Judge Certification
Certify, renew, and find judging opportunities
MIFA’s judge certification program ensures that every competitor at every MIFA-sanctioned tournament is evaluated by a knowledgeable, qualified judge. Certification is required for all judges at MIFA District, Regional, and State Finals events.
Try a practice ballot — two minutes, nothing is savedNew Certification
First time certifying with MIFA
Complete the full MIFA judge certification process to become an eligible judge at MIFA-sanctioned tournaments. New certification includes an attestation, payment, online workshop, competency quiz, and event self-ranking.
~3 hours
Certification portal → Coming 2027
Renewal
Annual renewal for certified judges
Certified judges must renew their certification annually before the first tournament of the season. Renewal is completed entirely online and takes approximately 45 minutes.
~45 minutes
Certification portal → Coming 2027
Judge Marketplace
Find judging opportunities at MIFA tournaments
Certified judges can browse open judging slots at MIFA-sanctioned tournaments, apply to judge, and manage their tournament calendar. Available to all currently certified MIFA judges.
For certified judges
Certification portal → Coming 2027
Certification process
Five steps to become a MIFA-certified judge:
- 01
Attestation
Confirm eligibility to judge: post-high-school status, no current enrollment as a competing student, and acknowledgment of MIFA’s code of conduct.
- 02
Payment
Pay the MIFA judge certification fee. Fee covers certification for the full academic year.
- 03
Workshop
Complete the MIFA online judging workshop — a series of video modules covering ballot completion, scoring mechanics, rank and percentage rules, and event-specific evaluation criteria.
- 04
Quiz
Pass the MIFA judge competency assessment. The quiz tests knowledge of the rules covered in the workshop. A passing score is required to complete certification.
- 05
Self-ranking
Declare your event specialties and comfort level for each of the 14 IE events. Self-rankings are used by tournament directors and the MIFA judge matching system to assign judges appropriately.