The 2027 CNEC (China National Economics Challenge, the China route of the NEC) season is open, and the single question most families get wrong is not “how hard is it?” but “which division, and how do we build a team?” CNEC has three divisions with different entry rules and, crucially, different team requirements — and its higher divisions are team-only. This guide sets out the division structure, the team-size rules, and how cross-school teams are handled, so you plan the season correctly from the start. Confirm current dates and rules on the official CNEC channels and the entry platform (webloom.cn).
Three divisions — and who each is for
CNEC sorts entrants by prior economics study, not just by grade. Choosing the right division is the first strategic decision of the season:
| Division | Who it is for | Team requirement | What it tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | Entry level — students who have not studied economics before, or only IGCSE introductory economics | Individual or a team of 2–4 | Microeconomics & macroeconomics |
| David Ricardo (DR) | Students who have studied one of micro or macro within an IBDP / AP / AS course | A team of 4 (required) | Micro, macro, and international economics & current affairs |
| Adam Smith (AS) | The top division — no prior-study barrier; for the strongest economics students | A team of 4 (required) | Micro, macro, and international economics & current affairs |
Two things to note early. First, the DR and AS divisions are team-only — you cannot enter them as an individual, so teammate-finding is part of preparation, not an afterthought. Second, division eligibility is set by prior coursework (what you had studied by a cut-off date), so read the current-year definition on the official rules before assuming a division. Entrants who do not pick a division by the platform's deadline are typically defaulted into Adam Smith — the hardest — so choose deliberately.
One detail in the division wording is easy to read past and changes who qualifies. In the previous cycle the China-route materials did not test prior study at the moment you register — they tested it as of a fixed date the September before the season. Pre was written for students who by that September had not begun an economics course, or had taken only introductory IGCSE economics; David Ricardo for students who by that September had taken one of microeconomics or macroeconomics inside an IBDP, AP or AS programme. If the same pattern holds this cycle, a course you begin in October does not move you up a division, and a student who finished AS microeconomics last spring is already outside Pre whether or not it feels that way. Assessment dates are set per cycle, so check the current wording before you assume it.
How teams work — including across schools
This is the part that most rewards planning. The CNEC team rules run on the official entry platform, and three points matter:
- The Preliminary can be sat solo — the later stages cannot. At the Preliminary (初级站) a student may enter individually (with no team honour), but progression to the China round and the global round requires a team. So even if you sit the Preliminary alone, plan your team before you advance.
- Cross-school teams are allowed, and the team declares a “home school” on the platform. Any team honour is credited to that declared school, while each student's individual certificate shows their own school. Knowing this up front avoids a scramble at registration.
- DR and AS need exactly four; Pre needs two to four (or an individual at the Preliminary). Build to the right number for your target division, and finalise the team before the platform's team-formation deadline.
Because the strong divisions are team-only and cross-school is permitted, teammate-finding is a genuine strategic step. For how the competition itself is structured once you are in, see our guides to the NEC rounds and format.
The season shape
CNEC runs as a multi-stage progression — Preliminary → China round → Global round — across the academic year. The published shape for the 2027 season is:
| Stage | When (2027 season) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Opens mid-year, through to about the start of December | Sign up, then choose division and form your team on the platform |
| Preliminary (初级站) | Mid-December (an online written assessment) | Sit individually or as a team; a mock sitting runs shortly before |
| China round (研习阶段) | Around March | Team-based |
| Global round | Later in the year (US / Asia / UK hosts) | Team-based |
The Preliminary is an online assessment: the sitting window is a couple of hours end-to-end, of which the assessed time is about 60 minutes. Exact dates, the mock-test window and the sitting slots are set each year on the platform — treat the above as the season shape and confirm the current calendar on the official CNEC channels before you plan around it.
A sensible way to choose
Put the three decisions in order: division first, team second, calendar third. Pick the division your prior coursework actually allows (and that stretches you); assemble a team of the right size for it — four for DR or AS — deciding early whether you will build within your school or across schools; then work backward from the December Preliminary. Getting the division and team right at the start is worth more than any amount of last-minute cramming, because the wrong division or an incomplete team is a problem preparation cannot fix.
2027 CNEC teams currently looking for members
Because the David Ricardo and Adam Smith divisions need a team of four, we keep a live pool of students who are forming teams and looking for the right teammates. The students below (shown by initial, with their consent) are building 2027 teams now and are open to strong partners — several are cross-school. To join one of these teams, or to start your own and have us help you find teammates, reach out through our contact page.
David Ricardo (DR) division — forming
- Team · “S” (needs 3) — Chinese International School (Hong Kong), Grade 10 / IB (~3.96/4); economics introduced in a Grade 9 humanities course, now taking IBDP economics.
- Team · “C” & “L” (needs 2) — “C”: Shanghai World Foreign, Grade 10 / IB (41/42, a single 6 in Visual Arts); steady top-of-year economics (7), self-studying microeconomics on Coursera; “L”: Shanghai World Foreign (main campus), Grade 10–11 / IBDP, a full year of economics with 7s at both the exam and overall.
- Team · “T” (needs 3) — Shenzhen College of International Education, Grade 9→10; GPA 4.0; finished IGCSE economics over the summer and moving on to AS economics.
Adam Smith (AS) division — forming
- Team · “J”, “Z” & “J” (needs 1) — “J”: YK Pao School (Shanghai), Grade 10→11 / IB, all A* and top-three in class, IGCSE economics A*, competed in CNEC AS in 2025–26; “Z”: Beijing Legacy Academy, Grade 10→11 / IB (6.6/7), high honor roll every year, micro and macro completed; “J”: Raffles Girls' School (Singapore), Grade 10 / A-Level, GPA 4.0, A-Level microeconomics completed and macroeconomics in progress.
- Team · “R” (needs 3) — Shenzhen BASIS, Grade 10 / AP; studied AP macroeconomics and microeconomics in Grade 9, both 5.
- Team · “S” (needs 3) — North America International School (Suzhou), Ivy stream, entering Grade 11 in September / AP; completed AP microeconomics with a clear grasp of the fundamentals.
This pool refreshes through the season. If none is a perfect fit, we can still help you assemble a team — including across schools, which CNEC permits — via our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I enter CNEC as an individual?
At the Preliminary you can enter the Pre division individually (with no team honour). The David Ricardo and Adam Smith divisions are team-only, and progression beyond the Preliminary requires a team.
How big is a CNEC team?
Pre is an individual or a team of 2–4; David Ricardo and Adam Smith each require a team of 4. Confirm current rules on the official platform.
Can a CNEC team include students from different schools?
Yes — cross-school teams are allowed. The team declares a home school on the platform; team honours go to that school, and each student's individual certificate shows their own school.
Which division should I choose?
It is set by prior economics study: Pre for none/IGCSE-only, David Ricardo if you have studied one of micro or macro in IB/AP/AS, Adam Smith for the strongest students. If you don't choose, you may be defaulted into Adam Smith.
Published by the CNEC (China National Economics Challenge) editorial desk, operated by Hanlin Education as an authorised China test centre for the NEC. The NEC is run by its organiser (the US Council for Economic Education); official rules, divisions, dates and platform arrangements are set by the organiser and the China programme and can change each year — always confirm current details on the official CNEC channels and webloom.cn. Confirmed errors are corrected within 7 working days.