KIMEP SCHOOL OF LAW GRAND NATIONAL DEBATE TOURNAMENT & SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION 2026

Registration

Almaty |  March 28–29, 2026 | Scholarships up to 100%

The KIMEP Law School Grand National Debate Tournament in English is an annual academic debate competition held every spring at KIMEP University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The Tournament is open to graduating high school and vocational school students from Kazakhstan who are eligible to apply to KIMEP.

The Tournament serves as the Law School’s Intellectual Olympiad and aims to identify motivated and talented prospective law students. Participants compete in teams in an English-language parliamentary debate format, demonstrating their critical thinking, argumentation, and communication skills.

Winners and outstanding speakers are awarded merit-based scholarships to pursue undergraduate law studies at KIMEP University.

Please note:

The working language of the Tournament is English. All debates, official communication, and rules are conducted in English.

The full Debate Tournament Regulations are provided below in English only.

I. Critical Dates (2026):

  • February 15, 2026 – Registration deadline and announcement of the Proposition for preliminary rounds;
  • March 28 – 29, 2026 – Tournament, in-person at KIMEP, Abay Ave., 2, Almaty.

II. Eligibility Criteria

  • Graduating year seniors attending high school/vocational school in Kazakhstan and eligible for entering KIMEP in Fall 2026.
  • Any citizenship
  • English proficiency that corresponds to a minimum of B2 level: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 85.
  • No participation in the Intellectual Olympiad events of any other KIMEP college or school.

III. Application Procedure

  • Step 1. Create a team of two. The Tournament is a team competition. One team shall consist of two eligible students.
  • Step 2. Register online. Both team members should complete all registration fields on time and submit proof of eligibility criteria.
  • Step 3. Sign up for and actively follow the Tournament’s Telegram channel, which will provide news and announcements about format, rules clarifications, and explanations.

IV. Debate Format

Note: The Tournament is in English

The Tournament uses a parliamentary Debate format and takes place offline at KIMEP. The Tournament begins with a series of preliminary rounds for all participants with the number of rounds based on the total number of teams (usually three rounds). After the preliminary rounds, the Tournament Committee selects the four teams with the best records for a semi-final round. Then comes a final round between the top two teams.

In each round teams debate the Proposition. The Tournament Committee determines which team will argue each side and tries to ensure each team rotates sides. Seated to the judge’s left, one team represents the Proponents who argue in favor of the Proposition. Seated to the judge’s right, the other team represents the Opposition, who argue against the Proposition.

In the semi-final and final rounds, a coin flip determines which teams represent which side. The winners of the semi-final round of 4 teams will advance to the championship final round, while the losers will debate each other to determine the third and fourth place teams.

The format of each round is:

1st Proponents’ Constructive Speech                      7 min.

The participant introduces oneself, provides a definition of terms (if applicable), gives arguments in favor of the Proposition and the evidence supporting them.

1st Opposition’s Constructive Speech                     7 min.

The participant introduces oneself, refutes the Proponent’s arguments and gives arguments against the Proposition.

2nd Proponents’ Constructive Speech                     7 min.

The participant extends upon the original points of the 1st Proponents’ Constructive Speech, refutes the arguments of the 1st Opposition’s constructive speech, and provides additional arguments in favor of the Proposition, backed by evidence.

2nd Opposition’s Constructive Speech                    7 min.

The participant amplifies the 1st Opposition’s Constructive Speech  against the Proposition, and provides new evidence and new arguments.

Opposition’s Rebuttal Speech                                  4 min.

Summary of arguments and conclusions with no new arguments.

Proponents’ Rebuttal Speech                                  5 min.

Summary of arguments and conclusions with no new arguments.

Points of Information are allowed. They take place when a student stands up during the opposing team’s speech. The student says “Point of Information” and if the opposing student says “Accepted”, the student can make a comment or request a clarification. The opposing student may reject the Point of Information by saying “not at this time”. Teams should accept at least one Point of Information during each round.

V. Judging

Judges evaluate each team’s and speaker’s persuasiveness, taking into account their organization, use of logic, and the weight of their arguments. Each round will have a winning and losing team. No ties. Judges rate each speaker. Applicants may read the detailed description of judging criteria in the Tournament’s Telegram channel.

VI. Scholarship Awards

The Tournament awards six scholarships:

  • 1st Place Team: Both members receive a 100% scholarship to the KIMEP School of Law bachelor’s program for 4 academic years.
  • 2nd Place Team: Both members receive a 50% scholarship to the KIMEP School of Law bachelor’s program for 4 academic years.
  • The Best Speaker: Receives a 100% scholarship to the KIMEP School of Law bachelor’s program for 4 academic years. The Best Speaker is determined on the basis of calculations made by the Tournament Committee, which take into account the amount of points accumulated by the speaker, how many times the team won, and other criteria.
  • The Second-Best Speaker: Receives a 50% scholarship to the KIMEP School of Law bachelor’s program for 4 academic years. Analogous to the Best Speaker, the receiver of the Second-Best Speaker is determined on the basis of calculations made by the Tournament Committee.

Rules:

After the Tournament, the Tournament Committee creates a “succession list” to identify teams and individual speakers next-in-line for any declined or unused scholarship awards. The Financial Aid Office will reassign team scholarship awards declined or not used due to ineligibility to candidates from the “succession list.” The Tournament Committee develops the criteria to create the list and considers, among other things, each team’s final record and the number of points an individual speaker acquired.

  1. To remain eligible to receive the scholarship awards, recipients must satisfy all KIMEP financial aid rules and scholarship maintenance criteria (full-time status, minimum overall GPA requirement, etc.).
  2. To remain eligible to receive the scholarship awards, recipients must satisfy all admissions criteria, including the criteria of KIMEP and the Ministry of Education and Science.
  3. If due to unforeseen circumstances, a recipient cannot attend a law program but can gain admission to another KIMEP undergraduate program (including a non-degree program), that recipient may receive the scholarship so long as the recipient transfers to a law program after one semester.
  4. Scholarships are subject to the availability of the University funds, fulfillment of Tournament rules, and good faith compliance with the Tournament’s spirit. In its sole discretion, KIMEP reserves the right to determine if these criteria are met. KIMEP can cancel the award at any time.

Tournament Committee

Director of Recruiting and Admissions or Director’s designee

Director of Financial Aid Office or Director’s designee

Law School Dean or the Dean’s designee

Law School faculty representative or Dean’s designee

Law School Associate Dean or Dean’s designee

Committee decisions about Tournament Rules and Operations are final.

Contact us for additional information: lsdebate@kimep.kz

Registration