ICCA & ICHSA

Apply for the ICHSA Wild Card

Applications and associated materials must adhere to the following application policies. By submitting an application your group agrees to abide by all policies listed on this website.

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Deadline

Applications are due by March 1 at 11:59 pm EST and may submitted electronically only.

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Application Materials

There are three components to a complete an ICHSA Wild Card application: a video submission, an application form, and an entry fee. All components must be submitted electronically by 11:59 pm EST on March 1. Even groups that competed in the regular season ICHSA  events must submit all three components, including the $35 fee.

PART I: Video
Make a video recording of your group performing three or four songs (within a 12 minute performance time limit). Upload it to YouTube as an unlisted video (instructions here). You will be asked to provide the unlisted URL in the online application form (PART II, below).

Your video must be labeled in YouTube with your group name, school name, and date of recording, as well as the following information about each song in your set: song name, original artist, soloist, arranger, and any other special performers (vocal percussionist, etc).

You may record all three songs separately, but if you do so, you must edit them together so that you provide us with only one link to your audition. You may not stop or edit within a song; it must be a truly live performance. All of our competition rules apply to this video submission.

Recordings must be made in the current year and accordingly will include those who were in your group at that time. You may make changes to your roster later.

If your group places in the top three and invited to ICHSA Finals, you are allowed to change your competition set from what you submit in this video.

PART II: Application form
Click here to submit the application form online

PART III: Entry fee
Click here to pay your $35 entry fee online
Important: Please label your payment with your group and school name! You will be promoted to do so under "Special Instructions," on the last page of your Paypal checkout, just before you click "Pay Now." You MUST provide your group and school name here, or we will not know what group you are paying for!

Your entry fee is due by the March 1 deadline.

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Special Consideration

Late applications:

Applications received after the March 1 deadline will not be accepted.

Returning competitors:
All applicants, including groups that competed at regular season ICHSA events, must submit an audition video.

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Eligibility

The ICHSA Wild Card Round accepts all groups, even if your group did not compete in a regular season, live ICHSA event.

Groups must consist of permanent, full-time, full-fledged participants who are full-time students enrolled at your school or university. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis and will take into account the academic enrollment status of the member in question as well as the individual school's policy for participation in registered student organizations. Please contact headquarters with membership questions.

Under no circumstances should groups bring in outside performers for competition. Failure to comply with this regulation may result in disqualification from any and all future competitions.

The Varsity Vocals Championship accepts vocal ensembles of all styles, but it is not a choral competition. Groups composed of more than 24 members should contact headquarters before applying.

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Acceptance

For groups who cannot participate in a live ICHSA Semifinal event or who don't take first place at their Semifinal, we offer additional wild card spaces for ICHSA Finals in New York City each season.

Groups can videotape their competition set, just as though they were performing at a live ICHSA Semifinal event--no stops, edits, or cuts. Three Varsity Vocals adjudicators will evaluate the performances.

On March 12, the three top-scoring groups will be declared winners of the Wild Card Round and will be invited to appear at ICHSA Finals. Groups that are scheduled to compete in an ICHSA semifinal held after March 1 may still participate in the Wild Card Round. Those that win a wild card spot can still compete in your Semifinal and enjoy the experience without concern for the outcome of the show. If the winner of a Semifinal has already won a wild card spot, we will invite the second place group at that Semifinal to advance to ICHSA Finals.