Acceptance is based upon the materials submitted with the initial application which will be reviewed by a selection committee. All works performed during the competition must be performed from memory. Mandatory works in each stage of competition are selected by the USA International Harp Competition Music Selection Committee and are announced many months in advance of the competition. These works are compulsory and cannot be changed or other works substituted for them. The jury for all rounds of the competition is made up of distinguished performers, musicians, and educators from around the world.
Great effort is made to represent many different countries on the jury panel.
All four elimination rounds or stages of the competition are open to the public. Besides the jury, only the Executive Director, the Administrative Director, and the Assistant to the Jury are allowed to be present in the Jury Room. Jurors may not vote for any participant who is or has ever been their student. All contestants perform the required works of Stage 1. Contestants may choose the order of performance.