nch essay writing competition

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The New College of the Humanities Essay Competition

Resource details.

The New College of the Humanities Essay Competition for Year 12 students ranges across the humanities and social sciences. 

Essay Competitions for Year 12 Students: A Complete Guide

I must confess that essay competitions were not a thing when I applied to uni. But then when I applied to uni, all that was required was a decent pass in all my A-Levels and a part-time job in McDonalds. The story for today’s teens is not so simple.

Today I’m sharing a guide to independent essay competitions run by colleges and other organisations. This is a chance for students to share work they’ve already done, or create a fresh essay on a topic set by the organisers.

While you’re here, don’t miss our other guides for Year 12 students:

• Complete guide to pre-university summer schools
• Oxford and Cambridge admission tips from an admissions director
• 50+ super curricular activities for Year 12 students

Table of Contents

Why essay competitions are useful

Essay competitions for Year 12 students are a great way to build up your UCAS application. They’re a great example of a super-curricular activity. They show universities that you have a genuine interest in a subject, and expending your learning beyond the classroom.

This is important if you are applying for a competitive course like English or Psychology, or a competitive university like Oxford or Cambridge. We’ve focused on English and humanities here because that’s what my teen is researching. But if you want to study something else, this guide includes relevant essay competitions in other areas for Year 12 including law, philosophy and history.

There are essay competitions in LOADS of subject areas. The below essay competitions for Year 12 (and sometimes other years) could help. Not only by showing your commitment. If you win a prize, then you could mention this in an application. Some essay competition prizes include attendance at a university open day, providing a valuable way to stand out to admissions teams.

Complete Guide to Essay Competitions for English Lit Students

Below you’ll find a list of Year 12 essay writing competitions that are aimed at, or suitable for, English students. Some of these competitions won’t open until later in the academic year. Others are open for entry in 2024 for students applying to university in 2024/25. I’ve indicated a month of closing for each competition. I’ve also provided a brief description of each competition and details of prizes. Click through to find out more.

Girton College Humanities Writing Competition

Girton College, Cambridge, runs an annual competition for humanities essays, which is suitable for students wanting to apply for English at university. It’s also a great opportunity for students of history, geography, economics and other humanities.

The essay prompt is an exhibit from the college’s museum collection, and students are invited to submit an essay inspired by that item. Winners receive prizes of up to £200. It’s worth noting that only three students per school can enter this competition. The submission deadline is MARCH and the prize is £200.

Find out more  

Minds Underground Essay Competitions

This scientific focused from Minds Underground essay competition has a category aimed at ‘senior’ students, which means Year 12. There are actually multiple essay categories covering science, geography, medicine, veterinary science along with history, english and classics.  The submission deadline for all categories is April 3, 2024.

Find out more

Immerse Education Essay Competition

This annual essay competition has an unusual prize – a place at the annual pre-university summer school run by Immerse Education in Oxford, Cambridge or London. It’s a highly competitive competition and the standard of entries is high. The deadline is January each year, further details available online.

Sheffield Philosophy Essay Competition

This competition has small prizes of £50 but worth entering for the kudos. It’s open to students in Years 10, 11 and 12, and invites you to write an essay of 1,500 words on one of five ethical/moral questions like ‘Can animals be moral?’. The competition opens in January and closes in May.

Sheffield History Essay Competition

The University of Sheffield is also running a history essay competition for 2024, which is open until April 26, 2024. To enter the competition, Y12 students must create a 1500 word essay on one of 5 history prompts. Worth noting you can win £100 if you get a prize, but there can only be two entrants from each school or college.

ISA Essay Competition

While some competitions are only open to state school students, the ISA Essay challenge is open only to students attending independent schools that are part of the Independent Schools Association.

The competition is open to students of all ages and entries are judged in various categories, including one for Year 12 and 13 students. The competition opens in February 2024 and closes in May. There’s also an annual poetry competition that might be worth considering for literature students.

Find out more 

New College of Humanities Essay Challenge

NCH London also runs an annual essay competition for Year 12 students, which is open worldwide. The contest includes various categories that may be of interest to future English students. Entry is open to students in Year 12, and the essay prompts will be published on September 5 or thereabouts. Students need to submit a 1,500 word essay by the following January. The overall winner of this competition gets a £1,000 prize. There’s also £500 or £200 for the runners up.

NU London Essay Competition

This competition is not yet open for 2024, but information on the annual essay competition run by the Northeastern University, London can be found online. The competition is open to students in Year 12, and covers technology, social science and humanities topics. Expect questions to be posted in January and the competition usually runs until April.

Fitzwilliam College Essay Competitions (various)

This year, Fitzwilliam college, Cambridge, is running a series of essay competitions in Ancient World and Classics, Archaeology, Economics, History, Land Economy, Medieval World and Slavonic Studies. Entries must be submitted by the end of March 2024. Students must be in year 12 and there is a limit of 5 applications per school per competition. Helpfully, the college is running a couple of webinars in essay writing, to help students make the most of the competition.

The Hugo Young Award

If you’re a budding journalist or activist, the Hugo Young award is run annually by the Guardian newspaper and is open to people aged 16-25. The prize is to create a short piece of journalism on a topic of your choosing.

There is a specific category for 16-18 year olds (if you’re under 18, you’ll need an adult to confirm your entry) and the award is open to anyone from a state school background, although entries from traditionally under-represented groups are especially welcome. You can win £100 in book vouchers, a Guardian subscription and certificate.

The Rex Nettleford Prize

Run by Oriel College, Oxford, this essay competition focuses on the enduring influence of colonialism on our lives. The rules encourage students to engage with the legacies of colonialism in all its forms – historical, political, economic, social, cultural. Entry is via a 2,500 word essay, and is open to students in Year 12. The prize is £250, and your entry needs to be submitted by 15 March, 2024.

Magdalene College Essay Competition 2024

This competition has not yet opened for 2024, but you can register for more information and to get an alert when entries open. Traditionally, the competition is open to arts and humanities students in Year 12, and is open to students currently in state school education.

Newnham College Essay Competitions

The Newnham competition has been in the news recently because it has changed its rules so that students from independent schools may NOT enter their essay competition. Newnham is a Cambridge college, and as such, they’re trying to distance themselves from the idea that they favour students from privileged backgrounds. Fair enough.

The Newnham competition offers a number of essay prizes, that are open to female students in Year 12. The college provides webinars and guides outlining how to submit and create your essay. Entries are submitted each March, and there is a maximum of four entries permitted in each subject, per school. Details of the Woolf essay, which opens each summer, can be found online.

LSE Undergraduate Political Review

This competition has not yet been opened for 2024 but you can see the format of the competition for 2023 and the winning entries on the LSE UPR website.

This competition invites students in Year 12 to write an 1,000 word essay on a political prompt. The prize includes a £100 Amazon voucher, a certificate signed by the head of LSE’s government department and a chance to present at the annual LSEUPR conference.

Trust for Sustainable Living Essay Prize

This competition is open to school students of all ages but the secondary category is for students aged 11-18 and only requires a 600-word essay on a topic around sustainability.The brief for 2024 – “How can nature help us achieve the UN SDGs in my community?” You will need to have your entry submitted by a teacher or other adult aged 18+.

The Peter Cane Legal Reasoning Prize

If you’re an aspiring lawyer in Year 12 or Year 13, this competition by Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The competition opens in January and closes in February. Winning entrants will be invited to a debate at the college later in the year. This year’s essay prompt is a hypothetical legal case and students are invited to submit an essay outlining their view of the case and reasons why they take the position they do.

The Libra Essay Prize

The Libra competition is for students in Y11 and Y12 preparing for university – it opens each year in January and closes in April 2024. There are actually essay questions across eight categories including science, English, history, economics and more. Essays can be up to 2,000 words and winners will receive vouchers of up to £50 for each category.

Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Competition

If you reckon you could write 1,200 words on the theme ‘Can Machines Think’ then you might be up for the first ever Royal Institute of Philosophy Think! essay competition. There aren’t any monetary prizes but the winners’ entries will be published by the Institute and that’s got to be worth mentioning on your university application!

The St Johns College Classics and Ancient History Prize

This annual competition is now open and closes in March 2024. There are questions for students of classics and history, including classical literature. To enter, students must submit a 2,000 word essay on one of five questions, and could win a £100 book voucher as a prize. In addition, everyone who submits an essay is invited to the college for an open day, including tours and workshops.

Oxford IQ Essay Competition

Similar to the Immerse Education essay competition, the Oxford IQ essay competition gives students the chance to win a free place on a summer pre-university programme in Oxford. Essays are judged on a rolling basis, but must be submitted by March 2024. Entering is something of a process. You need to first register interest in the summer programme including writing a statement on why you want to attend the session, and you’ll receive details of the competition and the essay questions within 48 hours. You can then start your entry, and you’ll be informed within a week of submission if you have been successful.

The Mary Renault Prize

St Hughes College Oxford runs two essay competitions each year. The first focuses on history , the second on classics. The classics essay is worth considering if you’re aiming for an English degree. The competition welcomes entries from students not currently studying Latin/Greek at A-Level, and your essay can focus on classical literature. There are 2 prizes available, worth up to £500. Entries must be 2,000-2,400 words and submitted by late July. Winners are also invited to visit the college for tea!

Queens College Year 12 Essay Contest

Queens College Cambridge runs an annual English essay competition for Year 12 students, demanding a 2500 word essay for a change to win a £500 prize! Entries close in March and the winner is announced in May. In addition to the cash prize, the winner is invited to the college open day and several previous winners went on to study at Cambridge.

The John Locke Institute International Essay Competition

While not strictly aimed at English students, this global contest is very well known and the breadth of topics means you can take a literary approach to another discipline. Students can submit essays across seven different subjects. They are Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology and Law. There are three questions set for each topic, and you can choose your favourite. Entries close in June each year.

The Betty Haigh Prize

Many sixth form students of literature will study Shakespeare and this essay competition is the perfect place to showcase your best work.

To enter the competition, students need to write a 1500 word essay that compares a scene in a Shakespeare tragedy to a film or TV adaptation, OR write a standalone essay exploring how a TV or film adaptation of a Shakespeare drama has thrown new light on the original text. Entries close in September 2024, and winners generally receive book vouchers as prizes.

Gould Prize for English Literature

One of the best essay competitions for english students is the Gould Prize, which is awarded annually by Trinity College, Cambridge.

Candidates are invited each year to submit an essay of between 1,500 and 2,500 words on a topic to be chosen from the list of questions. Entries must be submitted by August 1, with a first prize of £600 to be split between the student and their school or college. Each year there are six questions to choose from, covering novels, poetry and drama.

Robinson College Essay Prize

You don’t enter the Robinson College essay competition because of the prizes – you’ll get a £50 book token if you win. But you’ll get lots of kudos AND an invite to a celebratory award lunch at the college, where you can meet the dean. Similar to the Gould prize, the Robinson College prize poses a series of challenging questions and invites students to answer them from their own perspective. Questions are carefully selected so they’re applicable to literature but also philosophy, history, law and science. This particular competition will not run in 2024.

There you have it! 26 of the best essay competitions for Year 12 students, that you can apply for in 2022. Missed something from our guide? Let me know in the comments!

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NCH Essay Writing Competition Finalist – Economics

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St Lawrence College aims for educational excellence, and nearly all of the Upper Sixth will continue to Higher Education at University.

Posted: 25th November 2021

Oliver Danes, an Upper Sixth pupil at the College, has been awarded ‘finalist’ in the international New College of the Humanities (NCH) Essay Writing Competition 2021.

This competition is open to students who are currently in their ‘penultimate year of secondary education’. The essay itself has to be approximately 1,500 words in length and be on any one of a number of essay titles suggested by NCH.

The essay title chosen by Oliver Danes was: “ How relevant is economics during a pandemic and in what way might economists make things better?”.

A ‘finalist’ is a student who has narrowly missed out on being crowned 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in the competition. Given that NCH welcome essay entries from students located anywhere in the world, to place as a finalist is an incredible feat.

  The NCH Essay Writing competition looks to receive entries from ‘talented and intellectually curious students who show passion and academic potential in the humanities and social sciences’

Oliver has decided to study Economics at university. This NCH award will be useful for his UCAS application, alongside the A he received in the LIBF (The London Institute of Banking & Finance) Exam.

Congratulations go to two other economists from the school, Pratigya Peshen and James Lund who were shortlisted earlier in the year.

And good luck to our current Year 12 economists who are carrying out their research towards this competition.

  The NCH Essay Writing competition looks to receive entries from ‘talented and intellectually curious students who show passion and academic potential in the humanities and social sciences’. You can find out more about the NCH Essay Writing competition here: https://www.nchlondon.ac.uk/pre-university-programmes/essay/

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Home » News » Yarm Sixth Form Student Is Awarded Second Place in NCH Essay Competition

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Yarm Sixth Form Student Is Awarded Second Place in NCH Essay Competition

One of our Lower Sixth Form students, Mia Mack, has been awarded second place in the international essay competition run by New College of the Humanities.

The NCH Essay Competition invites students in their penultimate year of secondary education (Y12 / Lower Sixth equivalent) to answer an essay question from one of ten categories: art history, creative writing, data science, economics, english, history, law, philosophy, politics and international relations, and psychology.

The competition attracts talented and intellectually curious students with passion and academic potential in humanities and social sciences from across the globe. In fact, 2021’s competition saw over 6,000 entries from the UK and EU.

NCH Essay Competition Entry

Mia submitted a 1,500 word art history essay, answering ‘Should the West return cultural artefacts to their former colonial territories?’ Here is an excerpt from her entry:

“Those advocating for the repatriation of cultural artefacts argue that by doing this, the colonial history between nations such as the United Kingdom and their former territories can be acknowledged and accepted as a part of history and can then be ‘moved past’ as it were, to build more diplomatic relationships between nations (US News, 2012). For many, the ‘ownership’ of colonial artefacts by their former powers, classes them as stolen items. From the point of view of the former territories, having their property remain in the ‘mother country’ is only a dark reminder of past imperialistic culture, and continues to allow the colonial power to benefit from their historical wrongs. The vast majority of the artefacts in question were crafted on the back of the slave trade. If the pieces are to remain with the western powers, does this give them a somewhat corrupted legacy? And is it justifiable to say that they should be kept on the grounds of education if these former powers continue to profit from their colonial pasts?   In contrast, there is scope for complications regarding foreign relations if the ownership of the artefacts in question is disputed. A large portion of cultural artefacts have intricate and somewhat multifaceted histories that may be unknown or cryptic. This could cause conflict between nations that want possession of such pieces.”

She said: “I am delighted to have been awarded second place with my essay. I am extremely passionate about art and loved being given the opportunity to share my own ideas and interests with others via an essay. I am really proud of what I achieved and will definitely enter more competitions like this in the future.”

We must also congratulate Shilpi Nanda and Ananya Padamanabhan who were both shortlisted and commended for their essays which they entered into the history and politics and international business categories respectively. Shilpi answered ‘Will the Covid-19 pandemic change human history?’ whilst Ananya answered ‘Is democracy experiencing a setback worldwide?’

Dr Huw Williams, Headmaster, said: “Mia should be very proud to have achieved second place in such a prestigious competition. Her essay is an intelligent and thought provoking exploration of a contentious cultural topic and showcases her real passion for and insight into art history. We encourage all pupils to explore their subjects deeply and not to feel constrained by the formal boundaries of the syllabus. It is clear, from her entry, that Mia has a wide ranging and impressive intellectual engagement with ideas and concepts that will complement and support her A level studies.

Shilpi and Ananya should also be very proud, as being shortlisted and then commended in such a highly regarded competition is a fantastic achievement.”

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NCH Essay Writing Competition 2019

Esther Bailie

Congratulations to Grosvenor Grammar School pupil Esther Baillie, Year Fourteen, who recently excelled in the prestigious ‘NCH ( New College of Humanities London ) Essay Writing Competition’, open to participants throughout the U.K.

Having heard about the competition last October, Esther had the choice of essay titles based around seven different humanities-based subjects. Choosing Politics as her subject, with the title: “What can be done to increase voter turnout at elections?”, Esther submitted her work in January and was informed in May that, from an initial 3600 entrants, she had been short-listed down to the final 150 – the only competitor from Northern Ireland to achieve this.

As a result of her selection, Esther was invited to attend the competition’s Awards Ceremony, held on Tuesday 25th June in London. Although just missing out on the top awards within her category, Esther was fortunate enough to receive a goodie bag, presented to her on the evening by the esteemed Professor A.C. Grayling, which featured a £20 Amazon voucher as well as a ‘Highly Commended’ award certificate.

Well done to Esther on her impressive performance in this elite, keenly-contested event; all at GGS are incredibly proud of her achievements and wish her the best of luck in her future academic endeavours.

Start the new IB1 year with an essay competition! (NCH Essay Competition 2023)

We are excited to launch the NCH Essay Competition 2023! Such external essay competitions are a great way to build skills and knowledge, as well as obtaining a relevant experience which could later be used for your university application (e.g. personal statement!).

This Essay Competition is open to students who are currently in their penultimate (second to last) year of secondary education (IB1) and who are interested in studying Humanities or Social Sciences at university. This is a global competition and there are prizes for the best essays.

Deadline: Monday 16th January 2023 (1pm GMT)

Students from IB1

Choose an essay question from the list of subjects below, register and then submit by the January deadline.

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If you are not an IB1 student, or interested in a different subject other than what is listed above, we still encourage academic competitions! There are many available, some of which we'll be advertising throughout the year. You can also proactively source your own competitions now or speak to a member of the Careers Service.

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Tag: Essay Competitions

Essay competitions.

When it comes to applying to university, experience in an essay competition can be helpful in a number of ways:

• Writing an essay demonstrates that you are passionate and committed to your subject
• Researching for the essay shows that you can study independently, an essential skill at any university
• Exploring a topic within your subject, beyond the bounds of the usual school curriculum, gives you things to talk about in a personal statement or interview
• Delving into a topic might reveal new passions or interests which you can follow up on and expand your reading/writing around your subject

Not to mention, many competitions carry cash prizes for the winners!

The following essay competitions are grouped by broad subject areas and are, for the most part, annual. The dates for each competition change each year, so the timescales are tagged with seasons to give you a rough idea as to when they open/close. If any of these links are broken, please notify me via the contact form.

I would strongly recommend you look at essay competitions in related fields. An essay competition from one subject could definitely be worthwhile for someone wanting to study another subject. For example, many history competitions ask questions relevant to politics and other social sciences. The categories below are mostly guidelines, so do check competitions in subjects similar to yours.

Humanities and Social Sciences

• The Pembroke Tyler Essay Prize – Pembroke College Oxford

Archaeology

• Archaeology – Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, Spring/Summer
• Humanities Writing Competition – Girton College Cambridge

Architecture

• Architecture – Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, Spring/Summer

Art History

• NCH Essay Competition – NCH
• Ancient World/Classics – Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, Spring/Summer
• The Mary Renault Prize – St Hugh’s College Oxford
• Classics and Ancient History Essay Competition – St John’s College Oxford
• Economics Essay – John Locke Institute, Summer
• Corpus Dixit Essay Prize for Economics – Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Young Economist of the Year Competition – Royal Economic Society
• The Marshall Society Essay Competition – Marshall Society (Cambridge Economics Society)

English Literature

• Gould Prize For Essays In English Literature – Trinity College Cambridge, Summer
• Thomas Campion English Prize – Peterhouse College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Corpus Christopher Marlowe Prize for English – Corpus Christi College Cambridge – Winter/Spring
• The Estelle Prize for English – Queens’ College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Christopher Tower Poetry Competition – Tower Poetry
• The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition – Royal Commonwealth Society
• Connell Guides Essay Prize – Connell Guides
• Corpus Essay Prize for Geography – Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Winter/Spring –  https://www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate-study/admissions-events/essay-competitions
• Young Geographer of the Year – Royal Geographical Society –  https://www.rgs.org/schools/competitions/young-geographer-of-the-year/
• History Essay – John Locke Institute, Summer
• Robson History Prize – Trinity College Cambridge, Summer
• Vellacott History Prize – Peterhouse College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• History Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge
• Woolf Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge,  relevant to many subjects other than history
• The Julia Wood Prize – St Hugh’s College Oxford, opens February each year

Land Economy

• Land Economy – Fitzwilliam College Cambridge
• Corpus Essay Competition for Languages and Linguistics – Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Russian Studies – Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, Spring/Summer
• Modern and Medieval Languages Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge
• Robert Walker Prize For Essays In Law – Trinity College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Politics and Law Essay – John Locke Institute, Summer

Linguistics

• Linguistics Essay Prize – Trinity College Cambridge, Summer
• Corpus Prize for Harmony – Corpus Christi College Cambridge
• Styler Choral Composition Prize – Corpus Christi College Cambridge
• Music Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge
• Philosophy Essay – John Locke Institute, Summer
• Philosophy Essay Prize – Trinity College Cambridge, Spring
• Philosophy Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge
• Edgar Jones Philosophy Essay Competition – St Peter’s College Oxford, Summer
• Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize – Oriel College Oxford, Spring/Summer

Politics and International Relations

• R.A. Butler Politics Prize – Trinity College Cambridge, March to September
• Corpus Bacon Prize for Politics and International Relations – Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Corpus Hosykn Prize for Theology – Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• St John’s Theology Essay Competition – St John’s College Oxford, Summer

Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematics

• The Oxford Scientist School Science Writing Competition – Oxford University

Engineering

• The Engineering Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge

Life Sciences Essays

• Kelvin Science Prize – Peterhouse College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Corpus Rackham Essay Prize for Biology – Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Winter/Spring
• Biological Sciences Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge

Physical Sciences Essays

• Weston-Smith Physical Sciences Essay Prize – Newnham College Cambridge

Summer School Scholarship Competitions

• Cambridge Immerse  – you choose the topic
• Reach Cambridge  – there is one question which you interpret and answer

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NCH Essay Competition 2018

• Deadline May 20, 2018
• Region Online

• - June 25, 2018

NCH is inviting competition essay entries from students who are currently in their penultimate year of secondary education.  Their selection of essay titles engages across a broad range of humanities and social sciences topics and we look forward to receiving entries from talented and intellectually curious students who show passion and academic potential in the humanities and social sciences.

Winners will be awarded in prize money-

• First place £2,000 cash prize, plus £1,000 for your school or college
• Second place £1,000 cash prize
• Third place £500 cash prize
• Fourth-Tenth prizes £40

Eligibilities

• The NCH London Essay Competition is open to students who are currently in their penultimate (second to last) year of secondary education, year 12,
•  Who are interested in studying humanities or social sciences at university.

Application Process

• Apply through the following link to registration
• Register for the competition
• Choose one of the essay titles
• Write the essay between 1,500-words

Application Deadline: May 20, 2018

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Competition Rules

• The Essay Competition is offered by Northeastern University London, based at Devon House 58 St Katharine’s Way, London, E1W 1LP
• The Competition is open to students who are currently in their penultimate year of secondary education (the equivalent of Y12 in England or Grade 11 in India).
• Entries should answer one of the specified questions.
• Entrants must register here to participate in the competition. We cannot accept submissions if the student has not first registered.
• Essays must be of approximately 1,500 words typed and in double line spacing, with the student’s full name at the bottom or top of each page, and be submitted in Word document or PDF format. We will allow +/- 10% range of 1,500. Titles, references and footnotes are not included in the word count.
• Essays should be submitted via the online form provided in the registration confirmation email.
• When registering for the competition and submitting your essay/report please use the same name throughout and title your file: [Student First Name].[Student Last Name].[Essay subject] e.g ‘Alice.Smith.History’
• When submitting your essay, you must state the name and email address that you used when registering for the competition, using a different name or email may result in disqualification.
• We will only accept essays in the following formats .doc/.docx and .PDF
• The essay must be the sole creation and original work of the entrant. The essay/report must not have been submitted to this or any other essay competition in previous years.
• Any form of plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
• Essays/Reports generated with the use of AI or chatbot systems such as ChatGPT or alike will result in automatic disqualification.
• An essay may be a reworked piece of the entrant’s coursework or an extract of their dissertation, provided that it was originally the sole creation of the entrant.
• Shortlisted entries will be approved to warrant that the entrant is eligible for the competition. This will be undertaken by the judges once they have a short list of the best essays.
• No person may submit more than one essay for each annual competition.
• The award winners grant the University the right to publish or reproduce at any time all or part of the award-winning entries.
• The prizes on offer are stated  here . Entrants cannot win more than one prize in any one year. The award of all or any of the prizes lies solely within the discretion of the judges. The judges’ decision will be final.
• The deadline for the receipt of entries is 2pm GMT Monday 6th January 2025. Please note that late entries cannot be accepted under any circumstances.
• All entries will be acknowledged by email. Entrants who unsubscribe from the University’s emails will not receive acknowledgement of their entry nor will they receive email communications about their performance in the competition. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to provide feedback on unsuccessful entries.
• Winners are entitled to refer to the achievement on their CV and university application personal statement.
• It is anticipated that the prize-winners will be announced in April 2025.
• The decision of the Senior Director of London Campus Marketing on interpretation of these Rules will be final.

THE HARVARD CRIMSON

GLOBAL ESSAY

COMPETITION 2025

Register below!

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION for hcgEc 2025 is now open!

What is a global essay competition.

The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition provides a platform for young, ambitious high school students to exercise their writing skills and compete with students from all over the world!

This competition encourages students to challenge themselves and explore different writing styles to ultimately strengthen their writing skills.

writing SKILLS

Hone written communication skills and challenge yourself with university-style guidelines, while in high school.

Add a high-impact achievement to your CV/resume and/or university application.

Have your essays evaluated, and possibly endorsed, by The Harvard Crimson.

Prepare for university-style writing and expand your repertoire.

NO BARRIERS

The entire competition is held online, removing geographical barriers to entry.

Workshops and webinars will guide participants through the competition.

Represent your country and region on the global stage.

Compete and network with highly-motivated and talented students invited from every country around the world.

EXCLUSIVE PRIZES

UP FOR GRABS

Published work on the official HCGEC website.

Exclusive internships with The Harvard Crimson.

Crimson credit with Crimson Education to help reach individual goals.

Generous cash prizes.

HCGEC 2025 Timeline

What makes The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition different from other competitions?

HCGEC is brought to you by The Harvard Crimson and Crimson Education . These two powerhouses provide an experience like no other.

Each participant is invited to attend best-in-class bootcamps, explore careers in writing, and compete for exclusive opportunities and global recognition! Check out the HCGEC 2024 Prizes for more details!

Have you dreamt of careers such as: editor, columnist, reporter, communications specialist, social media manager, or marketing professional? There are so many awesome careers to explore if you enjoy writing.

participant-exclusive bootcamps

HCGEC 2024 provides exclusive and on-demand bootcamps to help participants develop university-level writing competencies and learn about career paths. Learn more here!

HCGEC 2023 PROMPTS

About the competition

Find out more about the competition format, key dates, and upcoming webinars!

Find more about writing tips, past winners and their winning essays!

Follow us on social media

Minds Underground Competitions

Our 2025 Essay Competition opens soon. Questions will be released in November 2024.

To see 2024 competition results and example winning entries, please visit the Results Page .

Young Minds Prize

A chance for our younger students (aged 14 & under) to explore beyond the curriculum in answer to contemporary questions and debates. One winner will be selected from each of the 8-11 and 12-14 age categories.

Senior Prizes

Hone writing skills and an ability to construct effective arguments, explore your interests beyond the school curriculum and gain a great talking-point on your university application. Competitions are aimed at Year 12, but open to younger applicants and those re-applying for university.

View Junior & Senior Competition Guidelines N.B. Students are permitted to enter in more than 1 subject category.

Young Minds (14 & Under) Competition

For enquiring students looking to engage with cross-cutting topics.

Address pressing issues including environmental change and migration

Geography essay competition.

Design a Wearable!

Engineering innovation challenge.

An exploration of history and historical approaches

History essay competition.

Engage with the state of contemporary debate

Politics essay competition.

Challenge your

Ability to make logical arguments and reason your opinions, law essay competition.

Can you think like an economist?

Economics essay competition.

Classics Essay Competition

Explore the literature, history and languages of the ancient greek and roman worlds.

Modern Languages

A chance to research literature and thought written in european languages.

Develop an interest in scientific research

Medicine essay competition.

Is it easier for animals to live on land or in the sea?

Veterinary essay competition.

Art History Essay Competition

Should more artwork be shredded.

Delve into the history and philosophy of architecture and design

Architecture essay competition.

Engage in the experimental side of psychology

Psychology essay competition.

Philosophy Essay Competition

Probe into your reasoning process.

English Competition

Explore periods and styles of english literature & the origins of language.

STEM Essay Competition

Scientific exploration across chemistry, biology, physics, maths, and computer science.

Dentistry Essay Competition

Shaping the future of dentistry.

Digital Hungary Student Essay Writing Competition

The total amount of the prize: 600.000 HUF.  

The aim of the Digital Hungary conference is to provide a comprehensive overview of the transformative power of digitalisation, which is playing a key role in economic, social and political processes today. The event will explore the impact of digitalisation in different sectors: digital citizenship, digitalisation of services and the future of the fintech sector .  Papers can be submitted on these three themes.  

More details on the essay competition (in Hungarian) can be found here .  

Deadline for submission: Thursday 24 October 2024, 12:00 noon.  

National Essay Writing Competition on Constitutional Law by Dr. D.Y. Patil Law College: Submit by Nov 10

• Essay Competitions Opportunities
• October 17, 2024

About the Organization

Dr. D.Y. Patil Law College, established in 2001 and affiliated with Savitribai Phule Pune University, is recognized by the Government of Maharashtra and the Bar Council of India. Located in Pimpri, Pune, the college offers 3-year LL.B and 5-year B.A.LL.B programs, along with specialized diploma courses in Taxation, Labour, and Cyber Laws.

About the Competition

The Constitution of India stands as the backbone of our democracy, shaping the legal framework and ensuring the fundamental rights of every citizen. This essay competition aims to encourage participants to delve into pressing constitutional challenges, explore innovative legal perspectives, and offer constructive insights. The competition provides a platform for law students and enthusiasts to critically analyze constitutional developments and propose ideas that strengthen democratic governance.

Eligibility

The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students of law from recognized universities across India.

“Constitutional Democracy in Crisis: Navigating Challenges of the 21st Century.”

Topics for Submission (Choose One)

• Erosion of Democratic Institutions: Challenges to Constitutional Governance.
• The Role of Judiciary in Safeguarding Constitutional Democracy.
• Balancing Individual Rights with National Security in the 21st Century.
• Media Freedom and Its Role in a Constitutional Democracy.
• The Impact of Technology on Democratic Processes and Constitutional Rights.

Submission Guidelines

• Word Limit: 1500-2000 words.
• Format: Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, justified text, footnotes in 10-point font.
• Citation Style: Bluebook 21st edition or ILI.
• Plagiarism: Entries should be original and unpublished. Plagiarism above 10% will lead to disqualification.
• 1st Prize: ₹5,000
• 2nd Prize: ₹3,000
• 3rd Prize: ₹1,000

Registration Fees

Single Author – 299/-         

Co-Author – 399/-        

Judging Criteria

The essays will be evaluated based on originality, critical analysis, clarity, coherence, and legal research. A panel of esteemed legal scholars and practitioners will judge the entries.

Submission Procedure

Click here to register ..

How to Submit: Participants are required to submit their essays via email to [email protected] .

Submission Deadline

10th November 2024

Contact Information

For any queries, please contact:

• Dr. Vijeta Chaudhary, Faculty Coordinator – 9527511786
• Shubhi Maheshwari, Student Coordinator – 7566771129
• Harsh Verma, Student Coordinator – 9523495883

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NCDMB ANNUAL NATIONAL UNDERGRADUATE ESSAY COMPETITION

8TH EDITION

Essay Competition 2024

The NCDMB Annual National Undergraduate Oil & Gas Essay Competition sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is designed to promote the Nigerian Content (NC) initiative and create the awareness for Nigerians to build local capacity to participate effectively in Nigerian’s Oil and Gas industry.

Essay Topic: 

NIGERIAN CONTENT AND OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICAN LOCAL CONTENT ADVANCEMENT

CONTEST RULES

• This contest is open only to 100-200 level students in public and private Tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
• Entrants must submit a letter of admission 
• All essays must be original works specifically written for the competition. FOR MORE INFORMATION