=== Eligibility ===
To play in the NASC, you must (1) be a NASPA [[membership|member]], and (2) have played in an officially sanctioned SCRABBLE tournament to earn an official tournament [[rating]].If you live in the United States or Canada, that rating should be a NASPA rating; if you live elsewhere it may bea [[WESPA]] rating or other comparable national rating.
If you meet these criteria and prefer to play using the international Collins (CSW)lexicon, you may do so. If at least 20 players register in each of the twoplanned CSW divisions, players will compete separately in an open divisionand in one for players whose qualifying NASPA CSW rating (or equivalent as determinedby the organizing committee) is less than 1400.The qualifying NASPA CSW rating is the highest tournament rating attained at theend of a NASPA CSW-rated tournament which finished during the period July 26, 2017 to July 26, 2018. (If you had a NASPA CSW rating prior to this period, but didnot play during the period, your qualifying rating is that unchanged rating.)The CSW divisions will be NASPA and WESPA rated.==== TWL Divisions====
If not, then you meet the eligibility criteria and wish to play using the Official Club and Tournament Word List 2016 (TWL division(s), numbered 1–4, in which you may play dependon your rating as follows.If you do not have a NASPA rating, you must play in Division 1, the open divisionso.If you do have a NASPA rating Four TWL divisions will be offered, then your division eligibility is based on a divided by QualificationRating (QR), which consists of the highest tournament rating attained at the endof any NASPA TWL-rated tournament (or segment of a splitwith unlimited play-rated tournament) which finished during the period July 26, 2017 to July 26, 2018. (If you have a rating, but do not play during this period, your QR is your unchanged current ratingup available.) If your QR is 1800 or higher, or if you do not have a NASPA rating, you must play in Division 1. If it your QR is in the range 1400–17991400–1799, you must play in Division 1 or 2. If it your QR is in the range 1000–13991100–1399, you must play in Division 1, 2 or 3. If it your QR is below 10001100, you may play in any of the four divisions.
Player division assignments will be reviewed after Your QR consists of the highest tournament rating attained at the end of any NASPA TWL-rated tournament (or segment of a split-rated tournament) which finished during the period from July 26, 2017 to July 26, 2018 (the start of last year's Championship to ensure that everyone is registered in the correct divisionclose of registration). If the division in which you registered is have a rating, but do not one in which play during this period, your QR permits you to play, we will move you up to the lowest permissible divisionis your unchanged current rating.
=== Collins Division ===Player division assignments will be reviewed after July 26, 2018 to ensure that everyone is registered in the correct division. If the division in which you registered is not one in which your QR permits you to play, we will automatically move you up to the lowest permissible division.
If you are thinking about travelling from overseas to play in this event for the first time, please read our [[2018 NASC for Overseas Visitors]] page.==== Collins Divisions ====
Again this year, there will be at least one separate division of players If you meet the eligibility criteria and prefer to play using the [[international Collins]] (CSW) lexicon at the North American Scrabble Championship, you may do so. If your Collins Qualification Rating (CQR) is 1500 or higher, you must play in Division 1. If it is 1499 or below, you may play in Division 1 or 2. Provided Players who only have a WESPA rating will be permitted to play in Division 1 or 2 if that at least rating is 1399 or below. If there are fewer than 20 players register for each registered in either divisionas of July 5, 2017, two Collins the divisions will be offeredautomatically combined into a single division.
Your division eligibility CQR is based on your the highest Collins Qualifying Rating tournament rating attained at the end of a NASPA CSW-rated tournament which finished during the period from July 26, 2017 to July 26, 2018 (CQRthe start of last year's Championship to the close of registration). If you had a NASPA CSW rating prior to this period, but did not play during the period, which your qualifying rating is determined in one of three waysthat unchanged rating. If you do not have a NASPA CSW rating, but have a NASPA TWL rating, depending on your rating statusCQR is your TWL QR. The Collins division will be run using NASPA rules, except that the Collins lexicon will be used and the challenge penalty will be 5 points per word. The Collins division will be NASPA and WESPA rated.
* If you have a NASPA Collins ratingthere will be two divisions, then your CQR consists of the highest tournament rating attained at the end of any NASPA Collins-rated tournament (or segment of a split-rated tournament) which finished during the period player division assignments will be reviewed after July 26, 2017 2018 to July 26, 2018. If you have a NASPA Collins rating, but do not play during this period, your CQR is your unchanged current rating.* If you do not have a NASPA Collins rating but do have a NASPA TWL rating, your CQR ensure that everyone is your TWL QR as described registered in the previous sectioncorrect division.* If the division in which you do not have any NASPA rating but do have a WESPA rating, your CQR registered is the most current WESPA rating available for you as of July 26, 2018.* If you do not have any NASPA or WESPA rating but do have a foreign national rating, you will be assigned an equivalent CQR by the organizing committee. If you do not have any sort of rating at all, you must first obtain one at a regular tournament before competing in the Championship. If which your CQR is 1400 or higher, permits you must to play in Division 1. If it is 1399 or below, we will automatically move you may play in Division 1 or 2. If fewer than 20 players register in either division, up to the two divisions will be combined into a single Collins lowest permissible division. The Collins division will be run using NASPA rules, except that the Collins lexicon will be used and the challenge penalty will be 5 points per word. The Collins division will be NASPA and WESPA rated.
=== Entry Fees ===