are geographically assigned.
Regional champion: most wins (ties count as half); tie-breakers: head-to-head, then total points.

2. Playoffs (March-April)

Eligibility: Only Varsity teams advance to super regionals and national playoffs. If a school has multiple Varsity teams, only the highest-ranked team proceeds.
Super-Regionals: Regional champions/co-champions and top 15% nationally by points. Two super-regions; the top four teams advance to nationals.
National Championship: The top 8 teams from super-regionals compete, with the highest-scoring team crowned National Champions.