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FAQs
1. What is the SBS National Languages Competition?
2. Why are we doing it?
3. When does it start?
4. Who is eligible?
5. How to enter?
6. What do participants win?
7. Helpful hints
8. How is the SBS National Languages Competition judged?
9. When will winners be announced?
10. Questions
11. Key Dates
12. Resources for schools
1. What is the SBS National Languages Competition?
The SBS National Languages Competition 2017 is an exciting initiative to encourage
and celebrate a love of learning languages in Australia. It’s a nationwide competition to
engage school children and reflect on the cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of
Australia's multicultural society.
SBS Radio encourages all school students across Australia, to participate in the ‘SBS
National Languages Competition’ by telling us in a 30 second video ‘What learning a
language means to you?’, in any language other than English.
The competition is open to all school students aged four to 18 years, who are learning a
language other than English.
2. Why are we doing it?
As the world’s most multicultural and multilingual broadcaster, SBS Radio is proud to run
this fantastic competition to encourage young Australians to explore and celebrate what
it is to be an Australian. It celebrates diversity and contributes to the social inclusion and
cross-cultural understanding of all Australians - linguistically, sociologically and
culturally. It comes from the heart of SBS and speaks to our purpose of inspiring
Australians to explore and celebrate diversity.
3. When does it start?
Competition entries are open from 9:00am on Monday 24 July 2017 (AEST) until
Midnight on Friday 1 September 2017 (AEST).
4. Who is eligible?
The competition is open to all school students across Australia who are learning a
language other than English. The entrants are categorised into four groups:
Category A: Junior Primary (Aged 4 – 7)
Category B: Primary (Aged 8 – 12)
Category C: Junior High School (Aged 13 – 15)
Category D: Senior High School (Aged 16 – 18)
All institutions offering language learning are accepted.
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5. How to enter?
Given the diversity of ages and skills, we encourage parents, guardians and school
teachers to guide the entrants where needed, in uploading their video and filling out an
entry form. This year, all school students must enter the SBS National Languages
Competition 2017 online by going to sbs.com.au/NLC17
 Parents or guardians should tick the box to indicate they have read the Terms &
Conditions for the competition
 Entry is open from 9:00am on Monday 24 July 2017 until Midnight on Friday 1
September 2017(AEST)
 There can only be one submission per entrant. Participants cannot enter in
groups
Entry is as simple as the following steps:
 Step 1: Go to www.sbs.com.au/NLC17
 Step 2: Upload the video (maximum 30 seconds long) describing ‘What learning
a language means to you?’ Remember, the video is to be in any language other
than English!
 Step 3: Fill in the ‘SBS National Languages Competition entry form’. Please
provide accurate details where required in terms of name, age, school, contact
details, etc.
6. What do participants win?
There will be four grand prize winners (one from each age category) who will receive:
 iPad Pro 12.9 inch 256GB for the winner and one for his/her school
 Full days pass to Luna Park in Sydney for two
Winners will also be invited to attend the SBS National Languages Competition award
ceremony at SBS headquarters in Sydney on Monday 9 October, 2017.
Selected winners who do not reside in NSW at the time of the above award ceremony
will receive return airfares (for them and a parent/ guardian) from their capital city and
one night’s accommodation in Sydney to attend the ceremony.
7. Helpful hints
Here are a few helpful hints when entering the competition:
 Some thought starters on the video: What do you like about the language that
you’re learning? Why did you decide to learn this language?
 Get creative: Perhaps you may want to sing a song, enact something, show a
picture, dress up in the national costume, or simply describe your love for
languages.
 Make sure only the participant entering the competition is featured in the video.
 Entering the competition is possible from any device - computer, mobile or iPad.
 Does your video meet the time limit? Check that it does not exceed the limit of 30
seconds.
 Is your video in a language other than English?
 Try to keep the English translation of the uploaded language video as accurate
as possible.
 Have you filled out all sections of the entry form?
8. How is the SBS National Languages Competition judged?
If the video content is more than 30 seconds, judges will only look at the first 30 seconds
of the video.
Winning entries will be chosen for their uniqueness and creativity.
Only videos in a language other than English will be judged.
If the video does not meet the required criteria or in any manner promotes content that is
disrespectful, we may choose to disqualify the entry. Please read the Terms and
Conditions carefully.
9. When will winners be announced?
One winner will be nominated from each age category, in total there will be four winners
of the SBS National Languages Competition. Winners will be notified by email and
phone on Monday 11 September 2017.
10. Key contacts
For technical problems and general enquiries, please email us at
[email protected]
For media enquiries, please contact [email protected]
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11. Key Dates
 SBS National Languages Competition is open from 9:00am on Monday 24 July
2017 and closes at Midnight on Friday 1 September 2017 (AEST).
 Winners will be notified by email and phone on Monday 11 September 2017
 Award ceremony will be held at SBS headquarters in Sydney on Monday 9
October 2017
12. Resources for schools
We need your support to make the SBS National Languages Competition a huge
success!
To help spread the message, the following documents are available to download at
www.sbs.com.au/nlc17:
 Poster – Print friendly A3 version to be pinned on the school notice boards to
encourage participation
 Flyer – This is a more detailed A4 version aimed at teachers, parents and
guardians
 FAQs – For teachers, parents and guardians
 Terms and Conditions
Please also share print-outs of the posters and FAQs documents with language
teachers, parents and guardians.
Do you have a school newsletter that you can promote the competition in? We’d be
happy to help schools with written copy and images needed as per requirement.