2027 Regents' Cup applications are now open

Applications are open for the 2027 Regents' Cup, the Arizona Board of Regents’ annual competition celebrating free speech and civil discourse at Arizona's public universities. 

Students from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona can apply to compete for scholarships and course credit through Oxford debate and persuasive storytelling.  The competition celebrates the free exchange of ideas, challenging participants to advocate for their views while treating opponents with civility and respect.

“The Regents’ Cup embodies the values of free speech and civil discourse at Arizona’s public universities,” said ABOR Executive Director Chad Sampson. “Students are challenged to defend their ideas, respond to competing viewpoints and engage with one another respectfully, even amid disagreement. That spirit shouldn’t end when the debate does — if we carry it into our workplaces, the halls of our elected officials and our own friendships, we’ll be better equipped to understand not just our own ideas, but each other’s.”

The 2027 Regents’ Cup will take place on April 10, 2027, at the ASU downtown Phoenix campus in the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and the Thunderbird School of Global Management. The theme for this year's competition is America at 250: Democratic Institutions.  Students can apply to participate here. 

The board awards scholarships, funded by generous community sponsors, to first, second and third-place winners — $15,000, $12,000 and $5,000 respectively. All other team members receive a $500 scholarship. Students may use the funds to support their education. Students are also eligible to receive internship or course credit for their work. Previous debate or speech experience is not required.

Similar to the Territorial Cup, the winning team displays the Regents' Cup trophy on its campus until next year's competition. ASU won the seventh annual Regents' Cup competition, hosted at the U of A in Tucson.

Arizona's public universities have repeatedly been recognized nationally for their commitment to free speech by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). In the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings, the U of A ranked No. 27, ASU No. 29 and NAU No. 32 out of 261 institutions nationwide, with all three again earning FIRE's "green light" rating, the organization’s highest distinction, indicating no policies that seriously threaten free expression.

The application deadline for the Regents’ Cup is November 13th. University teams will be selected, notified and announced by mid-December, and on-campus coaches will prepare students for the competition in April. Find more information or apply here.

WATCH last year's storytellers here and final Oxford debate here.