2027 NHD-OC Contest Information & Interview Schedule
Please click here for your entry numbers. Please add your entry number to the title page of your written materials.
Please note interview times are subject to change due to contest needs. Requests can no longer be accepted.
Written Materials and Project Submissions for NHD-OC
Exhibits & Performances
Written materials must be added to the registration portal by Monday, February 22, 2027, at 8:59 p.m. PDT. Revisions made to your written materials after submission should be highlighted and hard copies given to the judges during your interview at the contest on March 13, 2027. Check your share setting: everyone with the link can view.
Documentary
Add a shareable, viewable link and written material to the registration portal by Monday, February 22, 2027, at 8:59 p.m. PDT. No changes can be made after uploading your documentary. Revisions made to your written materials after submission should be highlighted and hard copies given to the judges during your interview at the contest on March 13, 2027. Please notify us via email nhdinfo@ocde.us when you have shared your documentary. Check your share setting: everyone with the link can view.
Podcasts
Add a shareable, viewable link of your podcast and written materials to the registration portal by Monday, February 22, 2027, at 8:59 p.m. PDT. No changes can be made after uploading your podcast. Revisions made to your written materials after submission should be highlighted and hard copies given to the judges during your interview at the contest on March 13, 2027. Please notify us via email nhdinfo@ocde.us when you have shared your podcast. Check your share setting: everyone with the link can view.
Websites
Website Category Platform: NHDWebCentral
Your URL should be added to your registration in January. All of the guides, instructions, videos, playlists, and FAQs are located on the NHDWebCentral website. NHD-OC coaches and students should visit the website for additional information.
Websites will be locked on Monday, February 22, 2027, at 8:59 p.m. PDT. No changes can be made after the lockout. Once the student has saved their website via Webcentral, the website has been submitted. No changes can be made after the lockout date. Written materials should be linked on your website's homepage.
If you have questions regarding NHDWebCentral website, please refer to the NHD-CA Guide website or e-mail us at nhdinfo@ocde.us
Click here to download 2026-27 NHD Calendar
Registration is now closed. Coaches must register all projects and students first. When Coaches complete their school registration, they should send the registration link to their competing students so that the student and family can register. Registration closes on January 26, 2027.
All payments must be made by a district, school or sponsoring agency. No personal checks from families can be accepted.
- Reminder: Each school may register up to 2 entries per category.
Registration information will be sent to all NHD-OC coaches in mid-January. If you did not receive a registration email by 1/20, please email our office at nhdinfo@ocde.us . All registrations are facilitated through school coaches who register students and then families will enter their information. If a student is from a non-participating school, they can register for the contest by asking a teacher to be their teacher of record. Please notify our office with the teachers name and email address so they receive the information. Students and families should email NHD-OC at nhdinfo@ocde.us if they cannot find a teacher at their school to register them.
Registration is due before January 26, 2027 at 8:59 p.m. PDT. As a reminder, each school can enter up to two entries per category for NHD-OC.
The registration fee is $60 per student. Contact your coach for payment information. The last day to drop from the contest without incurring the $60 registration fee is February 9, 2027.
For students who miss the registration deadline, late registration will be accepted until February 1, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. PDT. A $10 late fee applies to all late waivers - this is per student, not per entry. We cannot guarantee the t-shirt and button if the waiver is turned in late.
The 2027 NHD -OC Contest will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2027 at the Orange County Department of Education, 200 Kalmus Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
2027 Contest Theme:
Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change
The theme for National History Day® (NHD) 2027 is Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change. Innovation goes beyond creating new tools or devices to finding new ways of thinking, organizing, and influencing society. To put it simply, innovation, at its core, is about change and the impact of that change.
To fully explore innovation in a historical context, we must look beyond the idea itself and examine its effects. How did people, over time, imagine, develop, and implement new ideas, technologies, or methods? And in what ways did those innovations influence societies?
The following resources are available to start defining your topic and begin your research.
Visit the Contest Rules page for additional guidance and information.
Historical Papers (NHD-CA Category Only)
Registration and submission of historical papers will follow a new format than other NHD categories. Please see the NHD-CA website for more details. Historical papers will not compete at the county level, and will instead be submitted to the state contest by teachers. Refer to the NHD-CA website for due date.
For additional guidance and information on project submissions for all categories, please visit the
Contest Rules page.
Questions?
For more information about the NHD-OC contest, please e-mail us at nhdinfo@ocde.us
