International Public Policy Forum Team Prep

The IPPF is a global debate competition for high school students run by the Brewer Foundation and New York University since 2001. It is almost entirely written: teams submit a 3,000-word qualifying essay, the top 64 advance through a single-elimination written bracket, and the final eight travel to New York - all expenses paid - to debate orally at NYU School of Law. The champion receives $10,000 and the Brewer Cup.

No. IPPF teams are formed from a high school or an after-school program, and Atlantic Ivy registers each class as its team. This is a proven route: Potomac Oak, a tutoring center in Maryland, won the entire competition in 2022-23, and after-school academies have reached the final repeatedly. Written rounds are judged anonymously, so judges never see what kind of institution a team comes from.

The 2026-27 IPPF resolution is: "Resolved: The United Nations should prioritize protecting the rights of women and girls over respecting state sovereignty." Teams choose to affirm or negate it in the qualifying essay; in bracket rounds, sides are assigned by blind draw, so advancing teams must be able to argue both.

The IPPF is open to full-time high school students in US grades 9–12 or the international equivalent (UK Years 10–13), which typically means ages 13–18. Eligibility is decided by grade, not birthday - a grade 9 student of any age qualifies, while a middle schooler does not. We confirm each student is in grade 9 or above when you enroll.

One qualifying essay of at most 3,000 words, in MLA format, either affirming or negating the 2026-27 resolution on the United Nations, women’s and girls’ rights, and state sovereignty. Judges score clarity of argument, evidentiary support, depth of analysis, refutation, quality of writing, and grammar. Teams that advance then write constructives and rebuttals against a real opponent in each bracket round.

Twice a week for two hours, from September 14 through the first week of October. We set the exact times with the enrolled families once the team is formed, so the schedule works across time zones - our students join from the Gulf, Asia, Europe and North America.

Yes. The qualifying round rewards exactly the skills we teach across our writing programs: research, argument construction, citation and revision. No speaking is required unless the team reaches the final eight in New York - and if that happens, we will be preparing them for it.

The students - every word. IPPF rules require the paper to be the original work of the team members, with coaches limited to advising, and every team signs an honor pledge. We coach research method, argument strategy and revision to that standard, which is also what makes the course worth taking.

The IPPF discourages AI use and requires any AI-generated content to be explicitly cited in MLA form; uncited use is plagiarism, and plagiarism means disqualification. We teach students to research and cite properly so their work stands entirely on its own.

The IPPF charges $25 per team, waived for early registration. Atlantic Ivy handles the registration and pays any entry fee for its teams - the course tuition is all you pay.

The team enters the written bracket announced November 6, where each round is an exchange of four papers: two constructives and two rebuttals, on a side assigned by blind draw. We offer round-by-round coaching for advancing teams as a separate engagement, priced per round, so you only continue while the team is still in the draw.

John Locke is an individual philosophical essay; the IPPF is a team policy essay that turns into a live written debate against real opponents. The research and writing muscles are the same, which is why we built this course - and why many students do both: the IPPF season ends just as John Locke preparation begins in January.