Choose the event that fits you
A competitive event is the area you'll focus on all year, and DECA offers 60 of them across marketing, finance, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and business management. Take some time with this page before our September 21 meeting, where members choose their events. Graham McDonald, our VP of Competition, is your student point of contact and a great person to ask.
What competing actually looks like
The exam
Most events start with a multiple-choice exam on your career cluster, which is the industry area your event belongs to. The good news is that you can study for it. DECA publishes the performance indicators the questions come from, and we run practice tests all year.
The role-play
You're given a scenario that puts you in a role, like a marketing manager whose client wants a new campaign, along with time to prepare. Then you present your recommendation to a judge who does that job in real life and answer their questions on the spot.
Moving up
Everyone starts at the Regional conference at Eastern Kentucky University. Finish high enough and you'll advance to the State Career Development Conference (SCDC) in Louisville, where Kentucky placement is decided and the delegation to the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) is set. How many competitors advance depends on the event and on the quota Kentucky DECA publishes each year, so ask Mr. Hoertz or Mr. Hackman what advancement looks like for your event. A few events work a little differently: some run only at Regional, some only at State, and the online events qualify through DECA Inc. directly.
Every DECA event for 2026-27
Filter by format or by career cluster, which is the industry area an event belongs to. You can pick more than one cluster at a time. If you're not sure where to start, the Principles of Business Administration events are a great choice, because DECA designs them for first-year DECA members, whatever grade you're in. Team Decision Making events are done with a partner, and the written and online events can be done on your own or with up to two teammates, so check the team size before you pair up. Every row links out to that event's own page on deca.org, where you'll find the guidelines, the performance indicators, and sample exams for it.
Showing all 60 events.
No events match that combination. Clear a filter to see the full list.
You won't be doing this alone
- Practice role-plays, judged by officers and by our business partners
- Practice exams built from DECA's published performance indicators
- Workshops for written events, and an advisor who reads your drafts
- Interview practice, and clear guidance on what to wear
- A full mock competition before every conference
Competition dress is business professional. The official DECA blazer is required at ICDC but not at Regional or State. Our dress code page explains what that means at each conference. If you don't have those clothes, let Mr. Hoertz know early, and we'll figure it out together.
Members who prepared this way placed at every level last season, from the Regional conference through the international conference. You can see the full results.
Bring your event choice to the September 21 meeting.
Narrow the list down to two or three events and come ready to decide. If you're interested in a team event, talk with your partner before the meeting. Questions before then can go to Graham McDonald or Mr. Hoertz. Competing requires paid membership on the official DECA roster, and dues are due Friday, September 25.