The First Uganda National Spelling Bee competition, as the name suggests, is a national competition. It starts at the school level, a stage during which teenagers tussle it out in their respective secondary schools. Secondary schools from different parts of the country have been pre-selected to take part in the competition. At this level, 3 students will emerge to represent each school and these will progress to the district competitions.

The district competitions pits the representatives who emerged from the different secondary schools against each other. From this lot, the top nine individuals will go through to the regional competitions.

At the regional competitions, students will battle it out, tearing words apart and the top ten from each region will progress onto the national championship.

The national competition will be broadcast live. Fifty contestants will go head-to-head in a knock-out competition that'll eventually see one student emerge the winner of the inaugural competition.