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Best Essay Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 54 contests that match your search.

Indignor Play House Annual Short Story Competition

Indignor House Publishing

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

Indignor House Publishing is proud to announce that our annual writing competition (INDIGNOR PLAYHOUSE Short Story Annual Competition) is officially open with expected publication in the fall of 2024. Up to 25 submissions will be accepted for inclusion in the annual anthology.

Additional prizes:

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Bacopa Literary Review Annual Writing Contest

Writers Alliance of Gainesville

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Bacopa Literary Review’s 2024 contest is open from March 4 through April 4, with $200 Prize and $100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, Free Verse Poetry, Formal Poetry, and Visual Poetry.

📅 Deadline: May 02, 2024 (Expired)

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: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

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The Fountain Essay Contest

Fountain Magazine

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

“Home” holds a special place in our lives. Our earliest memories form inside its walls; we utter our first words and take our first steps there. Does everyone feel the same about home? Is it where you were born or where you earn your bread? Is home a physical place? In a world that moves faster than ever and is confined to small screens, how do perceptions about "home" change? Where is home for people who are forced to leave their homes? Where is your home?

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Lazuli Literary Group

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing

We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.

Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"

📅 Deadline: March 24, 2024 (Expired)

Climate Change Writing Competition

Write the World

Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction

This month, dear writers, ahead of COP27, help us raise the voices of young people in this urgent fight. In a piece of personal narrative, tell the world’s leaders gathering in how climate change impacts you. How has this crisis changed your environment, your community, your sense of the future? Storytelling, after all, plays a critical role in helping us grasp the emergency through which we are all living, igniting empathy in readers and listeners—itself a precursor to action.

Runner-up: $50

📅 Deadline: October 18, 2022 (Expired)

Anthology Travel Writing Competition 2024

Anthology Magazine

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel

The Anthology Travel Writing Competition is open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. We are looking for an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture. Max 1000 words.

💰 Entry fee: $16

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024

Military Anthology: Partnerships, the Untold Story

Armed Services Arts Partnership

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.

$500 Editors' Choice award

$250 for each genre category (prose, poetry, visual art)

WOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

WOW! Women On Writing

Genres: Non-fiction and Essay

Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (1000 words or less) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail. Open internationally.

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

💰 Entry fee: $12

The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction

The Letter Review

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

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

National Essay Contest

U.S. Institute of Peace

Genres: Essay

This year, AFSA celebrates the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. Over the last century, our diplomats and development professionals have been involved in groundbreaking events in history – decisions on war and peace, supporting human rights and freedom, creating joint prosperity, reacting to natural disasters and pandemics and much more. As AFSA looks back on this century-long history, we invite you to join us in also looking ahead to the future. This year students are asked to explore how diplomats can continue to evolve their craft to meet the needs of an ever-changing world that brings fresh challenges and opportunities to the global community and America’s place in it.

Runner-up: $1,250

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)

Journalism Competition 2024

What are the most important issues taking place close to home? Perhaps a rare bird sighting near your town? Or a band of young people in your province fighting for access to higher education? This month, immerse yourself in a newsworthy event inside the borders of your own country, and invite us there through your written reporting.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: July 22, 2024

Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award

Trio House Press

We seek un-agented full-length creative nonfiction manuscripts including memoir, essay collections, etc. 50,000 - 80,000 words.

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2024 (Expired)

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

Ayn Rand Institute

Atlas Shrugged is a mystery story, not about the murder of a man’s body, but about the murder—and rebirth—of man’s spirit. We seek exceptional essays of up to 1600 words that analyze its themes and ideas. High school to graduate students worldwide are invited to participate.

📅 Deadline: June 14, 2024

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)

Young Sports Journalist 2024

The Young Sports Journalist Competition, 2024, seeks well-argued articles from aspiring journalists aged 14-21. Winning entries will be published online and printed in the Summer Issue of Pitch. Critiqued by our panel of accomplished judges, winners will also receive a £50 cash prize and offered work experience here at PITCH HQ. The competition runs from 7 February 2024 to 5 April 2024. And winners will be announced in May.

Publication in magazine and online

📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)

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

International Essay Competition 2023/24

Avernus Education

Welcome to our prestigious International Essay Competition. At Avernus Education, we are thrilled to provide a platform for young minds to showcase their prowess in Medicine, Engineering, Law, Economics, Psychology, History and Politics. These varied subject categories underscore the importance of interdisciplinary study, a crucial foundation for future leaders in our increasingly interconnected world. Winners receive an exclusive Avernus Education Scholarship worth over £5000 - granting them free entrance to our exclusive summer camp at Oxford University! Outstanding Runners Up receive 5 hours worth of Credits for Avernus Education courses, conferences and tutoring services.

100% Scholarship Award to our Oxford University Summer Programme (worth £5995)

Partial scholarship

📅 Deadline: February 19, 2024 (Expired)

swamp pink Prizes

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

From January 1st to January 31st, submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication.

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

High School Academic Research Competition

Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal

The High School Academic Research Competition is where talented students from around the world compete to publish high-quality research on any topic. SARC challenges students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, immerse themselves in the research process, and hone their writing skills for success.

Indigo Research Intensive Summer Program

📅 Deadline: April 17, 2024 (Expired)

Hispanic Culture Review Contest 2022-2023

Hispanic Culture Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

As the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once said, "the best that the world has is in the many worlds that the world contains." Therefore, this year we invite you to reflect on the following questions: How do you or your community celebrate these connections? How do you value those experiences with those people who leave a mark on your life? 1 work will be awarded in each category: 1) photography & visual arts, 2) poetry, and 3) narrative/essay/academic investigation.

$100 for photography, poetry, and essay winners

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2023 (Expired)

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

For this year’s Essay Contest, we are asking students to think about why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is important today.

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Irene Adler Prize

Lucas Ackroyd

I’ve traveled the world from Sweden to South Africa, from the Golden Globes to the Olympic women’s hockey finals. I’ve photographed a mother polar bear and her cubs and profiled stars like ABBA, Jennifer Garner and Katarina Witt. And I couldn’t have done it without women. I’ve been very fortunate, and it’s time for me to give back. With the Irene Adler Prize, I’m awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution.

2x honorable mentions: $250

📅 Deadline: May 30, 2024

Literary and Photographic Contest 2023-2024

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry

As we move forward we carry our culture wherever we go. It keeps us alive. This is why we propose the theme to be “¡Hacia delante!”. A phrase that means to move forward. This year we ask that you think about the following questions: What keeps you moving forward? What do you carry with you going into the future? How do you celebrate your successes, your dreams, and your culture?

Publication in magazine

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)

Berggruen Prize Essay Competition

Berggruen Institute

The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition, in the amount of $25,000 USD for the English and Chinese language category respectively, is given annually to stimulate new thinking and innovative concepts while embracing cross-cultural perspectives across fields, disciplines, and geographies. Inspired by the pivotal role essays have played in shaping thought and inquiry, we are inviting essays that follow in the tradition of renowned thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Publication in Noema Magazine

Great American Think-Off

New York Mills Regional Cultural Center

The Great American Think-Off is an exhibition of civil disagreement between powerful ideas that connect to your life at the gut level. The Cultural Center, located in the rural farm and manufacturing town of New York Mills, sponsors this annual philosophy contest.

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Jane Austen Society of North America

Genres: Children's and Essay

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers. Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: high school, college, and graduate school.

$1,000 scholarship

Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2022 (Expired)

Environmental Writing 2024

The writer and activist Bill McKibben describes Environmental Writing as "the collision between people and the rest of the world." This month, peer closely at that intersection: How do humans interact with their environment? Given your inheritance of this earth, the world needs your voices now more than ever.

📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)

The Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers.

💰 Entry fee: $28

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Personal Essay Competition 2024

Genres: Essay and Memoir

We want to hear about an experience in your life, rife with characters and description and conflict and scene… but we also want to hear how you make sense of this experience, how it sits with you, and why it has surfaced as writing. Open a window into your life and invite your readers to enter.

📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024

African Diaspora Awards 2024

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Up to $1000 in cash prizes for the African Diaspora Award 2024. African-themed prose and poetry wanted. Top finalists are published in Kinsman Quarterly’s magazine and the anthology, “Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora.”

Publication in anthology, "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora" and print and digital magazine

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Gotham Writers Workshop

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

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).

$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers

Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award

Killer Nashville

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

The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.

💰 Entry fee: $79

📅 Deadline: June 15, 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

Rigel 2024: $500 for Prose, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Literary or genre works accepted. Winner receives $500 plus publication, while runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Closes: February 29. Entry fee: $12.50. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope

$500 + publication

Runners-up and finalists are offered publication

📅 Deadline: February 29, 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

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

Reedsy's guide to novel writing

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

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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Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

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

Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.

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.

Essay Competition Professors

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.

Essay Competition Professors (4)

Why has religion remained a force in a secular world? 

Professor Commentary:

Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?

‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)

In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.

‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)

Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.

‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)

This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.

‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)

An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.

‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)

Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.

‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)

Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.

‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)

In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.

Ccir Essay Competition Prompt Contributed By Dr Mashail Malik

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.

2

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). 

3

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 David Baltimore - CCIR

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

16

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 William Daniel Phillips - CCIR

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.

18

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.

19

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.

20

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.

21

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.

22

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.

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THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION

Since 1883, we have delivered The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest international schools' writing competition. Today, we work to expand its reach, providing life-changing opportunities for young people around the world.

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The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 is now closed for entries

Find out more about this year’s theme

'Our Common Wealth'.

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140 years of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools and has been proudly delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883. 

THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION.png

ABOUT THE COMPETITION 

An opportunity for young Commonwealth citizens to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on key global issues and have their hard work and achievement celebrated internationally.

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Frequently Asked Questions for the Competition. Before contacting us please read these.

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MEET THE WINNERS 

In 2023 we were delighted to receive a record-breaking 34,924 entries, with winners from India and Malaysia. Read their winning pieces as well as those from previous years.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions for entrants to The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Please ensure you have thoroughly read them before submitting your entry.

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Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

  • See Recent Winners
  • View the Submission Calendar

The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Poetry Book Prize

A prize of $1,500 and publication by Gaudy Boy, an imprint of the New York City–based literary nonprofit Singapore Unbound, is given annually for a poetry collection by a...

New Letters

Literary awards.

Three prizes of $2,500 each and publication in New Letters are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay. Using only the online submission system, submit up...

Livingston Press

Changing light prize.

A prize of $500, publication by Livingston Press, and 20 author copies will be given annually for a novel-in-verse. Eleanor Boudreau will judge. Submit a manuscript of 90 to...

Great Lakes Colleges Association

New writers awards.

Three prizes are given annually for first books by a poet, a fiction writer, and a creative nonfiction writer. The winners each receive an all-expenses-paid trip to several of...

Michigan Quarterly Review

James a. winn prize.

A prize of $1,500 and publication in Michigan Quarterly Review will be given annually for an essay or a work of nonfiction in hybrid form. Elizabeth Goodenough will...

University of Georgia Press

Flannery o’connor award for short fiction.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Georgia Press is given annually for a collection of short fiction. Lori Ostlund will judge. Using only the online submission...

BOA Editions

Short fiction prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by BOA Editions is given annually for a story collection. Peter Conners will judge. Submit a manuscript of 90 to 200 pages with a $30 entry...

Anhinga Press

Anhinga prize for poetry.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Anhinga Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of...

The Center for Fiction

Susan kamil emerging writer fellowships.

Nine fellowships of $5,000 each, a one-year membership to the Center for Fiction in New York City, and a year of access to the Writers Studio writing space are given annually...

John D. Voelker Foundation

Robert traver fly-fishing writing award.

A prize of $2,500 and publication in American Fly Fisher as well as on the John D. Voelker Foundation and the American Museum of Fly Fishing websites will be given...

Bridport Arts Centre

Bridport prizes.

Two prizes of £5,000 (approximately $6,383) each and publication in the Bridport Prize anthology are given annually for a poem and a short story. A second-place prize of £1,000...

Southern Poetry Review

Guy owen prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Southern Poetry Review is given annually for a single poem. Submit three to five poems totaling no more than 10 pages with a $20...

Fiction Prize

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Salamander is given annually for a short story. Kevin Wilson will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of...

Emerging Poets Contest

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Boulevard is given annually for a group of poems by a poet who has not published a poetry collection with a nationally distributed...

Moon City Press

Poetry award.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Moon City Press is given annually for a poetry collection. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

American Short Fiction

Halifax ranch fiction prize.

A prize of $2,500 and publication in American Short Fiction is given annually for a short story. The winner also receives a weeklong, all-expenses-paid writing retreat...

Interlochen Center for the Arts

Pattis family foundation creative arts book award.

A prize of $25,000 and a weeklong residency at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan, will be given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction published in...

PEN America

Pen/bare life review grants.

Two grants of $5,000 each will be given annually for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction works-in-progress “by immigrant and refugee writers, recognizing that the literature of...

PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants

Ten grants of $3,000 to $4,000 each are given annually to support the translation of book-length works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction that have not previously...

Bard College

Bard fiction prize.

A prize of $30,000 and a one-semester appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College is given annually to a fiction writer under the age of 40. The winner must give at...

PEN/Jean Stein Grants for Literary Oral History

Two grants of $15,000 are given annually for nonfiction works-in-progress that “use oral history to illuminate an event, individual, place, or movement.” Using only the online...

Western Connecticut State University

Housatonic book awards.

Three prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year. The winners also receive $500 in travel expenses and...

Omnidawn Publishing

Chapbook contest.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Omnidawn Publishing, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. T.J. Anderson III will judge. Using only the online...

Tusculum Review

Chapbook prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Tusculum Review is given annually for a poetry chapbook, a short story, or an essay. This year’s prize will be awarded in nonfiction...

42 Miles Press

A prize of $1,000, publication by 42 Miles Press, and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner is also invited to give a reading at University of...

national english language essay competition

Berggruen Prize Essay Competition

The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition seeks to stimulate new thinking and innovative concepts while embracing cross-cultural perspectives across fields, disciplines, and geographies. By posing fundamental philosophical questions of significance for both contemporary life and for the future, the competition will serve as a complement to the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy & Culture, which recognizes major lifetime achievements in advancing ideas that have shaped the world.

The inspiration for the competition originates from the role essays have played in the past, including the essay contest held by the Académie de Dijon. In 1750, Jean-Jacques Rousseau's essay Discourse on the Arts and Sciences , also known as The First Discourse , won and notably marked the onset of his prominence as a profoundly influential thinker. Similarly, our competition aspires to create a platform for groundbreaking ideas and intellectual innovation.

national english language essay competition

The annual Berggruen Prize Essay Competition will accept submissions in two languages: Chinese and English. Each language category will have a prize of $25,000 USD and intends to recognize one winner, though there may be multiple winners in any given year.

The Berggruen Institute will host an award ceremony and convene the authors of the winning essays in dialogue with established scholars and thinkers at one of our global centers. We plan to publish the winning essays in our award-winning English-language magazine Noema and Chinese-language magazine Cuiling , giving readers insight into perspectives of both East and West.

We are inviting essays that follow in the tradition of renowned thinkers such as Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Submissions should present novel ideas and be clearly argued in compelling ways for intellectually serious readers. We are not seeking peer-reviewed academic work. Below is a selection of exemplary essays that epitomize the genre and style we look for. While some of these pieces are authored by already distinguished thinkers, we have chosen them primarily for their exceptional embodiment of genre and style.

  • Chomsky, N. (1967). The responsibility of intellectuals. The New York Review of Books .
  • Frankfurt, H. G. (1971). Freedom of the will and the concept of a person. Journal of Philosophy , 68(1), 5-20.
  • Fukuyama, F. (1989). The end of history? The National Interest , 16, 3–18.
  • Huntington, S. P. (1993). The clash of civilizations? Foreign Affairs , 72(3), 22-49.
  • Nagel, T. (1974). What is it like to be a bat? The Philosophical Review , 83(4), 435-450.
  • Sontag, S. (1966). Against interpretation. In Against Interpretation and Other Essays (pp. 3-14). Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
  • Walker, S. (2023). AI is life. Noema Magazine .
  • Zadeh, J. (2021). The tyranny of time. Noema Magazine .

Eligibility Criteria

Submission requirements, code of conduct, terms & conditions.

Reedsy Best Writing Contests 2024

Required fields are marked with *

Advisory Panel

  • Lucas Angioni
  • Arjun Appadurai
  • Julian Baggini
  • Tongdong Bai
  • Rajeev Bhargava
  • Annabel Brett
  • Craig Calhoun
  • Dipesh Chakrabarty
  • Lesong Cheng
  • Weiwen Duan
  • Robyn Eckersley
  • Sam Fleischacker
  • Christia Fotini
  • Gan Chunsong
  • Rebecca Newberger Goldstein
  • Asher Jiang
  • Michèle Lamont
  • Meira Levinson
  • Chenyang Li
  • Qiaoying Lu
  • Jianhua Mei
  • Pankaj Mishra
  • Viren Murthy
  • Thierry Ngosso
  • Mathias Risse
  • Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem
  • Vladimir Safatle
  • Allison Simmons
  • Smita Sirker
  • Xiangchen Sun
  • Sigridur Thorgeirsdottir
  • Samantha Vice
  • Robin R. Wang
  • Dingxin Zhao
  • Zhao Tingyang

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.

REGISTER HERE.

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  • Writing Tips

7 Essay Writing Contests to Look Out For in 2023

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 

national english language essay competition

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 

national english language essay competition

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 

national english language 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 

national english language 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 

national english language essay competition

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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National Council of Teachers of English

  • Career Center

You do exceptional things in the classroom every single day. NCTE is here to recognize them.

Student Writing Awards

  • Achievement Awards in Writing
  • Promising Young Writers
  • Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM)

national english language essay competition

Promising Young Writers Program

**NEW** Results are now available for the 2024 Promising Young Writers contest! Review this year’s First Class winners below.

Submitting teachers will receive the results for their school via email. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

  • Changes to the award that began with the 2023 cycle are can be found  here .
  • Review Eligibility, Award Specifics, and Writing Instructions here.
  • View this year’s  prompt .

Contest deadline: February 15, 2024.

Teachers: are you interested in serving as a reviewer? Sign up today !

Purpose: To stimulate and recognize the writing talents of eighth-grade students and to emphasize the importance of writing skills among eighth-grade students.

  • Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate eighth-grade students. Nominating schools must be US accredited.
  • STARTING IN 2023:  Participating students submit themed writing.  Beginning with the 2023 contest, participants will no longer submit “best” writings.
  • Electronic submissions only.

Please email [email protected]  with any questions.

Early autumn: 2024 contest prompt will be released.

Until November 13: Present the prompt to your students. Encourage them to gather their thoughts and ideas and to write their first draft

November 13-December 15:  Encourage your students to edit, to revise, and to finalize their drafts.

DEADLINE   for All Submissions: February 15

*Late submissions will not be accepted.

Below are some exemplars of award-winning submissions from 2020. These students received a 97% or higher aggregate score from the judges who read their pieces and had high praise for the quality of writing.

Selena Chen (Judges said, “This is excellent work for an 8th-grade student – detailed, clear, strong voice. Really well done work.” And, “You’ve done an excellent job immersing readers into the moment with, as well as helping them to gain and understanding of, you. Your works are quite memorable, and are ones that readers will surely be able to connect to.”

David Yun (Judges said, “The BEST writing contains beautiful and vivid language to develop the relationship the speaker has with their sister. The THEMED piece brought tears to my eyes and chocked me up. Writing a letter to a natural place where the speaker bonded with family, most specifically his grandfather, was a perfect choice of genre.”

*These examples are meant to be used as inspiration to teachers and their students for the purposes of this award and to showcase the excellent work of these students. Please do not share or copy these students’ work improperly.*

Recipients of the Certificate of Recognition/First Class designation are listed by state below.

2024 Award Recipients

This year, schools nominated 177 students to participate in the Promising Young Writers Program. Students were nominated from 33 states and Puerto Rico, as well as Canada and South Africa.

Papers were judged on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style.

*No First Class recipients

American Schools Abroad

Connecticut

District Of Columbia*

Hawai’i*

Massachusetts

Mississippi*

New Hampshire*

New Mexico*

North Carolina

North Dakota*

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island*

South Carolina*

South Dakota*

West Virginia

2023 Award Recipients

This year, schools nominated 146 students to participate in the Promising Young Writers Program. Of those, 56 were selected to receive the First Class designation, 58 received the Superior designation, 27 received the Excellent designation, and 5 received the Merit designation. Papers were judged on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style.

District Of Columbia

North Carolina*

South Carolina

South Dakota

Washington State*

West Virginia*

2022 Award Recipients

This year, 116 students were nominated. Of that number, 66 received Certificates of Recognition and 50 received Certificates of Participation. Each student submitted two pieces of writing, which were read by national judges. Papers were judged on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style.

*No winners

Massachusetts*

Washington State

2021 Award Recipients

This year, 90 students were nominated. Of that number, 56 received Certificates of Recognition and 34 received Certificates of Participation. Each student submitted two pieces of writing, which were read by national judges. Papers were judged on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style.

American Schools Abroad*

national english language essay competition

Chapter Spotlight: Trumbull High School

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national english language essay competition

Chapter Project Grant: Literati Poetry Slam

national english language essay competition

Chapter Spotlight: PrepaTec Eugenio Garza Sada

national english language essay competition

Chapter Spotlight: Socastee High School

national english language essay competition

Chapter Spotlight: Livonia Churchill High School

2024-2025 nehs common readers & scholarship changes.

For the first time in many years, the NEHS Advisory Council has selected two texts as the 2024-2025 Common Readers,  Kazuo Ishiguro 's  Klara and the Sun  (2021) and  Jesmyn Ward 's  Sing, Unburied, Sing  (2017).

Applications for NEHS Scholarships to be awarded to seniors graduating in 2025 will begin earlier than normal. Each of the chosen Common Reader texts will have its own dedicated award cycle, allowing student members to write and submit up to two essays (optional) to the competition. Find out more about this significant change .

2024-2025-common-reader.png

NEHS Xpress

May 15, 2024

  • NEHS Museletter

new NESH Members

NEHS is open to high school students and select faculty who have demonstrated exceptional ability in such areas as literary analysis, media studies, composition, linguistic study, and creative writing, and who meet the requirements of membership.

NEHS Members Inducted July 2022 - June 2023

Active Chapters

How to Become a Member

  • Explore the Value of Membership
  • Resources for Parents/Guardians

Start a Chapter

Bergenfield NEHS Members

  • Directory by Region
  • Chapter Spotlight
  • Noteworthy Activities

The Common Reader

The NEHS Advisory Council is happy to announce that the text chosen as the 2023-2024 Common Reader is Kayte Nunn’s The Botanist’s Daughter . This historical novel was originally suggested as a Common Reader contender by NEHS alum Maria Quiroz Abascal. Maria was enthralled by the text from the outset and "didn’t want the book to end, but at the same time needed to know where and how it concluded. It was a true adventure story!" This sentiment is echoed by many respondents to the NEHS Common Reader Survey who enjoyed that it combines a "Thrilling story, history, science . . . all three in one!"

Applicants for the NEHS Scholarships are to select this text as the basis of their application submissions, which will be due January 8, 2024.

The Bontanist's Daughter, by Kayte Nunn

Scholarships

Annually, NEHS offers a variety of scholarships valued at up to $5,000 for active NEHS members planning on enrolling full time in two-year and four-year colleges.

$5,000 Scholarship University of California Los Angeles, CA Major: English

national english language essay competition

Diana Aboul-Hosn

Edgewood High School, CA

$2,000 Scholarship Mercer University, GA Major: Public Health & Management

national english language essay competition

Mary Taylor

Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy, GA

$1,500 Scholarship University of Florida, FL Major: Journalism

national english language essay competition

Alexis Vivanco

Christopher Columbus High School, FL

$2,000 Scholarship University of Chicago, IL Major: Economics

national english language essay competition

Kalyna Vickers

Langley High School, VA

  • Scholarship Recipients
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  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Win 10 Summer Reading Books from ThriftBooks 📚!

Best 2024 Competitions for Students in Grades K-12

Competitions in STEM, ELA and the arts, and more!

Best Student Contests and Competitions for 2023

We tell students that learning is its own reward, and that’s certainly true. But it’s also nice to win money and other prizes! Knowing they could gain recognition or even a prize for winning can be incredibly motivating. This roundup includes the best contests and competitions for high school students, as well as middle school and elementary too.

Contests and Competitions for High School Students

Contests and competitions for middle school students, contests and competitions for elementary school students, contests and competitions for students of all ages, adcap challenge.

Come up with a big idea to help create meaningful change and healthier school communities. Then use the AdCap project designer to submit your idea, and compete for funding to bring your project to life.

AFSA National High School Essay Contest

If you’re looking to help students take a deep dive into international relations, history, and writing, look no further than this essay contest. Winners receive full tuition to the Semester at Sea program as well as a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with a leader at the Department of State.

All American High School Film Festival

Student films have the opportunity to become an Official Selection, screened at the AMC Empire 25 Theaters in Times Square, the busiest movie theater in America! Each October, thousands of student filmmakers gather in New York City for an action-packed weekend of resources and entertainment, including the Teen Indie Awards Show, where over $500,000 in prizes and scholarships are handed out.

ArtEffect Project

The ArtEffect Project teaches middle and high school students about their power to effect positive change through creative storytelling that celebrates unsung heroes from history. Students submit high-quality creative art projects in the visual arts, narrative film, theater, and creative nonfiction genres. Winners can receive thousands of dollars in prizes.

Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge

The Youth Design Challenge (YDC) is a free hands-on project-based learning experience that provides classroom and informal educators with a new framework to introduce biomimicry and an interdisciplinary lens on science and environmental literacy. It’s open to middle school and high school students.

Breakthrough Junior Challenge

Students submit a big scientific idea in fundamental physics, life sciences, or mathematics in video form. Winners receive college scholarships, plus money for their teacher and school.

BUILD’s Design Challenge

Students in grades 7–12 use design thinking to create solutions to real-world challenges. In this 10-hour experience, students develop entrepreneurial skills and empathy while learning about prototyping and testing.

Congressional Art Competition

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.

Conrad Challenge

Design an innovation, solve an important problem, and establish yourself as an entrepreneur. You might just change the world in the process! Students work in teams of two to five to compete for prizes such as scholarships, pro-bono legal and consulting services, and a Dell Chromebook.

C-SPAN’s StudentCam Competition

This national contest invites all middle and high school students to create a five-to-seven-minute documentary based on an annual theme.

DECA Competitive Events

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. DECA’s competitive events can be grouped into three broad categories: role-plays and case studies, prepared events, and online simulations. Events take place around the country and throughout the year.

International Compost Awareness Week Poster Contest

Students create a poster for International Compost Awareness Week, which takes place in May. The winner gets $500 and the chance to see their poster produced professionally.

Jane Austen Essay Contest

High school students can win up to $1,000 in scholarship money by writing an essay on a new Austen theme each year, sponsored by the Jane Austen Society of North America.

NAQT Quiz Bowl

Quiz Bowl is a fast-paced buzzer competition in which teams of four players compete to answer questions that cover academic subjects like literature and science as well as the broader world of popular culture and current events. Local middle school and high school tournaments send their winners on to regional and national championships.

National Academic League

As middle and high school student teams compete to answer questions aligned to national standards, they must also cooperate and use teamwork to tackle each quarter’s new challenge. Each school can field a team of 15 to 40, giving lots of kids a chance to participate.

National History Day (NHD)

National History Day (NHD) is an annual event for teachers and students in grades 6–12 that promotes critical thinking skills through project-based learning. Students begin their journey by presenting their projects in classrooms, schools, and districts around the world. Top entries are invited to the state/affiliate-level contests. The top two entries in every category at the state/affiliate level are then invited to the National Contest.

National Young Composers Challenge

The challenge is simple: First, students write their own composition for a small ensemble (two to six instruments) or full orchestra. Then, a panel of judges chooses the top three orchestral and top three ensemble compositions to be performed and recorded by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at the NYCC Composium held in Orlando, Florida.

New York Times Student Writing Contests

Each month, the New York Times announces a new writing contest for middle and high school students ages 13 to 19. The topics and requirements are different each month, with something to appeal to all sorts of young authors and journalists.

PicoCTF Cybersecurity Competition

PicoCTF is a computer security game for middle and high school students. The game consists of a series of challenges centered around a unique storyline where participants must reverse-engineer, break, hack, decrypt, or do whatever it takes to solve the challenge. The challenges are all set up with the intent of being hacked, making it an excellent, legal way to get hands-on experience.

Princeton 10-Minute Play Contest

Looking for student writing contests for budding playwrights? In this competition, judged by the theater faculty of Princeton University, students submit short plays in an effort to win recognition and cash prizes of up to $500. (Note: Only open to 11th graders.)

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens (ages 13+, grades 7–12) awards scholarships and gives kids a chance to showcase their skills for some of the foremost leaders in the arts.

Slingshot Challenge

Produce a 1-minute video with a solution to a current environmental problem (think: uniting creative waste reducers on social media or rehabilitating forests affected by fire) for the chance to receive up to $10,000 in funding.

Solve for Tomorrow

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition invites middle and high school teachers to lead a group of students in creating a STEM-centered solution that addresses a need in their communities. Teachers and students compete to win a share of $2 million for their schools. The National Winner prize is $100,000 in technology and classroom materials.

Space Settlement Design Competitions

These events emulate, as closely as possible for high school students, the experiences of working as members of aerospace design and proposal teams. Students learn cooperation, management, and communication skills. Finalists win the chance to travel to Kennedy Space Center!

Stossel in the Classroom

Stossel in the Classroom wants to know what high school and middle school students think about entrepreneurship and innovation. With $20,000 in cash prizes up for grabs, kids can enter the essay contest or the video contest . There are bonus prizes for teachers too!

United States Academic Decathlon

The United States Academic Decathlon is a 10-event scholastic competition for teams of high school students. Each high school enters a team of nine students: three honors students (3.80–4.00 GPA), three scholastic students (3.20–3.799 GPA), and three varsity students (0.00–3.199 GPA). They’ll need a wide variety of academic knowledge and skills to come out on top!

U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad

This tiered competition for high school students consists of a series of chemistry exams. Local winners move on to the national exam, whose winners participate in a study camp and international exam contest over the summer.

World of 8 Billion Video Contest

Middle and high school students create a short video—up to 60 seconds long—about human population growth that highlights one of the following global challenges: climate change, gender equality, or waste. Kids can win up to $1,200!

Future City

Future City is a project-based learning program in which students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future.

The Hardest Math Problem

This contest challenges students in grades 6–8 to practice critical thinking supported by accurate computation. Both kids and their teachers are eligible for prizes.

New Moon Girls

New Moon Girls publishes contributions from girls ages 8–14. The magazine publishes four times each year, and submissions are more likely to be published if they fit an upcoming editorial theme.

Ocean Awareness Contest

Students ages 11 to 18 can learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. Submit a piece recognizing climate change heroes, using visual arts, poetry and creative writing, film, performing arts, or multimedia. Prizes include cash awards and eligibility for special opportunities.

Promising Young Writers Program

Teachers and schools can nominate 8th grade students to compete in this contest. Nominees submit a piece of writing based on the year’s prompt. Winners receive certificates in various levels of distinction.

Ranger Rick Photo Contest

Kids 13 and under can enter any nature-themed photo they’ve taken on their own using a camera or phone camera app. Every month, winners will be selected by the judges and posted on the contest homepage in the Recent Contest Winners slideshow. Online winners will be in the running for Ranger Rick’s “Your Best Shots” Magazine Award. Magazine Award winners will be selected three times each year for publication in Ranger Rick magazine’s December–January, April, and August issues.

Rubber Band Contest

This contest challenges students in grades 5–8 to design and create a working invention/artwork that incorporates at least one rubber band. Students can compete in one of two separate divisions: Arts & Leisure or Science & Engineering. Winners receive up to $300.

Young Scientist Challenge

Students in grades 5–8 create a one-to-two-minute video describing a new, innovative solution that could solve an everyday problem. Ten finalists will be chosen for their passion for science, spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and effective communication skills.

YouthPLAYS Prospective Authors

Authors 19 and under can submit a one-act play to the New Voices competition. They’re particularly interested in plays that speak to BIPOC teens and youth.

Doodle for Google

Did you know that each year, one student in grades K–5 has a chance to see their own doodle featured on the Google search page? This annual contest gives kids the opportunity to reach millions of viewers with their design.

New Moon Girls publishes contributions from girls ages 8 to 14. The magazine publishes four times each year, and submissions are more likely to be published if they fit an upcoming editorial theme.

Kids 13 and under can enter any nature-themed photo they’ve taken on their own, using a camera or phone camera app. Every month, winners will be selected by the judges and posted on the contest homepage in the Recent Contest Winners slideshow. Online winners will be in the running for Ranger Rick’s “Your Best Shots” Magazine Award. Magazine Award winners will be selected three times each year for publication in Ranger Rick magazine’s December–January, April, and August issues.

90-Second Newbery Film Festival

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which young filmmakers create movies that tell the entire story of a Newbery award–winning book in about 90 seconds. Winning entries are screened at events nationwide including in New York, Chicago, and Boston.

Celebrating Art

This contest is open to K–12 students attending public schools, homeschool, and art studios. Kids and teachers can win prizes, classroom supplies, and more!

Discovery Award

The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Discovery Award provides students in grades 4–12 a unique opportunity to research primary sources and develop outstanding projects that feature unsung heroes who can serve as role models and inspire others to create change.

EngineerGirl Writing Contest

Each year, EngineerGirl sponsors an essay contest with topics centered on the impact of engineering on the world. Students can win up to $500 in prize money. This contest is a nice bridge between ELA and STEM and great for teachers interested in incorporating an interdisciplinary project into their curriculum. It’s open to students in grades 3 and up.

Invention Convention

The Invention Convention program is a K–12 project-based learning curriculum to help students learn to think critically by identifying problems in their world. Inventors and entrepreneurs are invited to compete at prestigious annual events.

NAfME Music Competitions

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) holds multiple music competitions each year for composers and songwriters in several categories. Students of all ages are eligible to win cash prizes.

NASA CineSpace Short Film Competition

Competitors submit a short film inspired by, and using, actual footage from NASA’s digital archives for a chance to earn cash prizes and have their film screened at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, held each November. Although entrants must be at least 18 to enter, parents and guardians can enter submissions on behalf of their children.

NASA Langley Student Art Contest

The contest is open to all K–12 students attending public, private, parochial, and homeschool who are residents of the United States, and grades K–12 of U.S. military members stationed overseas.

National History Bowl

The National History Bowl is a buzzer-based history quiz competition for teams of up to six students ages 19 or younger. Local competitions send their winners on to compete in the national championships.

National PTA Reflections Awards

Students of all ages create and submit original works of art in the areas of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. Local winners move on to the regional, state, and national levels. National-level awards include an $800 prize and a trip to the National PTA Convention.

National Spelling Bee

Is the country’s next spelling champion in your own classroom? Find out by holding your own spelling bee, then sending the winner on to compete in regional competitions leading to the ultimate national competition. Students up to age 16 are eligible to participate.

PepsiCo Recycle Rally Contests

Encourage friendly competition throughout your K–12 schools or express creativity through writing and designing with a PepsiCo Recycle Rally contest.

Scope Writing Contests

Scope magazine (published by Scholastic) features a wide variety of contests to excite students in grades 4–12 about writing. Plus they can win awesome prizes!

SIBA Invention Competition

The Student Ideas for a Better America contest welcomes applications from pre-K through 12th grade. Enter any idea for a new way to demonstrate an educational concept, an idea for a new product, or an improvement for an existing product or procedure.

Students With Solutions

This project is designed for educators to engage their students in bullying prevention. Students watch a video followed by a handout review. Then they respond to the content in their own creative way through art, writing, graphics, or videos for the chance to win prizes for their school.

Telling Room Founders Prize

Students ages 6–18 can submit fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to The Telling Room . Each year, the Founders Prize is awarded to the best piece of writing to come out of a Telling Room program.

Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest

The Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest inspires creativity in youths ages 4 to 15 and helps them imagine the future of mobility. Kids can win hundreds of dollars in prize money.

Did we miss one of your favorite contests or competitions for high school, middle school, or elementary school students? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group !

Plus, check out  the ultimate guide to college scholarships ..

Find exciting competitions for high school students, plus middle school and elementary-age kids, in STEM, ELA and the arts, and more.

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The Role of Academia in Upholding the Rule of Law and Human Rights in Ethiopia

National Essay Writing Competition

Ethiopian Law Schools Association (ELSA) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Office Ethiopia/African Union are pleased to announce a National Essay Writing Competition on the theme "The Role of Academia in Upholding the Rule of Law and Human Rights in Ethiopia." This competition aims to foster critical thinking and scholarly discourse on the vital role of academia in promoting the rule of law and safeguarding human rights in our society.

About the Essay competition

The multifaceted role of academia in upholding the rule of law and human rights in Ethiopia presents a rich tapestry of historical, theoretical, and practical considerations. We, therefore, can begin by examining how academia's involvement has evolved throughout Ethiopian history, drawing parallels to global trends in academic activism and applying diverse theoretical frameworks to analyze its current impact. Further exploration can delve into specific areas of influence, such as how research sheds light on human rights abuses, informs legal reforms, and educates future generations of changemakers. The power of public awareness and dialogue generated by academics through conferences, publications, and public engagement deserves its own spotlight, alongside direct legal and policy advocacy efforts. However, navigating challenges like restricted freedoms and resource constraints necessitates exploring strategies for collaboration, capacity building, and measuring the true impact of academia's contributions. Additionally, focusing on specific disciplines, analyzing human rights within various contexts, and showcasing impactful case studies can offer further nuance and depth to your exploration. Remember, this is your canvas to paint – choose the sub-themes that resonate most with your unique perspective and voice!

Eligibility Requirements

This competition aims to spark critical thinking and scholarly discussion on how academia can strengthen the rule of law and safeguard human rights in Ethiopia. We invite all passionate Ethiopian undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral students in law, political science, philosophy, or related social sciences, currently studying within Ethiopia, to share their thoughts and insights through this essay competition.

Theme of the Essay Competition

The essay competition focuses on the theme "The Role of Academia in Upholding the Rule of Law and Human Rights in Ethiopia." Applicants can either work on the given main topic or can identify a specific sub-theme within this topic that they are passionate about and develop a compelling essay.

Essay Length:   Maximum 3000 words (excluding references, bibliography, and footnotes).

Formatting: They must be typed in English for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 pages, excluding footnotes, and sent as a PDF file. Page size must be standard (8”x11” or A4). The font size may not be smaller than 12 with 1.5 line spacing and applicants are advised to use a font such as Times New Roman, using Calibri that is recognized by a large number of software programs.

Referencing Style: Use a dedicated referencing style (e.g., APA, Harvard, OSCOLA, etc.) for proper citation and to avoid plagiarism.

Originality: Submissions must be original, creative, and unpublished works. Plagiarized or previously published works will be disqualified.

Language: Essays shall be written in professional English.

Deadline: Submit your essay no later than 20 April 2024 . Late submissions will not be accepted.

Limit: Each participant shall submit only one essay.

Submission Method: Submit your essay as an attachment to [email protected] and [email protected] . Use the subject line: "National Essay Competition Submission."

Personal Information: In the body of the E-Mail (but not on the essay parts), provide the following information: full name, contact address, phone number, E-Mail address.

Educational Institution/Organization: Applicants must submit either an enrollment letter or their current registration slips along with their essay.

Evaluation Criteria:

The essays will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Understanding of the concept of the rule of law and human right demonstrated knowledge of the law and policies regarding the rule of law in Ethiopia.
  • Critical analysis and evaluation of legal principles: insightful analysis of the challenges, progress, and gaps in promoting the role of academia in the enhancement of the rule of law in Ethiopia.
  • Originality of Ideas: creative thinking and original perspectives on the topic, proposing innovative ideas for future progress, and the role of young people.
  • Structure: coherence, organization, grammar, overall quality of writing and the adherence to the guidelines.

Selection procedure:

  • Essays received by the deadline are assigned to at least two judges, who return scores to us that are averaged using the mathematical mean to determine finalists. For example, if one judge gives an essay 85/100 and a second judge gives it 75/100, the overall score will be 85+75÷2 or 80/100 (80%).

Awards: The top three essays will receive the following cash prizes:

First Place: 30,000 ETB

Second Place: 25,000 ETB

Third Place: 20,000 ETB

Certificates of Participation

All registered students who timely submit an essay will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Workshop and Presentation: The winning essays will be presented at a workshop organized by ELSA and KAS Office Ethiopia/African Union on 15 May 2024. This workshop will provide authors with the opportunity to showcase their ideas, engage in fruitful discussions, and contribute to the academic and politico-legal community in Ethiopia.

Important Note: By participating in this competition, you grant permission to ELSA and KAS Office Ethiopia/African Union to publish, reproduce, and distribute your essay, with appropriate credit given to the author. However, the copyright of the essay will remain with the author.

Declaration

Please include the following statement on the last page of your essay:

Certification: I, __________________, attest that the attached essay is my own original work. [Include your full name and the date you sent the essay.]

For further questions or inquiries, please contact us at [email protected] , or [email protected]

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national english language essay competition

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The 18th National CLASS Essay Contest

OFFICIAL RULES

(Revised May  2021)

The contestant must be a student currently enrolled in a Mandarin Chinese program during the current school year at an elementary school, a middle school or a high school that is fully accredited by the regional Accreditation institutions like Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), or is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). 

The contestant’s teacher must be a current member of the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS). 

Essays must be written on the provided paper and hand written legibly. Any illegible writing will result in deducted points.  

Eligibility of Contest Entry: All entries must be student’s original independent work*. No contestant may use an essay by another contestant in previous years or resubmit an essay that was a previous submission. CLASS reserves** the right to disqualify contestants with identical essays.

It is the responsibility of the teacher to place the essay contest participants in the most appropriate category commensurate with the student’s background and training. CLASS reserves the right to disqualify a contestant who provides false background and training information.

Each CLASS member may submit up to ten essays in total. 

The length of the essay should be with the minimum of 100 characters, and the maximum of 540 characters (two writing sheets provided by the Essay Contest Committee). All punctuations should be marked in the grid of the writing sheet. 

Essay Contest results will be announced on/before January 31, 2022. Award certificates will be mailed to teachers after the results are finalized.

Each contestant must agree to compete in the assigned division and category as outlined below. Judge will evaluate the contestant’s writing in the division and category that has been registered by the teacher. 

     10. The topic for CLASS 2021 Essay Contest is:             You are going to write about life after the COVID-19 Pandemic. You may choose to write about what you want to do the most,  someone you want to visit the most, the impact the COVID-19 Pandemic had on you and your family/friends, or a story that has happened during the pandemic that you think it is worth writing about and worth sharing. Here are some suggested topics to consider including, but not limited to the following: 

疫情后我最想做的一件事

疫情后我最想见的一个人

疫情中最令我感动的一件事

疫情后我最想做的一件事 

疫情后我最想見的一個人 

疫情中最令我感動的一件事 

 11. Submission:  Please register your students by following this link . All submissions need to be in no later than Saturday, October 23, 2021.

All submissions will be online only this year. 

Copyright © 2024 CLASSK12 All Rights Reserved.

National English Competition XI

"Increasing the Quality of Indonesian Youth in the Era of Digital Transformation Through the Development of 21st Century Skills"

The National English Competition is a prestigious competition for you to express your skills in the field of English competencies. NEC was started in 2012 and continues to grow with many innovations along with the development of era. This competition is organized by Student's Council of the English Department UNIMED. NEC XI brings out the theme " Increasing the Quality of Indonesian Youth in the Era of Digital Transformation Through the Development of 21st Century Skills ". National English Competition XI consisted of competitions for Elementary School, Junior High School, Senior High School, Varsity and Public level throughout Indonesia.

Field of Competition

Kindly Check the Competitions in National English Competition XI

Essay Competition

Check the information of Essay Competition NEC XI.

News Report Competition

Check the information of News Report Competition NEC XI.

English Olympiad

Check the information of English Olympiad NEC XI.

Speech Competition

Check the information of Speech Competition NEC XI.

Poetry Out Loud

Check the information of Poetry Out Lout NEC XI.

Poetry Writing

Check the information of Poetry Writing NEC XI.

Spelling Bee

Check the information of Spelling Bee Competition NEC XI.

Story Telling Competition

Check the information of Story Telling Competition NEC XI.

Singing Competition

Check the information of Singing Competition NEC XI.

Poster Competition

Check the information of Poster Competition NEC XI.

Timeline NEC XI

Prepare yourself to take part in a series of events at National English Competition XI.

16 January 2023 Open Registration

09 April 2023 Deadline Registration

09 April 2023 Deadline Submission of Essay, News Report, Speech, Poetry Writing, Poetry Out Loud, Story Telling, Singing, and Poster

17 April 2023 Announcement Top 5 and 10 Finalists

28 April 2023 Technical Meeting (Live Competition*) NEC XI

*Such as : Spelling Bee, English Olympiad, Poetry Out Loud, Singing, Speech, Story Telling, and Essay Top 10 Finalists Presentation.

03 - 04 May 2023 The Day of National English Competition XI

Latest Information

Check the latest information or announcement about national english competition xi, our event supported by.

Let's be a part of National English Competition XI as Sponsor

For Further Information Check Open Sponsorship NEC XI

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Location NEC XI

National English Competition will be held on Jalan William Iskandar Pasar V, Medan Tembung, Kenangan Baru, Percut Sei Tuan, Kota Medan, Sumatera Utara 20371

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Rochester eighth grader wins local, district and state VFW Patriot's Pen essay contest

May 17—Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) holds essay contests for middle and high school students. The contests offer cash prizes and scholarship opportunities, with different essay themes each year.

Rochester Middle School eighth grader Emily Hammack entered the 2023-2024 Patriot's Pen essay competitions for middle schoolers and won the local Centralia VFW Post 2200's contest, which qualified her for the district level.

Hammack won that, too, and then took first place in the Washington state VFW's contest. As the state level winner, she went on to compete nationally representing Washington, where she wound up placing sixth overall.

Her essay was one of more than 73,000 essays submitted nationally for the 2023-2024 Patriot's Pen contest, according to the VFW's website.

On Tuesday, May 14, Hammack and her family were in downtown Centralia's American Legion Grant Hodge Post 17, where she was honored and congratulated by local and state-level VFW members.

She was also given her final prize check from Washington state VFW Commander Craig Dougherty, state VFW Vice Commander Perry Taylor, state VFW Judge Advocate Frank Persa and VFW Post 2200 Commander Roger Towers.

"Sixth place winner Emily Hammack of Rochester represented the VFW Department of Washington, and was awarded the $2,000 Clyde A. Lewis Department of New York and Auxiliary Award," Dougherty said.

Along with the check, Hammack received an award certificate paired with a portrait of the National VFW Commander-in-Chief Duane Sarmiento and VFW Auxiliary National President Carla Martinez.

"I am here on their behalf to congratulate you and thank you very much for entering," Dougherty said.

The theme for the 2023-2024 Patriot's Pen essay contest asked students "how are you inspired by America?"

"Democracy and the different features are what inspired me, like its rich history," Hammack told The Chronicle. "History is definitely one of the things that inspired me about it."

The essay Hammack wrote and submitted for the Patriot's Pen contest is as follows:

"America inspires me in countless ways. Its rich history, diverse culture, and the values it upholds ignite a fire within me to pursue my dreams and make a difference in the world. The American dream, the belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work, resonates deeply with me. It serves as a constant reminder that no matter where we come from or what our circumstances may be, we have the power to shape our own destinies.

"One of the aspects of American democracy that inspires me the most is the freedom of speech. This fundamental right allows individuals to express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas without fear of persecution. It is through the freedom of speech that progress is made, as it encourages open dialog, the exchange of diverse perspectives, and the challenges of established norms. "This freedom empowers individuals to stand up for what they believe, to advocate for change, and contribute to the betterment of society.

"Another attribute of American democracy that inspires me is the pursuit of equal justice. The United States has a history of fighting for civil rights and striving towards equality for citizens. The principles of fairness, equality, and justice are deeply ingrained in the American ethos. This commitment to equal justice inspires me to be an advocate for those who are marginalized or oppressed, fight against discrimination, and work towards creating a more equal and inclusive society.

"Freedom of speech and individual rights are closely intertwined but not the same. While freedom of speech is one aspect of individual rights, it encompasses much more. Individual rights include a range of freedoms and protections, such as the right to privacy, the right to due process, and the right to equal treatment under law. These rights are essential in upholding the principles of democracy and ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity and respect.

"In conclusion, America's history, culture, and commitment to freedom and justice inspires me to be a better person, and to strive for a better world. The American dream reminds me that anything is possible with hard work. The freedom of speech empowers me to express my thoughts and make my voice heard. The pursuit of equal justice motivates me to fight for equality and stand up against injustice. America's inspiration fuels my passion to make a positive impact and contribute to a society that upholds the values of freedom, equality, and justice for all."

On top of the $2,000 check she received Tuesday, Hammack had already won an additional $750 in cash prizes for winning the local, district and state level VFW Patriot's Pen essay contests leading up to her competing nationally.

While getting ready to start high school after this summer, Hammack is planning on saving the prize money for college.

Though Hammack is no longer eligible to compete in the Patriot's Pen contest, she will be able to compete in the VFW's Voice of Democracy audio essay contest for high school students.

There, she can compete for a share of more than $1 million in scholarship opportunities, including a $35,000 scholarship for the contest winner.

To learn more about both the VFW's Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy contests, including how to enter and submission deadlines, visit https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships .

The VFW is a national nonprofit organization that aims to foster fellowship among U.S. veterans of overseas conflicts along with advocating for veterans resources and programs at the federal level. For more information, visit https://www.vfw.org/ .

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Participate in the 2024 International Essay Contest for Young People!

Japan essays

The Goi Peace Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT), is pleased to announce the commencement of the 2024 International Essay Contest for Young People. This prestigious competition invites Kenyan youth to share their narratives on the theme "My Experience of Overcoming Conflict."

The contest aims to foster a global culture of peace and sustainable development by encouraging young minds to reflect on their personal encounters with conflict and how they have navigated through adversity. Through this platform, participants have the opportunity to inspire and be inspired, showcasing resilience and innovative perspectives that contribute to positive change.

To participate, interested individuals are encouraged to visit https://www.goipeace.or.jp/en/ for detailed guidelines and submission requirements. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm (EAT), Saturday, 15th June, 2024.

This is an exceptional chance for Kenyan youth to voice their stories and insights on overcoming conflict, contributing to a world where peace and understanding prevail. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your mark on the global stage and inspire others with your experiences.

For more information and to submit your entry, visit https://www.goipeace.or.jp/en/     https://www.goipeace.or.jp. Let your story be heard and celebrated as we work together towards a brighter, more harmonious future.

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COMMENTS

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