2020 essay contests high school
Some legitimate contests do charge small entry fees, but often a fee can be a red flag for a scam, so those might be the ones you want to stay away from. Besides, there are plenty of free writing contests that encourage and inspire boundless creativity with real cash prizes and career-advancing opportunities! Since it can be hard for a writer to know where to find them, we did the legwork for you. We found 37 reputable, well-reviewed, free writing contests for poets, fiction writers, essayists and more. Ready to share your novel or personal essay with the world? Here are some fiction and nonfiction writing contests worth considering.
37 Free Writing Contests: Legitimate Competitions With Cash Prizes
With our free chancing engine, admissions timeline, and personalized recommendations, our free guidance platform gives you a clear idea of what you need to be doing right now and in the future. There are some unique skills that are harder than others to capture on the college application.
Students who excel at sports will often have a long list of tangible achievements. Students who produce fine arts or participate in student leadership programs will easily find ways to highlight their participation in these extracurriculars on college applications. But writers will often have a harder time highlighting the skills, time, and energy put into perfecting the craft of writing.
If you are a student who excels at writing, how can you draw attention to your abilities and dedication on your college application? Are high grades in the humanities and a well-written essay enough? How can you show that this skill is something you pursue as an extracurricular activity outside of regular school hours? Writing contests are a great way to highlight your dedication to and success in writing. Winning a writing contest does much more than simply look good on your college application.
Many serious writing contests at the high school level offer prizes. Some are cash awards, and others come in the form of a scholarship, often to a summer writing program. Winning a writing contest can also help you to form and nurture a lasting relationship with the institute that hosts the contest. Additionally, numerous writing contests offer multiple levels of recognition, so you do not have to be the top winner to earn a title that will look good on your college application.
Below are sixteen distinguished writing contests across all genres, open to high school students. Read on to learn about eligibility, prizes, submissions deadlines, and more! Important Dates: January: Annual essay topic released. February Submission deadline. May: Winners announced. Full Rules Available Here. Prizes: Students judged as having superior writing skills receive a certificate and a letter.
Their names also appear on the NCTE website. In , high school juniors were nominated, and of them, received Certificates for Superior Writing. The number of nominees allowed from each school depends on their enrollment. Important Dates: October: Writing theme released. November to Mid-February: Entries accepted. About: This contest begins regionally and progresses to the national level.
Local organizations host regional competitions and winners from these are sent on for national consideration. This is a huge contest and it received nearly , entries in 29 categories across writing and the arts in Of those entries, 85, were recognized at the regional level and 2, received national medals. There are several sponsored cash awards at the national level, ranging by genre and sponsor, and some National Medal winners will be selected for scholarships to colleges or summer programs as well.
Important Dates: Regional deadlines vary; search for yours here. National winners are announced in the spring and the National Ceremony is held in June each year. About: This is a reading and writing contest sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
It invites students to write a letter to the author living or dead of a book, poem, or speech that has affected them personally. Letters are judged at state and national levels. Who is Eligible: Students in grades Important Dates: Submission deadline vary according to level and state. About: Princeton University hosts two contests for high school juniors.
One is a poetry contest judged by members of the Princeton University Creative Writing faculty. They offer no information about how many entrants they receive each year, but in the past 20 years, at least five winners have gone on to become Princeton students. Important Dates: The Poetry Contest submission period for is now closed; dates for school year have not been announced. The Ten-Minute Play Contest will publish new application materials this fall; submissions are due April 2, with winners announced online by June 6, An interdisciplinary contest, it welcomes art, poetry, prose, and film entries.
Though it is only five years old, it is rapidly growing. The theme changes each year, but it always relates to the connection between humans and the ocean. Important Dates: The contest opened on Sept. Winners are announced in January Genre of Writing: Poetry or prose and an accompanying reflection piece.
In , it received more than 2, submissions. Important Dates: Submissions will be accepted starting September 4, until November 1, Winners announced after April 15, Genre of Writing: Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction personal or academic essay , fewer than words.
The contest, founded in , is designed to encourage young writers to create new pieces for the stage. Important Dates: Submission deadline is May 1, and winners are announced in the fall. Genre of Writing: minute single act plays suitable for school productions.
About: The National YoungArts Foundation was founded in with a mission to identify and support the next generation of artists in the visual, design, literary, and performing arts. Thousands of students apply each year and winners attend weeklong programs offered in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami. At these programs, students participate in workshops with master artists. It is also the only path to nomination for the U. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
Prizes: Regional Honorable Mentions are invited to participate in regional workshops. Finalists are also eligible for a U. Presidential Scholar in the Arts nomination. Who is Eligible: Students in grades or ages , U. Genre of Writing: Creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, or spoken word. About: The Kenyon Review literary magazine of Kenyon College sponsors this writing contest aimed at encouraging and recognizing outstanding young poets.
Prizes: First place winner receives a full scholarship to the weeklong Kenyon Review summer program. Two runners-up receive partial scholarships. All three award-winning pieces are published in The Kenyon Review. About: The Claremont Review is an international magazine for young writers.
It publishes poetry, short stories, short plays, graphic art, and photography twice annually in issues released in the spring and fall. All winners and honorable mentions are published in the fall issue of the magazine. Who is Eligible: Young adults aged may submit previously unpublished work written in English. Important Dates: Submissions are open from January 15 to March 15 each year.
Winners are announced in May. About: Slightly different in structure, this award is a scholarship rather than a traditional writing contest. It was endowed by Richard G. Zimmerman, a member of the National Press Club who died in One annual scholarship is awarded to a high school senior who intends to pursue a career in journalism.
Applicants must submit three samples of journalistic work along with three letters of recommendation, a high school transcript, a signed copy of the financial aid form FAFSA , and a letter of acceptance to college or documentation of where you have applied. Who is Eligible: High school seniors who seek to pursue a career in journalism. Important Dates: Applications must be postmarked by March 1 each year. About: Signet Classics, an imprint of Penguin Books, has hosted this high school essay contest annually for 21 years.
Essays must be submitted by an English teacher on behalf of his or her student, and must respond to one of five prompts on the annually selected text. The text is The Tempest. Who is Eligible: High school juniors and seniors, and home-schooled students who are between the ages of ; students must reside in the fifty United States and the District of Columbia. Important Dates: Entries for the contest must be postmarked by April 14, and received on or before April 21, Winners will be announced at the end of June.
Students should consult the contest Companion Guide to help shape their answers and must also submit a list of references used. Students may be attending a public, private, or parochial school. Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted. Important Dates: Entries must be submitted by March 15, Winners are announced in July. Level of Competition: Very Competitive.
About: Sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute, this essay contest challenges students to think critically and creatively about the rights of the people and how they impact the greater society. The prompt asks students to specifically consider civil disobedience and think critically about whether peaceful resistance to laws positively or negatively impacts a free society. Students are encouraged to use specific examples and current events to back up their thinking.
Who is Eligible: U.
The Princeton University Poetry Contest recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the 11th grade. Prizes: First Prize – $, Second Prize – $, Third. The Ultimate Guide to Student Writing Contests. Help your students take their writing to the next level. Betsy Potash on March 12, When students write for.
Interested candidates can apply for the competition until 31st May The Admission Writer is organizing the competition to provide scholarships for outstanding students to pursue their further studies. The candidates should meet the given criteria for the Essay Writing Competition for Students Three authors from the winning essays will get cash prizes.
Jump to navigation.
Show expired contests. Manage a competition?
Page Header
Where young writers can find print and online literary magazines to read, places to publish their own works, and legitimate contests. For specific submission guidelines, visit the publication's website. Ages can include elementary, teen, or early college. This is an ad-free resource: publications and writing contests listed here have not paid to be included. This guide is maintained by Editor Denise Hill, a teacher who loves to encourage young writers. Safety Matters!
The CollegeVine Ultimate Guide to High School Writing Contests
In a world where J. Here, I compiled a list of 33 writing contests for teens. Genres include: fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenplays, and plays. But speaking from personal experience, you never know unless you try. Rejections will pile up for young authors, but so will acceptances accompanied by whoops and fist pumps. Ocean Awareness Student Contest. Rattle Young Poets Anthology. This is an anthology to look back on the past and view your younger work with pride. Inkitt Novel Contest. If you have a novel over 20, words, submit it to this quarterly contest where a community of readers will read your story.
Hosted by: The Adroit Journal Eligibility: Open to all high school, college, and university students from around the world.
Write a letter from yourself in to your present self, in which you describe the state of the world, the way people are living, and what you, yourself, are doing in society. In addition, include any important message that you might wish to tell your present self.
Writing Contests
Regardless where you are on your writing journey—from wannabe to bestseller—you can benefit from entering contests. Because the right contest can tell you: Where you stand How you measure up against the competition What you still need to learn Not to mention, you could… [Continue reading below]. Description : Each month Prime Number Magazine invites writers to submit a word story based on a prompt. Note: Only U. Description : For mid-career authors who have just published their 3rd, 4th, or 5th fiction book. Self-published books and English translations are also considered. Prize : The winning authors tour several colleges, giving readings, lecturing, visiting classes, conducting workshops, and publicizing their books. Description : Every year since , the Association has honored newly published writers with an award for a first published volume of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. This award seeks to encourage young and emerging writers of contemporary fiction. Description : Seeking page or longer collections of fiction by writers who have not previously traditionally published a novel or fiction collection. Description : Mary Lee established the Award in to recognize excellent literary fiction. It accepts published books and is peer-juried. Published novels or nonfiction books are welcome. Authors must have three or fewer books published, including the submission.
Your Ultimate Guide to Writing Contests Through 2021
With our free chancing engine, admissions timeline, and personalized recommendations, our free guidance platform gives you a clear idea of what you need to be doing right now and in the future. There are some unique skills that are harder than others to capture on the college application. Students who excel at sports will often have a long list of tangible achievements. Students who produce fine arts or participate in student leadership programs will easily find ways to highlight their participation in these extracurriculars on college applications. But writers will often have a harder time highlighting the skills, time, and energy put into perfecting the craft of writing. If you are a student who excels at writing, how can you draw attention to your abilities and dedication on your college application? Are high grades in the humanities and a well-written essay enough?
