16 Writing Competitions for High School Students
Writing competitions offer high school students a structured way to challenge themselves academically while exploring their interests through writing. Preparing a submission often involves researching a topic, developing an argument or narrative, and revising your work to communicate ideas clearly and effectively. Participating in writing competitions can also add meaningful experiences to your CV and strengthen future academic applications, including your college statement of purpose.
Why should you participate in writing competitions in high school?
Writing competitions provide an accessible way to deepen your skills in a subject while practicing the habits required for strong academic work. As you prepare an entry, you learn how to organize your ideas, support your claims with evidence, and refine your writing through editing and revision. Many contests also involve strict deadlines and word limits, which help you develop time management and concise writing skills. Over time, these experiences can help you build confidence in your writing while gaining exposure to new topics and approaches.
To help you explore your options, we’ve narrowed down our list to 16 writing competitions for high school students.
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1. Singularity: AI Essay Contest by Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost and Prizes: Winners will receive up to $2,490 in scholarships toward any Veritas AI program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6 winners
Dates: Submissions open March 23, winners announced on May 16.
Application deadline: April 26. Submit your essay here!
Eligibility: Students from any country enrolled in high school (grades 9–12) are eligible to apply.
Singularity: AI Essay Contest is an international essay competition where high school students write about the future of AI - its risks, its possibilities, and what it means for the world. Prompts are contributed and judged by researchers from MIT, Harvard, and Oxford. Free to enter and open worldwide,winners receive up to $2,490 in scholarships to any Veritas AI programs. (edited)
2. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Location: U.S. and Canada
Cost and Prizes: $10/entry and $30/portfolio; scholarships range from $500 – $12,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~1% for National Gold Medals
Dates: January 28 (regional announcement | March 25 (national announcement) | June 9 – 11 (awards week)
Application Deadline: Varies by region (typically December to early-January)
Eligibility: Students in grades 7-12
The Scholastic writing competition is one of the longest-running creative writing programs for high school students in the United States. You can enter work across 28 categories, including critical essays, science fiction, poetry, journalism, and personal memoirs. Submissions are first judged at the regional level, where students can earn Gold or Silver Keys, before moving to national adjudication. The program focuses on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. National medalists are often celebrated at Carnegie Hall and gain access to a network of prestigious alumni in the arts and literature.
3. Horizon Academic Essay Prize
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: Free; $1,000 + $6,450 scholarship (Grand Visionary Prize), $500 + $4,000 scholarship (Grand Innovator Prize), $250 + $3,000 scholarship (Grand Excellence Prize)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners
Dates: March 8 (award ceremony)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school students
The Horizon Academic Essay Prize is one of several international writing competitions that challenge high school students to examine complex questions through critical analysis. In this contest, you write an essay that presents an argument supported by research and structured reasoning. Submissions are evaluated by academic reviewers who assess originality, analytical depth, and the effective use of evidence. Essays are reviewed through a multi-stage evaluation process that may involve multiple judges and additional review for top entries. The judging criteria emphasize clear organization, persuasive reasoning, and engagement with counterarguments.
4. The Concord Review
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: $70; exceptional authors receive the Emerson Prize
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~5% publication rate
Dates: Quarterly publication cycle
Application Deadline: August 1 (Winter), November 1 (Spring), February 1 (Summer), and May 1 (Fall)
Eligibility: Secondary school students
The Concord Review is a quarterly journal that publishes history research papers by secondary students to scholarly standards. These articles address historical issues with extensive research and original standpoints. Submissions must be approximately 5,000 to 10,000 words, supported by extensive primary source research and formal citations. This writing competition is considered a high academic honor for high schoolers, signaling a student’s readiness for Ivy League-level research. The journal does not provide feedback; it only selects papers that demonstrate mastery of historical evidence.
5. Lumiere Scholars Essay Award
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: Free; Over $11,000 across the winners in cash prizes and scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6 winners
Dates: May 17 (result announcement)
Application Deadline: April 26
Eligibility: High school students
The Lumiere Scholars Essay Award is an essay-based writing competition that invites high school students to investigate questions across academic disciplines. In this contest, you select a topic from several prompts that interests you and develop an argument supported by research and evidence. Essays are reviewed by an academic advisory committee made up of professors and researchers who evaluate submissions for analytical depth and clarity of communication. The competition encourages participants to examine assumptions, consider multiple perspectives, and present well-supported conclusions. Through the writing process, you practice organizing complex ideas into a structured academic essay.
6. YoungArts National Arts Competition
Location: United States; National YoungArts Week is in Miami
Cost and Prizes: $35 application fee (waivers available). Winners receive $10,000; Winners with Distinction win the Lin Arison Excellence in Writing Award ($50,000) and are invited to National YoungArts Week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~6% Winners; the top 1% win Winners with Distinction
Dates: January 4 – 11 (National YoungArts Week)
Application Deadline: October 8
Eligibility: Students ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12 who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
Managed by the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists, this program identifies promising young artists in the U.S. Categories include fiction, nonfiction, play or script, poetry, and spoken word. Finalists are invited to attend National YoungArts Week in Miami, where they participate in masterclasses and public readings. The most significant benefit is the potential to be nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. Winners also receive lifetime access to mentorship and funding opportunities within the YoungArts alumni community.
7. John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize
Location: International (awards ceremony in Oxford or London)
Cost and Prizes: Free; Overall grand prize: $10,000 scholarship and honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship | Subject category prizes: $5,000 scholarship (1st place); $2,000 scholarship (2nd place); $1,000 scholarship (3rd place)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners/category; 1 overall winner
Dates: October 2 – 4 (academic conference)
Application Deadline: March 31 (registration deadline); May 31 (submission deadline)
Eligibility: Students who are 18 years old and under
This writing competition asks students to address complex, multidisciplinary questions in Law, Economics, Politics, History, Philosophy, and more. Essays are evaluated on their logical consistency, clarity of thought, and ability to handle counter-arguments. The prompts are designed to be challenging, often forcing students to move beyond standard school curricula. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an academic conference and awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. You can submit essays in as many categories as you prefer, but only one per category.
8. The New York Times Student Writing Contests
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: Free; Winners are published on The New York Times Learning Network
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple contests throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by contest
Eligibility: Students aged 13-19
The New York Times hosts a series of annual challenges, including the Opinion Writing Contest, the Review Contest, the Personal Narrative Contest, and more. Each competition focuses on a different genre of journalistic or creative writing. Winners see their work published alongside professional journalism, providing a massive global platform. The criteria focus on your ability to use evidence, create a compelling hook, and adhere to professional style guidelines. Overall, these writing competitions measure your ability to communicate with a broad, adult audience.
9. Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Location: United States
Cost and Prizes: Free;$10,000 (first place), $3,000 (second place), $1,000 (each for three finalists)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5 winners
Dates: Winners will be notified by the end of May
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
Sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, this writing competition requires you to submit an essay of 700 to 1,000 words. You must analyze an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1917. The essay must utilize at least five varied sources and demonstrate an understanding of the difference between political popularity and courage. The program emphasizes originality, historical research, and persuasive writing. The first-place winner is invited to receive their award at the JFK Library in Boston.
10. Bennington College Young Writers Awards
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: Free; $2,000 (first place), $1,000 (second place), $500 (third place). Young Writers Award (YWA) winners are eligible for undergraduate scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners/category
Dates: Winners are announced in the spring
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12
The Bennington College Young Writers Awards is an annual event that recognizes original writing by high school students across several genres. In this writing competition, you may submit work in poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, with each category accepting pieces within a defined word limit. Judges evaluate writing for creativity, clarity, and effective storytelling or argumentation. Selected pieces may also be published on the Bennington College website and shared through related media projects. For high school students exploring writing competitions across multiple genres, the program encourages experimentation with creative and academic writing.
11. AFSA National High School Essay Contest
Location: United States
Cost and Prizes: Free; $2,500 cash prize, an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C., and a scholarship for a Semester at Sea
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1 winner and runner-up
Dates: Winner announced in June
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
This writing competition for high school students is hosted by the American Foreign Service Association and focuses on international relations and diplomacy. The prompts vary year to year, but typically ask students to identify a global challenge and explain how the U.S. Foreign Service can work with international partners to address it. Essays must be 1,000 to 1,250 words and require a mix of historical analysis and policy recommendations. The winner gets to meet with leadership at the U.S. Department of State and experience an educational voyage. It’s ideal for students interested in law, government, or international affairs.
12. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: $15 entry fee (waivers available); winners receive $200 and publication
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2 winners
Dates: Winners are typically announced in the fall
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Secondary and undergraduate students
This writing competition is judged by professional poets and novelists who are often alumni of top MFA programs. There are no themes; the judges look for the best unpublished poetry and prose by young writers. Each poetry submission may include up to 5 poems, and each prose submission may include up to 3 works of fiction or creative nonfiction. Since the journal also publishes established adults, high school winners gain the prestige of appearing alongside professional writers. The journal also offers an intensive summer mentorship program for students with high potential.
13. Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: Free; prizes up to $1,000 for gold medalists
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~300 students receive recognition across tiers
Dates: Award announcements are in late fall
Application Deadline: June 8
Eligibility: Students ages 11-18
This is the world’s largest environmental youth competition, specifically focusing on the intersection of art and science. The latest theme is "Your Story, Our Ocean," requiring a written piece (creative writing, poetry, or journalism) that explores personal connections to the marine environment. The judges look for work that demonstrates environmental literacy and a call to action. Submissions are categorized into Junior and Senior divisions, with several special awards for voice and advocacy. It is highly prestigious for students to build a profile in environmental science or activism.
14. Ayn Rand The Fountainhead Essay Contest
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: Free; $3,000 (first place), $2,000 (second place), $1,000 (third place) + up to $25,000 in scholarship prizes
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 9 winners
Dates: Seasonal prompts every 3 months
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: 8th to 12th graders
This writing competition requires a deep analytical essay on Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead. Among writing competitions centered on literature, this contest emphasizes argumentative writing and close reading of a single text. You must choose one of three philosophical prompts and develop an essay that explains your interpretation of the novel’s ideas while supporting your position with textual evidence. The program is looking for a strong grasp of Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism and its application to the characters and events in the book. Judges evaluate submissions based on clarity, organization, and the strength of the argument presented.
15. Davidson Fellows Scholarship (Literature)
Location: National
Cost and Prizes: $100,000, $50,000, and $25,000 scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~20 Fellows across all categories
Dates: Winners are notified on or before July 15
Application Deadline: February 18
Eligibility: U.S. citizens/permanent residents under the age of 18
The Davidson Fellows program is technically a scholarship, but it functions as a high-level competition for a single piece of work or portfolio. In the Literature category, students must submit a 60- to 75-page body of work (e.g., a collection of poems or a novel) that demonstrates writing achievement and the potential to make a significant contribution to society. Your portfolio must include three of the following genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, or screenplay. The application requires a formal process, including letters of recommendation and a detailed process/work description. Winners are honored at an annual ceremony in Washington, D.C.
16. Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers
Location: International
Cost and Prizes: Free; the winner receives a full scholarship to a Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1 winner, 2 runner-ups
Dates: Winners are announced in March
Application Deadline: November 30
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
In this writing competition for high school students, you submit a single unpublished poem that is evaluated for its originality, craft, and clarity of expression. Selected finalists have their work published in The Kenyon Review, providing exposure to a well-known literary journal. The competition also connects recognition of writing with further learning opportunities through scholarships for Kenyon Young Writers workshops. By participating, you gain experience preparing and submitting original work to a formal literary contest.
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Tyler Moulton is Head of Academics and Veritas AI Partnerships with 6 years of experience in education consulting, teaching, and astronomy research at Harvard and the University of Cambridge, where they developed a passion for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Tyler is passionate about connecting high-achieving students to advanced AI techniques and helping them build independent, real-world projects in the field of AI.