Compete

Note. NASEF now stands for the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations, having started as the North America Scholastic Esports Federation. Its current site is nasef.org; the older esportsfed.org address still resolves but is not the primary site.

Coding Academic

NASEF Scholastic Esports

Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF)

School-based esports leagues paired with a curriculum in production, broadcasting, analysis and game design.

Run by NASEF

Official website Reviews and tips

Key facts

Eligible grades
Middle schools, high schools and community-based organisations may register as a Club.
NASEF defines eligibility by school level and organisation type, not by numbered grade.
Source, checked 2026-09-02
Eligible ages
Not confirmed. This organiser may set eligibility by grade rather than age. We do not convert one into the other.
NASEF publishes no age limits for club membership. Individual game titles carry their own age ratings, and NASEF's newsletter sign-up requires being over 13 or having parental consent.
Individual or team
Team · Not confirmed
Where it runs
Online · United States, International
Entry cost
FreeNASEF states participation is free: registration and tournament play cost nothing for any school. Schools are responsible for their students' equipment and technology, and some game titles require their own licences.
Registration deadline
Set locally, not published as a single national date No activation deadline. Individual tournament registration windows were not confirmed on the pages checked.
Competition dates
Two terms of league play each year, Fall and Spring, plus additional challenges such as worldwide Mario Kart time trials, a Rocket League AI bot challenge and the Farmcraft Minecraft programme.
Difficulty
Open to beginnersNo prior competition experience assumed. If you can do the school-level material, you can enter and score points.
Prizes
Scholarships and recognitionNot confirmed on the pages checked.

What NASEF Scholastic Esports is

NASEF runs scholastic esports leagues for school clubs, but the distinguishing feature is the surrounding programme: students compete not only as players but in production, shoutcasting, journalism, strategy analysis, graphic design and event management. That structure gives students who are not top players a genuine competitive role, and the curriculum is free and standards-aligned.

How the competition works

Club-based scholastic esports combining competitive play with a state-approved curriculum, club toolkits, coaching certification and Beyond the Game challenges covering careers such as strategist, content creator, organiser and entrepreneur. NASEF is the official esports provider for the California Interscholastic Federation.

Eligibility notes

Teams register through a school or approved club with a faculty advisor. Some game titles carry their own age ratings that limit which students can play them.

Is NASEF Scholastic Esports right for you?

Experience needed
None for the non-playing roles. Competitive play in supported titles requires practice like any sport.
Time commitment
A season, with weekly matches and practice.
What you actually do
You either play in league matches or take a production role: casting the match, editing highlights, running the club's social media, analysing opponents.

A good fit if

  • You want a competitive team activity that is not a traditional sport
  • You are interested in broadcast, production or games industry work
  • Your school already has an esports club with no structure around it

Probably not for you if

  • Students looking for an academic subject competition
  • Schools where the required game titles are not age-appropriate for the students involved

Compare this against competitions matched to you

Common mistakes

  • Treating it as only a gaming club. The scholarship and career value sits in the production, analysis and management roles.
  • Ignoring the age ratings on individual titles when assembling a middle school team.

How to register

  1. Find a faculty advisor willing to sponsor a club. This is required.
  2. Register the club on the NASEF site during a seasonal window.
  3. Decide which roles students will take, since production, analysis and journalism are competitive tracks alongside play.
  4. Use the free curriculum, which is standards-aligned and covers the non-playing roles in depth.

Register on the official site

What skills you need

  • Team strategy and communication
  • Video production and broadcasting
  • Data analysis
  • Graphic design
  • Event management
  • Writing

Recommended resources

  • NASEF official site Official · free

    League registration, supported titles, and the free standards-aligned curriculum.

  • NASEF curriculum resources Course · free

    Free classroom materials covering broadcasting, analysis, design and management.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be a good player?

No. NASEF deliberately builds competitive roles around production, shoutcasting, journalism, analysis and design, and those tracks carry the same programme recognition as playing.

Which games are used?

Supported titles change by season and region, and each carries its own age rating. Check the current season's title list before assuming a particular game is available to your age group.

Reviews, tips and resources from other students

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