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11 Biology Academic Competitions for High Schoolers

What’s covered:, biology academic competitions for high school students, how to find the best biology academic competitions for you, how do biology academic competitions affect my admissions chances.

Traditionally, many students have pursued a college degree in biology to become a doctor or do research in the biological sciences. Recently, however, biology majors have been prime candidates for biotech companies. Regardless of the career path you want to pursue, if you’re thinking about getting a degree in biology in college, it might be helpful to show some demonstrated interest in the subject while you’re still in high school.

Academic competitions centered around biology are a great way for students to show their interest in the field and to demonstrate their experience with biological themes. Both of these things can really make your college applications stand out from the crowd. Additionally, you can gain valuable team-building and teamwork skills through many of these competitions. These skills are very important to have in most biology-related careers, including laboratory research, medicine, and biotechnology.

1. The Plant the Moon Challenge

Registration Dates: Open until January 20, 2023 (Space Grant application open until December 16, 2022)

Type: International

Judged by NASA scientists, the Plant the Moon Challenge is a global competition that connects biology and astronomy in order to help humanity explore the next frontiers of space—the Moon and Mars.

Teams will receive real lunar soil simulant from the University of Central Florida’s CLASS Exolith Lab around February 2023. Using their own experimental parameters, the teams will grow plants for 10 weeks and create a final report on their findings. All participants with completed projects will be invited to showcase their projects at a virtual symposium, where Best-in-Show awards will be presented to teams with the best experiments.

2. The ASHG National DNA Day Essay Contest

Submission Dates: Submission site open from early January 2023 to early March 2023

To commemorate National DNA Day, April 25, the American Society of Human Genetics holds an annual essay contest. The essay topic varies from year to year, but always asks students to examine, question, and reflect on important concepts in genetics. The 2023 essay theme is “One Humanity, Many Genomes.” 

Within 750 words, students in grades 9 through 12 will explain what that phrase means to them while also examining what makes genomes unique and how advances in understanding our genome impact our lives every day. Prizes awarded to students include $1,000, $600, and $400 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, respectively. These amounts are also awarded to winners’ schools in genetics materials grants. There are 10 honorable mention prizes of $100 each.

3. Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair

Registration Dates: Vary by state (Most between late 2022 and Feb. 2023)

Type: Affiliated Regional and State Fairs to Qualify, but ISEF is International

The Regeneron ISEF is a pre-college science competition open to students in grades 9 through 12. There are 21 STEM subcategories in which students may compete. Biology subcategories include Animal Sciences, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, and Microbiology. Students must first win an affiliated local or state fair to gain entry to the ISEF regionals and nationals.

1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places are awarded in each category with prizes of $5,000, $2,000, $1,000, and $500, respectively. There are also Top Awards given to selected 1st place category winners, which range from $10,000 to $75,000. Additional awards are granted in the form of scholarships, internships, and other prizes to hundreds of student Finalists.

4. The MIT THINK Scholars Program

Registration Dates: Open from November 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023

Type: National

While other competitions tend to involve completing a project, the MIT THINK Scholars Program involves researching and proposing a project. Entries in the competition are written research proposals outlining a novel STEM idea. Many past finalists and winners have submitted biology-centric proposals, making this program a great option for aspiring biology majors.

Semifinalists will be chosen for a round of interviews. After the interview stage, up to six finalists will be selected. Finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to MIT’s campus, scientific mentorship, and funding to implement their proposed projects during the spring of 2023. All finalists will be designated as MIT THINK Scholars upon successful completion of their projects the following May.

5. The BioGENEius Challenge

Registration Dates: Vary by state (Typically between January and late March annually)

Type: Local and Regional Competitions, finalists nationwide present at the BIO International Convention in Boston

The Biotechnology Institute’s flagship BioGENEius Challenge is a competition in which students submit research projects in one of three categories: Global Healthcare, Global Sustainability, and Global Environment.

Finalists representing the top 5% of applicants in state and regional competitions will win a trip to showcase their research at the BIO International Convention to 16,000 attendees and a panel of expert judges. Winners of the International competition will receive trophies and thousands of dollars in cash prizes.

6. Regeneron Science Talent Search

Registration Dates: Opens June 1, 2023 and closes in mid-November 2023

The Regeneron STS is the oldest science and math competition for high school seniors in the United States. In this competition, students present original science or math research, conducted independently or in collaboration with teams at universities, hospitals, or private research laboratories. There are many past finalists who have presented projects in biology and biotechnology.

300 semifinalist scholars are awarded $2,000, along with $2,000 for their respective high schools. The top 40 finalists chosen from the 300 semifinalist scholars win a trip to Washington, DC, where they will present their research to thousands of visitors. The top 10 finalists will be awarded prizes ranging from $40,000 to $250,000, the largest scientific prize available to United States high school students.

7. The National Ocean Sciences Bowl

Registration Dates: Vary by state (Registration is usually around the end of the year, as competitions take place around February)

Type: 25 Regional Bowls, finalists of each regional competition compete in National Finals

Students compete in regional bowls, competitions that involve answering timed oral and written questions about ocean-related STEM topics such as biology, chemistry, ecology, and technology. The top team in each regional bowl will compete in the NOSB National Finals Competition.

The top eight teams in the National Finals will receive a variety of prizes ranging from textbooks and gift certificates, with the 1st and 2nd place teams also receiving experiential summer award trips that include unique hands-on field and laboratory experience in the marine sciences.

8. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship

Registration Dates: Now until February 15. 2023 (applications reviewed on a rolling basis)

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is one of the most prestigious undergraduate scholarships in the U.S. There are multiple scholarship categories including science, robotics, mathematics, engineering, literature, music, philosophy, and “out of the box.” The science category includes fields like biology.

In the science category, students submit a formal research report with a visual model describing the subject of their research. The best projects in each category are awarded $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships.

9. The Genes in Space Challenge

Registration Dates: Typically opens in mid-January

Students design a DNA experiment that addresses challenges in space travel and deep space exploration. Topics are at the students’ discretion and can cover any topic within the field of space biology, from bacterial cell growth to the human immune system. A hypothesis is developed and tested and a final project is submitted around mid-April.

30 semifinalists win small prizes, and five finalists receive mentoring from scientists from Harvard and MIT. The five finalists also present proposals to a panel of judges for a chance to win the national grand prize—a Space Biology Camp experience, a trip to the Kennedy Space Center, and a launch of the winning experiment into space, where astronauts aboard the International Space Station will conduct it!

10. Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) Program

Registration Dates: Vary by region (Most between Nov. 2022 and February 2023)

Type: Multi-level (Regional, State, National)

Sponsored by the US military, the JSHS program is a series of competitions intended to mentor students and prepare them for careers in STEM. Students from grades 9 through 12 conduct original research and present it at regional symposia.

Winners of regional competitions present at the JSHS National Symposium. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in regional competitions are awarded $2,000, $1,500, and $1,000, respectively. Each of the 1st place national finalists is awarded $12,000. 2nd place finalists win $8,000, and 3rd place finalists win $4,000.

11. The iGEM Competition

Registration Dates: Typically open from until April annually

In the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition, student teams from around the world design, build, and test projects using synthetic biology. Teams are free to choose their project topic, as long as it is within the field of synthetic biology.

Experimental design and implementation generally occur from February to August, at which point teams should document their findings and construct their reports. Teams present their projects at the annual iGEM Grand Jamboree, near the end of the year, where a massive panel of hundreds of judges cast their votes. Winning teams will receive gold, silver, or bronze medals.

It’s not always clear which academic competitions are worth entering and which ones you should pass on. To help you in your competition search, here are some quick rules of thumb to follow:

Find competitions in topics that you are interested in. If you’re interested in neuroscience, don’t look at competitions that focus on botany. Many competitions specialize in a certain STEM field, so this could narrow down your options considerably.

Be realistic about what you can and can’t handle. Some competitions require you to submit a simple essay, whereas some require you to build your own invention and prototype. Be honest about how advanced your skillset is and what you have time for as a student. There’s no use in signing up for a competition only to drop later or submit a product that is not your best work.

Talk to your counseling office. Many high school counselors or college advisors have a repository of interesting opportunities for their students, including academic competitions. Go to your counseling office and see if your school offers any such resources.

Use your teachers. In particular, your science teachers. Your teachers may be a great resource in helping you find a competition that is right for you. They may also serve as a great mentor and assistant as you create your competition submission. Don’t be afraid to approach these people for help!

Your participation in STEM competitions can influence your chances at college admission, but this depends on many factors, including the scope of the event (e.g., state vs. national), the prestige of the event, your individual performance in the event, the event’s connections to or sponsorships by certain colleges, and even how much weight a college places on extracurricular activities in general.

There are four tiers of extracurricular activities that colleges think about when reviewing applicants’ activities. Selective, competitive, and prestigious activities are often found in the top tiers, Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tier 1 includes things such as being a highly recruited basketball player or an award-winning national science fair competitor. Tier 2 is similar, but is usually reserved for activities that are more common than those in Tier 1. Tiers 3 and 4 are reserved for more common extracurricular achievements, such as holding school leadership positions or being a member of a debate team.

Very prestigious national STEM events such as the Regeneron Science Talent Search and iGEM are Tier 1 events whereas regional or local competitions may fall more into Tier 3 or Tier 4, depending on the competition and your performance.

Do you want to get a sense of how the STEM event you competed in might change your admissions chances at your dream college? CollegeVine has created a free chancing calculator to estimate your odds of getting into hundreds of different colleges and universities! It uses a multitude of factors such as your high school grades, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities, while also providing feedback on how you can improve your odds.

For More Information

Want to find more academic competitions for high schoolers? Check out these other blog posts:

• 8 STEM Competitions For High Schoolers
• 11 Academic Competitions To Boost Your High School Profile

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

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Dedicated to the advancement of research in all branches of cell biology.

Science Writing Prize

Communicating science in words that are engaging and understandable is vital at many levels. The BSCB Science Writing Prize was launched in 2009 to encourage and reward high quality writing on topics of key relevance to cell biology. Entrants have either communicated their own research projects or science stories in the literature, in a clear and concise way aimed at a non-specialist audience, or written essays that were not be limited to research  per se,  but tackled a bioethical or science policy issue. The BSCB Science Writing Prize aims to encourage writing skill development in young researchers rather than seasoned veterans ( see rules below ).

The competition entry deadline is usually in February/March and will be posted in our news section on the homepage of the website and communicated to members by email.

The deadline for entries this year (2024) is March 31st.  Prize winners will be announced at the joint BSCB/Biochemical Society Cell Migration meeting in April 2024.

The winner of the 2023 competition is Aleksandra Pluta from University of Oxford

You can read the winning entry here.

General Rules: The winner receives  a prize of £500  and has their winning entry  published in the BSCB magazine and online  (both on the BSCB website and subject to editorial acceptance on the excellent  www.lablit.com  website). Normally the prize is presented before one of the main plenary talks at the annual BSCB Spring Conference.

Each year shortlisted entries are judged by an external expert. In previous years we have enlisted the kind help of Tim Radford (Writer and former Science Editor at The Guardian), Viv Parry (Science Writer and Columnist), Tania Hershman (Science writer, former science journalist and writer-in-residence at Bristol University), Dr. Jenny Rohn (a cell biologist at UCL, who is also a science writer, novelist, blogger, broadcaster, the editor of  LabLit.com  and the founder and chair of Science is Vital) and Barbara Melville (science writer, former writer-in-residence at the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine and board member with the Association of British Science Writers).

Remember: You must be a BSCB member to enter. The full rules and how to enter can be found  here.

Previous Winners

Bscb science writing prize 2020.

One for all, all for one, or – what does it take to be multicellular? When people think of biology, ‘big’ often comes to mind: elephants, whales, redwoods. A closer look, though, reveals that the vast majority of organisms are in fact unicellular: think bacteria, archaea, and countless algae and fungi. But what does it […]

Read more...

• BSCB Science Writing Prize 2019
• BSCB Science Writing Prize 2018
• BSCB Writing Prize 2017
• BSCB Science Writing Prize 2016
• BSCB Science Writing Prize 2015
• Science Writing Prize 2015
• Science Writing Prize 2014
• BSCB Science Writing Prize 2013
• BSCB Science Writing Prize 2012

Essay Contest

Congratulations to the 2024 Essay Contest winners !

About the Contest

The Lasker Essay Contest engages early career scientists and clinicians from the US and around the globe in a discussion about big questions in biology and medicine and the role of biomedical research in our society today. The Contest aims to build skills in communicating important medical and scientific issues to broad audiences. The topic is announced annually in early February, and winners are announced in mid-July.

Eligibility

The Contest is open to medical school students, interns, residents, and fellows; doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in biomedical sciences; and graduate students training in health professions programs e.g., public health, dental, pharmacy, etc who are currently doing research. Applicants (from the US or any other countries) must be currently participating in an educational program. This program may be located in any country.

Winners will receive up to $5,000. Monetary prizes will be directed to the winner’s university to be used towards the winner’s educational expenses.

Essays should be 800 words or less and must be written in English. We allow only one essay submission per applicant, and the essay must be written by a single author. The use of any generative AI tool (e.g. ChatGPT) in composing an entry is prohibited – all essays will be screened with software designed to detect use of AI. Essays need to be original; content previously published will be disqualified.The file containing the essay should include the essay title and the applicant’s name, email, and institutional affiliation. The 800-word limit applies to the body of the essay. Field-specific scientific jargon should be avoided or explained.

Evaluation Criteria

Essays will be evaluated based on their originality, quality of writing, style, and clarity. Essays that are not written in English or are longer than 800 words will not be considered.

Publication

The winning essays will be published in the July issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation .

All Winners

Meet the Winners of the 2024 Essay Contest and Read the Essays

Meet the Winners of the 2023 Essay Contest and Read the Essays

Meet the Winners of the 2022 Lasker Essay Contest

The 2022 Lasker Essay Contest

Meet the Winners of the 2021 Lasker Essay Contest

The 2021 Lasker Essay Contest

Winners of the 2020 Lasker Essay Contest

Winners of the 2019 Lasker Essay Contest

Winners of the 2018 Essay Contest

Winners of the 2017 Essay Contest

Winners of the 2016 Essay Contest

Winners of 2015 Essay Contest: The “Research Challenge”

2014 Essay Contest: Supporting Medical Research

Read the winning essays.

Kevin S. Blake Missing microbiomes: global underrepresentation restricts who research will benefit

Catherine M. Bridges Illuminating maternal sepsis: a call for improved recognition and prevention

Andrea M. Maxwell What happens to the brain during pregnancy?

A Subashan Vadibeler The (unresolved) antibody paradox

Sarah Voss The enemy of my enemy is my friend

Allison R. Chen Research Training in an AI World

Louise O. Downs Is a Test Better Than No Test When There Is No Treatment?

Ayush Kumar Using HG1222 — A Perspective Into the Ethics of Collecting Biospecimens

Salman E. Qasim The Human Brain: The Final Frontier and the Wild West

Sneha P. Rath Cementing the Bricks

Kaelyn Cummins Microbes, Medicine, and Astronauts: Reflections on a Collaborative Project

Azmina Karukappadath Two Fields, One Dream

Hussain Lalani I Would Be Scared if I Heard That Too

Rutvij Merchant Pathways to Global Health Equity: More Seats, Fresh Perspectives

Kirti Nath Puzzles

Avik Ray Unified Diversity: The Team Game

Ziad Ali What Happens Now?

Banafsheh Nazari Embracing Technology, the Pandemic’s Lesson for Us

Trisha Pasricha One more question

Miriam Saffern My Mother is a Layperson

Adina Schonbrun The Cornerstone of Scientific Success: Unsung Frontline Heroes of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emily Ashkin Michael Bishop: A Scientist for the Next Generation

David Basta For the Love of Science

Avash Das Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein: Tribute to My Inspiration

William Dunn Sweet Are the Uses of Adversity

Safwan Elkhatib Salk, Sabin, and the Crown of Health

Laurel Gabler Putting “People’s Health in People’s Hands”: How the Bangs Inspired my Personal Journey

Kwabena Kusi-Mensah As One Single Tribe: Thinking Globally and Locally

Lisa Learman With the Corn, Against the Grain

Olivia Lucero Genetics as a Tool for Generational Empowerment

Hannah Mason My Gym Genie: Gathering Inspiration from Dr. John Schiller

Samantha Wong Fauci: Science as a Voice of Reason

Grace Beggs Game On: Smartphone Technology for Science Education

Peter John Making it All Fun and Games in the Biomedical Sciences

Dereck Paul Pathways: A National Mentorship Program for High School Students Underrepresented in Science and Medicine

David Hartmann Cancer Survivors: Outstanding Advocates for Trust in Science

Debra Karhson A Verification Vaccine for Social Contagion

Caroline Vissers Diversity at the Top of the Social Media Signaling Cascade

Abigail Cline Science and Cinema: From the Benchtop to the Big Screen

Tammy Tran Science Is Everywhere: Unexpected Science Encounters in the Course of Everyday Life

Michael Wu Search for Science: Smart Search-Linked Discussion Forums

Jennifer Bratburd Breaking through Barriers to Science with Citizen Science

Apurva Lunia Dissemination of Biomedical Research Via Multimedia Platforms Using Existing Healthcare Frameworks

Jessica Sagers Let’s Get Real: (Re)making Scientists Into People

David Ottenheimer Modern Neuroscience Has the Tools to Treat Psychiatric Illness

Therese Woodring (Korndorf) Hacking the Bacterial Social Network: Quorum Sensing and the Future of Microbial Management

Unikora Yang The Cutting Edge of DNA Editing: Translating CRISPR to Improve Human health

David Hill Mutual Understanding: Uncovering the Mechanistic Basis of the Host-Symbiont Relationship in Human Health

Joseph Rathkey In Silico Modeling as an Ideal Platform for Future Biological Research and Discovery

Stephanie Ng Depression and the Final Frontier

Omar Toubat Mastering the Genetic Reprogramming of Cells

Peter Soh Offering Incentives for Future Scientists

Michael Burel Catalyzing Broad Public Interest in Scientific Research

Nick Andresen Crowdsourcing a Medical Research Donation Database

Gregg Gonsalves Researchers as Advocates and Activists

BYU Microbiology and Molecular Biology department hosts agar art contest

The BYU Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology hosted its annual agar art competition on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Robert Black, the lab administrator for the Microbiology and Molecular Biology department, has been running this event for nearly a decade. The event’s theme for this year was: "What brings you joy?"

This theme was taken directly from the American Society for Microbiology’s own Agar Art contest. Black shared he felt the theme was very fitting given the messages from this October’s General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The winners of the competition were awarded monetary prizes and would have their art submitted to the American Society for Microbiology’s Agar Art competition.

Participants were encouraged to "paint" with bacteria on circular dishes filled with agar, a food material commonly used in research to feed bacteria being studied by scientists.

There were two kinds of agar for participants to choose from: glow-in-the-dark or colored.

Each colored bacteria was genetically engineered to produce a different color of pigment when it ate a specific sugar called arabinose that was placed on the agar. Because it takes two days for the color to appear on the agar plates, the participants had to be very aware of where they were painting each color on the dishes.

Unfortunately, this year the colored plates did not turn out as well as previous years. Black shared he had never seen this happen before. There was a distinct lack of pigment even after the usual two-day time period had passed. Waiting much longer than this, Black explained, would lead the bacteria to overgrow, making the art no longer distinct.

Compared to the colored art, the glow in the dark bacteria requires a slightly different environment. The salt content in these dishes is higher than that in the colored art trays. These bacteria create a bioluminescent pigment that would glow in the dark like certain types of jellyfish. This type only took one day for the bacteria to produce enough pigment. The bioluminescence that the bacteria produced is not very strong, but in a dark room, it is vibrant.

Once participants had completed their art pieces, the agar dishes were stored in Black’s lab until the images were easy to see. Black took pictures of each dish and sent the pictures to each participant.

Although the bacteria used is non-toxic, it is still very easy for other bacteria to grow on the agar, so the dishes were disposed of for safety.

Lindy Loutzenhiser, an art major, created an art piece of herself and her dad fishing, facing each other. She shared that she was the only girl in her family with four boys, but none of her brothers would go fishing with her dad.

“I loved it because that time, all we did was talk about stories about him and life,” Loutzenhiser said.

Amy and Brandon Bown, husband and wife, attended the event together. Amy Bown created a composite of two of their wedding photos in front of the temple, and Brandon Bown drew several small drawings about interests that the couple share.

“I wanted to incorporate hugs since it’s one of the best forms of love,” Lynette Juarez, an event attendee, said.

Juarez was working on a drawing of her and the Savior embracing each other.

“I was just thinking of that moment when you get to embrace the Lord, and you could feel it all, and I’m guessing it’s going to be the most joy,” Juarez said.

Peterhouse Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition

The Peterhouse Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition aims to give students the opportunity to explore scientific concepts and topics beyond the classroom, and to engage with scientific research.  

**The 2024 Peterhouse Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition has now closed.

You can see the information about the competition below.

To read a selection of the winning essays from 2024, please click here .

We will publish information about next year's competition in early 2025.**

Who can take part?

The Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition is open to students in their penultimate year of study (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, Year 13 in Northern Ireland, or equivalent) who are educated in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Please make sure that you have read the submission guidelines and FAQs sections carefully before entering.

Submission Guidelines

Your essay should be no more than 2,000 words including footnotes and appendices on one of the four questions listed below. You should include a bibliography and ensure that all sources are referenced. The bibliography is excluded from the word limit. We know that not all students will be familiar with referencing, so you might find the following page from the University which includes a Guide to Harvard Referencing helpful ( https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/Official-Publications/referencing ) . Any other standard system of referencing style is also acceptable. Please note that all work should be your own, should not be produced by Artificial Intelligence, and should not include any work that has been or will be submitted to an exam board as part of your studies. The main focus of your essay should not be material previously or currently being studied as part of your school courses.

There is a maximum of four entries per school, preferably across the range of questions. Please note that this limit does not apply to Sixth Form Colleges where year groups are over 1000 students in size. All entries must be approved by a teacher, so please make sure a teacher at your school knows that you are entering. On the submission form you will be asked to provide a name and contact information for the teacher who will be supporting your application. If more than four entries are submitted by one school, we will contact the referees at this school to let us know which submissions are to be considered. Schools with lots of potential entrants may wish to run their own internal competition before the chosen answers are submitted to us for consideration.

 We are unable to consider any essays which have not been submitted by the deadline.

Your essay must be submitted as a PDF. Please ensure that all pages in your essay are numbered, and that your name and school appears clearly on the first page. You should name your PDF file in the following format: Question number-Surname-First Initial e.g. Q2-Smith-T. Your teacher will then receive an email from Peterhouse asking them to confirm that you are eligible and that your essay complies with our guidelines. 

Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition Questions – 2024

• Why do duckbill platypuses fluoresce under UV light?
• Mitochondria are always shown as ovals; in reality they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Why?
• Why are there so few venomous mammals and no birds, whereas there are so many venomous reptiles?
• Reintroduction of ecosystem engineers (e.g. beavers) can have major impacts on the environment. What species would you reintroduce (or introduce) to the British Isles and why has this not been done already?

Can I answer more than one of the four questions for the 2024 Kelvin Essay Competition?

We ask that students only submit one essay per person.

Can I make any changes once I have submitted my essay using the above form?

Please note that once you have submitted your entry it is not possible to make any changes – please ensure you are happy with your work before pressing ‘submit’.

Will I receive feedback on my essay?

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of submissions, it is not possible to provide feedback on individual essays.

Why do I need to include contact information for a teacher at my school, and who should this be?

After you submit your essay we get in touch with a contact at your school so that they can confirm you are eligible for the competition, and that the essay is your own work. This can be any teacher at your school who knows you, for example, the Head of Biology, one of your subject teachers, your form tutor, or your Head of Year.

The competition has a prize pool of £750, which will be shared between the winners. Winners will be contacted by email - please make sure your contact details are entered correctly! A prizegiving ceremony will be held in Cambridge in the summer.

If you have any further questions relating to the competition, please email us at [email protected] .  

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UKCGG Essay Competition

UKCGG Essay Competition 2023

The topic for the 2023 UKCGG Essay Competition was " Increasing use of artificial intelligence in genomic medicine for cancer care – the promise and potential pitfalls. " We had essays on a similar theme in 2018, but given the huge advances in this space since then, we thought it worth revisiting! The submissions were of a high standard, with some fantastic ideas and insights.

Hearty congratulations to our winners!

• Medical student: Eva Hanlon
• Junior doctors: Olivia O'Connor (Overall winner) 
• Clinical scientist trainee: Rasha Bensabai 

Read the winning entries here . 

UKCGG Essay Competition 2022: What will enable personalised cancer risk assessments ten years from now?

The topic for the 2022 Essay Prize was: What will enable personalised cancer risk assessments ten years from now?

As usual we had some fantastic submissions. 

Huge congratulations to our overall winner, Dr Eunice Xing, and to our winners in all categories. We were disappointed that we had no submissions from Trainee Genetic Counsellors, so expect lots of submissions from this group in 2023!!

We also awarded commendations to: Amber Corrigan, Joseph Christopher, Samira Ahmad Bawany

Download and read the winning essays by clicking here.

2021: "Delivering cancer genetics services in the post-pandemic era – are we ready for a virtual model of care?"

The topic for the 2021 Essay Prize was:  "Delivering cancer genetics services in the post-pandemic era – are we ready for a virtual model of care?"

The submissions for this year's competition were fantastic, and gave us lots of food for thought in how we can continue to deliver services in the midst of yet another wave - we're not quite "post" pandemic yet. 

The overall winner, and first prize in the junior doctor category was Melody Redman, who also presented an overview of her essay at the recent UKCGG winter meeting. 

Other winners included 

• Medical student - Jen Lim 
• Genetic counsellor trainees - Vernie Aguda 
• Junior Doctor (commendation) - Rhys Dore 

Read all of their wonderful submissions here . 

2020: "Horizon scanning in cancer genomics"

We had some phenomenal entries in our 2020 UKCGG essay competition, on the topic of "Horizon Scanning in Cancer Genomics". Participants were tasked with writing an essay based on the following scenario: 

Imagine two patients - one being diagnosed with cancer now and one being diagnosed with the same cancer in 10 years time. How and why do you think advances in genomic medicine will change the care we offer now and then for cancer patients and their families?

Some stellar entries were received. Massive congratulations to all participants, and to our winners! 

Overall winner, and first prize Medical Student category - Lydia Seed 

Lydia gave a fantastic presentation summarising her essay at the UKCGG Winter meeting, and was so impressive that she was also invited to speak as part of the ICR-led module "Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment" on the MSc Genomic Medicine, Imperial College London. 

Winners in the other categories included:

Doctor category: Melody Redman 

Genetic counsellor category: Xavier Bracke-Manzanares

Scientist category: Robert Pigott

Runners up included:

Doctor category: Emily Ferguson 

Medical student category: Tom Hampshire 

Genetic Counsellor category: Courtney Elliot

Scientist category: Seemu Ali

Read the winning essays! All available here .

2019: "Should All Individuals be screened for Genetic Predisposition to Cancer"

The topic for the essay competition in 2019 was ""Should All Individuals be screened for Genetic Predisposition to Cancer". Again, we had some fantastic submissions. 

Congratulations to all participants and to our winners! 

Overall Winner and First Prize Junior Doctor Category  - Sarah Wedderburn

Sarah said "I am currently an ST5 in Clinical Genetics based at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow. I have always wanted to work in clinical genetics but it was my time as a core medical trainee on the oncology unit which focused my interest towards cancer genetics. The role of the clinical geneticist evolves with the specialty.  Questions such as that asked by the essay will become ever more frequent and answering them will be part of our role. This essay has made me consider many of the current and future challenges facing clinical genetics and genomics."  

Second Prize Junior Doctor Category - Lucy Loong

Special Commendations Junior Doctor Category  -  Tom Webb and Christopher Harlow

First Prize Medical Student Category - Francesco Dernie

Second Prize Medical Student Category  - Wassem Hasan

You can read the winning entries here .

2018: "Will Artificial Intelligence Eventually Replace Cancer Geneticists"

We had some excellent entries in the CGG Essay Prize in 2018, on the topic "Will Artificial Intelligence Eventually Replace Cancer Geneticists"

Huge congratulations to all our winners:

Overall Winner and First Prize Medical Student Category  - Olivia Greatbatch

Olivia said " I am currently in my second year of medicine at University College London, and so am in the process of deciding which intercalated BSc I wish to pursue. Given just how topical the future of artificial intelligence is across all medical specialities, it is an area which I have recently been trying to learn more about. Since both oncology and genetics are options that I am considering for intercalation, I felt that the essay competition would be a great way to gain an appreciation of what a career in these two fields may entail in the future, whilst also exploring my own interests."  

Second Prize Medical Student Category  - Rashmi  Saincher

Third Prize Medical Student Category  - Ayan Basu

First Prize Junior Doctor Category  - Alice Garrett

Second Prize Junior Doctor Category - Lara Hawkes

Third Prize Junior Doctor Category  - George Morrissey

First Prize Scientist Trainee Category  - Nana Mensah

 You can read their winning entries here .

2023 DNA Day Essay Contest: Full Essays

1 st  Place : Jennifer Zhong, Grade 12 Teacher:  Ms. Maria Zeitlin School:  Smithtown High School East Location:  Saint James, New York

“One humanity, many genomes” captures the essence of the human species. While we are all united under a shared genetic structure, our remarkably diverse genomes greatly impact our lives, allowing us to become phenotypically different as well as have different predispositions to disease. Genetically, all humans are approximately 99.9% the same. However, that small 0.1% difference in genome makes each of us so uniquely individual [4].

Human genetic variation can occur in many different ways. One of the most common are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), variations in DNA sequences that involve a change in only a single nucleotide [7]. With approximately 11 million SNPs in the human genome, over 7 million occur with a minor allele frequency, a percentage based on the occurrence in a population of the second most common allele, of more than 5% [5]. SNPs can cause great changes to our overall genetic makeup with approximately 1 nucleotide change occurring for every 400 [7]. Additionally, copy number variants (CNVs), alterations in wider DNA regions, can change genes both at DNA transcription levels and through the translation of RNA, allowing for more diverse phenotypes. However, these genomic changes may cause simple monogenic diseases and contribute to polygenic diseases [7].

Human genetic information can also be encoded by epigenetic changes to chromatin structure such as DNA methylation, changes to proteins that bind DNA together, and modification of molecules that affect chromatin [2, 3]. In order to understand how human genetic variation contributes to phenotype, it is necessary to consider geneenvironment interactions that also regulate gene expression. For example, folate deficiency has been shown to affect placental development and DNA methylation in the fetus leading to growth deficits and neural tube defects cementing the importance of prenatal nutrition [2]. Epigenetics has also been linked to microRNAs, non-coding RNA molecules that are involved in gene expression regulation, which have been expressed in certain cancers [2].

In recent years, well over 3000 genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been published. This has widened the understanding of the human genome leading to new insight into the genetic etiology of complex diseases. By combining genetic and phenotypic data with gene-based designer drug availability, diseases can be more easily predicted [1, 9]. GWAS has helped identify approximately 10,000 strong associations between genes and complex traits which helps to explain the role of certain genes as well as environmental factors which can aid in risk prediction and personalized medicine, a field in which therapeutics are specifically targeted toward an individual’s genomic needs [8, 10]. By estimating the effects of SNPs at many different loci, a polygenic risk score can be formulated to make disease predictions [10]. This has allowed for the discovery of more than 100 risk loci for schizophrenia, autism, and other conditions where the DRD2 locus has been shown to contain genes relevant to the etiology of schizophrenia [10]. Hundreds of additional genomic areas have been statistically associated with complex traits which have increased the knowledge of molecular mechanisms and pathways associated with diseases [5]. Specifically, in order to further understand cardiovascular disease, it is crucial to correlate symptoms and phenotypes that are important indicators such as heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke with specific genetic variations [7].

To translate genomic knowledge from GWAS to future research and treatment, it is important to identify shared genetic variants that are deleterious [7]. Currently, due to increases in genomic research, many therapeutic targets have been identified and associated with cardiovascular disease [6]. Pharmaceuticals including Warfarin, a common anticoagulant, and Statin, a preventative medication, have been closely associated with certain genes to better prescribe medications and dosages catered to an individual’s genome [8]. Nucleic acid-based therapies have also been widely developed. Patients who received the siRNA drug Inclisiran were found to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels by targeting PCSK9, a gene important for bloodstream cholesterol levels, indicating that these treatments have been highly effective [6]. In addition, genomic studies have allowed for the development of other RNA-targeted therapies, microRNA and epigenetic therapy, and genome editing with CRISPR which hold the potential to further advance personalized medicine [6].

As human genomic research continues, advances in understanding genomes have allowed us to research disease pathologies and develop better treatments. Although humans have many genomic differences, we are all united to further our understanding of how these differences can impact our lives. By learning more about genetic variation and epigenetics, we can advance personalized healthcare and medicine for people across the world.

Citations/References

• Ahmed, Zeeshan, et al. “Human Gene and Disease Associations for Clinical-Genomics and Precision Medicine Research” Clinical and Translational Medicine 10 (2020): 297-318.
• Barros, S. P. and Offenbacher, S. “Epigenetics: Connecting Environment and Genotype to Phenotype and Disease” J Dent Res 88(5) (2009): 400-408
• Cavalli, Giacomo and Heard, Edith “Advances in Epigenetics Links Genetics to the Environment and Disease” Nature 571 (2019): 489-499.
• Collins, F. S. and Mansoura, M. K. “The Human Genome Project: Revealing the Shared Inheritance of all Humankind” Cancer 91 (2001): 221-225.
• Frazer, Kelly A., et al. “Human Genetic Variation and its Contribution to Complex Traits” Nature Reviews Genetics 10 (2009): 241-251.
• Landmesser, Ulf, et al. “From Traditional Pharmacological Towards Nucleic Acid-based Therapies for Cardiovascular Diseases” European Heart Journal 41 (2020): 3884-3899.
• Pollex, Rebecca L. and Hegele, Robert A. “Copy Number Variation in the Human Genome and its Implications for Cardiovascular Disease” Comtemporary Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine 115(24) (2007): 3130-3138.
• Sheikhy, Ali, et al. “Personalized Medicine in Cardiovascular Disease: Review of Literature” Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders 20(2) (2021): 1793-1805.
• Tam, Vivian, et al. “Benefits and Limitations of Genome-Wide Association Studies” Nature Reviews Genetics 20 (2019): 467-484.
• Visscher, Peter M., et al. “10 Years of GWAS Discovery: Biology, Function and Translation: The American Journal of Human Genetics 101 (2017): 5-22.

2 nd  Place:  Bolin Miao, Grade 10 Teacher:  Ms. Mary Frances Hanover School:  Dana Hall School Location:  Wellesley, Massachusetts

Between 200,000 and 60,000 years ago, humans dispersed from Africa to the rest of the world (1). Adapting to various environments, human genomes, the complete set of genetic instructions that make us who we are, have been shaped over time by a complex interplay of biological and environmental factors. In a study of 929 genomes from 54 geographically diverse human populations, 67.3 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) , 8.8 million small insertions or deletions (indels), and 40,736 copy number variants (CNVs) were identified (2). Compared to the 3 billion nucleotides present in the human genome, these variations are only a few. Statistically, due to common ancestry, only 0.1% of DNA varies between individuals (3). However, these differences, which arise from mutations over the course of human evolution, contribute to our distinct individual features and lineage.

Certain genomic variations became prevalent in particular populations due to the evolutionary advantage they offered. In regions of Africa where malaria was common, the sickle hemoglobin mutation became widely present, as people with sickle cell anemia are more likely to survive and reproduce. People living in high altitudes – Tibetans, along with Andeans and Ethiopians – have been found to possess the HIF2A gene and PHD2 gene, which orchestrates the transcriptional response to hypoxia (4). Skin color is another typical example: lighter complexion facilitates the production of more vitamin D, which prevents diseases like rickets in climates further away from the sun; by contrast, pigments in the skin can protect the skin from sun damage and skin cancer in areas exposed to sunshine (5). Considering this, race has no biological basis and its role as a justification for persecution and discrimination is flawed (1). In parts of the Middle East and Europe where animal husbandry is developed, changes in the lactase gene (LCT) allow people to continue producing lactase after entering adulthood, enabling them to drink milk without diarrhea and flatulence, which many East Asians experience (6). These changes in genomes were passed down through generations, contributing to distinct genomes in different regions.

Besides passive environmental selection, individual habits, including nutrient intake and exercise, also make our genome unique by altering gene expression through epigenetics. A recent analysis showed that endurance exercise training can lead to differentially expressed genes by regulating transcription factors, resulting in the transcriptional activation of specific genes related to phenotypic changes, including body weight loss and aerobic capacity increase (7). A mother’s diet can also shape the epigenome of the offspring: diets with different methyl dosages during pregnancy can lead to distinct DNA methylation in the fetus’s genome (8). Due to the uniqueness of personal habits, our epigenomes are also special.

The benefit of understanding our genome is immense. Genomes influence our appearance, susceptibility to disease, metabolism of drugs, and even our cognitive abilities (9). Through addressing these differences, we can explore the full potential of genomics since everyone can benefit from it. Prior research about the human genome was mainly based on European lineage, and it appears limited as people start to recognize the importance of human genome diversity in understanding ourselves. Scientists thus carried out various projects, including the Human Genome Diversity Program (HGDP), the 1000 Genomes Project, and the HapMap Project. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) relate genomes to disease susceptibility, which enables us to predict individual disease risk (10). These personal identifications of susceptibility could be expected to result in the uptake of more effective monitoring and preventive actions, decreasing the chance of illness. Moreover, the booming industry of precision medicine is made possible by the understanding of our genome and offers innovative, targeted solutions for disease treatment. Clinicians already started using whole-genome analysis to identify causative genes for rare diseases and to determine the most appropriate treatment approaches for some cancers (11). In the future, tailoring medications with people’s genomes will revolutionize the healthcare industry by replacing conventional symptomatic treatment (12). In addition to medical treatments, genomics has large-scale applicability to other areas, including but not limited to ancestry testing and personalizing healthy diets.

It is crucial for people to keep the idea of “One Humanity, Different Genomes” in mind. Our differences are derived from common humanity and should serve the development of the whole. This idea is a call to celebrate our commonalities as human beings while also embracing our differences. Genomic studies should bring us closer, allowing us to pay more attention to every member of the community and commit to our common future.

• Hunter, Philip. “The Genetics of Human Migrations.” National Library of Medicine, EMBO reports, 15 Oct. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4253842/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.
• Bergstrom, Anderson, et al. “Insights into Human Genetic Variation and Population History from 929 Diverse Genomes.” Science, vol. 367, no. 6484, 20 Mar. 2020. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aay5012. Accessed 5 Mar. 2023.
• Jorde, Lynn B., and Stephen P. Wooding. “Genetic Variation, Classification and ‘race.'” PubMed, Nov. 2004, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15508000/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2023.
• Bigham, Abigail W., and Frank S. Lee. “Human High-altitude Adaptation: Forward Genetics Meets the HIF Pathway.” Genes Dev. Pubmed, https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.250167.114.
• Feng, Yuanqing, et al. “Evolutionary Genetics of Skin Pigmentation in African Populations.” Human Molecular Genetics, vol. 30, no. R1, 1 Mar. 2021. Oxford Academic, https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddab007.
• Ruiz, Augusto Anguita, et al. “Genetics of Lactose Intolerance: An Updated Review and Online Interactive World Maps of Phenotype and Genotype Frequencies.” Nutrients. Pubmed, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092689.
• Smith, Gregory R. “Multiomic Identification of Key Transcriptional Regulatory Programs during Endurance Exercise Training.” Pubmed, 12 Jan. 2023, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36711841/.
• Randunu, Raniru S., and Robert F. Bertolo. “The Effects of Maternal and Postnatal Dietary Methyl Nutrients on Epigenetic Changes That Lead to Non-Communicable Diseases in Adulthood.” Int J Mol Sci., May 2020. Pubmed, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21093290.
• “Human Genome Resources at NCBI.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/genome/guide/human/index.shtml.
• Rotimi, Charles N., and Adebowale A. Adeyemo. “From One Human Genome to a Complex Tapestry of Ancestry.” Nature, Feb. 2021. Pubmed, https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-00237-2.
• Yamamoto, Yuichi, et al. “Current Status, Issues and Future Prospects of Personalized Medicine for Each Disease.” J Pers Med, Mar. 2022. Pubmed, https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12030444.
• Ahmed, Zeeshan, et al. “Human Gene and Disease Associations for Clinical‐Genomics and Precision Medicine Research.” Clin Transl Med., winter 2020. Pubmed, https://doi.org/10.1002/ctm2.28.

3 rd  Place:  Olivia Park, Grade 12 Teacher:  Ms. Cindy Law School:  William Lyon Mackenzie C.I. Location:  Toronto, Canada

Have you ever stopped to consider just how unique your genetic makeup is? While we may share a genome that is 99.9% identical at base-pair, that 0.1% holds a vast array of differences that make each of us truly one of a kind (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2018). From our unique physical and biological traits, our genomes are a complex tapestry that plays a crucial role in determining who we are. This highlights the significance of the theme “One Humanity, Many Genomes.” Additionally, this essay will explore traits that make our genomes unique and explain how further advances in understanding our genomes will impact our lives in current and future research in medical treatments.

The first trait that determines the uniqueness of our genomes is single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SNPs are the most common type of genetic variation among people and occur when another nucleotide in the DNA sequence replaces a single nucleotide. These variations happen within coding and non-coding regions of our DNA, resulting in gene expressions and functions being affected. Studies have shown that SNPs impact our susceptibility to diseases, response to drugs, and physical traits. This is evident in the ongoing research of identifying SNPs association with medical conditions such as heart diseases (National Library of Medicine, 2022).

The second trait that determines the uniqueness of our genomes is copy number variations (CNVs). CNVs have a varying number of specific segment DNA copies among individuals’ genomes and these variations can involve a deletion or duplication of genetic material that can differ from hundreds to millions of base pairs. They play a crucial role in the uniqueness of our genomes because they contribute to variations in gene expression, which in turn influence our traits and predispositions to certain diseases and are associated with several genetic disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, and intellectual disabilities (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2023). For instance, a deletion of a segment of DNA containing the lactase gene leads to lactose intolerance. In contrast, duplications of the amylase gene that produce more amylase enzymes increase the ability to digest starchy foods (Gao et al., 2017).

The profound impact of understanding our genomes can be observed in various aspects of our lives, one of the most significant advances being the development of personalized medicine. Since personalized medicine is the process of tailoring medical treatment to suit an individual’s genetic information, it leads to greater health outcomes with reduced side effects. As an example, genetic research on the CYP2C19 gene metabolizes certain medications after analyzing specific SNPs: allowing physicians to determine the most effective treatment for individuals (Lee, 2012). Cancer research has also been influenced by an advanced understanding of genome sequences. Cancer is a disease caused by genetic mutations, and understanding these mutations is essential for developing personalized treatments that target specific genetic mutations that have been identified from genome sequencing (National Cancer Institute, 2021). For example, drugs like Herceptin and Gleevec target specific genetic mutations found in certain types of breast and blood cancer, resulting in improved survival rates (National Cancer Institute, 2018). A final example of an area where understanding our genomes has had a significant impact is in the field of genetic testing. Genetic testing involves analyzing an individual’s DNA to identify genetic variations that may be associated with certain diseases or conditions. Furthermore, this information can help individuals make informed decisions about their health. For example, if there is a family history of breast cancer, an individual may choose to undergo genetic testing to determine if they have inherited the mutation that increases their risk of developing breast cancer. With the given information, the individual can proceed to take the measures they see fit to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).

Overall, “One Humanity, Many Genomes” emphasizes the diversity and uniqueness of our genetic information. Traits such as SNP and CNV are used to convey the immense difference 0.1% has on our genomes and how it is reflected in our physical traits, gene structure, and gene regulation. Furthermore, an advanced understanding of our genomes has the potential to help improve health outcomes and effective medical treatments while highlighting the importance of continuous research on the human genome.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, June 24). Genetic Testing | CDC. Genomics & Precision Health. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/gtesting/genetic_testing.htm

Gao, Y., Jiang, J., Yang, S., Hou, Y., Liu, G. E., Zhang, S., Zhang, Q., & Sun, D. (2017, March 29). CNV discovery for milk composition traits in dairy cattle using whole genome resequencing – BMC Genomics. BMC Genomics. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-017-3636-3

Lee, J. (2012, December 20). Clinical Application of CYP2C19 Pharmacogenetics Toward More Personalized Medicine. Frontiers. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2012.00318/full

National Cancer Institute. (2018, April 11). How Gleevec Transformed Leukemia Treatment – NCI. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.cancer.gov/research/progress/discovery/gleevec

National Cancer Institute. (2021, October 11). What Is Cancer? – NCI. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer

National Human Genome Research Institute. (2018, April 6). Human Genomic Variation. National Human Genome Research Institute. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.genome.gov/dna-day/15-ways/human-genomicvariation

National Human Genome Research Institute. (2023, February 23). Copy Number Variation (CNV). National Human Genome Research Institute. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/CopyNumber-Variation

National Library of Medicine. (2022, March 22). What are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)? MedlinePlus. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/genomicresearch/snp/

Essay Competition: Win a 100% Scholarship With Immerse Education

Participate in the Immerse Education Essay Competition for a chance to win a full or partial scholarship to our university and career preparation programmes. Since 2020, the competition has offered ambitious students the opportunity to win a full or partial scholarship on our award-winning programmes.

• The next competition will be announced shortly
• Join our Awards Ceremony, where we'll announce this round's winners, on October 17th
• Free for 13-18 year old students worldwide
• Including 10 full and additional 50-75% Immerse Education scholarships to any location

Alumni globally

Participants would recommend Immerse

What Is the Essay Competition?

The Immerse Education Essay Competition provides the opportunity for students aged 13-18 to submit essay responses to a question of their choice relating to a subject of interest. Immerse annually updates its questions to inspire students to delve deeper into their favourite subjects. There are over twenty questions to choose from which can be found in our full Essay Competition Guide. 10 winners will receive a 100% scholarship to study with us at a world-leading university of their choosing. Outstanding runners-up also receive partial scholarships.

Submission timeline

Oct 31, 2024.

Competition opens

Dates announced soon

Competition closes

Results announced

January, July & August 2025

Programme dates

Feb 23, 2024

Sept 12, 2024, oct 17, 2024.

Any student who submits a full-length essay , but doesn’t receive a scholarship, will be eligible for the option of a £1000 award  for our residential programmes, a £500 award for our Online Research Programmes, or a £250   award for our Group Online Research Programme.

And Many Other Benefits...

Enhance your academic profile for university applications. Partial winners receive completion certificates – and those who write outstanding essays also receive comments from our remarkable guest judges.

University interviewers want you to discuss the subject you’re applying for with genuine enthusiasm. They look for depth of understanding and the ability to articulate your thoughts clearly. Writing an essay deepens your knowledge and improves your ability to present complex ideas.

Our essays are assessed against a mark scheme designed by academic experts. Completing an essay allows you to experience academic writing, promoting related skills like research, critical thinking and editing. Immerse provides support every step of the way.

Competition Details

You’re not on your own. To help your essay shine, Immerse Eduction provides guides, tips and support.

Open to 13-18 year old students

Students can submit an essay if they will be 13-18 years old when the programmes for which the scholarships are valid begin.

500-word academic essay

Register interest to access the Essay Competition Guide with all the questions, tips and guidance on plagiarism, AI & referencing. You can also attend one of our regular essay writing webinars to level-up your writing.

Graded by experts and guest judges

Expert judges assess the essays based on their content, quality of research and critical analysis. Elements like word choice and structure, evidence and inference, as well as vocabulary spelling, grammar and punctuation are also assessed. Student age groups are also taken into consideration.

A chance to win a scholarship for any programme you like

If you win a scholarship, you can use it toward one of our renowned online programmes or one of our award-winning residential courses in any of our locations including Oxford Cambridge, London, Sydney and New York to name a few.

Programmes Our Scholarship Can Be Redeemed Against

Participants will learn to explore the world around them with an architect’s eye, analysing their environment and identifying how each building, structure, and feature influenced by Britain’s long history with urban design.

Choose from a range of subjects to study in the historic city of Oxford. Embrace each college’s unique atmosphere and stunning surroundings, enjoy the vibrant cultural offerings, and feel your subject mastery blossom. Whilst the sun’s out, explore the city’s winding river on a punt.

Choose from a number of industries to explore in this densely packed capital. Experience the pulse of sectors like finance, fashion, and media, immersing yourself in key London hubs, from Canary Wharf’s financial centre to the West End’s theatre scene. Learn directly from industry professionals and get a sense of your future career.

Study in the vibrant city of Sydney, where modern skyscrapers meet iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House. Dive into one of many  subjects, explore the bustling markets, and relax on the world-renowned beaches whilst supercharging your subject mastery.

In New York, the city that never sleeps, engage with an industry-led programme —embracing iconic industry hotspots, from Wall Street finance to Broadway entertainment. Gain hands-on experience and network with professionals in the Big Apple, all while taking in the unmatched skyline and culture.

Study in the cosmopolitan city of Toronto, offering a rich tapestry of cultures, explore one of our career-led programmes. Experience the buzz of city life, skyscrapers, and historic districts. In your downtime, escape to nearby natural wonders like Niagara Falls whilst you accelerate your subject expertise.

In San Francisco, delve into the world of tech and innovation to explore one of our industry-focused programmes. Work alongside startups in Silicon Valley, or explore the sustainable practices of the city’s green businesses. The city offers a window into cutting-edge industries, all set against a backdrop of scenic natural beauty.

Singapore is a great summer programme destination for its vibrant multicultural atmosphere, cutting-edge educational institutions, and its status as a global hub for innovation and technology. With its blend of academic excellence, cultural richness, and modern amenities.

Tokyo offers a unique blend of tradition and modernity, providing students with a rich cultural experience and endless opportunities for learning and exploration, making it a great summer school destination. A summer programme in Tokyo means diving into the heart of Japanese culture and innovation.

Boston is an ideal summer programme destination due to its rich historical significance, vibrant cultural scene. Home to top-ranked universities, and offering an array of activities ranging from exploring Freedom Trail to enjoying performances at renowned theatres.

This online programme sees students work in a 1-1 or a group session with tutors from renowned institutions like Cambridge, Oxford, and Ivy League schools. Each student undertakes advanced research in a topic of their interest, culminating in a full-length academic research paper.

Our Guest Judges

Our guest judges and markers are chosen for their exceptional subject matter knowledge and the prominence of their organisation in industries aligned with our essay topics. Many of them come from a teaching or academic background with advanced degrees in political science, English, business, physics, medicine, creative writing and more. This diverse expertise ensures that our judging process is both rigorous and insightful. 

The essay competition assessment criteria look at academic writing qualities like research and evidence, word choice and critical analysis, in addition to spelling, grammar & punctuation. Student age groups and are also considered in this assessment.

Business & Economics Judge

Pamela O’Brien

Humanities Judge

Christina Bunce

Medicine Judge

Arnold Longboy

Business Management Judge

Tom Ireland

Biology Judge, Editor of The Biologist

Hear from our previous winners, register interest for these essay-writing resources, how to enter, essay questions, writing tips, referencing guide, submission guidelines, judging criteria, winning essays.

The Immerse Education Essay Competition is open to entries from young people aged 13-18 interested in all subjects, from Architecture to Medicine, Creative Writing to Film Studies. However, students aged 18 should only submit an essay if they will still be 18 when the programmes the scholarships are valid for begin.

Any scholarships or vouchers awarded during the current round of the essay competition will only be valid for 2025 Immerse Education Programmes

Immerse provides a full essay-writing guide which is sent to your email address once you register your interest in the competition. This guide includes a full list of essay questions, our essay specification, top tips for writing an academic essay, referencing guidance, our terms and conditions and guidance on plagiarism! Registering interest also ensures that you’re on track to submitting your essay on time, through a series of helpful reminder prompts. To support further you can register for our  webinars , which offer top tips and guidance with essay writing from our experts. You are also welcome to explore our  creative writing resources .

Funded scholarship to study abroad:  Our essay competition offers students like you the chance to win a full or partial scholarship to one of our Online Programmes or residential programmes in locations such as Oxford, Cambridge, Sydney, London and more.

Ongoing support from Immerse while you write:  Full support from our team as you write your essay, with free guides and top tips to help you along the way. Sign up to receive our full Essay competition Guide and free tips and tricks as you write. You can also follow us on Instagram and Tik Tok to get more useful essay writing tips.

Demonstrate what you know:  The competition is a chance for you to demonstrate your content knowledge by answering advanced university-style questions.

Build your skills and knowledge:  The opportunity to apply and advance your essay writing skills. You will likely learn something new in the process!

Develop your self-discipline:  A chance to strengthen your self-discipline as you commit to a challenging project and complete it from start to finish.

Essays are graded by expert markers and guest judges who assess the essays across the following criteria:

• – Content
• – Research & Critical analysis
• – Word choice & structure
• – Evidence and inference
• – Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation

Scholarship offers depend on the grades that students achieve. The higher the grade a student receives, the higher the likelihood of achieving a 100% or high partial scholarship. 

The essay competition receives thousands of entries each year, and with the vast number of high-standard entries, we acknowledge the efforts of all participants who have dedicated their time to completing an essay. As such, beyond our full and high-partial scholarships we provide further offers to entrants to facilitate access to our transformative programmes.

If you win a scholarship via the Essay Competition 2024/2025 you can use it toward any residential course in any of our locations. Use your scholarship to enrol on one of our renowned online programmes or enriching in-person/residential summer school programmes in cultural melting pots such as Cambridge, Oxford, London, New York, Toronto, Sydney and more.

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The deadline for the Immerse Essay Competition falls in early September and early January each year. The deadline for the next round will be announced soon.

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The dr. mike heithaus & doc gruber biology essay.

$5,000 first prize — $2,500 second prize — $1,000 third prize

In honor of the contributions of Mike Heithaus and Sam Gruber, the Gruber family invites students to participate in the Dr. Mike Heithaus & Doc Gruber Biology Essay contest.  The award will run Spring 2023 and prizes will be distributed as scholarship or stipends.

• Eligibility The contest is open only to students from the Marine Biology major and those who attend General Biology I and II lecture at BBC.  Students who were previously awarded are not eligible to apply again.

What is the future of Biscayne Bay? Solutions and insights to conservation and restoration of this ecosystem.

• Essays should be well researched with information that is backed by scientific knowledge, be imaginative, thought-provoking and include your thoughts so we can have and insight into your personal views and hopes for the future of the ocean. This is not a course and therefore this should not be a scientific review of the topic.
• Why does this topic matter to you?
• Judges will be scientists and graduate students so think about who your audience is and how to grab their attention. Be creative and make your essay interesting.
• No more than 1,000 words.
• Put your name on the essay file.
• Scientific primary and secondary literature should be kept at no more than 4 references but its use is not mandatory.
• Understanding of the topic: To what extent did the writer demonstrate a clear understanding of the question and respond with details about his/her experience?
• Original thinking relative to the topic: To what extent was the original thinking relative to the subject?
• Effectiveness in presenting a point-of-view: To what extent did the writer present his/her point of view?
• Literary style, grammar, and spelling.

Deadline is March 3rd , and submissions via Dr. Mike Heithaus and Doc Gruber Biology Essay Awards - FIU Scholarships (academicworks.com)

 For more information, please contact Dr. Richard Brinn or Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou

To be determined in April

Dr. Mike Heithaus , dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education,   is a marine ecologist who studies the ecological importance of sharks and other large marine species. He is the principal investigator and co-principal investigator on grants totaling $28 million, using drones, animal-borne cameras and other cutting-edge technology to unravel the mysterious lives of hard-to-study marine creatures. His work in Shark Bay, Australia, is the world's most detailed study of the ecological role of sharks.

Before joining FIU, Dr. Heithaus was a scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research. H e also worked with National Geographic's Remote Imaging Department where he conducted studies using their "Crittercam." He has been involved in the production of more than a dozen natural history documentaries, including two featured on  Shark Week , and has hosted a National Geographic Channel television series.

Dr. Sam "Doc" Gruber (1938-2019) was dedicated to advancing knowledge of sharks and the organization of shark research throughout his life. In 1983 he initiated the idea of the American Elasmobranch Society, a nonprofit advancing the study of sharks, rays and related species. He was also the founder and director of the Bimini Biological Field Station, a Bahamas-based nonprofit engaged in shark research and education. He taught as a professor at the University of Miami, his alma mater.

Past Winners

Spring 2022 winners.

In honor of the contributions of Mike Heithaus and Sam Gruber, the Gruber Family invited undergraduate Marine Sciences students to participate in the Dr. Mike/Doc Gruber Marine Science Essay contest. Students submitted a 1,000-word essay on the theme: "What impacts can microplastics have on marine animals? How important are microplastics as a threat relative to changing climates?"

Congratulations to our winners!

First place: Amanda Di Perna Second place: Maria Clara Figueredo Third place: Trinity Peterson

In honor of the contributions of Mike Heithaus and Sam Gruber, the Gruber Family invited undergraduate Marine Sciences students and BBC General Biology I and II students to participate in the Dr. Mike/Doc Gruber Marine Science Essay contest. Students submitted a 750-word essay on one of the following topics:

• Biology and COVID-19
• Biology and my future
• Biology and the path to Nobels

First Place: Danielle Macias Second Place: Bisma Misbah Third Place: Asia Dean

Fall 2021 Winners

In honor of the contributions of Mike Heithaus and Sam Gruber, the Gruber Family invited undergraduate Marine Sciences students to participate in the Dr. Mike/Doc Gruber Marine Science Essay contest. Students submitted a 1,000-word essay on the theme: What are the biggest conservation threats shark face and what do you envision as ways to improve their conservation? Why should we care?

First Place : Sophie Hemsi Second Place: Genevive Lafrinere Third Place: Alana Nguyen

In honor of the contributions of Mike Heithaus and Sam Gruber, the Gruber Family invited undergraduate Marine Sciences students to participate in the Dr. Mike/Doc Gruber Marine Science Essay contest. Students submitted a 1,000-word essay on the theme: "Marine conservation in the present and moving into the future."

• First Prize: Yaniela Lorenzo
• Second Prize: Kevin Pinto
• Third Prize: Stormie Collins and Caroline Ronveaux

THE OXBRIDGE LAUNCHPAd

Winning essays 2023, joint winner : xanthe foster, biology, joint winner : lily blackhurst, law, runner-up : yemisi oguntimirin, politics, runner-up : hiyab gebremeskel, medicine, shortlist: varya mishra, medicine, shortlist: kitty langdon, classics, shortlist:  kevin vross, engineering, shortlist:  ilan cohen, economics, shortlist:  allegra cucos, law, shortlist:  yahya a, law, shortlist:  shahid grera, medicine.

Congratulations again to all who entered our 2023 essay competition! We hope you enjoyed researching your essays, and that it helps you with your UCAS applications this autumn. If you'd like the chance to be published here next year, and are state-educated 15-17 year old in the UK, watch this space for info in 2024!

EUCYS 2023 // 13-15 September 2023 // Square // Brussels // Belgium

EUCYS 2023 - European Contest for Young Scientists

• And the winner is…

European Union Contest for Young Scientists

• Jeunesses Scientifiques de Belgique

National Organisers

• Accommodation

The European Union (EU) Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) is the most important student science fair in the EU, showcasing the best of student scientific achievement in the EU and beyond. Each year, the event brings together promising, talented students & bright young minds (14-20 years old) from all over Europe and beyond, to present their projects to a panel of international judges. Every year the contest is hosted in a different coutnry.

Over the years some astonishing inventions and creative ways of using science in everyday life have been presented. Be prepared to be amazed! Past participants have often expressed the positive impact of this aspect of EUCYS. They believe that it has opened up the gateway to Europe and further afield for their careers, and has also fostered a strong interest in learning other European languages. EUCYS is also a useful tool in the development of a pan-European scientific community. It has contributed significantly to popularizing science among young people.

EUCYS unites the efforts of each participating country to encourage more young people to dedicate their lives to careers in science and technology. The competition serves as both a scientific forum and a networking event and as such receives a great deal of media attention.

EUCYS is part of Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence actions funded under Horizon Europe: the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. It is part of a broader initiative to reinforce the links between science and society, responsible research and innovation, and to further the emergence of a European Research Area and the Innovation Union.

How does it work?

The procedure.

Only National Organisers can put in entries, i.e. the winners of Contests organised at national level. Each project consists of a technical written report and display materials, models, etc. Each country may submit up to 3 projects, with a maximum of 6 contestants (aged between 14 and 21). At the Contest, the contestants set up their project in a display stand in the Science Exhibition Hall and are required to answer questions from members of the scientific jury. The Science Exhibition is open to the public and contestants are encouraged to explain their projects.

How to present a project ?

The EU Contest for Young Scientists accepts project entries from all fields of scientific endeavour. Only projects that have been nominated by the National Organiser in each participating country are admissible. Contestants shall provide a written project, and a project suitable for display in a public exhibition.

What research can / cannot be accepted?

Contestants will set up their project for display. The project must both conform to the strictest safety requirements and be suitable for public display. A project that in any way can be construed to be a threat to either animal or human health will be withdrawn from the Contest. In particular experiments that involve radioactive substances, dangerous equipment, toxic and carcinogenic materials are all excluded from public display.

Projects that involve experiments with living animals shall only be accepted on non-human vertebrate and invertebrate animals when non-invasive experimentation has been conducted.

A good display is essential so that the Jury can appreciate the quality of the project. The projects are presented on a stand with side walls and must not exceed the dimensions that are given in the diagram below. The display is part of the contestant’s project and is used to exhibit the essential parts of the work. The display may include, for example, working models, a video, and other demonstration material.

Who can participate?

Young scientists who have won first prize in their national science competition and who have been designated by their respective national jury can participate in the EU Contest. In each country, the National Organiser is responsible for nominating the projects, and therefore the contestants, who are entered for the EU Contest.

Projects may have been worked on by individual participants or by teams of not more than three people. The rules concerning age and education requirements are applicable to all members of a project team. Where a team is involved all members of the team must be represented at the Contest so the Jury can conduct a thorough evaluation of their combined efforts.

The National Organisers are responsible for selecting projects, submitting applications, and for all communication with the Commission. All contestants will be accompanied to the EU Contest by their National Organiser, or by an adult escort appointed by the National Organiser. The National Organiser, as the principal contact in all participating countries, will assure liaison between the contestants and the EU Contest in all matters concerning the Contest.

National Organisers and/or escort(s), together with their contestants,constitute their respective country’s official delegation and are the only ones that can enjoy access to all public and private events associated with the Contest. National Organisers assume responsibility for the well-being and behavior of their party.

• ensure that their party travels with adequate health, accident and travel insurance that covers them for both the travel and duration of the Contest.
• handle the linguistic or other problems that may arise during the Contest or in relation to associated activities.
• ensure that they have their own measures in place to assure their party’s behavior remains beyond reproach.

What constitutes a winning project?

Scientist-philosophers….

During a long period scientific work followed two different directions: describing and explaining the nature of phenomena which had been observed and searching for new ways and means to improve the quality of life, possibly generating a little profit into the process. Early scientists were scientist-philosophers who could boast that they understood everything known in the realms of philosophy, science and technology during the period in which they lived.

As time has evolved human knowledge has increased to such an extent that nobody can now claim to know everything there is to know. Scientific disciplines are divided into a number of different specialised areas and fields of research that are extremely diverse and sharply focused. The 20th Century saw outstanding progress in our understanding of the universe and in the development of new technologies. The 21st Century will also undoubtedly lead to a host of ground-breaking discoveries. In parallel to the major leaps forward are the everyday advances in tiny steps. While our young scientists start with tiny steps, these steps could one day lead to major new discoveries and scientific advancements.

What is the secret of a successful project?

Who would not like to know the recipe?

What scientist has not dreamt of developing the procedure for an experiment which would radically alter the scientific landscape or call into question concepts which have been accepted as “true” for generations? If only we had a list of apparently ordinary substances which, on reacting together, would cause something new, something earth-shattering, to appear. Imagine the prospects if we had a technology bank from which you just had to make a careful choice of technologies which, when combined in the right order, would lead to something never seen before. Or what about a breath-taking computerised database which, when intelligently consulted and used, would cast a completely new light on a particular problem? Of course, the world is not yet like that.

Curiosity, creativity and intuition

An idea is often born of an intuition and it may take root when you are thinking about something completely different. The first idea leads to another and, gradually, the project takes shape. Highly productive episodes are followed by periods of profound gloom. Sometimes, a course of action that seemed to be promising turns out to lead nowhere. Sometimes, an idea that seemed to be unrealistic and without any rational foundation has led on to exciting and unexpected developments. All scientists are curious; they tend to be creative and have good intuition.

So what is the recipe? Here is one: choose a subject that interests and inspires you (the idea must of course be an original one). Add a little curiosity and know-how, a touch of perseverance and obstinacy, some advice from specialists, a good pinch of ingenuity, a large measure of a critical mind, enthusiasm and an enterprising spirit and, above all, the best part of your imagination.

If the recipe is a good one, it will contribute to scientific and technological progress, but will also give you intellectual pleasure and personal satisfaction. There is obviously the risk of failure and disappointment. This difficulty is quickly overcome if you take the trouble to ask what caused things to go wrong and then try to find ways of remedying the situation.

A sense of pride

So what, then, is a winning project? Being selected by a jury – which is always subjective – is not the most important thing. The main thing comes at the end of the day: it is that feeling of a very legitimate personal sense of pride in having overcome untold difficulties to develop and see through an original idea and to have given the best of yourself to increase your own understanding and for the benefit of the community.

The Jury is composed of 22 members of international reputation, who carry out their duties as individuals and not as representatives of an institution or country. Members of the Jury are selected on the basis of scientific criteria; they are drawn from both academia and industry. They are appointed by the Commission, which ensures an appropriate geographical and gender balance. Up to one third of the Members of the Jury are replaced each year.

The criteria used to assess projects are as follows:

• originality and creativity in the identification of and the approach to the basic problem
• skill, care and thoroughness in designing and carrying out the study
• following through of the study from conception to conclusion
• reasoning and clarity in the interpretation of the results
• quality of written presentation and ability to discuss the project with the Jury Members

How the Jury works

• Worthy of a prize – A
• Maybe worthy of a prize – B
• Not worthy of a prize – C
• At the beginning of the EU Contest, the President will contact each of the other Members of the Jury, who notify the President of the preliminary marks they have awarded to each project. The President draws up a preliminary assessment list.
• During the EU Contest, the Members of the Jury have a first meeting to review the preliminary assessment list marks. After discussion, the President of the Jury decides which Members of the Jury should visit which projects at the Science exhibition. The Jury ensures that each project exhibit is visited by at least by 5 members of the Jury for interviews. Detailed discussions with all the contestants involved takes place over three days.
• Based on the results of these interviews, the Jury may amend the preliminary assessment list. The Jury shall award the core prizes and decide whether any Honorary and/or Special Donated Prizes should be awarded. The Jury reaches its decisions based on consensus.

The contestants compete on the basis of their work and interviews with the Jury for twelve Core Prizes awarded by the European Commission.

In addition to these prizes, a number of Honorary Awards and Special Donated Prizes are awarded to contestants who, in the judgment of the jury, would benefit from the specific experiences that these prizes offer.

EUCYS History

The competition started in 1989 after the then European Commission President Jacques Delors decided to take over a Europe-wide science fair that Dutch electronics firm Royal Philips had been running since 1968. The European Commission launched the contest in Brussels with the aim of promoting cooperation and exchange between young researchers, and giving them the chance to discuss their work with some of t he world’s leading scientists. Since then, the event has been continuously implemented giving a generation of young researchers the confidence to pursue careers in science.

2022 Leiden Netherlands 2020-2021 Salamanca Spain 2019 Sofia Bulgaria 2018 Dublin Ireland 2017 Tallinn Estonia 2016 Brussels Belgium 2015 Milan Italy 2014 Warsaw Poland 2013 Prague Czech Republic 2012 Bratislava Slovakia 2011 Helsinki Finland 2010 Lisbon Portugal 2009 Paris France 2008 Copenhagen Denmark 2007 Valencia Spain 2006 Stockholm Sweden 2005 Moscow Russian 2004 Dublin Ireland 2003 Budapest Hungary 2002 Vienna Austria 2001 Bergen Norway 2000 Amsterdam Netherlands 1999 Thessaloniki Greece 1998 Porto Portugal 1997 Milano Italy 1996 Helsinki Finland 1995 Newcastle UK 1994 Luxembourg Luxembourg 1993 Berlin Germany 1992 Seville Spain 1991 Zurich Switzerland 1990 Copenhagen Denmark 1989 Brussels Belgium

Latah County Human Rights Task Force

Strengthening the bonds of community to embrace diversity and reject bigotry..

Art and Essay Contest

Each year a topic concerning human rights is chosen with grade-specific contest parameters. 

LATAH COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS TASK FORCE 2024-25 MARTIN LUTHER KING ART AND ESSAY CONTEST THEME: The Promise of Democracy

The Latah  County Human Rights Task Force sponsors an annual Martin Luther King Human Rights Art & Essay Contest with the goal of encouraging creative thought regarding  how Dr. King’s ideals relate to students’ current lives and environments. We select an annual theme and design prompts for the various levels of grades from first through high school. Winners from each grade receive a framed certificate and a $25 gift card from BookPeople which are awarded by Moscow’s Mayor at a special ceremony attended by family and friends at the 1912 Center. The winning entries are posted and displayed at appropriate locations such as the Moscow Chamber of Commerce, public libraries and various schools.

The theme for the 2024-25 Martin Luther King Art & Essay Contest will be  The Promise of Democracy,  which is taken from an excerpt of Dr. King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream Speech,” in which he said, “Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy.”