research paper writing contest

HIR Academic Writing Contest

The Harvard International Review is a quarterly magazine offering insight on international affairs from the perspectives of scholars, leaders, and policymakers. Since our founding in 1979, we've set out to bridge the worlds of academia and policy through outstanding writing and editorial selection.

The quality of our content is unparalleled. Each issue of the Harvard International Review includes exclusive interviews and editorials by leading international figures along with expert staff analysis of critical international issues. We have featured commentary by 43 Presidents and Prime Ministers, 4 Secretaries-General, 4 Nobel Economics Prize laureates, and 7 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

The Contest

Inspired by our growing high school readership around the world, we have run the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest since 2020 to encourage and highlight outstanding high school writing on topics related to international affairs.

Contest Format

Participants in the contest submit a short-form article on a topic in international affairs. Each submission will be read and scored by the Harvard International Review .

A number of contestants will be selected as finalists, who are invited to participate in a virtual HIR Defense Day. At the Defense Day, students will have the opportunity to give a 15-minute presentation and oral defense to Harvard International Review judges.

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must adhere to the following requirements, as outlined in the Submission Guide below.

Participants will have a choice of two different themes and must note which prompt they have chosen at the top of their submissions.

Theme A: Inequalities in a VUCA World

Theme B: Global Challenges and Collective Actions

Contestants may choose either topic above when writing the article.

Content: Articles should address a topic related to international affairs today. Potential categories include (but are not limited to): Agriculture, Business, Cybersecurity, Defense, Education, Employment & Immigration, Energy & Environment, Finance & Economy, Public Health, Science & Technology, Space, Trade, and Transportation. Articles should examine the theme from a global perspective rather than focusing on the United States.

Length: Articles should be at least 800 words but not exceed 1,200 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, or authorship declaration).

Writing Style: Submissions should present an analytically backed perspective on an under-appreciated global topic.

AI Policy : The usage of ChatGPT is prohibited. Judges will be running all articles through multiple AI checkers, and articles that receive high AI generation scores across multiple checkers will be disqualified.

Excellent contest submissions will aim to present a topic holistically from a balanced perspective. Evidence and nuance are critical. Submissions should be well-researched, well-informed, and formal in style and prose.

The HIR does not accept op-eds , otherwise known as editorials or opinion pieces for its competition. Articles are expected to have a thesis but should not have an agenda. Submissions should also not be merely a collection of facts.

As a journalist organization, we ask that submissions follow AP Style's newest edition . We also ask that submissions are culturally sensitive, fact-checked, and respectful.

Examples of pieces that would be considered excellent submissions are below.

Citation and Sources : All factual claims must be backed by a citation from a reliable source. All ideas that are not your own must be properly attributed. Citations should be made via hyperlinks. Non-digital sources are welcome but must be cited properly as per AP Style . See the examples above for examples of using hyperlinks for citations.

Click Here: Submission Guide

Contest dates.

There are three distinct submission cycles for the 2024 Contest.

Please note that contestants are requested to register and pay before becoming eligible to submit their articles prior to the submission deadline.

Admissions are done on a rolling basis! Capacity is limited.

Spring 2024

Article Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024

HIR Defense Day: June 29, 2024

Summer 2024

Article Submission Deadline: August 31, 2024

HIR Defense Day: October 5, 2024

Fall 2024 / Winter 2024

Article Submission Deadline: January 2, 2025

HIR Defense Day: February 5, 2025

Contest Prizes

All submissions will receive a score from the Harvard International Review based on the Evaluation Rubric described in the Submission Guide. Contestants that receive a passing score without qualifying for a HIR Defense Day will receive individual prizes. Finalists will be eligible for the following Gold/Silver/Bronze medals based on their scores and performance in the HIR Defense Day.

Commendation Prize: HIR Certificate

Outstanding Writing Content / Style Prize : HIR Certificate

High Commendation Prize : HIR Certificate

Bronze Medal : HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top 20 percent)

Silver Medal: HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top 10 percent)

Gold Medal: HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top three percent)

All scoring and prize decisions are final. The contest will not be able to provide additional detail beyond the scores provided by HIR graders. All contestants who manage to submit their articles will receive a certificate of completion.

Contest Eligibility:

United States

Students are eligible if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.

International

Students in countries outside of the United States (grades 9-12) are also welcome to submit. Submissions are expected to be written in English and with traditional American spelling. For more information on submissions in your country, please contact [email protected]

Register Here

Fall 2024 Admissions is officially OPEN. Sign up for the next live information session here .

Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

This year, CCIR saw over 4,200 submissions from more than 50 countries. Of these 4,200 essays, our jury panel, consists of scholars across the Atlantic, selected approximately 350 Honourable Mention students, and 33 award winners.

The mission of the Re:think essay competition has always been to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The hope is to create a discourse capable of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s submissions more than exceeded our expectations in terms of their depth and their critical engagement with the proposed topics. The decision process was, accordingly, difficult. After four rigorous rounds of blind review by scholars from Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford, MIT and several Ivy League universities, we have arrived at the following list of award recipients:

Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024

Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024

We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Entry to the competition is free.

About the Competition

The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions.

Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:

Religion and Politics

Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.

Artificial Intelligence

Neuroengineering

2024 essay prompts.

This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.

Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.

Awards and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.

Registration and Submission

Advisory Committee and Judging Panel

The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.

They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.

We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.

The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.

Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates

We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .

They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.

The Official List of Re:Think 2024 Winners

Gold Recipients

Ishan Amirthalingam, Anglo Chinese School (Independent), Singapore, Singapore
Arnav Aphale, King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Anchen Che, Shanghai Pinghe School, Shanghai China
Chloe Huang, Westminster School, London, United Kingdom
Rose Kim, MPW Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Jingyuan Li, St. Mark’s School, Southborough, United States
Michael Noh, Korea International School, Pangyo Campus, Seoul, Korea
Aarav Rastogi, Oberoi International School JVLR Campus, Mumbai, India
Yuseon Song, Hickory Christian Academy, Hickory, United States
Aiqi Yan, Basis International School Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China

Silver Recipients

John Liu, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, United States
Sophie Reason, The Cheltenham Ladies College, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Peida Han, Nanjing Foreign Language School, Nanjing, China
Thura Linn Htet, Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar School, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Steven Wang, Radley College, Headington, United Kingdom
Rainier Liu, Knox Grammar School, Sydney, Australia
Anupriya Nayak, Amity International School, Saket, New Delhi, India
Ming Min Yang, The Beacon School, New York City, United States
Anna Zhou, Shanghai YK Pao School, Shanghai, China
Yuyang Cui, The Williston Northampton School, Easthampton,United States

Bronze Recipients

Giulia Marinari, Churchdown School Academy, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Christina Wang, International School of Beijing, Beijing, China
Chuhao Guo, Shenzhen Middle School, Shenzhen, China
Isla Clayton, King’s College School Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom
Hanqiao Li, The Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
He Hua Yip, Raffles Institution, Singapore, Singapore
Wang Chon Chan, Macau Puiching Middle School, Macau, Macau, China
Evan Hou, Rancho Cucamonga High School, Rancho Cucamonga, United States
Carson Park, Seoul International School, Seongnam-si, Korea
Sophie Eastham, King George V Sixth Form College, Liverpool, United Kingdom

The Logos Prize for Best Argument

Ellisha Yao, German Swiss International School Hong Kong, Mong Kok, Hong Kong, China

The Pathos Prize for Best Writing

Isabelle Cox-Garleanu, Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School, Frontenac, United States

The Ethos Prize for Best Research

Garrick Tan, Harrow School, Harrow on the Hill, United Kingdom

Ccir Essay Competition Prompt Contributed By Dr Harald Wydra

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?

Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.

Ccir Essay Competition Prompt Contributed By Dr Mamiko Yajima

The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge

The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.

The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of 30th July, 2024.

Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel.

The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting).

King’s College Chapel

With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture.

Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event.

Confirmed Nobel Laureates

Dr Thomas R. Cech

The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.

Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.

He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.

As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado

Sir Richard J. Roberts

The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .

F or the discovery of split genes

During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.

His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.

Dr Aaron Ciechanover

The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .

F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation

Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.

Dr Robert Lefkowitz

The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .

F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors

Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.

Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.

Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.

Dr Joachim Frank

The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .

F or developing cryo-electron microscopy

Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.

In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.

Dr Barry C. Barish

The nobel prize in physics 2017 .

For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves

Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.

In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”

In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.

In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.

In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.

Dr Harvey J. Alter

The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .

For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.

Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.

Dr Ardem Patapoutian

The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .

For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses

Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition?

The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.

Who is eligible to enter the Re:think essay competition?

As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Is there any entry fee for the competition?

There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.

Subscribe for Competition Updates

If you are interested to receive latest information and updates of this year’s competition, please sign up here.

Essay Writing Contests: The Ultimate List of 2024

Did you know that the very first recorded essay contest can be traced back to the early 16th century, initiated by none other than the renowned philosopher and essayist Michel de Montaigne? In 1580, Montaigne published his collection of essays titled 'Essais,' which not only marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of the essay as a literary form but also contained an implicit challenge to his readers. He encouraged them to engage with his ideas and respond by writing their own essays, essentially laying the groundwork for what we now recognize as essay contests.

Fast forward to the vibrant year of 2024, and this tradition of writing competitions has evolved into a global phenomenon, offering emerging writers from all walks of life a captivating platform to share their thoughts, emotions, and narratives with the world.

In this article, our essay writer will review essay writing contests, presenting you with an exclusive selection of the most promising opportunities for the year ahead. Each of these competitions not only provides a stage to demonstrate your writing prowess but also offers a unique avenue for personal growth, self-expression, and intellectual exploration, all while competing for impressive writing awards and well-deserved recognition.

Top Essay Writing Contests in 2024

If you enjoy expressing your thoughts and ideas through writing, you're in for a treat. Essay writing competitions in 2024 offer you a chance to do just that and win some great prizes in the process. We've put together a list of contests specially designed for students like you. These contests cover various interesting essay topics , giving you a unique opportunity to showcase your writing skills and potentially earn cash prizes or scholarships. So, let's jump right into these fantastic opportunities.

2024 International Literary Prize by Hammond House Publishing

The 2024 Writing Competition beckons writers with over £3000 in cash prizes, publication opportunities in anthologies, and a chance to participate in a televised Award Ceremony. Sponsored by the University Centre Grimsby, this annual contest, now in its eighth year, draws entries from approximately 30 countries worldwide. Entrants can vie for prizes across four categories, gaining exposure at the televised award ceremony and receiving expert feedback at the annual literary festival.

And if you're determined to learn how to overcome writer's block for this contest, we have a wealth of expert tips and strategies to guide you through the process!

Deadline: 30th September 2024

1st Prize: £1000
2nd Prize: £100
3rd Prize: £50

Ready to Break Free From Essay Stress?

Let our writing wizards rescue your grades with a tailor-made essay that'll make your professors do a double-take!

International Voices in Creative Nonfiction Competition by Vine Leaves Press

Vine Leaves Press welcomes writers worldwide, prioritizing voices from marginalized communities such as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities, among others. Submissions, which must be in English and previously unpublished, are accepted from February 1, 2024, until July 1, 2024. Manuscripts can be either narrative (50,000 – 80,000 words) or experimental (at least 100 pages), adhering to specific formatting guidelines, including anonymity to ensure impartial judging. Each submission requires a $25 entry fee via Submittable, and multiple entries are allowed. Entries will be judged based on originality, creativity, writing quality, and adherence to genre, with finalists announced in October 2024, shortlisted in January 2025, and winners in March 2025.

Deadline: July 01, 2024

The winner will receive a cash prize of $1000.
Publication of the winning manuscript will occur in 2026 by Vine Leaves Press.
Runners-up will also be considered for publication.

Solas Awards by Best Travel Writing

The Solas Awards, continuing a tradition since 1993, celebrate travel stories that inspire. They're looking for engaging tales that capture the essence of exploration, whether funny, enlightening, or adventurous. Winners may get published and join a community of fellow storytellers. Entries in essay, non-fiction, and travel genres are welcome with a $25 submission fee.

Deadline: September 21, 2024

$1,000 Gold
$750 Silver
$500 Bronze

Vocal Challenges by Creatd

Vocal, in partnership with Voices in Minor (ViM), announces a creator-led challenge in celebration of International Women's Day, open to all Vocal creators. Participants are invited to write a 600-800 word piece about a woman who has inspired them for International Women's Day in the Year of the Dragon 2024. Submissions must adhere to specific length criteria and can be of any genre or format. Vocal will review entries and create a shortlist, from which ViM will select two co-grand prize winners and ten runners-up.

Deadline: Mar 12, 2024

2 Co-Grand Prizes: $200
10 Runners-up: $20

Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition 2024

The Re:think Essay Competition welcomes students aged 14 to 18 worldwide to participate in crafting essays under 2000 words, following MLA 8 citation style, with submissions undergoing plagiarism and AI checks. Essay prompts cover diverse themes, such as the role of women in STEM , provided by distinguished professors from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT. To maintain anonymity during review, submissions should be in PDF format without personal details.

Deadline : 10th May, 2024

Gold: $150 cash, $500 CCIR scholarship, digital certificate, interview, Cambridge invite.
Silver: $100 cash, $300 CCIR scholarship, digital certificate, interview, Cambridge invite.
Bronze: $50 cash, $200 CCIR scholarship, digital certificate, interview, Cambridge invite.

The Hudson Prize by Black Lawrence Press

Each year, Black Lawrence Press presents The Hudson Prize, inviting submissions for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. This competition is open to writers at all stages of their careers, offering the winner book publication, a $1,000 cash prize, and ten copies of the published book. Entries are read blind by a panel of editors, requiring manuscripts to adhere to specific formatting guidelines, including pagination and font choice. Poetry manuscripts should be 45-95 pages, while prose manuscripts should range from 120-280 pages.

Deadline : March 31, 2024

Top prize $1,000

Irene Adler Prize by Lucas Ackroyd

Introducing The Irene Adler Prize essay writing contest, offering a $1,000 US scholarship to the winner, with up to two $250 awards for honorable mentions. Open to women pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. degrees in journalism, creative writing, or literature worldwide, regardless of age. Unlike previous years, this year's competition welcomes applicants from any country. The application period runs from January 30, 2024, to May 30, 2024, with no late submissions accepted. Each application requires a 500-word essay on one of five provided prompts and a completed entry form, both submitted via email.

Deadline : May 30, 2024

2x honorable mentions: $250

100 Word Writing Contest by Tadpole Press

With a doubled first-place prize of $2,000 USD, participants are invited from all corners of the globe, regardless of age, gender, or nationality. Pen names are accepted, and winning entries will be published under those names. Previously published pieces are also welcome, with no restrictions. Any genre is accepted, with the theme centered around creativity. Each entry must be 100 words or less, including the title.

Deadline : April 30, 2024

1st place: $2,000 USD.
2nd place: Writing coaching package valued at $450 USD.
3rd place: Developmental and diversity editing package valued at $250 USD.

African Diaspora Awards 2024 by Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

The African Diaspora Award 2024 seeks original works from Afro-descendants, including short stories, flash fiction, essays, poetry, or visual art. Winners can earn up to $1000 USD and publication in Kinsman Quarterly and "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora." Submissions reflecting cultural themes are due by June 30, 2024. Authors retain copyrights, and entrants must be 18 or older. No plagiarism is allowed, and Kinsman Quarterly employees cannot enter. Various genres are accepted with specific word count limits.

Deadline : June 30, 2024

Grand Prize: $1000 cash and publication in Kinsman Quarterly & anthology.
1st Runner Up: $300 cash and publication
2nd Runner Up: $200 cash and publication
3rd Runner Up: $50 cash and publication
Top 6 Finalists: $25 Amazon gift card and publication
6 Honorary Mentions: Publication in Kinsman Quarterly & anthology.

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest by Unleash Press

The Unleash WIP Award 2024 offers $500, feedback, coaching, and a feature in Unleash Lit to help writers with their book projects in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. All writers can apply. So, if you're looking for resources like free Harvard online courses to hone your writing skills, consider entering this competition. Submissions of the first 25 pages and answers to questions are due by July 15, 2024. Multiple entries are okay, but follow the rules, especially keeping your submission anonymous. Unleash also welcomes previously self-published works.

Deadline : July 15, 2024

Top prize: $500
Additional prizes: Coaching, interview, and editorial support

Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award by Trio House Press

Open to all writers, the poetry manuscripts should be 48-70 pages, and the prose manuscripts should be up to 80,000 words. Submissions must be from U.S. residents and must be original works. AI-generated submissions and translations are not eligible. Manuscripts should be sent as a single Word doc. or docx. file with no identifying information, and a cover letter with bio and contact details should be uploaded separately.

Deadline: May 15, 2024

$1,000, publication, and 20 books

2024 International Literary Prize by Hammond House Publishing

Poetry & Spoken Word Competition 2024 by Write the World

Young writers aged 13 to 19.5 are invited to enter this upcoming competition, with submissions of 50 to 500 words. Inspired by Audrey Lorde's words and the power of poetry, participants are encouraged to craft original poems or spoken word pieces advocating for change and self-expression. Winners, including top prizes for written and recorded performances, will be announced on June 14. Malika Booker, a renowned British poet, serves as the guest judge. To enter, writers should sign up on Write the World, respond to the prompt, and submit their final entries before the deadline.

Deadline : May 27, 2024

Best entry: $100
Best Peer Review: $50

Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award

The Killer Nashville essay writing contests seek to uncover new talent and recognize outstanding works by established authors, aiming to introduce their works to a broader audience. With numerous fiction and non-fiction categories available, writers have the opportunity to showcase their talent across a wide range of genres. The top prize includes a $250 award, and entry requires a fee of $79. Genres eligible for entry encompass crime, essay, fantasy, fiction, humor, memoir, mystery, non-fiction, novel, poetry, science fiction, script writing, short story, and thriller.

Deadline : June 15, 2024

Top prize: $250

Journalism Competition 2024 by Write the World

In this upcoming competition, young writers aged 13 to 19.5 are invited to participate, with entries ranging from 400 to 1000 words. Participants are tasked with exploring and reporting on significant events within their own country, fostering a deeper understanding of local issues. Optional draft submissions for expert review are available until July 8, with feedback returned to writers by July 12. Winners will be announced on August 9. To enter, writers must sign up for a free account on Write the World, respond to the prompt, and submit their final entries before the deadline.

Deadline : July 22, 2024

National Essay Contest by U.S. Institute of Peace

This year, AFSA is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. They've been involved in important events throughout history, like making decisions about war and peace, supporting human rights, and responding to disasters. Now, AFSA wants students to think about the future of diplomacy. They're asking students to imagine how diplomats can adapt to the changing world and its challenges. It's a chance for students to explore how diplomacy can continue to make a difference in the world.

Deadline : April 01, 2024

Top prize: $2,500
Additional prizes: Runner-up: $1,250

In 2023, the world of writing competitions offers a diverse tapestry of opportunities for writers across the globe. From exploring the depths of nature to delving into the mysteries of microfiction, these competitions beckon with enticing prizes and platforms for your creative voice. So, pick your favorite, sharpen your pen, and embark on a journey of literary excellence!

Unlock the Essay Enchantment!

Our expert wordsmiths are standing by, wands at the ready, to craft your essay masterpiece. No potions, just perfect prose!

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How to Write a Music Essay: Topics and Examples

The Annual International Berkeley Undergraduate Prize for Architectural Design Excellence 2022

permitted to team with another architecture student.

, but graduate before the awards are scheduled to be given.

This year you are asked to include TWO digital photographs that you have copied from any of this year's posted topic Reources or similarr resources that has influenced your Proposal. One of the photographs should help support the argument you make in your Proposal as to an issue you believe needs to addressed in providing housing for the disadvantaged. The other photograph should help support the argument you make for the proposed response. A brief caption - 50 words maximum - should accompany the photograph telling us what the photo represents and the source of the photograph. Please post the photograph at a minimum 500 pixels wide, and in .jpg format. No more than two photographs will be accepted.

NOTE: The Readers are instructed not to add or detract points from their evaluation because of the quality of the photograph itself, nor whether it is the students' work or an archival photograph. The Readers, however, will evaluate how the photographs help support the argument you have made in your Proposal.

Judging for the essay competition is on a numeric system. The members of the BERKELEY PRIZE Committee are asked to evaluate each essay in terms of the following criteria:

Each criterion is given a score of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest). The approximately 25-28 top-scoring Proposals become Semifinalists, who will be offered the opportunity to write a 2500-word Essay based on the Proposal..

There is a total prize of 35,000USD, minimum 8,500USD first prize. The remaining purse is to be allocated at the discretion of the Jury.

	Launch of 2022 Essay Competition.
	(Stage One) 500-word essay proposal due.
	Essay Semifinalists announced.
	(Stage Two) Essay Semifinalists' 2,500-word essays due.
	Launch of Community Service Fellowship Competition for Essay Semifinalists.
	Essay Finalists announced.
	Community Service Fellowship proposals due.
	Essay winners and Community Service Fellowship winners announced.

By submitting your essay, you give the Berkeley Prize the nonexclusive, perpetual right to reproduce the essay or any part of the essay, in any and all media at the Berkeley Prize’s discretion. A “nonexclusive” right means you are not restricted from publishing your paper elsewhere if you use the following attribution that must appear in that new placement: “First submitted to and/or published by the international Berkeley Undergraduate Prize for Architectural Design Excellence ( www.BerkeleyPrize.org ) in competition year 20(--) (and if applicable) and winner of that year’s (First, Second, Third…) Essay prize.” Finally, you warrant the essay does not violate any intellectual property rights of others and indemnify the BERKELEY PRIZE against any costs, loss, or expense arising out of a violation of this warranty.

Registration and Submission

You (and your teammate if you have one) will be asked to complete a short registration form which will not be seen by members of the Berkeley Prize Committee or Jury.

Additional Help and Information

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Best Science Writing Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 17 contests that match your search.

Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Writing, and Short Story

The Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing will be administered to the winner of a literary contest designed to champion innovative hybrid and cross-genre work.

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $22

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Future Scholar Foundation Short Story Competition

Future Scholar Foundation

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

A monthly short story competition for elementary and middle school students, with prompts and a maximum word count of 350. Winners have their work published and receive gift cards.

1st place: $25 Amazon gift card 2nd place: $15 Amazon gift card 3rd place: $5 Amazon gift card All winners are published in the Hall of Fame.

📅 Deadline: September 28, 2024

Science Fiction Writing Contest

FanStory.com Inc

Genres: Fiction, Science Writing, and Science Fiction

Share a Science Fiction themed story to enter this writing contest with a cash prizes. Let your imagination fly and enjoy sharing your writing.

Winning entries will be features on the FanStory.com welcome page.

💰 Entry fee: $9

📅 Deadline: April 12, 2023 (Expired)

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024 (Expired)

The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition

Chicken House Books

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We're looking for original ideas, a fresh voice, a diverse range of entries and stories that children will love! To enter, you must have written a full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged between 7 and 18 years. We suggest a minimum of 30,000 words and ask that manuscripts do not exceed 80,000 words. The IET 150 Award will be awarded to a manuscript that celebrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

A worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House & royalty advance of £10,000

An offer of representation from a top literary agent

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: June 01, 2024 (Expired)

Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Not Quite Write

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction challenges writers to create an original piece of flash fiction based on two typical writing prompts plus one ""anti-prompt"". An anti-prompt is a challenge to break a specific “rule” of writing while telling a great story. Participants compete for AU$2,000 in cash prizes, including AU$1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and two bonus ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice. The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction is hosted in Australia and open to all writers of any age and level of ability around the world.

Publication on the Not Quite Write website and podcast

💰 Entry fee: $16

📅 Deadline: July 21, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.

Optional publication of excerpt + letter of recommendation

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024

The Letter Review Prize for Books

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Letter Review Prize for Books is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Seeking most unpublished (we accept some self/indie published) novels, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, poetry etc. 20 entries are longlisted.

$1000 USD shared by 3 winners

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

Elegant Literature's Monthly Award For New Writers

Elegant Literature

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult, Flash Fiction, and Science Writing

One of the largest awards open to unpublished writers and closed to professionals. We are the first magazine to pay pro rates and only accept submissions from new writers, putting over $150k into the hands of emerging talent around the globe so far. One new writer receives the grand prize. We also choose the best stories, pay the authors professional rates, and publish them in our magazine. June's theme is Secret Societies.

10x Paid publication, 25 x $20 USD | Free entry to Novelist Accelerator

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024 (Expired)

Artificial Intelligence Competition

New Beginnings

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

There is no topic relating to technology that brings more discussion than artificial intelligence. Some people think it does wonders. Others see it as trouble. Let us know your opinion about AI in this competition. Include experiences you have had with AI. 300-word limit. Winners will be selected January 1, 2024. Open to anyone, anywhere.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2023 (Expired)

Universe of Threats Natural Disaster Writing Contest

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

CAPTRS is building a catalog of threats, called the “Universe of Threats,” which will be used to prepare decision makers for future threats. We invite you to submit a 2,500 word or less story describing a threat scenario related to natural disasters, including floods, wildfires, hurricanes or another natural disaster of your choosing.

2nd: $2,500 | 3rd: $1,000 | Publication on CAPTRS website

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

Reader Views Literary Awards

Reader Views

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Reader Views Literary Awards program helps level the playing field for self-published authors, recognizing the most creative and exciting new books in the industry. Our awards program is recognized industry-wide as one of the top literary awards programs for independent authors.

Several marketing prizes (e.g. book review)

💰 Entry fee: $89

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2024

The Book of the Year Awards

The Independent Author Network

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, and Short Story

The Independent Author Network presents the 10th Annual IAN Book of the Year Awards, an international contest open to all authors with 55 fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners are eligible to receive a share of cash prizes of $6,000 USD. Open to all English language print and eBooks available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.

$6,000.00 USD in total cash prizes

💰 Entry fee: $49

📅 Deadline: August 16, 2024 (Expired)

Summer Nanofiction Battle

Writing Battle

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Two days to write a 250 word short story. The peer-powered quarterly writing contest where every story receives oodles of feedback. Write one. Read ten. Win thousands.

Genre Winner (x4): $1,500

Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 | Feedback by industry professionals

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: August 02, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, Crime, Humor, and Science Writing

2-4 Winners are published. We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Seeking Nonfiction 0-5000 words. Judges’ feedback available. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind. All entries considered for publication + submission to Pushcart.

Publication by The Letter Review

💰 Entry fee: $2

100 Word Writing Contest

Tadpole Press

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel

Can you write a story using 100 words or less? Pieces will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes, and expands our beliefs about what's possible or unexpectedly delights us. In addition, we are looking for writing that is clever or unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling and complete story. The first-place prize has doubled to $2,000 USD.

2nd: writing coach package

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024

Storytrade Book Awards

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Storytrade Book Awards recognizes excellence in small and independent publishing. Open to all indie authors and publishers including self-published authors, university presses, and small or independent presses, our annual awards program spotlights outstanding books in a number of fiction and nonfiction categories.

Medal, Book Stickers, Digital Seal

💰 Entry fee: $75

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Expired)

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests.

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course : How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether.

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

"How to Craft a Killer Short Story" ( Click here )
"The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction" ( Click here )
"How to Write a Novel" ( Click here )
"Understanding Point of View" ( Click here )
"Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love" ( Click here )
"Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character" ( Click here )
"Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine" ( Click here )

On Editing:

"Story Editing for Authors" ( Click here )
"How to Self-Edit Your Manuscript Like a Pro" ( Click here )
"Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites" ( Click here )
"How to Write a Novel: Steps From a Bestselling Writer" ( Click here )
"How to Write a Short Story in 9 Simple Steps" ( Click here )
"100 Literary Devices With Examples: The Ultimate List" ( Click here )
"20 Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft" ( Click here )
"How to Write Fabulous Dialogue [9 Tips + Examples]" ( Click here )
"8 Character Development Exercises to Write 3D Characters" ( Click here )

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas ( Click here )
600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You ( Click here )
100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors ( Click here )
Story Title Generator ( Click here )
Pen Name Generator ( Click here )
Character Name Generator ( Click here )

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners.

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

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Writing Tips

7 Essay Writing Contests to Look Out For in 2023

7-minute read

28th December 2022

Essay contests are not only a great way to exercise your essay-writing skills but also an awesome way to win cash prizes, scholarships, and internship or program opportunities. They also look wonderful on college applications as awards and achievements.

In this article, you’ll learn about 7 essay writing contests to enter in 2023. Watch the video below, or keep reading to learn more.

1. Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Deadline: Now–April 30, 3023

Who may enter:

This is an international contest for people of all ages (except for residents of Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus due to US government restrictions).

Contest description:

● The contest is organized by Winning Writers, located in MA, USA.

● They accept stories and essays on any theme, up to 6,000 words each. This contest defines a story as any short work of fiction and an essay as any short work of nonfiction.

● Your stories and essays must be submitted in English.

● You may submit published or unpublished work.

Entry fee: USD 22 per entry

● Story: First Prize is USD 3,000.

● Essay: First Prize is USD 3,000.

● 10 Honorable Mentions will receive USD 300 each (any category).

● The top 12 entries will be published online.

Official website

Please visit the competition’s official website for more information on judges and submissions.

2. 2023 Calibre Essay Prize

Deadline: Now–January 15, 2023, 11:59 pm

Who may enter: All ages and any nationality or residency are accepted.

● This contest is hosted by the Australian Book Review.

● Your essay must be between 2,000 and 5,000 words.

● You may submit nonfiction essays of all kinds, e.g., personal, political, literary, or speculative.

● You may enter multiple essays but will need to pay separate fees for each one.

● Your essay must be unpublished.

Entry fee: AU 30 for non-members

Prize: AU 7,500

Official website:

For more information on this contest, please visit its official website.

3. John Locke Institute Essay Competition

Deadline: June 30, 2023

● Students from any country.

● Students aged 15 to 18 years by the competition deadline.

● Students aged 14 years or younger by the competition deadline are eligible for the Junior prize.

● The contest is organized by the John Locke Institute.

● Your essay cannot exceed 2,000 words.

● There are seven subjects or categories for essay submissions: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law.

Entry fee: Free to enter

● The best overall essay winner receives an honorary John Locke Fellowship, which comes with a USD 10,000 scholarship to attend one or more summer schools or gap year courses.

● There is also a prize for the best essay in each category. The prize for each winner of a subject category and the Junior category is a scholarship worth USD 2,000 toward the cost of a summer program.

● All winning essays will be published on the Institute’s website.

For more information about this competition and the John Locke Institute, please visit the official website . Also, be sure to check out our article on all you need to know about this contest.

4. The American Foreign Service Association 2023 Essay Competition

Deadline: April 3, 2023

● Students in grades 9–12 in any of the 50 states, DC, the US territories, or if they are US citizens or lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.

● Students attending a public, private, or parochial school.

● Home-schooled students.

● Your essay should be 1,000–1,500 words.

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● You will select a country or region in which the United States Foreign Service has been involved at any point since 1924 and describe how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals – including promoting peace – in this country or region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years.

● Your essay should follow MLA guidelines.

● Your essay should use a variety of sources.

● The first-place winner receives USD 2,500, a paid trip to the nation’s capital from anywhere in the U.S. for the winner and their parents, and an all-expense-paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea.

● The runner-up receives USD 1,250 and full tuition to attend a summer session of the National Student Leadership Conference’s International Diplomacy program.

Please visit the American Foreign Service website for more information.

5. The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) 2023 Essay Contest

Deadline: Mid-February 2023–June 1, 2023

Who may enter: High school (including homeschooled), college, and graduate students worldwide.

● The 2023 essay contest topic is marriages and proposals.

● High school students may focus on Pride and Prejudice only or bring in other Austen works.

● Undergraduate and graduate students should discuss at least two Austen novels of their choice.

● Your essay must be in MLA format and 6 to 8 pages (not including your Works Cited page).

● Your essay must be written in English.

● First place wins a USD 1,000 scholarship.

● Second place wins a USD 500 scholarship.

● Third place wins a USD 250 scholarship.

● Winners will also receive one year of membership in JASNA, publication of their essays on this website, and a set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels.

For more information and submission guidelines, please visit JASNA’s official website .

6. 2023 Writing Contest: Better Great Achievements by EngineerGirl

Deadline: February 1, 2023

● Students in Grades 3–12. If international or homeschooled, please select your grade level based on if you were attending a public school in the U.S.

● This contest is organized by EngineerGirl.

● Students should write a piece that shows how female or non-white engineers have contributed to or can enhance engineering’s great achievements.

● You should choose one of the 20 Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century as a topic and explore the technologies developed in the last century and the new ones being developed today. Make sure to follow the specific guidelines for your grade level.

● Essays should be 650–750 words based on your grade level.

● Please visit the contest’s website to see specific requirements based on your grade.

Winners in each grade category will receive the prizes listed below:

● First-place winners will be awarded USD 500.

● Second-place entries will be awarded USD 250 .

● Third-place entries will be awarded USD 100 .

For more information and submission guidelines, please visit the official website .

7. World Historian Student Essay Competition

Deadline: May 1, 2023

Who may enter: Students enrolled in Grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools and home-study programs worldwide.

● Your essay must address the following issue: In what way has the study of world history affected my understanding of the world in which I live?

● Your essay should be 1,000 words.

Prizes: USD 500

For more information and submission requirements, please visit the contest’s official website.

Essay contests are a great way to expand your writing skills, discuss a topic that is important to you, and earn prize money and opportunities that will be great for you in the long term. Check out our articles on writing thesis statements, essay organization, and argumentative writing strategies to ensure you take first place every time.

If you need help with your essays and would like to make sure that every comma is in place, we will proofread your first 500 words for free !

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About the Essay Competitions
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SECDEF Essay Competition
CJCS Essay Competition

February 2025: Coordinators provide names of judges to NDU Press.

April 2025: Deadline for schools to submit nominated papers to NDU Press (POC: Jeff Smotherman, [email protected] ).

May 2025: Judges report first-round scores to NDU Press.

May 2025: Judges attend final-round conference at NDU.

For further information, please contact:

Jeff Smotherman Managing Editor 703-965-6949 [email protected]

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Strategic Essay Competitions

NDU Press hosted the final round of judging on May 16–17, 2024, during which 27 faculty judges from 16 participating professional military education (PME) institutions selected the best entries in each category. There were 97 submissions in this year’s three categories.

The 43rd annual competitions were intended to stimulate new approaches to coordinated civilian and military action from a broad spectrum of civilian and military students. Essays address U.S. Government structure, policies, capabilities, resources, and/or practices and provide creative, feasible ideas on how best to orchestrate the core competencies of our national security institution.

The purpose of this competition is to stimulate thinking about national security strategy, promote well-written research, and contribute to a broader security debate among professionals. NDU Press manages the competition in three phases, with assistance from coordinators and faculty judges representing each participating PME school. First, the schools conduct internal competitions and submit their best essays to NDU Press. Second, judges evaluate nominated essays from other schools virtually. Finally, judges travel to NDU for the final round conference to determine winners in each category.

Click here to read the competition rules

The 2024 Winning Essays

Strategic Research Paper

1 st PLACE Commander Thomas Krasnicki, USN Naval War College (Senior) “It’Considering the Utility of Modern Blockade in a Protracted Conflict With China”

Major Patrick Smith, USA Naval War College (Junior) “Celtic Security in the Atlantic: How Does Ireland Secure Europe’s Western Flank?”

3 rd PLACE Nicholas F. Caron, U.S. Senate Professional Staff Member Naval War College (Junior) “Admiral Rickover in the Pacific Rim: An Argument for U.S. Led Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine Programs”

Strategy Article

1 st PLACE Colonel Richard Bell, USA, Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth Goldsmith, USAF, Lieutenant Commander Robert Martinez, USN, and Lieutenant Colonel Donghyun Lee, Republic of Korea Army Joint Combined Warfighting School “Stop Talking to Yourself: Military Recruiting in the Modern Age”

2 nd PLACE Colonel Katie Gaetke, USAF, Commander Joe Jindrich, USN, and Major Thomas Killams, USAF Joint Combined Warfighting School “Incorporating Loss Aversion Bias in Military Planning and Risk Doctrine”

3 rd PLACE Lieutenant Colonel Richard N. DeRohan, USAF National War College “A Case to Strengthen Taiwan’s C2 Resilience”

For all 2024 competitions, the winning essays will be published in Joint Force Quarterly 115 (4th Quarter 2024), the CJCS professional military, interagency, and security studies journal. Authors of the first-, second-, and third-place essays will be recognized by the Secretary of Defense, CJCS, or NDU President with certificates and—if conditions permit—a personal meeting with the Secretary or Chairman.

This is a joint, interagency writing competition, and essays are expected to meet rigorous academic standards. Thus, senior faculty commitment in each participating college or school is an imperative for a healthy competition. Faculty essay coordinators are requested to actively promote and inform students of the opportunity to compete with their colleagues, and faculty judges are requested to make a significant investment of their time in reading and evaluating essays during both phases of judging.

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

25 Best Writing Competitions for High School Students – 2024

April 12, 2024

Over the past several years, the number of college applicants has been steadily rising. [i] As college admissions become more competitive, there are many steps a student can take to achieve high school success and become an outstanding candidate for college admissions: earning high SAT scores, securing strong letters of recommendation , and participating in various competitions will all boost your admissions prospects. [ii] In particular, writing competitions for high school students are a popular way to win scholarships and prize money, receive feedback on writing, build a portfolio of public work, and add to college application credentials!

Below, we’ve selected twenty-five writing competitions for high school students and sorted them by three general topics: 1) language, literature and arts, 2) STEM, environment and sustainability, and 3) politics, history and philosophy. It’s never too soon to begin thinking about your future college prospects, and even if you are a freshman, many of these writing competitions for high schoolers will be open to you! [iii]

Writing Competitions for High School Students in Language, Literature, and Arts

1) adroit prizes for poetry and prose.

This prestigious creative writing award offers high school students the opportunity to showcase their work in Adroit Journal . Judges are acclaimed writers in their respective genres.

Eligibility: All high school students (including international students) are eligible to apply. Poetry contestants may submit up to five poems. Prose contestants may submit up to three pieces of fiction or nonfiction writing (for a combined total of 3,500 words – excerpts accepted).
Prize: Winners will receive $200 and their writing will be published in Adroit Journal . All submitted entries will be considered for publication!
Deadline: May 1st (specific deadline may vary by year).

2) Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

This unique essay competition allows writers the chance to explore and respond to Ayn Rand’s fascinating and polemic 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged . Specific essay topics are posted every three months; prizes are granted seasonally with a grand prize winner announced every year.

Prize: Annual grand prize is $25,000.
Deadline: Deadlines occur every season, for each seasonal prompt.
Eligibility: Essays must be written in English and be 800-1,600 words in length.

Writing Competitions for High School Students (Continued)

3) the bennington young writers awards.

Through Bennington College, this high school writing competition offers three prizes in three different genre categories: poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Winners and finalists who decide to attend Bennington College will ultimately receive a substantial scholarship prize.

Eligibility: U.S. and international students in grades 9 through 12 may apply.
Prize: First place winners receive $1,000; second place wins $500; third place winners receive $250. YWA winners who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington receive a $15,000 scholarship per year (for a total of $60,000). YWA finalists who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a $10,000 scholarship per year (for a total of $40,000).
Deadline: The competition runs annually from September 1st to November 1st.

4) Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) Student Essay Contest

Do you love Jane Austen? If so, this is the high school writing competition for you! With the JASNA Student Essay Contest, high school students have the opportunity to write a six to eight-page essay about Jane Austen’s works, focused on a specific, designated topic for the competition year.

Eligibility: Any high school student (homeschooled students also eligible) enrolled during the contest year may submit an essay.
Prize: First place winner receives a $1,000 scholarship and two nights’ lodging for the upcoming annual JASNA meeting. Second place wins a $500 scholarship and third place wins a $250 scholarship. All winners will additionally receive a year membership in JASNA, the online publication of their article, and a set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels.
Deadline: Submission accepted from February-June 1st (specific dates may vary by year).

5) The Kennedy Center VSA Playwright Discovery Program

Young aspiring writers with disabilities are encouraged to apply to this unique program. Students are asked to submit a ten-minute play script that explores any topic, including the student’s own disability experience.

Eligibility: U.S. and international high school students with disabilities ages 14-19 may apply.
Prize: Multiple winners will receive exclusive access to professional development and networking opportunities at The Kennedy Center.
Deadline: January (specific deadline date may vary by year).

6) Leonard M. Milburg ’53 High School Poetry Prize

Through Princeton’s Lewis Center for the Arts, this prestigious writing competition for high school students recognizes outstanding poetry writing and is judged by creative writing faculty at Princeton University.

Eligibility: U.S. or international students in the eleventh grade may apply. Applicants may submit up to three poems.
Prize: First place wins $1,500; second place wins $750; third place wins $500.
Deadline: November (specific deadline date may vary by year).

7) Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

Nancy Thorp was a student at Hollins University who showed great promise as a poet. After her death, her family established this scholarship to support budding young poets.

Eligibility: Female high school sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
Prize: First place wins $350 and publication in Cargoes literary magazine, along with a $5,000 renewable scholarship (up to $20,000 over four years) if the student enrolls in Hollins University, and free tuition and housing for Hollins University’s summer creative writing program (grades 9-12). Second place wins publication in Cargoes, along with a $1,000 renewable scholarship ($4,000 over four years) if the student enrolls at Hollins and $500 to apply toward Hollins’ summer creative writing program.
Deadline: October (specific deadline date may vary by year).

8) National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards in Writing

Students may be nominated by their English teachers to win this prestigious writing award. Winners “exhibit the power to inform and move an audience through language” and prompts and genres may vary by competition year.

Prize: A certificate will be awarded to students who are judged to have exceptional writing skills. Student names will be displayed on the NCTE website.
Eligibility: U.S. high school sophomores and juniors are eligible for nomination.
Deadline: February (specific dates may vary by year). Contest prompts released in August.

9) National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

At Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, numerous opportunities for scholarships and awards await those who submit writing in various genres: literary criticism, drama, poetry, and fiction. In all, there are 28 generic categories of art and writing to choose from!

Eligibility: Teens in grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) may apply.
Prize: Various types of recognition and scholarships (up to $12,500) are offered for these award winners.
Deadline: Scholastic Awards opens for entries in September; deadlines range from December to January.

10) National Society of High School Scholars Creative Writing Scholarship

In this creative writing competition for high schoolers, students have the opportunity to submit a piece poetry or fiction (or both – one in each category!) for the opportunity to be published on the NSHSS website and win a monetary prize.

Eligibility: Rising high school students graduating in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 may apply.
Prize: There will be three $2,000 awards for the fiction category and three $2,000 awards for the poetry category.
Deadline: Submissions Accepted from May to October (specific dates may vary by year).

11) National Writing Award: The Humanities and a Freer Tomorrow

This writing competition allows high school students the chance to be nominated by a teacher for a piece of writing in response to Ruth J. Simmons’ “Facing History to Find a Better Future.” Specific prompt topics may vary by year.

Eligibility: Nominating teachers can submit work from 11th and 12th graders in one category (fiction, poetry, prose, or essay).
Prize: One top prize of $1,000. Four additional prizes of $500 each. Winners will have the opportunity to have their work published by NCTE.
Deadline: Applications are open September to October (specific dates may vary by year).

12) New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award

Although this prestigious award isn’t exclusively for high schoolers (anyone younger than 35 may submit a work of fiction), if you’ve written a collection of short stories or even a novel, you should certainly consider applying!

Eligibility: Any writer below the age of 35 may submit a novel or collection of short stories to participate in this competition.
Prize: $10,000 award.
Deadline: September (specific date may vary by year).

13) Princeton University Ten-Minute Play Contest

This writing competition for high school students awards three annual top prizes for the best ten-minute play. Play submissions are judged each year by an acclaimed guest playwright.

Eligibility: U.S. or international students in the eleventh grade may apply. Students may submit one play entry; entries must be ten pages or less. Plays must be written in English.
Prize: First place prize is $500; second place is $250; third place is $100.
Deadline: Varies by year. However, students are recommended to submit before the deadline date – the submission portal will close when a maximum of 250 applicants have applied.

14) YouthPLAYS New Voices One-Act Competition for Young Playwrights

In this exciting writing competition, students have the chance to submit an original play script for a play of around 10-40 minutes in length. An excellent competition choice for any student considering a future in the theatre!

Eligibility: Prospective authors ages 19 and under may submit a script for consideration in the competition. See specific writing guidelines here .
Prize: First prize wins $250 and publication with YouthPLAYS; second prize wins $100.
Deadline: Submissions run from January 1st to May 1st.

STEM, Environment, and Sustainability High School Writing Competitions

15) engineergirl essay contest.

This wonderful essay contest invites students to explore topics related to engineering and science. Each year a new, specific prompt will be chosen for young writers who wish to compete.

Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply. Previous winners and close family members of employees of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine are not eligible.
Prize: First place winners receive $1,000; second place receives $750; third place receives $500.
Deadline: Competition opens in September and submissions are due February 1st of the following year. Winners are announced in the summer.

16) Ocean Awareness Contest

The Ocean Awareness Contest is an opportunity for students to create written and artistic projects that explore sustainability, environmentalism, and positive change. High school freshmen (up to age 14) may apply to the Junior Division. Students ages 15-18 may enter the Senior Division.

Eligibility: Students ages 11-18 may apply (international students included).
Prize: Monetary prizes ranging from $100-$1000 will be awarded each year. Additionally, $500 will be awarded to ten students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Latino via the We All Rise Prize program.
Deadline: June 10, 2024 (specific deadline may vary by year).

17) Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder / Sense of Wild Contest

If you are interested in issues of sustainability, environment, biology and the natural world, this is one of the high school writing competitions that is just for you! Essay prompts explore the natural world and our place within it and may include poetry, essays, and photography.

Eligibility: Students must pair with an adult from a different generation (e.g. parent, grandparent or teacher – contestants need not be related). Entries must be submitted as a team.
Prize: Winners will receive a certificate from RCLA; their first names, ages, and entry titles will be posted on the RCLA website.
Deadline: November 16th, 2024 (specific deadline may vary by year).

18) River of Words Competition

This writing competition for high school students is another top choice for those thinking of pursuing majors or careers in biology, environment, and sustainability; this specific contest hopes to promote positive education in sustainability by “promoting environmental literacy through the arts and cultural exchange.”

Eligibility: Any U.S. or international student from kindergarten through 12th grade may apply.
Prize: Winners will be published in the River of Words
Deadline: January (specific deadline may vary by year).

Writing Competitions for High School Students in Politics, History and Philosophy

19) american foreign service association essay contest.

With this writing competition for high school students, entrants may submit essays ranging from 1,000-1,500 words about diplomacy, history, and international politics (specific prompts vary by year).

Eligibility: Students in grades nine through twelve may apply. Students whose parents are in the Foreign Service Association are not eligible.
Prize: The first-place winner will receive $2,500, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the winner and the winner’s parents, and an all-expense paid voyage via Semester at Sea. The second-place winner receives $1,250 and full tuition for a summer session at the National Student Leadership Conference’s International Diplomacy program.
Deadline: Early spring (specific deadline may vary by year).

20) Bill of Rights Institute We the Students Essay Contest

In this writing competition for high school students, civic-minded U.S. high schoolers may explore the principles and virtues of the Bill of Rights Institute. Interested applicants should review the specific submission guidelines .

Eligibility: Any high school student aged 13 to 19 may apply.
Prize: Prizes range from $1,500 to $10,000.
Deadline: Submissions for 2024 due May 19th (specific deadline may vary by year).

21) JFK Presidential Library and Museum Profile in Courage Essay Contest

For students interested in history and political science, this competition offers the chance to write about U.S. elected officials who have demonstrated political courage.

Eligibility: U.S. high school students from grades 9-12 may apply.
Prize: First prize is $10,000; second prize receives $3,000; five finalists receive $1,000 each; ten semifinalists receive $100 each; eight students receive honorable mention.
Deadline: Submissions accepted from September to January (specific deadline may vary by year).
Sample Essays: 2000-2023 Contest Winner Essays

22) John Locke Institute Essay Competition

This essay competition is for students who would like to write about and cultivate “independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style” from one of seven intellectual categories: philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology or law.

Eligibility: Students from any country may submit an essay.
Prize: $2,000 for each subject category winner toward a John Locke Institute program; winning essays will be published on the Institute’s website.
Deadline: Registration must be completed by May 31st, 2024; essay submission due June 30th, 2024 (specific deadline may vary by year).

23) Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association Essay Contest

This exciting writing competition for high schoolers allows students to explore topics related to journalism, democracy and media literacy. Specific prompts will be provided for contestants each year.

Eligibility: All U.S. students from grades 9-12 may submit original writing to participate in this contest.
Prize: First-place winners will receive $1,000; second place is awarded $500; third place receives $300.
Deadline: February (specific deadline may vary by year).

24) Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy Youth Scholarship Essay

This audio essay allows high school students the opportunity to “express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriot-themed recorded essay.” One winner will be granted a $35,000 scholarship to be paid toward their university, college, or vocational school of choice. Smaller prizes range from $1,000-$21,000, and the first-place winner in each VFW state wins $1,000.

Prize: College scholarships range from $1,000-$35,000
Eligibility: U.S. students in grades 9-12 may submit a 3-5-minute audio essay.
Deadline: October 31st
Sample Written Essay: 2023-2024 Prize-winning essay by Sophia Lin

25) World Historian Student Essay Competition

The World Historian Student Essay Competition recognizes young scholars who explore world historical events and how they relate to the student scholar personally. Ultimately the student writer must describe “the experience of being changed by a better understanding of world history.”

Eligibility: Internationally, students ages K-12 may submit an entry. See specific prompt and submission guidelines for writing instructions.
Prize: $500

Writing Competitions for High School Students – Sources

[i] Institute for Education Sciences: National Center for Education Statistics. “Number of applications for admission from first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students were received by postsecondary institutions in the fall.” https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/TrendGenerator/app/answer/10/101

[ii] Jaschik, Scott. “Record Applications, Record Rejections.” Inside Higher Ed . 3 April 2022. https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2022/04/04/most-competitive-colleges-get-more-competitive

[iii] Wood, Sarah. “College Applications are on the Rise: What to Know.” U.S. News & World Report. 21 June 2022. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/college-applications-are-on-the-rise-what-to-know

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Jamie Smith

For the past decade, Jamie has taught writing and English literature at several universities, including Boston College, the University of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University. She earned a Ph.D. in English from Carnegie Mellon, where she currently teaches courses and conducts research on composition, public writing, and British literature.

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Our 3rd Annual STEM Writing Contest

We invite students to choose an issue or question in science, technology, engineering, math or health, then write an engaging 500-word explanation. Contest Dates: Feb. 2 to March 9, 2022.

By The Learning Network

Update, Jan. 4, 2023: We have announced our 4th Annual STEM Writing Contest .

Update, May 11, 2022: Winners have been announced!

How do daddy longlegs grow such strange legs? Can genetically engineered bacteria help us detect buried land mines? Why does snow sometimes turn red? Can Saturn’s rings help to reveal what’s happening in the planet’s core?

If you click on any of these articles, you’ll see that they are written for a general reader. Special technical or scientific knowledge is not required, and each is designed to get our attention and keep it — by giving us “news we can use” in our own lives, or by exploring something fascinating in a way that makes it easy to understand and shows us why it matters.

That’s what Times journalists do every day across our Science , Health and Technology sections, and it’s what Science News and Science News for Students do on their sites too, where journalists explain things like the moon’s orbital wobble , “zombie” wildfires and how sleep may affect test scores .

For this contest, The Learning Network invites you to bring that same spirit of inquiry and discovery to finding a STEM-related question, concept or issue you’re interested in, and, in 500 words or fewer, explaining it to a general audience in a way that not only helps us understand, but also engages us and makes us see why it’s important.

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Essay COMPETITION

2024 global essay prize, the short list for the 2024 global essay prize was released on wednesday, 31 july..

The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. Our Essay Competition invites students to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting questions beyond the confines of the school curriculum.

Entering an essay in our competition can build knowledge, and refine skills of argumentation. It also gives students the chance to have their work assessed by experts. All of our essay prizes are judged by a panel of senior academics drawn from leading universities including Oxford and Princeton, under the leadership of the Chairman of Examiners, former Cambridge philosopher, Dr Jamie Whyte.

The judges will choose their favourite essay from each of seven subject categories - Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology and Law - and then select the winner of the Grand Prize for the best entry in any subject. There is also a separate prize awarded for the best essay in the junior category, for under 15s.

Q1. Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition?

Q2. Do girls have a (moral) right to compete in sporting contests that exclude boys?

Q3. Should I be held responsible for what I believe?

Q1. Is there such a thing as too much democracy?

Q2. Is peace in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip possible?

Q3. When is compliance complicity?

Q1. What is the optimal global population?

Q2. Accurate news reporting is a public good. Does it follow that news agencies should be funded from taxation?

Q3. Do successful business people benefit others when making their money, when spending it, both, or neither?

Q1. Why was sustained economic growth so rare before the later 18th century and why did this change?

Q2. Has music ever significantly changed the course of history?

Q3. Why do civilisations collapse? Is our civilisation in danger?

Q1. When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements?

Q2. In the last five years British police have arrested several thousand people for things they posted on social media. Is the UK becoming a police state?

Q3. Your parents say that 11pm is your bedtime. But they don’t punish you if you don’t go to bed by 11pm. Is 11pm really your bedtime?

Q1. According to a study by researchers at four British universities, for each 15-point increase in IQ, the likelihood of getting married increases by around 35% for a man but decreases by around 58% for a woman. Why?

In the original version of this question we misstated a statistic. This was caused by reproducing an error that appeared in several media summaries of the study. We are grateful to one of our contestants, Xinyi Zhang, who helped us to see (with humility and courtesy) why we should take more care to check our sources. We corrected the text on 4 April. Happily, the correction does not in any way alter the thrust of the question.

Q2. There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people. Can we fix this? How?

Q3. What is the difference between a psychiatric illness and a character flaw?

Q1. “I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” What could the speaker mean by “spiritual”?

Q2. Is it reasonable to thank God for protection from some natural harm if He is responsible for causing the harm?

Q3. Does God reward those who believe in him? If so, why?

JUNIOR prize

Q1. Does winning a free and fair election automatically confer a mandate for governing?

Q2. Has the anti-racism movement reduced racism?

Q3. Is there life after death?

Q4. How did it happen that governments came to own and run most high schools, while leaving food production to private enterprise?

Q5. When will advancing technology make most of us unemployable? What should we do about this?

Q6. Should we trust fourteen-year-olds to make decisions about their own bodies?

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS & FURTHER DETAILS

Please read the following carefully.

Entry to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition 2024 is open to students from any country.

Registration

Only candidates who registered before the registration deadline of Friday, 31 May 2024 may enter this year's competition.

All entries must be submitted by 11.59 pm BST on the submission deadline: Sunday, 30 June 2024 . Candidates must be eighteen years old, or younger, on that date. (Candidates for the Junior Prize must be fourteen years old, or younger, on that date.)

Entry is free.

Each essay must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, and must not exceed 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography or authorship declaration).

The filename of your pdf must be in this format: FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf; so, for instance, Alexander Popham would submit his answer to question 2 in the Psychology category with the following file name:

Alexander-Popham-Psychology-2.pdf

Essays with filenames which are not in this format will be rejected.

The candidate's name should NOT appear within the document itself.

Candidates should NOT add footnotes. They may, however, add endnotes and/or a Bibliography that is clearly titled as such.

Each candidate will be required to provide the email address of an academic referee who is familiar with the candidate's written academic work. This should be a school teacher, if possible, or another responsible adult who is not a relation of the candidate. The John Locke Institute will email referees to verify that the essays submitted are indeed the original work of the candidates.

Submissions may be made as soon as registration opens in April. We recommend that you submit your essay well in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute complications. To submit your essay, click here .

Acceptance of your essay depends on your granting us permission to use your data for the purposes of receiving and processing your entry as well as communicating with you about the Awards Ceremony Dinner, the academic conference, and other events and programmes of the John Locke Institute and its associated entities.

Late entries

If for any reason you miss the 30 June deadline you will have an opportunity to make a late entry, under two conditions:

a) A late entry fee of 20.00 USD must be paid by credit card within twenty-four hours of the original deadline; and

b) Your essay must be submitted before 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 10 July 2024.

To pay for late entry, a registrant need only log into his or her account, select the relevant option and provide the requested payment information.

Our grading system is proprietary. Essayists may be asked to discuss their entry with a member of the John Locke Institute’s faculty. We use various means to identify plagiarism, contract cheating, the use of AI and other forms of fraud . Our determinations in all such matters are final.

Essays will be judged on knowledge and understanding of the relevant material, the competent use of evidence, quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style and persuasive force. The very best essays are likely to be those which would be capable of changing somebody's mind. Essays which ignore or fail to address the strongest objections and counter-arguments are unlikely to be successful .

Candidates are advised to answer the question as precisely and directly as possible.

The writers of the best essays will receive a commendation and be shortlisted for a prize. Writers of shortlisted essays will be notified by 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 31 July. They will also be invited to London for an invitation-only academic conference and awards dinner in September, where the prize-winners will be announced. Unlike the competition itself, the academic conference and awards dinner are not free. Please be aware that n obody is required to attend either the academic conference or the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London.

All short-listed candidates, including prize-winners, will be able to download eCertificates that acknowledge their achievement. If you win First, Second or Third Prize, and you travel to London for the ceremony, you will receive a signed certificate.

There is a prize for the best essay in each category. The prize for each winner of a subject category, and the winner of the Junior category, is a scholarship worth US$2000 towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute programme, and the essays will be published on the Institute's website. Prize-giving ceremonies will take place in London, at which winners and runners-up will be able to meet some of the judges and other faculty members of the John Locke Institute. Family, friends, and teachers are also welcome.

The candidate who submits the best essay overall will be awarded an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship, which comes with a US$10,000 scholarship to attend one or more of our summer schools and/or visiting scholars programmes.

The judges' decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

R egistration opens: 1 April, 2024.

Registration deadline: 31 May, 2024. (Registration is required by this date for subsequent submission.)

Submission deadline: 30 June, 2024.

Late entry deadline: 10 July, 2024. (Late entries are subject to a 20.00 USD charge, payable by 1 July.)

Notification of short-listed essayists: 31 July, 2024.

Academic conference: 20 - 22 September, 2024.

Awards dinner: 21 September, 2024.

Any queries regarding the essay competition should be sent to [email protected] . Please be aware that, due to the large volume of correspondence we receive, we cannot guarantee to answer every query. In particular, regrettably, we are unable to respond to questions whose answers can be found on our website.

If you would like to receive helpful tips from our examiners about what makes for a winning essay or reminders of upcoming key dates for the 2024 essay competition, please provide your email here to be added to our contact list. .

Thanks for subscribing!

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The John Locke Institute's Global Essay Prize is acknowledged as the world's most prestigious essay competition.

We welcome tens of thousands of submissions from ambitious students in more than 150 countries, and our examiners - including distinguished philosophers, political scientists, economists, historians, psychologists, theologians, and legal scholars - read and carefully assess every entry.

I encourage you to register for this competition, not only for the hope of winning a prize or commendation, and not only for the chance to join the very best contestants at our academic conference and gala ceremony in London, but equally for the opportunity to engage in the serious scholarly enterprise of researching, reflecting on, writing about, and editing an answer to one of the important and provocative questions in this year's Global Essay Prize.

We believe that the skills you will acquire in the process will make you a better thinker and a more effective advocate for the ideas that matter most to you.

I hope to see you in September!

Best wishes,

Jamie Whyte, Ph.D. (C ANTAB )

Chairman of Examiners

Q. I missed the registration deadline. May I still register or submit an essay?

A. No. Only candidates who registered before 31 May will be able to submit an essay.

Q. Are footnote s, endnotes, a bibliography or references counted towards the word limit?

A. No. Only the body of the essay is counted.

Q. Are in-text citations counted towards the word limit?

A. If you are using an in-text based referencing format, such as APA, your in-text citations are included in the word limit.

Q. Is it necessary to include foo tnotes or endnotes in an essay?

A. You may not include footnotes, but you may include in-text citations or endnotes. You should give your sources of any factual claims you make, and you should ackn owledge any other authors on whom you rely.

Q. I am interested in a question that seems ambiguous. How should I interpret it?

A. You may interpret a question as you deem appropriate, clarifying your interpretation if necessary. Having done so, you must answer the question as directly as possible.

Q. How strict are the age eligibility criteria?

A. Only students whose nineteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation. In the case of the Junior category, only students whose fifteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation.

Q. May I submit more than one essay?

A. Yes, you may submit as many essays as you please in any or all categories.

Q. If I am eligible to compete in the Junior category, may I also (or instead) compete in another category?

A. Yes, you may.

Q. May I team up with someone else to write an essay?

A. No. Each submitted essay must be entirely the work of a single individual.

Q. May I use AI, such as ChatGPT or the like, in writing my essay?

A. All essays will be checked for the use of AI. If we find that any content is generated by AI, your essay will be disqualified. We will also ask you, upon submission of your essay, whether you used AI for any purpose related to the writing of your essay, and if so, you will be required to provide details. In that case, if, in our judgement, you have not provided full and accurate details of your use of AI, your essay will be disqualified.

Since any use of AI (that does not result in disqualification) can only negatively affect our assessment of your work relative to that of work that is done without using AI, your safest course of action is simply not to use it at all. If, however, you choose to use it for any purpose, we reserve the right to make relevant judgements on a case-by-case basis and we will not enter into any correspondence.

Q. May I have someone else edit, or otherwise help me with, my essay?

A. You may of course discuss your essay with others, and it is perfectly acceptable for them to offer general advice and point out errors or weaknesses in your writing or content, leaving you to address them.

However, no part of your essay may be written by anyone else. This means that you must edit your own work and that while a proofreader may point out errors, you as the essayist must be the one to correct them.

Q. Do I have to attend the awards ceremony to win a prize?

A. Nobody is required to attend the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London. But if we invite you to London it is because your essay was good enough - in the opinion of the First Round judges - to be at least a contender for First, Second or Third Prize. Normally the Second Round judges will agree that the short-listed essays are worth at least a commendation.

Q. Is there an entry fee?

A. No. There is no charge to enter our global essay competition unless you submit your essay after the normal deadline, in which case there is a fee of 20.00 USD .

Q. Can I receive a certificate for my participation in your essay competition if I wasn't shortlisted?

A. No. Certificates are awarded only for shortlisted essays. Short-listed contestants who attend the award ceremony in London will receive a paper certificate. If you cannot travel to London, you will be able to download your eCertificate.

Q. Can I receive feedba ck on my essay?

A. We would love to be able to give individual feedback on essays but, unfortunately, we receive too many entries to be able to comment on particular essays.

Q. The deadline for publishing the names of short-listed essayists has passed but I did not receive an email to tell me whether I was short-listed.

A. Log into your account and check "Shortlist Status" for (each of) your essay(s).

Q. Why isn't the awards ceremony in Oxford this year?

A. Last year, many shortlisted finalists who applied to join our invitation-only academic conference missed the opportunity because of capacity constraints at Oxford's largest venues. This year, the conference will be held in central London and the gala awards dinner will take place in an iconic London ballroom.

TECHNICAL FAQ s

Q. The system will not accept my essay. I have checked the filename and it has the correct format. What should I do?

A. You have almost certainly added a space before or after one of your names in your profile. Edit it accordingly and try to submit again.

Q. The profile page shows my birth date to be wrong by a day, even after I edit it. What should I do?

A. Ignore it. The date that you typed has been correctly input to our database.

Q. How can I be sure that my registration for the essay competition was successful? Will I receive a confirmation email?

A. You will not receive a confirmation email. Rather, you can at any time log in to the account that you created and see that your registration details are present and correct.

TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR SUBMISSION

If you are unable to submit your essay to the John Locke Institute’s global essay competition, your problem is almost certainly one of the following.

If so, please proceed as indicated.

1) PROBLEM: I receive the ‘registrations are now closed’ message when I enter my email and verification code. SOLUTION. You did not register for the essay competition and create your account. If you think you did, you probably only provided us with your email to receive updates from us about the competition or otherwise. You may not enter the competition this year.

2) PROBLEM I do not receive a login code after I enter my email to enter my account. SOLUTION. Enter your email address again, checking that you do so correctly. If this fails, restart your browser using an incognito window; clear your cache, and try again. Wait for a few minutes for the code. If this still fails, restart your machine and try one more time. If this still fails, send an email to [email protected] with “No verification code – [your name]” in the subject line.

SUBMITTING AN ESSAY

3) PROBLEM: The filename of my essay is in the correct format but it is rejected. SOLUTION: Use “Edit Profile” to check that you did not add a space before or after either of your names. If you did, delete it. Whether you did or did not, try again to submit your essay. If submission fails again, email [email protected] with “Filename format – [your name]” in the subject line.

4) PROBLEM: When trying to view my submitted essay, a .txt file is downloaded – not the .pdf file that I submitted. SOLUTION: Delete the essay. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “File extension problem – [your name]” in the subject line.

5) PROBLEM: When I try to submit, the submission form just reloads without giving me an error message. SOLUTION. Log out of your account. Open a new browser; clear the cache; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Submission form problem – [your name]” in the subject line.

6) PROBLEM: I receive an “Unexpected Error” when trying to submit. SOLUTION. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If this resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Unexpected error – [your name]” in thesubject line. Your email must tell us e xactly where in the submission process you received this error.

7) PROBLEM: I have a problem with submitting and it is not addressed above on this list. SOLUTION: Restart your machine. Clear your browser’s cache. Try to submit again. If this fails, email [email protected] with “Unlisted problem – [your name]” in the subject line. Your email must tell us exactly the nature of your problem with relevant screen caps.

READ THIS BEFORE YOU EMAIL US.

Do not email us before you have tried the specified solutions to your problem.

Do not email us more than once about a single problem. We will respond to your email within 72 hours. Only if you have not heard from us in that time may you contact us again to ask for an update.

If you email us regarding a problem, you must include relevant screen-shots and information on both your operating system and your browser. You must also declare that you have tried the solutions presented above and had a good connection to the internet when you did so.

If you have tried the relevant solution to your problem outlined above, have emailed us, and are still unable to submit before the 30 June deadline on account of any fault of the John Locke Institute or our systems, please do not worry: we will have a way to accept your essay in that case. However, if there is no fault on our side, we will not accept your essay if it is not submitted on time – whatever your reason: we will not make exceptions for IT issues for which we are not responsible.

We reserve the right to disqualify the entries of essayists who do not follow all provided instructions, including those concerning technical matters.

25 Writing Contests and Publication Opportunities for Teens

Portrait of Emilio Terry ( showing hands writing )

Portrait of Emilio Terry by Salvador Dalí (detail, 1935).

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1564999

Are you an aspiring writer, creative artist, scientist or a future scholar? The following list of twenty-five publishing platforms provides teens with opportunities for recognition in those fields. Submitting your work for review and publication can channel your creative energy into a meaningful and rewarding project. Additionally, working on your writing will improve your research and organizational skills. Participating in a contest, or having your work published, is also a factor in college admissions decisions.

In estimating the amount of work each submission requires, be mindful of all provided deadlines. Notice that most essay submissions require a bibliography. If you are tackling an essay with an assigned topic, take advantage of the Library's Research resources. This guide to Remote Research Resources will provide you with guidance on how to use the Library's electronic resources from home. If you are working on composing an oratory, or any other piece of polemical writing, take a look at How to Research for a Debate Using Library Resources . Aspiring poets can consult Columbia Granger's World of Poetr y, a premier poetry online resource. Young artists can draw inspiration from the wealth of imagery in our Digital Collections . The Library encourages everyone to get creative with our public domain collection of digital images. If you are inserting a quotation into your text, learn How to Research a Quotation . Don't forget to attend the Library's events , as they frequently include writing workshops and book discussions . If you have any additional reference questions ,or want to see the full extent of remote research opportunities, take a look at our guide to Remote Collections and Services.

For additional guidance and inspiration, please see the short list of books provided below.

The Writer's Practice: Building Confidence in Your Nonfiction Writing by John Warner

Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron

Singing School: Learning to Write (and Read) Poetry with the Masters by Robert Pisnky

Writers's Idea Book by Jack Heffron

Barron's Painless Writing by Jeffrey Strausser

How to Write Better Essays by Bryan Greetham

You Can Write a Play! by Milton E. Polsky

The Artist's Way: a Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

Apprentice Writer

Susquehanna University and the Writers Institute initiative invite high school students to submit fiction, memoir, personal essay , poetry and photography for the thirty-ninth volume of Apprentice Writer , which will be published in the fall of 2021

Deadline: submissions are accepted from September 15 , 2020 to March 15 2021

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest provides scholarship, prizes, and recognition for the best poems submitted by young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. No more than two poems per student. For details and prizes please see the contest webpage .

Deadline: October 31, 2020

Leonard l. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the eigth grade in the U.S. or abroad. Contest judges are poets on the Princeton University Creative Writing faculty, which includes Michael Dickman, Paul Muldoon, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, James Richardson, Tracy K. Smith, Susan Wheeler, Jenny Xie, and Monica Youn.

Deadline: to be announced. For the latest information and updates, you can subscribe to a newsletter .

Rattle Young Poets Anthology

Young Poets Anthology is looking for poem submissions from authors that are 15, and younger. Poets can use their whole name, first name or a pseudonym. Poems could be submitted by students that are younger than 18, teachers, parents and guardians.

Deadline: Submission for 2020 accepted until November 16, 2020.

Society of Classical Poets High School Poetry Competition

Invites classic poetry lovers ages 13 to 19 to submit up to 3 metered poems, limited to 108 lines. Poems must contain meter. Counting the number of syllables and ensuring there are a similar number in each line is sufficient. Society offers a very useful tutorial on writing poetry with a meter. To learn how to write poetry with a meter, see a brief beginner’s guide on common iambic meter here or a more elaborate beginner’s guide to many kinds of meter here .

Deadline: December 31, 2020

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers recognizes outstanding young poets and is open to high school sophomores and juniors throughout the world. The contest winner receives a full scholarship to the Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop. In addition, the winning poem and the poems of the two runners-up will be published in the Kenyon Review, one of the country’s most widely read literary magazines.

Deadline : Submissions accepted between November 1 and November 30

Bennington College Young Writers Awards

Students in 9th-12th grades, residing anywhere in the world, are invited to submit original works in three categories. Poetry requires a submission of three poems. Category of Fiction accepts short stories or a one-act play. There is a separate nonfiction essay category. Please notice that only original writing is accepted, and all work has to be sponsored by a high school teacher. For further details, carefully read the submission rules.

Deadline: Submissions for 2020 are accepted from September 3 to November 1

Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for Young Writers

High School students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit original work written in English. Creative writing that was not previously published, can be submitted in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. For further detail and submissions guidelines read the rules of the context. In addition to creative writing, you can submit cover art for Polyphony magazine.

Deadline: Check the website for the latest writing deadlines. Deadline for cover art submission is April 30th.

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

In order to increase high school students' knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media in our lives, Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalist and the Journalism Education Association invites students enrolled in grades 9-12 in US public, private and home schools , to submit an essay on a given topic. National winners of this essay contest will receive a scholarship award. Topic for 2020 will be released in November.

Deadline : February 22

Achievement Award in Writing

National Council of Teachers of English is offering an Achievement Award in Writing to High School Juniors in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands, and accredited American Schools abroad. Students must be nominated by their school's English department and should submit one themed essay and a sample of their best writing.

Deadline: Submissions for 2021 are open from November 15 to February 15. Theme for the essay is available at the time of publication ( October 2020)

Teen Ink Magazine

A national teen magazine devoted to teenage writing, art, photos and forums, offers an opportunity to publish creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives of teens. Hundreds of thousands of students aged 13-19, have submitted their work. Teen Ink magazine has published the creative output of over 55,000 teens. Teens can submit an article, poetry, book, novel, photo or a video though this link.

Deadline: none

Princeton University Ten Minute Play Contest

Eligibility for the annual playwriting contest is limited to students in the 11th grade in the U.S , or an international equivalent of the 11th grade. Jury consists of members of the Princeton University Program in Theater faculty.

Deadline: Information regarding submission will be provided in late Fall of 2020.

Youth Plays

Unpublished one-act plays from authors younger than 19 years of age are accepted for submission. Plays should feature youth characters and be suitable for school production. For detailed submission guidelines and helpful advice visit Youth Plays website.

Deadline: Next opportunity for submission will open up in early 2021.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards has the largest selection of opportunities for creative self-expression. With twenty eight categories, ranging from poetry to the entire writing portfolio, young artists and writers can choose from a plethora of opportunities. For the latest updates, rules , and information on how to enter, register with Scholastic. Don't forget to view the Gallery of Winning Entries . To participate in the Awards, you must be a student in grades 7–12, age 13 years or older, residing in the United States, U.S. territories or military bases, or Canada.

Deadlines vary by category, with submissions windows between September to December.

National Young Arts Foundation Competition

Young Arts' signature program is an application-based award for emerging artists ages 15-18, or in grades 10-12. Open to students in a variety of different disciplines, including visual arts, writing, and music, National Young Arts Foundation Competition asks students to submit a portfolio of work.

Deadline: October 16 , 2020

World Historian Student Essay Competition

World History Association invites international students enrolled in grades K-12 in public, private and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs to participate in a writing competition that celebrates the study of history. Each competitor will submit an essay that addresses the issue: In what way has the study of world history affected my understanding of the world in which we live ? For further details on submission guidelines, visit World History Association.

Deadline: May 1

The Concord Review

This unique publication is the only quarterly journal in the world to publish academic history papers of secondary students. The Concord Review accepts history research papers (about 8,500 words with endnotes and bibliography ) of high school students from anywhere in the world. There is no theme, and papers on every period of history anywhere in the world are accepted. For specific rules and regulators, see the submission guidelines.

Deadline: essay are accepted on a rolling admissions basis.

George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all high school students (9th through 12th grades) interested in the American Revolution to participate in the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest. To participate, students must submit an original 800 to 1,200-word essay based on an event, person, philosophy or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution.

Deadline: December 31

JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest

The contest is open to United States high school students in grades 9-12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools. In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.

Deadline: January 15

Write the World Competition

Write the World is a global community of young writers, ages 13-18. Write the World offers a rotating list of themed competitions. Current competition ( October 2020) is for a Speech Writing Oration. The list of past competitions includes Historical Fiction ( short story), Food Writing, Album Review, Environmental Journalism, Songwriting and Book Review.

Deadline: a new competition every month

Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize

Established in 2006, the Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize is an essay competition open in year 12 or the equivalent. Students can submit essays on three given topics in Philosophy. The judges will look for originality of thought, a clear grasp of the issues, clarity in presentation and a critical approach to what has been read. They will also look for a clear structure to the essay. Please read the submission guidelines carefully .

Deadline: June 22 , 2021

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate in the contest, if they reside in the U.S., U.S territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas. In addition to the winner, there is the one runner-up and eight honorable mentions. For further details, please read Rules and Guidelines

Deadline: The new prompt and deadlines for 2021 will be announced in the fall of 2020

International Essay Contest for Young People

This annual themed essay contest is organized by the Goi Peace Foundation in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. Essays can be submitted in two age categories, by anyone younger than 25. In addition to English, essays can be submitted in French, Spanish, German and Japanese. Please note that essays must be mailed, as no email submissions are accepted.

Deadline: Consult the Goi Peace Foundation website for the 2021 theme .

Engineer Girl Essay Writing Competition

This competition is open to individual girls and boys in the following three age categories: elementary, middle, and high school students. This year's theme relates to the COVID-19 virus.

Deadline: The contest will close at 11:59 PM, February 1, 2021, U.S. Eastern Standard Tim e

Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Scholarship Program

Established in 1947 by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Voice of Democracy Youth Scholarship program requires a submission of a themed recorded essay. Students attending any type of school in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate. Essays are judged on content and on delivery technique.

Deadline: October 31

Visit the new and improved Hamilton Education Program website

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Student opportunities, david mccullough essay prizes.

David McCullough in front of a student-painted American flag at Trinity School..

David McCullough at Trinity School in Manhattan, October 15, 2019

The 2024 David McCullough Essay Prize Contest is now closed for submissions.

This contest is named in memory of David McCullough (1933–2022)—a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Gilder Lehrman Life Trustee—and honors his career telling America’s stories and examining its histories. Learn more about his life and legacy here .

High school students attending schools in our Affiliate School Program are eligible and encouraged to participate. They are invited to submit an original essay, written independently or for a 2023–2024 class, that has been revised, expanded, and adapted to conform with the new McCullough Prize specifications. The two essay categories are as follows:

Research Essay: Students are invited to submit a research essay incorporating primary and secondary sources on a topic in American history from 1491 to 2001.

Interpretive Essay: Students are invited to submit an interpretive essay focusing on close reading and analysis of one primary source from American history, 1491 to 2001, in the Gilder Lehrman Collection of more than 86,000 historical documents.

More requirements for both essay categories can be found in these updated 2024 rubrics .

All participants will receive a certificate of participation suitable for framing. Prize winners in each of our two categories—research essays and a new interpretive essay category—will receive cash awards as follows:

1st Prize: $5,000 (plus a $500 prize awarded to the school)
2nd Prize: $1,500 (plus a $500 prize awarded to the school)
Five 3rd Prizes: $500 each

A panel of Gilder Lehrman master teachers will choose the pool of finalists, from which a jury of eminent historians will choose the winners. Essays will be evaluated for their historical rigor, the clarity and correctness of their style, their use of evidence, and their qualities of empathy and imagination.

Winners will be notified and announced no later than Friday, September 13, 2024.

General Requirements

Font and Page Style: Papers should be submitted in 12-point, Times New Roman font with one-inch margins at the top, bottom, and sides. Essays should be free of teacher commentary or other notes.

Organization: Top essays have an introduction, body, and conclusion and a clearly stated, well-developed thesis statement with supportive historical evidence.

Essay Topics: Essays can be on any topic related to American history from 1491 to 2001. Essays in the interpretative category must feature a primary source (letter, broadside, art, political cartoon, speech, etc.) from the Gilder Lehrman Collection .

Stay up to date, and subscribe to our quarterly newsletter.

Learn how the Institute impacts history education through our work guiding teachers, energizing students, and supporting research.

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Tags: Essay , Novel , Poetry , Short Story , Writing Contests

At PaperTrue, we’ve always believed that writing competitions are more than just about winning. It’s a community experience where you can interact with fellow poets and writers, and learn from each other’s work. So, it’s our job to provide you with an updated and detailed list of writing contests 2023!

But which contests should you participate in? Out of the hundreds of poetry contests, short story competitions, and essay contests held each year, which ones will best reward your hard work? As experts who provide self-publishing services , we want nothing but success for you. What better way to ensure this than to bring you the best writing competitions 2023?

Transform your book, short story, essay, or poem into a masterpiece! Learn more

Here are the best international writing competitions 2023:

Poetry competitions 2023

1. the bridport poetry prize .

The top three winning poems are automatically entered into the Forward Prize For Poetry competition, with the chance to win a further £1000. The first prize also features in the Bridport anthology.

Word count: 42 lines

Prizes: £5,000, £1,000, £500, ten prizes of £100

Entry fee: £12

Closing date: 31 May 2023

2. International Poetry Contest

The winning entry for this poetry competition will be published in the Fall 2023 issue of Atlanta Review . Fifty additional entries will be published in the contest issue and will receive an award and a free copy.

Word count: 5 poems

Prize: $1,000

Entry fee: $15

Closing date: 01 May 2023

3. The 9th Singapore Poetry Contest

This poetry contest invites entries on any theme, provided they incorporate the word “snail”. Simultaneous submissions are not allowed, and the poems should be accompanied by a short letter and biographical note.

Prompt: Snail

Word count: 3 poems

Prizes: $300, $200, $100

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 15 May 2023

4. Kunitz Prize for Younger Poets

This poetry writing contest aims to honor the late Stanley Kunitz’s dedication to mentoring poets. The winning entry will be published in the September/October issue of The American Poetry Review and all entrants will receive a copy.

Word count: 3 pages

5. Patricia Cleary Miller Award for Poetry

New Letters has organized this poetry writing competition. Send six poems in one entry with a cover sheet stating the genre and title of each poem. All the best!

Word count: 30 pages

Prize: $2,500

Entry fee: $24

Closing date: 22 May 2023

6. The Auroras & Blossoms Haiku Anthology

This haiku contest is free to enter, but you may opt to donate to them. Donors will be eligible for royalties on every haiku that is published. With a 1% royalty rate for each haiku, you may earn up to 10% in royalties.

Word count: 3–10 haikus

Prize: 1% royalties per haiku (for donors)

Short story contests 2023

7. the bridport short story prize .

The organizers for this short story writing contest enter the shortlisted UK-based writers into the BBC Short Story Competition. Literary agent A.M. Heath reads the entire shortlist and considers representation.

Word count: 5,000

Entry fee: £14

8. Writing Battle

This exciting short story writing competition assigns you a genre when the contest starts, and you get two days to write your story. All entrants vote for the winners, which means everyone is a judge!

Word count: 300–500

Prizes: Four prizes of $800 and four prizes of $200

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 05 May 2023

9. The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest

The mission for this short story competition is to “deliver exciting new fiction from writers all over the world”. It accepts entries in literary fiction alone, so genre fiction (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, romance) is not eligible.

Word count: 500–2,000

Prizes: $1000 NZD, $500 NZD, $200 NZD

Entry fee: $6 NZD

10. The Folly International Short Story Prize

The organizers of this short story contest in 2023 seek “content that takes risks, screams with honesty, and celebrates life’s extraordinary moments”. Winning and shortlisted stories will be published in Folly Journal.

Word count: 10,000

Prizes: $2000, $500, $250, two prizes of $125

Entry fee: $18

Closing date: 17 May 2023

11. Robert Day Award for Fiction

This short story writing competition is part of the New Letters group of contests. Make sure you attach one cover sheet stating the genre and the title of the story.

Word count: 8,000

12. The Writing District Prize 2023

This short story competition accepts entries on any theme, subject, or genre. The judges will select a longlist of 20 entries, from which 3 will be finalized. Make sure to go through the contest guidelines before you hit submit!

Word count: 3,000

Prizes: $1,000, two prizes of $100

13. WOW! Flash Fiction Contest

Open to women writers worldwide, this flash fiction competition awards Amazon gift certificates to 7 runners up and 10 honorable mentions. At a $20 entry fee, you may opt for a critique along the subject, content, and technicalities of your piece.

Word count: 250–750

Prizes: $400, $300, $200, and others

Entry fee: $10

14. Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction

The Flannery O’Connor Award series has published more than 70 short-story collections. Short stories may have appeared in magazines or online platforms, but may not have been published as a collection.

Word count: 40,000–75,000

Entry fee: $30

15. Autumn House Fiction Contest

Through this fiction contest, Autumn House awards one writer with publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 publicity grant. All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible!

Word count: 37,500–75,000

Book writing contests

16. the bridport prize novel award .

This novel writing competition allows you to participate even if you haven’t finished writing it yet! Send up to 8,000 words from the first chapter(s) of your novel along with a 300-word synopsis.

Word count: 5,000–8,000

Prizes: £1,500, £750, three prizes of £150

Entry fee: £24

17. 2023 Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize

This poetry book contest awards an “unpublished manuscript of original Anglophone poetry by an author of Asian heritage residing anywhere in the world”. The winning manuscript will be published in Spring 2024 by Gaudy Boy.

Word count: 70–120 pages

Prize: $1,500

18. James Laughlin Award

This incredibly specific poetry competition honors “a second full-length print book of original poetry, in English, by a living poet, forthcoming in the next calendar year.” To be eligible, a book must be under contract with a U.S. publisher.

Word count: 48–100 pages

Prize: $5,000

19. Idaho Prize For Poetry

This poetry book competition awards one poet with publication and 20 complementary author copies. There are no restrictions on the genre, style, or subject—the organziers are simply looking for the best manuscript!

Entry fee: $28

20. 2023 Fugere Book Prize

Regal House Publishing has organized this book writing contest to award finely-crafted novellas. Translations, previously published, and collaborative manuscripts are not eligible. Make sure you follow their submission guidelines!

Word count: 17,000–40,000

Entry fee: $25

21. 2023 Adaptation Contest

This interesting book writing contest seeks “published books (fiction and nonfiction), graphic novels/comics, and short stories for film & TV development”. Go through all the criteria for picture books and short stories before you hit submit!

Word count: 5,000 words (plus a 1–3 page-long synopsis)

Entry fee: $45 / $50 / $55

Closing date: 20 May 2023 / 15 August 2023 / 31 August 2023

22. 2023 Unpublished Contest

Book Pipeline has organized this writing contest in 2023 “exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across eight categories of fiction and nonfiction”. Aside from the cash prizes, the finalists receive circulation to publishers, agents, editors, and film and TV producers.

Word count: 5,000 (plus a 1–3 page-long synopsis)

Prizes: $20,000, $2,500 per category

Entry fee: $45 / $55 / $60

Closing date: 25 May 2023 / 20 August 2023 / 05 September 2023

23. The Bath Novel Award 2023

Along with the cash prize, the winner of this esteemed novel contest receives the Minerva trophy. Send the first 5,000 words with a one-page synopsis. Self-published writers are welcome to participate!

Word count: 50,000

Prize: £3,000

Entry fee: £29

Closing date: 31 May 2023

24. 2023 Anhinga Prize for Poetry

This 2023 poetry competition awards one poet with publication by Anhinga Press and 25 author copies. Make sure to add a cover page with your manuscript. Octavio Quintanilla will judge the contest.

Prize: $2,000

25. Autumn House Poetry Contest

The Autumn House staff and select outsiders are the preliminary readers for this poetry competition and the final judge is Toi Derricotte. The winner receives a $1,000 honorarium and a $1,500 publicity grant to promote their book.

Word count: 50–80 pages

26. Max Ritvo Poetry Prize

Louise Glück is the judge for this exciting poetry book contest! The contest awards publication and a comprehensive marketing campaign to one unpublished poet. Translations are not eligible.

Word count: More than 48 pages

Prize: $10,000

Flash fiction competitions 2023

27. the bridport flash fiction prize .

The flash fiction competition is part of the Bridport Prize family of writing contests. The winning entry will be published in an anthology. Fiction written for children is not recommended.

Word count: 250

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250, five prizes of £100

Entry fee: £11

28. Pulp Fictional Flash Fiction Contest

The organizers of this flash fiction competition prefer stories that are “scary and unusual, strange and unnerving”. The cash prizes may increase depending on the number of writers that submit their entries!

Word count: 1,000

Prizes: £250, £100, £50

Entry fee: £6

Mixed writing contests

29. the 2023 bloom writing contest .

The European Society of Literature invites poets and writers to send entries on the theme of beauty. The organizers of this writing competition believe that “good literature isn’t confined to a particular category”, so be sure to do your best!

Theme: Beauty

Categories: Short story, essay, and poetry

Word count: 2,500

Prize: €500

Entry fee: €3

30. Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition

This esteemed writing contest will award almost 500 winners with cash prizes and publication. The competition will be held in nine categories, so be sure to check out their submission guidelines!

Categories: Various

Prizes: $5,000 grand prize and $1,000, $500, $250, $50 per category

Entry fee: $20–$30 (depending on categories)

Closing date: 05 May 2023

31. The Emerging Writer’s Contest

Ploughshares encourages emerging writers to send their entries, and self-published writers don’t qualify. The winners also receive a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management regarding their writing careers.

Categories: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry

Word count: 6,000 for fiction and nonfiction, 3–5 pages for poetry

Prize: $2,000 per category

32. Yeovil Literary Prize

Yeovil Community Arts Association has organized this set of writing competitions to encourage poets and writers worldwide. The contest is a great opportunity to get your work read by major agents and publishers!

a. Novel Writing Contest

Prizes: £1250, £500, £125

Entry fee: £14.5

b. Short Story Competition

Word count: 2,000

Prizes: £600, £250, £125

Entry fee: £8

c. Poetry Competition

Word count: 40 lines

Entry fee: £5

d. Children’s and Young Adult Novel

Word count: 3,000 words, 500-word synopsis

Entry fee: £12.5

e. Writing Without Restrictions

Word count: —

f. Western Gazette Best Local Writer Award

Prize: £100

33. The Synopsis Skirmish

The organizers of this unique writing contest in 2023 want you to write a synopsis of your novel “with style but without gimmick”. Can you walk the fine line between understanding the form and introducing a fresh take?

Word count: 500

Prizes: $700 CAD, $200 CAD, $100 CAD

Entry fee: $5 CAD

1. Annual Mudfish Poetry Contest

Mudfish has organized this poetry contest to award deserving poets with publication in the magazine. All entries will be considered for publication. Deborah Landau is the judge for this contest.

Word count: 3 poems of any length

Prize: $1,200

Closing date: 15 June 2023

2. The Poetry London Prize

The poetry competition provides some free entries for writers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Unfortunately, self-published poets are not eligible for this contest.

Word count: 80 lines

Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000

Entry fee: £10

Closing date: 30 June 2023

3. Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors

The organizers of this short story contest seek “stories set between today and the year 2200, in a future that shows the path to a clean, green, just world.” Make sure you go through their guidelines before you participate!

Word count: 3,000–5,000

Prizes: $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, nine prizes of $300

Closing date: 13 June 2023

4. Anthology Short Story Competition

Anthology has organized this short story contest in 2023 “to recognize and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication”. Make sure you go through some issues of the magazine for some context!

Word count: 1,500

Prizes: €1,000, €250, €150

Entry fee: €18

Closing date: 31 August 2023

5. The Moth Short Story Prize

This prestigious short story competition is open to anyone over the age of 16 with no restrictions of theme or style. The winning entry will be published in the Irish Times while other finalists will be published online.

Prizes: €3,000, travel stipend for a week at Circle of Misse, €1,000

Entry fee: €15

Closing date: 30 June 2023

6. The Writers College Short Story Competition

This short story contest is for unpublished writers or writers who have been published fewer than four times in any genre. Only per entry is allowed for each writer, so make sure you send your best work!

Prizes: $1,000 NZ, $500 NZ, $250 NZ

Essay writing contests

7. the international peace essay contest for ukraine war .

This essay contest has been organized to encourage writers to share their ideas on peacebuilding. Answer one of the three provided questions in your essay and send it across. All the best!

Prize: $100

Closing date: 01 June 2023

8. International Essay Contest for Young People

This writing competition for teenagers and young writers invites entries in English, French, and Japanese. The contest is “an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world’s youth”.

Theme: Youth Creating a Peaceful Future

Word count: 700

Prizes: $740, $370, gift certificates

9. Free Global Writing Competition

The winning entry for this essay contest will be published in The Writers College newsletter and blog. Entries are restricted to one entry per writer, so make sure you send nothing short of your best essay!

Theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received

Word count: 600

Prize: $200

10. 2023 Housatonic Book Awards

This book writing contest awards three writers with a cash prize in exchange for appearing at Western Connecticut State University, including a $500 travel stipend and hotel residency.

Categories: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Word count: Various

Prize: $1,000 per category

11. Green Stories Novel Prize

The aim of this novel writing contest is to “use fiction as a way to reach a wider audience, and support winning authors to translate their stories into published books”. Your novel should be at least 60,000 words, but you’re required to send only three chapters.

Word count: 4,000–10,000

Prizes: $1200, $600

Closing date: 26 June 2023

12. North Street Book Prize

The top prize winner in this book contest also gets a one-hour phone conversation with the contest judge, Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Self-published writers are welcome to enter!

Categories: Various (eight genres)

Word count: 200,000

Prizes $10,000 (grand prize) and $1,000, $300 (per category)

Entry fee: $75

13. Geri Digiorno Prize

Raleigh Review has organized this interesting writing competition to recognize the work of multi-disciplinary artists. Send a combination of poetry, visual art, and flash nonfiction and get a chance to be published in the magazine!

Categories: Nonfiction, poetry, visual art

Prize: $300

Entry fee: $5

14. 2023 International Competitions

The Wells Festival of Literature has arranged four writing competitions in 2023 that accept entries in different genres. All the contests feature an additional prize for local poets and writers.

a. 2023 Open Poetry Competition

Word count: 35 lines

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250, and £100 for a local poet

b. 2023 Short Story Competition

Word count: 1,000–2,000

Prizes: £750, £300, £200, and £100 for a local writer

c. 2023 Book for Children Competition

Word count: first two chapters or first twenty pages

Prizes: £150, £75, £50

d. 2023 Young Poets Competition

Entry fee: £3

1. Submit | Valiant Scribe

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250

Closing date: 15 July 2023

2. Amy Award | Alison Wearing

Closing date: 09 July 2023

3. Ledbury Poetry Competition 2023

Closing date: 10 July 2023

4. Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition

Closing date: 12 July 2023

5. The Sentence Expansion Extravaganza

Closing date: 15 July 2023

6. Bardsy – Current Short Story Anthology Contest

Closing date: 07 July 2023

7. Page One Prize

Closing date: 14 July 2023

8. 2023 Start Here | Hastings Book Fest

Category: Poetry and short fiction

August 2023

1. the coniston prize .

Radar Poetry has organized this poetry competition to award a group of poems. The contest is open to people who self-identify as women and welcomes poems that are “cohesive in some way, whether connected by subject matter, theme, voice, style, or imagery.”

Word count: 3–5 poems in a single document

Prizes: $1,000, ten prizes of $175

Closing date: 01 August 2023

2. Fischer & Cantor Prizes

The Telluride Institute has simultaneously organized these two poetry contests 2023. The Fischer Prize welcomes entries on all subject matter, while the Cantor Prize is open to poets living in or writing about Colorado.

Prizes: $1,000, five prizes of $250 | $500, two prizes of $250

Entry fee: $10 | $6

Closing date: 30 August 2023

3. 2023 Unpublished Contest

4. 20th annual gival press short story award 2023.

Gival Press has organized this short story contest 2023 in the hopes of eventually publishing an anthology of contest winners. There is a long list of submission guidelines, so make sure you follow them all!

Word count: 5,000–15,000

Closing date: 08 August 2023

5. Summer Short Story Award for New Writers

The organizers of this short story writing competition are looking for the best literary fiction. They ask only one thing from today’s new writers: “Dazzle us, take chances, and be bold.” All finalists receive agency reviews from six agencies!

Word count: 6,000

Prizes: $3,000, $300, $200

Closing date: 27 August 2023

6. Flash Fiction Contest 2023

Gemini Magazine has organized this flash fiction contest to award six finalists with online publication in its October 2023 issue. Entries on any subject and style are eligible. All entries are read blind.

Prizes: $1,000, $100, four prizes of $25

Entry fee: $7

Closing date: 31 August 2023

7. WOW! Women On Writing Contests: Flash Fiction and Essay Contest

The organizers of this flash fiction competition seek “to provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants.” The top 10 stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine. The contest is limited to only 300 entries!

Prizes: $400, $300, $200

8. Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

This flash fiction competition runs in partnership with the Bodleian Libraries’ Gifts and Books exhibition at the University of Oxford. The £50 prize recognizes a new voice and shortlisted entrants are offered publication in an end-of-year anthology.

Theme: Gifts

Prizes: £1000, £200, £100, £50

9. The University of New Orleans Press Publication Prize

The organizers of this competition seek to “bring innovative publicity and broad distribution to authors”. Short story collections and novellas are eligible for entry. Self-published writers are welcome to enter!

Prize: $10,000 advance on royalties

10. Granum Foundation Fellowship Prize [Free Contest!]

This book writing competition awards a US-based writer with the opportunity to complete a substantive literary work or to launch one. An additional prize is awarded to a work of translation by a US-based writer.

Categories: Novel, memoir, short story, essay, and poetry

Word count: Variable

Prizes: $5,000, $1,500

13. The Deborah Tall Lyric Essay Book Prize

Seneca Review Books has organized this contest to “encourage and support innovative work in the essay”. Essay writers are welcome to submit cross-genre and hybrid work, verse forms, text and image, connected pieces, and “beyond category” projects.

Word count: 48–120 pages

Entry fee: $27

14. 2023 Omnidawn Open Poetry Book Contest

One of several Omnidawn poetry contests 2023, this competition awards one poet with publication, a cash prize, and 20 printed copies. If your manuscript contains images, make sure they’re completely original!

Word count: 40–90 pages

Prize: $3,000 and 20 printed copies

Entry fee: $35

Closing date: 13 August 2023

15. Grayson Books Poetry Contest

One of two poetry competitions 2023 organized by Grayson Books, this contest offers publication to a single poet. You may include a brief bio in the submission form and add acknowledgments in the manuscript, but it’s not compulsory.

Word count: 50–90 pages

Prize: $1,000 and 10 printed copies

Entry fee: $26

Closing date: 15 August 2023

16. Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition

Munster Literature Centre has organized this poetry writing competition to award both new and established poets with publication. Aside from the winners, the organizers will list 25 poets as “highly commended”.

Word count: 16–24 pages

Prizes: €1,000, €500, and 25 printed copies for both winners

Entry fee: €25

17. The 2024 Kenneth Patchen Award for the Innovative Novel

Journal of Experimental Fiction has organized this novel writing competition with Carla M. Wilson as the judge. Make sure your manuscript doesn’t contain any identifying information and add a separate sheet with your contact information.

18. The St. Lawrence Book Award

Black Lawrence Press has organized this book writing contest with its editorial staff and previous winners as the judges. The competition is open to poets and writers who have not published a full-length manuscript in any genre.

Categories: Prose and poetry

Word count: 120–280 pages for prose; 45–95 pages for poetry

Prize: $1,000 and ten printed copies

19. The Kindle Storyteller Award [Free Contest]

This book writing contest is open to poets and writers of all genres who have published their work through Kindle Direct Publishing. While there is a judging panel, readers also play a role in selecting the winner.

Categories: Any genre

Word count: At least 25 pages

Prize: £20,000, a book launch merchandising package, and a Kindle Oasis E-reader

20. The Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize [Free Contest!]

This contest is open to books of poems published between 01 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 by a resident of Upstate New York. Unfortunately, self-published works are not eligible.

Word count: At least 48 pages

21. Off the Grid Press

This poetry competition 2023 is open to poets aged 60 and above. Along with the cash prize, the winner receives publication, promotion, and distribution for their book in print and audiobook formats.

Word count: At least 50 pages

Other interesting contests in 2023

22. aesthetica creative writing award .

This writing competition invites poets and writers to submit entries on any theme. The cash prizes come with additional prizes such as magazine subscriptions and course enrolments!

Categories: Poetry and fiction

Word count: 40 lines for poetry and 2,000 words for fiction

Prizes: £2,500 per category and several other exciting prizes

Entry fee: £12 for poetry and £15 for fiction

23. Stories That Need to Be Told Contest

This interesting writing contest 2023 invites you to tell a story—whether you do it in a poem or an essay is up to you! Along with the grand prize, five prizes will be awarded for “stories that excel in the merits of Humor, Passion, Depth, and (any form of) Love”.

Prizes: $1,000, six prizes of $200

Closing date: 09 August 2023

September 2023

1. four-line poem contest.

Part of the Fanstory group of writing contests 2023, this poetry competition is sure to get you excited. Write a poem in four lines with a 1-5-5-9 syllable structure. Think you’re up to the challenge?

Word count: 20 syllables

Entry fee: $12.95

Closing date: 14 September 2023

2. Letterkenny Literary Festival Poetry Competition [Free Contest!]

Open to poets from Ireland, this poetry contest celebrates the birth of Brendan Behan and his connections with Letterkenny. Five shortlisted entrants will be invited to read their entry at the literary festival, where the winners will be announced.

Theme: Against the Odds

Word count: 30 lines

Prizes: €150, €1000

Closing date: 15 September 2023

3. TRIO International Poetry Competition

Trip Uganda has organized this poetry competition with Jon Sait as its administrator, who won the 2004 National Poetry Competition. All entries will be considered for publication in the next edition of Red Poets .

Prizes: £1,000, £300, £100, four prizes of £25

Closing date: 30 September 2023

4. VII International Short Tales Contest [Free Writing Contest!]

The César Egido Serrano Foundation has organized this international short story contest 2023 to promote “harmony between different cultures, religions and ideologies”. Writers can submit entries in Spanish, English, Arabic or Hebrew.

Word count: 100

Prizes: $20,000, three prizes of $2,000 each

5. Manchester Writing Competition

Manchester Metropolitan University invites poets and writers worldwide to participate in their writing competition. The organizers offer 100 reduced-price (£10) to participants with low income.

Categories: Short story and poetry

Word count: 2,500 for short story, 120 lines for poetry

Prize: £10,000 per category

Closing date: 01 September 2023

October 2023

1. 2024 peter porter poetry prize .

Australian Book Review has organized this poetry contest 2023 to honor the poet Peter Porter. The five shortlisted poems will be published in the January–February 2024 issue of ABR . Entrants will receive digital access to ABR for four months!

Word count: 70 lines

Prizes: $6,000 AUD, four prizes of $1,000 AUD

Entry fee: $30 AUD

Closing date: 09 October 2023

2. Editor’s Choice Award

This interesting contest invites poets and writers to send “hybrid work—your lyric essays, prose poems, short-shorts, collages, micro-memoirs”. The competition begins accepting entries on 01 May 2023, so keep your drafts ready!

Word count: 8,000

Closing date: 16 October 2023

3. Diode Editiona Full-Length Book Contest

Diode Editions has organized this poetry writing competition to award an unpublished poet. The winning manuscript will be published within a year and select poems from it will appear in the 17th Anniversary Issue of diode poetry journal .

Word count: 55–95 pages

Prize: $1,500 and 10 author copies

Closing date: 30 October 2023

4. Diode Editions Chapbook Contest

The organizers of this poetry contest allow collaborations and hybrid work. Diode Editions may select more than one chapbook as the winner, and each winner will receive a cash prize and publication.

Word count: 25–55 pages

Prize: $750 and 10 author copies

5. Anthology Poetry Competition

Well-known among writing contests 2023, this poetry competition was “established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing”. There is no restriction on theme and style, but you can refer to past issues for a better idea of what they publish.

Closing date: 31 October 2023

6. National Poetry Competition

One of the most prestigious poetry contests in 2023, The Poetry Society has been organizing this competition since 1978. Jane Draycott, Will Harris, Clare Pollard comprise the panel of judges for this year.

Prize: £5,000

7. The Chilling Pen Award [Free Contest!]

This short story competition seeks to unearth hidden gems in the horror genre. The judging criteria are as follows: Quality, Originality, Fear Factor, and Overall Impact. So go ahead and write something to chill the panel to its bones!

Prizes: $500, $300, $100

Closing date: 01 October 2023

8. Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

Anthology has organized this flash fiction contest to “inspire creativity, great writing and to provide a platform for publication.” The winning entry will be published in a future issue of the magazine.

Prize: €300

Entry fee: €8 / €10

Closing date: 31 May 2023 / 31 October 2023

Mixed Contest 2023

9. the bedford competition .

The organizers of this writing contest help poets and writers get published and donate all proceeds to charities that support literary and literacy skills. All winning and shortlisted entries will be published by Ostrich Books.

Word count: 3,000 for short story; 40 lines for poetry

Prizes: £1,500, £300, £200

Entry fee: £9

November 2023

There are few poetry contests this month, but the wealth of short story competitions more than makes up for it. We hope that the two essay contests we managed to find keep the nonfiction writers happy!

Poetry contests 2023

1. edwin markham prize for poetry 2023 .

Reed Magazine welcomes poets to submit entries in a wide variety of forms and styles. You may send up to five poems in a single document with a 50-word bio. Make sure to pay attention to the formatting guidelines when you submit!

Closing date: 01 November 2023

2. James Hearst Poetry Prize

North American Review has organized this poetry competition to honor its past contributing editor and celebrated poet, James Hearst. While there’s no restriction on form, the organizers suggest that you submit shorter poems.

Entry fee: $23

3. Cafe Writers Poetry Competition 2023

This international poetry contest offers one free entry to any UK resident who can’t pay the entry fee. One Norfolk resident is awarded the Norfolk Prize and a cash prize of £100. Martin Figura is the sole judge this year.

Prize: £1,000, £300, £200, £100, five prizes of £50

Entry fee: £4

Closing date: 30 November 2023

4. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize

BOA Editions, a not-for-profit publishing house of poetry and poetry in translation, has organized this contest to honor its late founder. The contest is only open to poets who are yet to publish a full-length manuscript.

5. Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition

Suji Kwock Kim is the judge for this international poetry competition 2023. The poem can be on any subject or style. The organizers offer free entries of two poems each for thirty poets currently residing in a developing country.

Prize: €2,000, €500, €250, two prizes of €50

Entry fee: €7

6. John Steinbeck Award for Fiction 2023

Reed Magazine has organized this story writing contest to invite entries for its Issue 157. The organizers are open to all styles, including experimental and literary. Make sure to add a 50-word bio with your entry!

7. The Scribble Annual Short Story Competition 2023

Park Publications, the publisher of Scribble , has organized this short story contest. The winning entry will be published in the winter 2023 edition of the magazine. Annual subscribers of Scribble receive a free entry.

Prizes: £100, £50, £25

8. Kurt Vonnegut Speculative Fiction Prize

This short story contest is open to entries in all genres of speculative fiction, from fairy tale and horror to afro-futurism and science fiction. The results will be announced in January 2024. The winning entry will be published in North American Review ’s summer issue.

Prize: $1,333

9. Commonwealth Short Story Prize [Free Writing Contest!]

Commonwealth Foundation has organized this free short story contest to offer publication to writers residing in Commonwealth countries. The winning story, along with four regional winning stories, will be published in Granta .

Word count: 2,000–5,000

Prizes: £5,000, four prizes of £2,500

10. Curious Curls Fiction Contest

Curious Curls Publishing has organized this short story competition in an effort to begin publishing shorter fiction. Besides the cash prizes, the winners will receive video promotion and a free book!

Prizes: $250, $125, $100

Entry fee: $2.50

Closing date: 15 November 2023

11. Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition

In its second year, this short story competition welcomes writers to submit entries in any genre. Alongside the winners, ten longlisted writers will be offered publication in the contest anthology. All the best!

Theme: Dusk

Closing date: 16 November 2023

12. WOW! Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest

WOW! welcomes women writers to submit their best work to this open-prompt flash fiction contest 2023. You can opt for a critique of your work at an entry fee of $20. There are only 300 entries, so hurry up and start writing!

13. New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024

New Writers has organized this flash fiction contest to award three writers with publication on their website. Entries published online or on social media are not eligible. Stephanie Curly is the head judge.

Word count: 300

Prizes: £1,000, £300, £200

Entry fee: £8 (early bird entry fee) / £10

Closing date: 30 November 2023 / 31 January 2024

Essay contests

14. gabriele rico challenge for nonfiction 2023.

This nonfiction writing contest welcomes creative nonfiction such as essays and narratives, but not scholarly papers or book reviews. The piece you send must be a stand-alone work and not part of a larger manuscript.

15. Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest [Free Contest!]

The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all high school and college students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose from three prompts and submit an award-winning essay!

Word count: 800–1,600

Prizes: $10,000, 3 prizes of prizes $2,000, 5 prizes of $1,000, 25 prizes of $100, 50 prizes of $50

Closing date: 06 November 2023

Book writing contests 2023

16. the changes book prize .

This poetry book competition awards a first or second book of poetry with publication. The winner also receives national distribution, extensive publicity, and a launch event for their book. Eileen Myles is the judge for the contest.

Word count: 48–80 pages

17. Evaristo Prize for African Poetry [Free Contest!]

This poetry contest 2023 is open to African poets who haven’t yet published a full-length poetry book. Self-published poets are welcome to enter! In the case of a translated work, a percentage of the prize will be awarded to the translator.

Word count: 10 poems, no more than 40 lines each

18. Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest

Fiction Collective Two (FC2) has organized this writing contest 2023 for American writers who haven’t published with them before. You may submit a piece previously published in anthologies, but self-published manuscripts are not eligible!

Mixed writing contests

19. f(r)iction contests 2023 .

The organizers of this contest invite poets and writers to submit work that “actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes.” Make sure you follow their formatting guidelines while submitting your entry!

Categories: Poetry, short story, and flash fiction

Word count: 3 pages for poetry; 1,001–7,500 words for short story; 1,000 words for flash fiction

Prizes: $300 for poetry; $1,000 for short story; $300 for flash fiction

Entry fee: $10 for poetry; $15 for short story; $10 for flash fiction

20. The SmokeLong Grand Micro Competition 2023

This microfiction writing competition welcomes entries in fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid genres. All shortlisted entries will be published in the winter 2023 issue of SmokeLong Quarterly.

Word count: 400

Prizes: $1500, $500, $300, some prizes of $100

Entry fee: $13

Closing date: 10 November 2023

21. McNally Robinson Booksellers Writing Competitions 2023

Prairie Fire has organized these creative writing contests to offer outstanding poets and writers with publication in its summer issue. Note that a poetry entry consists of three poems and your total line count should be less than 150.

Categories: Poetry, short story, and creative nonfiction

Word count: 150 lines for poetry; 5,000 words for short story and nonfiction

Prizes: $750, $350, $150 per category

Entry fee: $34

Closing date: 30 November 2023

Other interesting writing competitions 2023

22. ink 2 screen one act challenge .

This unique writing competition challenges screenwriters to write a one-act screenplay during the month of November. You can discuss your progress with other participants and you’ll receive detailed feedback on your entry!

Word count: 60 pages

Entry fee: $45

23. Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest

This exciting contest welcomes poets and writers to try their hand at creating written beauty in just 100 words. The judges are looking for “creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes.”

Prizes: $2,000, a writing coaching program, an editing package

24. Anthology Travel Writing Competition

The organizers of this travel writing contest are looking for “an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture”.

Entry fee: €10/€15

December 2023

Poetry competitions 2023 dominate December, but we’ll keep looking for more short story contests and essay writing contests. Our beloved poets and writers have had a great year of writing, and it’s our job to help them further! We have also included many free writing contests in 2023 for budding and seasoned writers.

1. Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College has organized this poetry competition 2023. Winners and finalists will be published in the Spring 2024 issue of The Heartland Review , of which 20 finalists will receive a free copy.

Prizes: $500, $140, $100

Closing date: 01 December 2023

2. Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry [Free Contest!]

This poetry writing contest rewards one unpublished poet with a cash prize and publication. While self-published poets are not eligible, editors or anthology contributors are welcome to submit!

Prizes: $1,000

3. Women’s Poetry Competition 2023

Mslexia has organized this poetry contest to offer the 4 winners and 16 additional finalists with publication. Previously unpublished poets are eligible for the Unpublished Poetry Prize and £250 cash prize!

Prizes: £2,000, £500, two prizes of £250

Closing date: 04 December 2023

4. 21st Gival Press Poetry Award 2023

Gival Press has organized this poetry contest 2023 to reward one unpublished manuscript. Self-published books are not allowed. There are no restrictions on the theme or style, the organizers want “simply good poetry”.

Word count: At least 45 pages

Closing date: 15 December 2022

5. The Moth Poetry Prize 2023

Among the most reputed poetry competitions worldwide, The Moth Poetry Prize invites poets to submit their unpublished poems. Four shortlisted poems will appear in the Irish Times online and the overall winner will be announced in spring 2024.

Prizes: €6,000, three prizes of €1,000, eight prizes of €250

Closing date: 31 December 2023

6. The 2023 Society of Classical Poets International Poetry Competition

This 2023 poetry contest requires all entries to be in meter. Rhyme and other traditional techniques are encouraged as well, but not required. You may submit up to three poems in an entry if the total line count is below 108.

Word count: 108 lines

Prize: $2,000, three prizes of €1,000, eight prizes of €250

Closing date: 31 December 2023

7. The Tampa Review Prize for Poetry

One of the best poetry contests out there, this competition accepts previously unpublished manuscripts. Individual poems may have appeared in periodicals, chapbooks, or anthologies. All entries include a one-year subscription to Tampa Review .

Short story contest 2023

8. the w.s. porter prize for short story collections .

This short story competition in 2023 honors the master of the genre, O. Henry himself. Regal House Publishing will publish the winning short story collection. The organizers seek “a masterfully written short story collection”.

Word count: 100–350 pages

9. Short Short Story Competition 2024

The grand prize winner of this contest gets a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference along with a cash prize. All finalists will be published in the September/October 2024 issue of Writer’s Digest .

Prizes: $3,000, $1,500, $500, $100

Closing date: 15 December 2023

10. The Danahy Fiction Prize

While the organizers of this short story contest have provided an ideal word count, entries falling slightly outside the range are allowed. Make sure your entry is double-spaced and attach a cover page with your details.

Word count: 500–5,000

11. 2024 MWA First Crime Novel Competition [Free Contest!]

Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America (MWA) has organized this novel writing contest in 2024 to offer a deserving writer with publication. Self-published works are not eligible, but self-published writers are welcome to submit a new manuscript!

Word count: 60,000–65,000

Prize: $10,000 (as an advance against royalties)

12. The Masters Review Chapbook Open

The Masters Review has organized this prose chapbook contest to offer one emerging writer with publication. The organizers “encourage you to be bold, to experiment with style and form.” Think you’re up for the challenge?

Word count: 25–45 pages

Prize: $3,000 and 75 contributor copies

Closing date: 17 December 2023

13. Valorious Awards

This science fiction contest for published writers only features 100 entries. The organizers stress the quality of writing, so make sure your book has been meticulously edited and proofread!

Word count: At least 65,000

Prize: $500, $250, $150

Writing contests 2024

The year 2024 brings us a fresh crop of writing contests for poets and writers. Stay tuned as we keep adding more competitions to our ever-expanding list!

1. Colorado Prize for Poetry

Colorado State University has organized this poetry competition to offer one poet with publication. The Center for Literary Publishing will publish 500 copies of the winning entry! Translations and self-published manuscripts are not eligible.

Closing date: 14 January 2024

2. Rattle Chapbook Prize

This poetry contest honors the form of chapbooks by offering publication to three poets. Each winning copy will reach Rattle ’s 8,000 subscribers. As the organizers say, “This will be a chapbook to launch a career.”

Word count: 15–30 pages

Prizes: Three prizes of $5,000

Closing date: 15 January 2024

3. New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024

Entry fee: £8 / £10

Closing date: 31 January 2024

4. Terry Tempest Williams Creative Nonfiction Prize

This essay contest welcomes all kinds of creative essays from lyric essays to literary journalism. Objective essays are also allowed but should have a personal touch. All semi-finalists will be considered for publication!

Word count: 500–10,000

Closing date: 01 April 2024

Read our latest article, to know more about writing competitions 2024 .

If you were hoping for some more short story, poetry, or essay contests, don’t worry! As more contests are announced, we’ll keep adding to this list. So make sure to bookmark this page for the latest writing competitions 2023!

For more resources on writing and editing, feel free to explore our Resource Center. For now, here are a few articles you may be interested in:

2024’s Top 10 Self-Help Books for Better Living
5 Elements of a Short Story & 6 Stages of a Plot
How to Create Powerful Conflict in Your Story
Theme of a Story | Meaning, Common Themes & Examples
How to Write Dialogue: 7 Rules, 5 Tips & 65 Examples

Found this article helpful?

9 comments on “ Writing Contests 2023: Cash Prizes, Free Entries, & More! ”

Thanks for compiling this list, it’s very helpful for poets & writers like myself!

Please add this writing contest to your list: Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest (Biannual) Thank you!

Hi Paul! The contest has been added to the list. Thanks for reaching out!

Hello! You might be interested in featuring the Anthology Short Story and Poetry Competitions 2023 in this list. Thanks!

Hi Dearbhaile, I’ve added the writing contests to our list. Thanks for suggesting them!

The Atlas Shrugged Novel Essay Contest is open to all students globally. Kindly add it to your list!

Thank you for reaching out, Nelly! I’ve added the contest to our list.

Anthology now has a Flash Fiction competition!

Thank you for compiling the list!

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The Concord Review

to TCR.org, the online home of We believe that the pursuit of academic excellence in secondary schools should be given the same attention as the pursuit of excellence in sports and other extracurricular activities, and we have found that many students do exemplary work in history.

is the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic research papers of secondary students.

We encourage you to your history paper for consideration by .

You may also want to submit papers to the to be assessed against an independent academic expository writing standard endorsed by Harvard, Michigan, Princeton, Stanford, Virginia, Yale, and 33 other selective colleges and universities.

Commentary on the state of history and the essay in Secondary Education

Winner

An Exact Relaxation Method for Complementarity Constraints of Energy Storages in Power Grid Optimization Problems

Qi Wang

IEEE Beijing Section

Special Award

Impedance Decoupled Secondary Control Based on a Consensus Prototype for All-Electric Ships

Yi Zhu

IEEE Nanjing Section

Special Award

Numerical Investigation of Nanofluids for Solar Parabolic Trough Collectors

Harikrishnan S, Sachin S

IEEE Kerala Section

Category : Instrumentation, Al, and Robotics


Winner	Bi-DRRRT*: An Efficient Path Planning Algorithm in Cluttered Environment	Siddhartha Upadhyay, Hrisikesh Barpujari, Aryash Sitholiwal	IEEE Kolkata Section
Special Award	A.I. Powered Blood Pressure Estimation through Photoplethysmography Segmentation Analysis	Yak Ren Xiang, Ng Zi Heng, Looi Zhi Qing	IEEE Singapore Section
Special Award	Multipurpose Autonomous Surveillance Robot for Coal Mine Monitoring	Vishnuraj Anilkumar, Muhammed Zain and Dr.Bos Mathew Jos	IEEE Kerala Section

Category : Communications, Signal Processing, and Networking


Winner	The Impact of Swerling Models on SNR and Path Loss in RIS-Assisted Monostatic Radar under NLoS Conditions	Salman Liaquat	IEEE Malaysia Section
Special Award	Novel Blockchain-aided Collaborative Cyber Attack Detection for Zero-Trust Massive IoT 6G Networks	Ahmad Zainudin, Gifar Arif Haryadi	IEEE Daejeon Section
Special Award	Transducer Properties-based Image Processing Algorithm for Thermoacoustic Tomography	Dantong Liu	IEEE Shanghai Section

Category : Power and Energy

Paper Title: A High-Efficiency CMOS Rectifier with Advanced Topology Fusion Technique for Extended-Range Ambient RF Energy Harvesting Name: Alexander Choo Chia Chun & Yi Chen Lee Section: Malaysia

Special Category Winner:

Paper Title: Charging management of EVs in smart grid of different capacity and topology Name: Mithra Vinda Reddy K, Sarvesh Babu R G, Shwetha S. Section: Madras

Category : AI and Robotics

Paper Title: Next-Generation Traffic Control: Adaptive Timer and Emergency Vehicle Priority in Intelligent Traffic Management Name: Devika S G, Lekshmi D, Govind A Section: Kerala

Paper Title: Diabetes Detection Using Deep Learning and Time-Frequency Analysis Name: Chee Lit Zhi Section: Malaysia

Category : Communication and Signal Processing

Paper Title: Transmitting Information Using Passive RIS: Theory and Proof-of-Concept of RIS-Backscatter Direct Data Modulation Name: Muhammad Miftahul Amri Section: South korea

Paper Title: RFS-codec: A Novel Encoding Approach to Store Image Data in DNA Name: Abdur Rasool, Jingwei Hong Section: Guangzhou

1 st Prize – Paper Title: Dual-Band GPS/LoRa Antenna for IoT Applications Name: Muhammad Sani Yahya Section: Malaysia

2 nd Prize – Paper Title: Predictive Analytics of First Blood and Match Outcome in Dota 2 Name: Nicholas Heng Loong Wong Section: Singapore

3 rd Prize – Paper Title: FPGA-WSN-based Forest Fire Alert System using Data-Driven Attribute Relationship Determination Name: Srimonti Dutta Section: Kolkata

WIE Best Paper – Paper Title: Smart Trucks: An IoT based Novel Approach for Smart and Effective Waste Management System Name: Prachi Singh Section: Uttar Pradesh

1 st Prize – WRS: A Novel Word-embedding Method for Real-time Sentiment with Integrated LSTM-CNN Model Abdur Rasool and Chaojie Ji Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology Section: Guangzhou

2 nd Prize – Contactless Tool for COVID-19 Surveillance System Chu Yu Lee School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia Section: Malaysia

3 rd Prize – Practical Soft-Demapper for Sparse Code Multiple Access Systems Syed Aamer Hussain Section: Malaysia

4 th Prize: WIE Winner – Emoji Prediction using LSTM and Naive Bayes Ritwik Ranjan and Palak Yadav Delhi Technological University Section: Delhi

First prize: Author: Charissa Phua Han Ming, Co-author: Lau Bee Theng Paper title: Semiconductor Wafer Surface: Automatic Defect Classification with Deep CNN Section: IEEE Swinburne Sarawak Student Branch, Sarawak Subsection Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Malaysia. The prize: 300 USD + certificate

Second prize: Author: Huynh Thanh Son, Huynh Tan Phong, Nguyen Huu Dac Paper title: An efficient approach for paper submission recommendation Section: Vietnam Section University of Science & John von Neumann Institute, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam The prize: 200 USD + certificate

Third prize : Author: Bahare Mohamadzade Paper title: A Conformal Antenna with Broadside and Monopole-like Pattern Reconfigurability on Polymer-Conductive Textile Composite Section: IEEE Student Branch Macquarie University, New South Wales Section Macquarie University, Australia

First Prize: Author: Uzma Amin Paper title: Energy Trading in Local Electricity Market with Renewables – A Contract Theoretic Approach Section: New South Wales Section Macquarie University, Australia The prize: 300 USD + certificate

Second Prize: Author: Ali Lalbakhsh Paper title: Fully Metallic Wideband Meta-Surface for Near-field Enhancement in High Power Microwave Applications. Section: New South Wales Section Macquarie University, Australia The prize: 200 USD + certificate

Third Prize : Author: Yang Yang Lee Paper title: Generalizing Image Splicing Detection with Constrained Convolutional Neural Network Section: Malaysia Section Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia The prize: 100 USD + certificate

Special Prize for WIE : Author: Ng Pai Chet Paper title 1: Wearable-free Proximity Sensing and Alert System with BLE Beacon Paper title 2: Interactive Dance with Visual Background Recomposition using BLE Beacons Section: Hong Kong Section Hong Kong University of Science & Technology The prize: 200 USD + certificate

-POSGRADUATE-

First prize: Author: Roy B. V. B. Simorangkir Macquarie University

Second prize: Author: Sarbajit Paul Dong-A University

Third prize : Author: Ying-Xing Feng Universiti Teknologi Petronas

-UNDERGRADUATE-

First prize: Author: Chiam Dar Hung, Li Zhen Er, Ng Kay Li Curtin University

Second prize: Author: Ninad Joshi, Virendra Bidkar, Myron Britto Goa College of Engineering

Third prize : Author: Andy Tan Wei Keat, Chan Hao Jie Universiti Sains Malaysia

Home » IEEE R10 Student Research Paper Contest

IEEE R10 Student Research Paper Contest

Organizer: Region 10 SAC

Description: The IEEE Region 10 Student Activities Committee recognizes the importance of research and dissemination of the findings for the The IEEE Region 10 Student Activities Committee recognizes the importance of research and dissemination of the findings for the advancement of science and technology. Researching, writing, and presenting a paper provides students with invaluable early experience in communicating ideas related to their professional fields. The contest offers IEEE Student members an opportunity to exercise and improve both written and verbal communication skills.

Eligibility: Open to all IEEE Student Members with basic degrees in electrical engineering, electronics, computer science or any other fields of interest of an IEEE Society, and are currently enrolled in a postgraduate course at a recognized educational institute. The contest is open only to IEEE Student Members in Region 10. The papers may be on any engineering subject in the field of interest of IEEE (within the scope of IEEE transactions).

ENGLISH | ESPAÑOL

AZ529 2024 Essay Writing Contest

Dream. Write. Win.

Your 5th or 6th grader could win $529 towards an AZ529 Education Savings Plan.

CONTEST RULES

CONTEST IS OPEN AUGUST 26 THROUGH OCTOBER 6, 2024.

Tell us how you’d make the world a better place.

For the fifth year, Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee and the AZ529 Education Savings Plan are hosting an essay contest for kids. The 2024 Essay Writing Contest invites Arizona 5th and 6th graders to submit essays explaining their dream job and the steps they’ll take to reach it. Winners will receive $529 toward an AZ529 Education Savings Plan to fund their future educational aspirations!

Contest Details

All current 5th and 6th grade students in Arizona, including students from district, charter, private schools, tribal schools, and homeschools.

Answer the question, “What is your dream job and how do you plan on achieving it in the future?” Responses should be a minimum of three (3) paragraphs with a maximum of 350 words. The more creative, unique, and thought-provoking the better!

Entries will be accepted through October 6, 2024 at 11:59 PM (MST).

Online: Essays can be submitted online at AZ529.gov/EssayContest using the upload button on this page. (Accepted file types: Microsoft Word, PDF, JPG and JPEG. Max. file size: 256 MB).

Or you can mail entries to: 5th and 6th Grade Essay Writing Contest Attention: Jeffrey O. Office of the State Treasurer 1700 West Washington Street, #102 Phoenix, AZ 85007

Because winning $529 towards a new or existing AZ529 Education Savings Plan is an incredible way to launch your 5th or 6th grader’s future!

Twenty (20) prizes, each in the amount of $529, will be awarded towards a new or existing AZ529 Education Savings Plan. Winners will be selected from each of Arizona’s 15 counties and there will also be winners representing all types of schools, including students from district, charter, private schools, tribal schools, and homeschools. We’re excited to help 20 young writers start saving for their educational plans beyond high school!

Official Contest Rules

One (1) original entry per person.

HOW TO ENTER:

Online: Upload entries using the “Upload Here” button on this page. (Accepted file types: Microsoft Word, PDF, JPG and JPEG. Max. file size: 256 MB).

All entries must be received by October 6, 2024 at 11:59 PM (MST).

JUDGING CRITERIA:

Entries will be judged and scored by a panel of judges, including representatives of the AZ529 Plan Advisory Committee.
Entries will be anonymously judged based on a scoring rubric of: 40 percent for overall content, 30 percent for originality, and 30 percent for organization. Any ties will be broken based on an additional score for overall readability and grammar.
Judges will also ensure that a student is selected from each of the five (5) main types of schools in Arizona: district, charter, private schools, tribal schools, or homeschools.

ELIGIBILITY: All participants must be Arizona residents, currently enrolled in 5th or 6th grade as of August 2024 in an Arizona school. The parent or legal guardian submitting an entry on behalf of the minor must also be an Arizona resident. Employees and families of the Arizona State Treasurer’s Office and Davidson Belluso are not eligible to win.

PRIZES: Twenty (20) awards, each in the amount of $529, will be awarded toward an AZ529 Education Savings Plan, across Arizona. All prizes will be conveyed through a direct contribution to a new or existing AZ529 account in the name of the winner or their parent/guardian. No cash prizes will be awarded.

WINNER SELECTION/VERIFICATION: Winners and their parents/guardians will be notified by phone and/or email after the close of the contest and completion of judging. To receive AZ529 funds, parents/guardians must submit verification of an open AZ529 account within 90 days after the award notification. If verification is not completed within 90 days of the notification, the prize will be forfeited.

AGREEMENT TO THE OFFICIAL RULES: By participating in the Contest, each Entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to accept these Official Rules and the decision of the sponsor and judges which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. No purchase necessary to enter or win.

AGREEMENT TO USE OF CONTENT: By submitting an entry, each participant (and their parent or legal guardian) agrees to allow The Office of the Arizona State Treasurer , AZ529, Arizona’s Education Savings Plan and its agents to use the content of each essay. Verbiage from selected essays may be shared online or in print for marketing purposes, either in full or in excerpts. The child’s last name will not be shared or posted online or in a social message but may be used in news releases or media coverage. Further, by submitting an entry, a parent or legal guardian agrees to allow AZ529 to use their own or their child’s likeness, photograph(s), video, voice, or name without costs of advertising, publicity, social media, or any other lawful purpose in any medium now known or hereafter, without any review or approval.

DISCLOSURE OF SPONSORS: The AZ529 Education Savings Plan is managed by The Office of the Arizona State Treasurer . Approved AZ529 Plan providers include Fidelity and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. This contest is being managed by Davidson Belluso, marketing partner of the Arizona Education Savings Plan.

TAX LIABILITY: The Sponsors and their agents make no representations as to the tax liability or deductibility of a prize. Each participant (and their parent or legal guardian) shall be solely responsible for filing and paying any taxes arising from the receipt of a prize.

Who will judge?

The 20 winners will be declared by a panel of judges from the AZ529 Advisory Committee. The panel will read and judge each essay based on content, originality, and organization.

What is an AZ529 account?

The AZ529 Education Savings Plan is a designated account to save for qualified higher education expenses at universities, colleges, vocational, and technical schools. Contributions to this account grow on a tax-deferred basis. Funds in an AZ529 account can be used for tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, a computer, internet services and other related educational expenses.

Does my child have to attend an Arizona university to use the AZ529 funds?

If your child wins, you will receive a $529 deposit into an AZ529 Education Savings Plan. AZ529 funds can be used to pay for higher education institutions across the country and some schools abroad. There is no obligation to use the winning funds at a specific vocational school, college, or university.

AZ529 funds can be used for education expenses including tuition and fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for an accredited postsecondary institution or participation in an apprenticeship program registered and certified with the Secretary of Labor under section 1 of the National Apprenticeship Act. AZ529 account funds can also be used for qualified student loan repayments, up to a lifetime maximum of $10,000 per beneficiary. Students who are enrolled at least half-time may use AZ529 account funds for room and board expenses.

The 2022-2023 Average College Attendance Costs as provided by the College Board were used to estimate current college costs.

National Average College Attendance Costs*

Tuition & Fees

Room & Board

Books & Supplies

Annual Basic Expenses

Private College / University

Public University (In-state)

Public University (Out-of-state)

Community College (In-state)

*Source: College Board, 2022 – 2023

The Savings Goal is calculated by multiplying the Shortfall by the savings percentage selected.

If the account owner wanted to make a one-time investment now to save enough to cover the shortfall, the amount needed was calculated by multiplying the Shortfall amount by an investment index multiplier that corresponds to the selected number of years until college as seen in the Necessary Investment Index.

Necessary Investment Index

Years Until College

Contribution LumpSum

If the account owner wanted to make monthly investments to save enough to cover the shortfall, the amount was calculated by multiplying the Shortfall amount by an investment index multiplier that corresponds to the selected number of years until college as seen in the Necessary Investment Index.

Contribution Monthly

The Monthly Savings Goal Amount was calculated by multiplying the Savings Goal amount by an investment index multiplier that corresponds to the selected number of years until college as seen in the Necessary Investment Index.

The Value of Current Investments When College Starts was calculated by multiplying your current college savings by a growth index multiplier that corresponds to the selected number of years of possible investing (e.g. years until college), assuming a 7% annual rate of return as seen in the Growth Index table.

Growth Index (Assumes 7% Annual Rate of Return)

Years Investing

Multiply By:

Future Annual College Costs are calculated by multiplying the current annual college costs by an 8% inflation rate multiplier that corresponds to the selected number of years until college as seen in the Rising Cost Index.

Rising Cost Index

8% Inflation Rate Multiply By:

Most families set a goal to save for a percent of the total cost of college, not necessarily the whole amount. Some save 25%, some want to cover 30%, others 50% and some families aim for 80%. Use this calculator to find out what amount works best for your current budget.

The Shortfall was calculated by subtracting the Value of Current Investments When College Starts from the Projected Total Cost of College.

Projected Total Cost of College was calculated by multiplying the future annual college costs by the planned number of years of attendance. The projection does not allow for inflation rate adjustments beyond the first year of college.

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5th and 6th Grade Essay Writing Contest Attention: Jeffrey O. Office of the State Treasurer 1700 West Washington Street, #102 Phoenix, AZ 85007. WHY: Because winning $529 towards a new or existing AZ529 Education Savings Plan is an incredible way to launch your 5th or 6th grader's future!

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