, and follow the required steps. Entries submitted by postal mail or e-mail are not accepted.
Teachers and youth directors may submit a collection of essays from their class or group by creating an ‘account for school/organization entrant’ on the online registration page.
* Only one entry per person is accepted.
* We are unable to confirm receipt of essays.
Essays must be original and unpublished.
section below.
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Past Winning Essays 2020 Winners' Gathering Report
Since 1883, we have delivered The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest international schools' writing competition. Today, we work to expand its reach, providing life-changing opportunities for young people around the world.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 is now closed for entries
Find out more about this year’s theme
'Our Common Wealth'.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools and has been proudly delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883.
An opportunity for young Commonwealth citizens to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on key global issues and have their hard work and achievement celebrated internationally.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Competition. Before contacting us please read these.
In 2023 we were delighted to receive a record-breaking 34,924 entries, with winners from India and Malaysia. Read their winning pieces as well as those from previous years.
Terms and Conditions for entrants to The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Please ensure you have thoroughly read them before submitting your entry.
India is undergoing its economic, technological and demographic transition simultaneously. An old country is becoming youthful and adventurous with the passage of time. Young Indians like OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal are quietly taking charge of Indian ethos by becoming icons of audacious aspirations and tangible proofs of its potential, spawning startups that are becoming most valuable and famous than many legacy companies. How can young revolutionaries find ways to carry the older generation of investors, regulators, workers and consumers with them and what can other economies and founders learn from India’s momentous transition?
For over 50 years teams of student have volunteered to organise the St. Gallen Symposium. They have written countless invitations, met thousands of partners, and welcomed some of the most important personalities of their time on stage. Together with former members of the ISC we will reflect on the St. Gallen Symposium experience of cross-generational dialogue and collaboration, the lessons they have learned for their lives and on how the symposium has evolved. This session is organised together with ISC Alumni.
As the need for innovation is growing, the routinisation of well-structured creative processes within organizations is key for concurrent value creation. Prof. Susan Goldsworthy of IMD, this year's St. Gallen Symposium artist Javiera Estrada and Light Artist Gerry Hofstetter will discuss the role of collaboration in the creative process. Together, and in conversation with the audience, they’ll explore the way collaboration can drive creativity in various organisational contexts, and, on the other hand, the role of introversion and lone contemplation in creating something new.
Many employee volunteering and giving programs are presented as an employee perk, similar to casual Fridays or a team-building event. But treating workplace giving and volunteering this way fails to fully capitalise on the great potential of such programs: to foster employee personal growth, and address key societal challenges. The panel will particularly explore the potential of skills-based volunteering, its benefits, and the unique challenges that arise when moving from merely transactional volunteering to something far more transformative.
The investment landscape over the next twenty years will be radically different from previous generations. While there appears to be greater access to capital, there also appears to be much more volatility and debt with no clear dominant financing mechanism. Entrepreneurs, VC, Private Equity, and banks will have to find new ways to work together to create growth and stimulate innovation. How can investors and entrepreneurs better collaborate and find mutually beneficial agreements that balance risk and return?
The fashion industry accounts for 10% of humanity’s annual carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. For long, the fashion and luxury watchmaking industry drove, together with the fashion media industry, unsustainable dynamics in the sector: generating more and more demand through an artificial cycle of new collections and seasonal trends. Businesses’ marketing, media as well as influencers thereby create a constant longing and demand for their products. How can designers, fashion houses and publishers exit this vicious cycle and, collaboratively, drive the transition towards more sustainable and ethical fashion and luxury watchmaking?
Media diversity, freedom of the press and freedom of expression in Europe are currently under threat. Journalists and independent media companies are increasingly joining forces across borders to respond to such challenges as well as to be able to continue to offer independent quality journalism in the future. This session will identify learnings from new media partnerships such as the Leading European Newspaper Alliance (LENA) and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) to identify how media can most effectively work together.
Technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship are key drivers of the modern economy and social mobility. Given their importance, we should strive to improve accessibility to tech, education and entrepreneurship across all backgrounds. Creating open and inclusive communities, especially with tech is important to accomplishing this goal, but it is easier said that done. Simultaneously, a third iteration of the internet – Web3 – has the potential to radically transform the internet of things and reduce barriers to access. How can these forces be effectively harnessed and directed for the benefit of all people and move the world forward?
Over the past decades, the tech sector, especially the internet of things, has become a central component of modern economies. Trying to catch up with the exponential pace of technological development, the US, China, and Europe are crafting rules of the game on digital markets. What are the emerging characteristic differences between regulatory regimes of digital markets, in the US, Europe and beyond, and how do they balance innovation and regulation? In light of strategic competition over tech dominance between the US and China, what are the opportunities and challenges for Europe in particular?
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world of work forever. The fast and widespread adoption of remote work and an ever-increasing concern of employees with purpose and meaning on their job have intensified the war for talents. Reaching out to and concurrently engaging employees is key for businesses across sectors and regions. What learnings can be drawn from the pandemic as regards our approach to work? Has the world of work changed for the better? And what role does leadership culture and a new approach to hiring play going forward?
Compete in our Global Essay Competition and qualify for participation as a Leader of Tomorrow in the world’s premier opportunity for cross-generational debates: The St. Gallen Symposium.
Meet 300 of society’s brightest young minds. Present and debate your ideas with 600 senior leaders. Be inspired by some of the world’s most impressive speakers. Gain a unique and new perspective on this year’s topic. Become a member of a unique global community. Participate in the symposium with us. Win prize money of CHF 20,000 split amongst the three winners.
To be announced ….
Pre-registration window for the Global Essay Competition to qualify for the 54th St. Gallen Symposium is open !
Click here to pre-register for the 2025 Global Essay Competition
If problems occur during registration, please clear your cached images and files in your browsing history or consider using the browser Google Chrome. If you still cannot apply, use the following link. For any unanswered questions please contact us via e-mail at [email protected]
Qualify with an excellent essay.
We expect a professional, creative and thought-provoking essay. Be bold, unconventional, and distinctive on the competition question.
Essay (max. 2,100 words, excl. abstract, bibliography, and footnotes) | |
English | |
1 February 2025, 11:59 p.m. last time zone (UTC-12) | |
Your name, e-mail address, university, or any identifying details must not be mentioned anywhere in the contribution file. | |
Individual work expected, no group work allowed. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest. The idea must be the author’s own. | |
All sources must be cited and referred to the respective part in the essay. All contributions will be tested for plagiarism. Any auxiliary aids (AI, proofreading, translation service, layout/graphics services, writing and translation programs, etc.) are to be listed in an auxiliary aids directory. | |
To be eligible, you must fulfill all of the following criteria:.
Meet our student representatives to learn how you can qualify for a participation in the 54 th St. Gallen Symposium. We will have physical presentations at your university again as well as regular webinars to answer your questions!
General questions, who can compete for a participation as a leader of tomorrow at the st. gallen symposium.
Students enrolled at a regular university, who are matriculated in a master or postgraduate programme.
The St. Gallen Global Essay Competition is a global student essay competition, offering students who study at graduate or postgraduate level around the world the opportunity to apply for participation at the St. Gallen Symposium.
The Knowledge Pool is a group of Leaders of Tomorrow with a strong affiliation to topics of relevance to the St. Gallen Symposium. They show outstanding track records in the particular fields they work or study. They are hand-selected by the International Students’ Committee. It is not possible to apply for membership in the Knowledge Pool.
The participation in the symposium is free for all Leaders of Tomorrow. Moreover, expenses for travel, board and lodging are covered by the ISC. However, we recommend bringing a small amount of pocket money for your convenience.
Who is eligible for the 54 th st. gallen symposium.
Students enrolled at a regular university, who are matriculated in a graduate or postgraduate programme as of 1 February 2025, from any field of study, born in 1995 or later.
In the context of the Global Essay Competition, a regular university is defined as an institution of higher education that also conducts research and offers at least one PhD programme. Exceptions are possible and are granted on a case-by-case basis.
Unfortunately, students on bachelor level do not fulfil the eligibility criteria and therefore cannot enter the competition. There is no other way to apply for participation and we, therefore, encourage all students to join the competition once they pursue with their studies at a graduate level. You may, however, be eligible if the level of study in your current year is equivalent to international graduate level which must be confirmed in writing by your university.
Only individual submissions are allowed as we can only grant participation to one contender per contribution.
The maximum amount of words is 2,100 (excluding bibliography or graph descriptions and the like). There is no minimum word count. Please make sure to state the exact word count in your document. Also keep in mind that you must not state your name in the contribution.
All sources must be quoted and all essays are scanned for plagiarism. You must refer each source to the respective text passage. Please note that plagiarism is a serious offense and that we reserve the right to take further steps in case of deliberate fraud. Self-plagiarism will also result in disqualification, as the work has to be written exclusively for the Global Essay Competition of the St. Gallen Symposium. Furthermore any auxiliary aids (AI, proofreading, translation service, layout/graphics services, writing and translation programs, etc.) are to be listed in an auxiliary aids directory as shown below:
Private proofreading | Spell check | Complete paper |
DeepL | Translation of text passage | Conclusion; page 4-5 |
Endnote | Compilation of the literature index | Literature index |
ChatGPT | Creation of text passages, these were commented in the folowing chapter | Paragraph 4; sentence 1-6; page 3 |
Yes, you can find winner essays as well as other publications from the Global Essay Competition here .
Please make sure to hand in your essay in either a doc, docx or pdf format. The document must allow to copy the text easily (no document protections).
In addition to your contribution, make sure to upload
in the applicable field of the registration form.
The ISC will verify your eligibility and check all submitted documents for completeness and readability. Due to the large amount of essays we receive, our response may take some time, so thank you for your patience. If the jury selects your essay in the top 100 , you qualify as a Leader of Tomorrow for an expenses-paid participation in the 54 th St. Gallen Symposium (6-8 May 2025). The results will be announced via e-mail by mid-March 2025. The jury selects the three awardees based on the quality of the idea on paper. The award is endowed with a total prize money of CHF 20,000. In addition, there will be a chance for the very best competitors (including the awardees) to present their ideas on the big stage at the symposium. For this, the students will be asked to pitch their idea on video beforehand.
The Award Jury consists of leading executives, journalists and professors from all around the world. The Academic Jury is composed of young top academics from the University of St. Gallen and the ETH Zurich.
The jury’s decision will be announced by mid-March at the latest.
How do the travel arrangements work.
The organizing committee will get in touch with you prior to the symposium to discuss your itinerary and to book your travel.
All Leaders of Tomorrow are self-responsible to get a visa. However, we will inform the applicable Swiss embassy about the invitation and will provide you with the necessary documents. Should a problem arise anyway, we are happy to help. Expenses for visa application are borne by the Leaders of Tomorrow themselves.
All Leaders of Tomorrow are accommodated at private student flats across the city. Please give us an early notice should you have any special requirements (e.g. female flatmates only).
We book flights or train tickets and provide shuttle service from and to the airport. Furthermore, all Leaders of Tomorrow receive a free ticket for the public transport in St. Gallen during the week of the symposium.
We recommend bringing some pocket money (CHF 100–200) for your convenience. Please note that depending on your time of arrival and departure, some meals might not be covered.
Yes, of course. Most of the symposium sites are wheelchair-accessible and we are more than happy to help where we can. Although our ability to provide personal assistance is very limited, we do our best to provide the necessary services.
During the symposium there will be no time for sightseeing. However, we may offer selected touristic programmes a day before or after the symposium. These days can, of course, also be used for individual sightseeing. Nearby sites include the old town of St. Gallen, the lake Constance and the nearby mountains.
Yes, upon request we can move your return flight to a date of your choice. If the new flight is more expensive, we may ask you to cover the price difference. Please note that we are unable to provide any services such as accommodation or transportation after the end of the symposium week.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide any services such as travel, room, board or symposium access to any additional person.
Out of approx. 1,000 annual contributions submitted by graduate and post-graduate students from all around the globe, the jury selects three winner essays every year. Meet our competition’s past winners and read their contributions.
Oluwafunmike aderonmu, wei jun sean chan, andreas kuster, essay question:.
Scarcity generally refers to a situation where human needs exceed available resources . The 2024 Global Essay Competition invites young leaders worldwide to focus on a specific contemporary or future challenge related to scarcity and propose an innovative way to address it. They were asked to be creative in thinking about proposed solutions: do we need to strive for more and find ways to boost the availability of the resource in question? Or does it focus on ways to thrive with less and thus rethink our needs and demand? Participants were free in choosing which scarce resource they focus on: examples include – but are NOT limited to – human labour, capital, natural resources, or intangibles like time, creativity, or care. The challenge is to be bold and precise in describing a contemporary or future challenge of scarcity and the specific kind of resources they focus on, to offer a concrete and actionable idea of how we should confront it.
Elliot gunn, gaurav kamath, megan murphy.
The best or worst legacy from previous generations: How to preserve or replace it?
A great deal of our lives is influenced by when we were born. As those currently alive, we have inherited the world which previous and older generations have built. We owe a great deal to the efforts of our forebears, but we also inherit problematic legacies.
Sophie lara neuber, anton meier, bryan kwang shing tan.
Collaborative Advantage: what should be written into a new intergenerational contract?
The idea of a “generational contract” embodies the principles that younger and older generations rely on each other to provide mutual support across different stages of their lives. Inclusive education systems, sustainable welfare states and meaningful environmental action are some of many challenges requiring a cross-generational collaborative effort. Yet, with the climate crisis, rapid technological change and societal aging in many countries, the generational contract and notions of intergenerational fairness have been challenged. Members of the younger generation are raising their voices as they reflect on how their futures are being compromised by current decision-makers.
What’s your specific and actionable idea that should be written into a new generational contract? Choose an area where you see evidence that intergenerational fairness is – or, going forward, will be – challenged and where the generational contract needs to be rewritten. Potential areas include, but are not limited to, business strategy and the economy, inclusive governance and education, the welfare state and health care, environmental sustainability, or the world of work. Describe your problem and offer concrete and practical proposals how inter-generational fairness can be restored or reinvented. Explain your idea’s impact for the future.
Janz irvin chiang.
1st place – Peking University
2nd place – York University
3rd place – Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
A Matter of Trust: How Can Trust be Repaired When It’s Lost?
In recent years, we have seen many reports about “trust crises” in the realms of politics, health, business, technology, science, and media. Political and corporate scandals, mass protests, and deteriorating trust indicators in global perception surveys support this diagnosis. As a result, senior leaders in many of these sectors publicly aspire to “rebuild trust” in their decisions, products, or institutions. What would be your advice to them?
Choose an area in one of the above-mentioned sectors where you see evidence that citizens’, consumers’, regulators’, employees’ or other stakeholders’ trust has been lost. Describe your example of an apparent loss of trust; offer concrete and practical proposals on repairing damaged trust. Describe your idea’s impact for the future.
Symposium postponed.
As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the final review and communication of the results of the contributions to the Global Essay Competition was stopped prematurely.
Freedom Revisited: Which aspects of freedom need to be defended, or recalibrated, to meet the challenges of our time?
Domestically and on the international stage, values of individual, economic, and political freedom are subject to critical inquiry or outright attack. Diverse phenomena such as populism, global power shifts, climate change, the digital revolution, and global migration call for a reflection on the value of freedom for the way we live, do business, and organize politically in the years ahead. While some call for a defence of established freedoms, others call for recalibration of our concept of freedom, or the balance we strike between freedom and other values, such as equality, sustainability, and security. Where do you stand in this debate? Choose one of the following positions as you develop your essay:
In defence of freedom: Choose an area in the realm of business, economics, politics, or civil society where current concepts of freedom are under pressure and where they need to be defended. Describe the problem and offer a concrete and practical proposition of how established concepts of freedom should – and can be – defended. Describe its impact for the future.
In defence of recalibrating freedom: Choose an area in the realms of business, economics, politics or civil society where current concepts of freedom are unsuitable for the challenges we face and where they need to be recalibrated. Describe the problem and offer a concrete and practical proposition of how established concepts of freedom should and can be recalibrated. Describe its impact for the future.
Reuben muhindi wambui (ke).
1st place – The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
2nd place – University of Pennsylvania
3rd place – Yale University
Is it as good as it gets? – What approach would you suggest to change the current purpose of capital?
Political volatility, environmental issues, precarious labour markets, technological monopolies, managerial and investment short-termism are only a few challenges we face. The time has come to counter excessive short-termism and start doing business as unusual. Think about the status quo and its implications. What would be an idea to change it? Develop projects or actions you would trust in to bring new and expanded purposes to capital and aim for a long-term positive impact. In your essay you should consider how the use of capital (financial, human, social,…) can solve complex challenges and address substantial changes, be it by individuals, civil society, businesses or governments. Your idea must inspire leaders worldwide to take on responsibility and put it into practice. Be bold and develop a truly impactful concept to win our prestigious award.
2018 – beyond the end of work, nat ware (au).
1st place – University of Oxford
João abreu (br).
3rd place – Harvard University
Robots are coming for your job. How do you augment yourself to stay economically relevant?
Author Yuval Noah Harari claims that the rapid progress of artificial intelligence technology will render the human species economically useless within decades. Imagine a world in which humans fight back, harnessing AI and other technologies to stay economically indispensable – and, ultimately, competitive against the computers. Describe the job you aspire to in the future, how it will potentially be influenced by AI, and how you would augment yourself technologically if necessary to prevail in your chosen career.
1st Place – University of Oxford
2nd Place – University of St. Gallen
3rd Place – University of Southern California
Breaking the status quo – What’s YOUR disruptive idea?
The notion of disruption captures today’s innovation zeitgeist. Nowadays, it seems everyone claims to be a disruptor – particularly young people with an entrepreneurial mindset. Let’s think beyond disruptive innovation in management and look at disruption more generally as something that breaks the status quo – be it in business, politics, science, or society. Pick the one of these four fields you are most passionate about, identify a problem of greater magnitude and come up with a disruptive idea to solve it. Your idea must aspire to inspire top-notch leaders worldwide. Do not free ride on the buzzword “disruption” but rather be bold and develop a truly novel and radical concept to win our prestigious award.
Schima labitsch (at).
1st place – Fordham University
2nd place – University of St.Gallen
3rd place – New York University
What are alternatives to economic growth?
Laya maheshwari (in).
1st place – London School of Economic
2nd place – Freie Universität Berlin
3rd place – University of St.Gallen
Think about unconventional ideas, undiscovered trends or peripheral signals that may turn into ground-breaking changes for societies. Present one idea which is not on the radar of current leaders yet but will change the game in business, politics or civil society – the best ones will be put to the test by the global audience of the St. Gallen Symposium.
Although small states lead the global rankings in international benchmark studies on competitiveness, innovation and wealth, they are often politically marginalised. Explore a common agenda for small and prosperous countries and identify one joint project that would increase the relevance of small states on the global stage. Go beyond politics and diplomacy by also including economic and civil players.
Human history shows that the world has been ruled by tiny but superior groups of people. It is the elites who have been controlling societies and the allocation of resources. Given the rise of inequality, a devastating level of famine that still exists, ubiquitous corrupt systems of government, limited access to education for the underprivileged, to name just a few of the world’s greatest problems, elites are challenged to redefine their roles and agenda settings. Share your thoughts on how elites are supposed to emerge and transform in the 21st century.
Ashwinikumar singh (in).
1st place – University of Mumbai
2nd place – University of Sydney
3rd place – National University of Singapore
The presumption of an altruistic relation between generations and its positive effect on the economic well-being of societies is illusionary. Welfare states have widened fiscal gaps to an irreparable extent for the next generations. When aspiring to a sustainable welfare system, how should intergenerational claims balance without having to rely on selflessness?
Let’s be frank: The generational contract has failed everywhere – but for different reasons. Exuberant public debts, zooming healthcare costs, unequal distribution of wealth, loss of ethical and moral anchors, loss of trust in existing institutions: each state is facing a unique set of problems. Briefly describe the situation in your country and propose a generational contract defining mutual responsibilities on an economic and social level.
Highly educated and ambitious, yet unemployed. A whole generation of young is entering the labour market with little prospect of success. The implications go way beyond individual tragedies as economies with lasting high levels of youth unemployment risk social instability. Present new solutions on how we can overcome this crisis.
Slogans like “rent is the new own” or Botsmann and Rogers’s “what’s mine is yours” (HarperBusiness, 2010) mark the trend of shared economy. Although not a new economic phenomenon per se, particularly the Millennials are embracing this attitude towards doing business where they value access over ownership. The trend is gaining global mainstream acceptance which is resulting in a lasting impact on economic performance. Discuss the future of shared economy, its overall implications and the dynamics between supply and demand.
Kilian semmelmann (de).
1st place – Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
2nd place – Rotterdam School of Management
3rd place – University of St.Gallen (HSG)
The competitors must choose from one of four competition questions, which refer to the four topic clusters “Putting incentives right”, “Coping with institutions”, “Against the current – courageous people” and “Management of excellence”
How come that both in the corporate world and in politics, responsible courage (e.g. whistleblowing, courage to disagree with current paradigms, etc.) is hardly ever rewarded? Where the big decisions for the future are taken, anxiety, conformity and despondence prevail. How can this be changed?
Institutions of all kinds shape our behaviour – be it economic, political or social behaviour. How should institutions be designed in order to foster a sustainable economic and social development?
Observers lament that younger generations, as individualistic as they are, tend to settle for a highly streamlined social and economic world that does not ask for big decisions or unconventional thinking. Please share your opinion on this observation and explain why you agree or disagree. Please use examples that support your arguments.
New insights can only flourish within a culture of dialogue in different opinions. No assumptions should be taken for granted nor should there be any unquestioned truth. However, most people (decision makers, managers, students, etc.) often fail to deal constructively with conflicting opinions. How can companies encourage their employees to build a healthy attitude towards unconventional thinking and acting?
Rodrigues caren (in).
1st place – St. Joseph’s Institute of Management
2nd place – Geneva Graduate Institute
3rd place – King’s College London
Detecting Risks
Risk Aversion
Emerging Risks
Managing Risk
Marcelo ber (ar).
1st place – New York University
2nd place – London School of Economics
3rd place – Università di Camerino
We asked you to contribute visions and ideas to the theme “Just Power” – Power in the sense of its use in various areas of politics and economics. We expected a professional work which could be an essay, a scenario, a project report or proposal, a multi- media presentation or an entrepreneurial concept. It should be constructive, provocative or instructive, inspiring thoughts and actions as well as introucing new approaches and unconventional ideas. Within the framework of the theme you may choose between three subtopics for your contribution.
Ainur begim (kz).
1st place – University of Oslo
Christoph birkholz (de).
Shofwan al-banna choiruzzad (id), jason george (us), aris trantidis (gr), 1999 – 2008, 2008 – global capitalism – local values, guillaume darier (ch), jacobus cilliers (za), feerasta aniqa (nz), christoph matthias paret (de), 2007 – the power of natural resources, benjamin block (us), gustav borgefalk (se), kevin chua (ph), 2006 – inspiring europe, maximilian freier (de), chen yesh (sg), elidor mëhilli (al), william english (us), 2005 – liberty, trust and responsibility, christian h. harding (de), luana badiu (ro), norbert jungmichel (de), fabien curto millet (es /fr), 2004 – the challenges to growth and prosperity, ravi rauniyar (np), peter g. kirchschläger (at / ch), xin dong (cn), 2003 – seeking responses in times of uncertainty, stefanie klein (de), rosita shivacheva (bg), 2002 – pushing limits – questioning goals, constantine (dino) asproloupos (ca / gr), manita jitngarmkusol (th), 2001 – new balance of power, marion mühlberger (at), uwe seibel (de), moses ekra (ci / ca), gerald tan (my), 2000 – time, martin von brocke (de), pei-fu hsieh (tw), tzvetelina tzvetkova (bg), 1999 – new markets, new technologies, new skills, peter doralt (fr), valérie feldmann (de), rajen makhijani (in).
“Partaking in the competition was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not only was I able to come to St. Gallen and meet incredible young entrepreneurs and leaders who I’m still in contact with, but it provided me the opportunity to develop and share ideas with key decision-makers. The main idea I submitted was for a new way to finance retraining and healthcare at no cost to individuals or governments. Given the COVID- 19 pandemic, this idea is needed now more than ever, so I’m currently implementing the idea through a new organization I’ve established called FORTE ( Financing Of Return To Employment ).” NAT WARE , Founder & CEO of FORTE, Leader of Tomorrow at the 47th and 48th St. Gallen Symposium
NEWS FLASH!
2023/24 Essay Competition
Results Announcement!
This year’s International Essay Competition saw over 1000 entries from as many as 50 different countries around the world. The judging panel have thoroughly enjoyed reading your responses to the wide range of engaging and challenging questions on offer in each category. The team at Avernus Education have found it an extremely rewarding process to discuss your ideas and essays with so many of you during the writing process, and undoubtedly it has allowed participants to further their academic passion and explore a subject beyond the classroom.
Thank you to each and every one of you who submitted an essay this year, and you should all be congratulated for your efforts. We hope you enjoyed the experience as much as we did! As ever, competition for the prizes was fierce, and the judges have had a tough time deliberating over the many excellent entries.
Well done to all Prize Winners and special congratulations to those who achieved an honorary scholarship award. Thank you to all participants for making the competition this year such a success!
We are delighted to announce the following Category Winners. These individuals will receive an incredible 100% Honorary Scholarship Award to attend our Oxford University Summer Programme in August.
Category Winners
Uijin Lee , The British School of Kuwait, Kuwait
PSYCHOLOGY
Seonyeong Park , Cheongna Dalton School, Republic of Korea
ECONOMICS
Rhea Varma , The International School Bangalore, India
ENGINEERING
Yui Sasaki , Cosmopolitan School, Poland
Jake Mee , Latymer Upper School, England
HISTORY & POLITICS
Amari Leiva-Urzua , Mount St Benedict College, Australia
*All above winners will be contacted via email to confirm their awards.
Shortlisted Entries
Congratulations also go to following outstanding Shortlisted Entries who will receive partial scholarships to our Oxford University programme or credits for exclusive online courses.
Aiden Chee , St Joseph's Institution, Singapore
Anahit Davtyan , Bootham School, England
Annie Spicer-Jones, Kesteven Grantham Girls Grammar School, England
Arjun Kunjoor , Manchester Grammar School For Boys, England
Dorothy Chan , St. Paul's Convent School, Hong Kong
Dorothy Wong , ESF Renaissance College, Hong Kong
Emmanuel Osibona , Watford Grammar, England
Georgia Scholz , The Scots School Albury, Australia
Hayden Chow , Harrow International School Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Hietsoi Yana , USM, Ukraine
Kevin Hiraok , Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt, USA
Lê Viết Bách , Dewey School Tay Ho Tay, Vietnam
Pawan Pokhrel , Motherland Secondary School, Nepal
Shayden Sam , King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, England
Shira Brownstein , Hila Program, Israel
Sofiya Kenzina , British School of Barcelona, Spain
Tanish Barasia , Gems Wellington International, United Arab Emirates
Tina Momtahan , King Edward VI High School for Girls, England
Tsz Tung Wong , Bromsgrove School, England
Yeondoo Lee , Henry M. Gunn High School, USA
All above winners will be contacted via email to confirm their awards.
Find out more about our Oxford University Summer Programme
Avernus Education is not affiliated to the University of Oxford, nor their constituent colleges
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The international
The Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Contest was launched to empower students to critically think about the issues that matter to them. By providing a platform for students to express their ideas and opinions, we aim to spotlight valuable insights and ideas from young people around the world. Ultimately, the Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Contest may be seen as an opportunity for the Institute to invest in the future by supporting and uplifting the voices of young people, and by fostering a sense of civic engagement and social responsibility in the next generation.
We launched the Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Contest as a way to engage and empower students to think critically about the issues that matter to them. By providing a platform for students to express their ideas and opinions, we aim to encourage the next generation of leaders to become more informed and civically engaged citizens. Additionally, the contest may serve as a way to spotlight valuable insights and ideas from young people around the world. By encouraging students to write about the issues that concern them, our competition may help a general audience to better understand the priorities and perspectives of students. Ultimately, the Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Contest may be seen as an opportunity for the Institute to invest in the future by supporting and uplifting the voices of young people, and by fostering a sense of civic engagement and social responsibility in the next generation. Create innovative solutions to real-world problems Tell your story and your perspective Research issues important to you Get recognized for your writing Win prizes for your outstanding work Get published for your writing
You have been invited to speak at the United Nations Peace Conference. The following topics are recognized by the United Nations as pressing issues for current and future generations. Choose one of these issues below to speak on:
Follow @yipinstitute on Instagram for regular updates! Email [email protected] with any questions and join the mailing list here .
Insight: Does the essay provide unique or interesting insights, analysis or perspectives on its subject matter? Impact: Is the significance or impact of the issue(s) being discussed, idea(s) being brought up, or point-of-views being communicated sufficiently captured in the essay? Clarity and organization : Is the essay easy to understand, with a clear and logical flow? Style: Is the essay engaging and well-written, with appropriate yet compelling tone, language and syntax for the subject matter?
Any student, in any country, who is enrolled in an accredited high school or college/university at the time of submitting their essay is eligible to participate in the Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Contest and compete for the prizes. Students taking academic gap years or semesters are also eligible. No current employees of the Institute for Youth in Policy, however, will be permitted to enter the contest.
Essays can take the form of anything from an analytical research paper to a personal narrative to allegorical fiction. This means essays can be written in any citation style or with no citations at all if it is not a research-heavy paper. Word Limit: 1250 words All essays should be submitted as a .docx or a PDF document and should include your name as well as a title for your essay. Cover pages are acceptable but not necessary. Essays should be written in an easily readable font size (11 or 12 pt.) with a professional font style (Times New Roman, Arial, etc.).
Applications Due August 31st
Essay submissions are due by 11:59pm ET on August 31, 2024. This date is already an extension, so late submissions will not be accepted!
Results generally get released within 45 days after the initial deadline.
The monetary ($250) and publication prizes will be sent via email to winners directly.
You've been elected leader of your country. What would you say during your inaugural address to inspire the citizens of your country, including those of every race, religion, political party, and creed?
Indonesia: diversity, natural wealth, and a leader’s commitment to an inclusive future.
This essay shined in particular because of its excellent integration of academic research, personal voice, and policy-oriented focus. Furthermore, as an organization that greatly values youth civic participation, the essay’s focus on the importance of youth in the modern world deeply resonated with our team. Fantastic work Read the essay here.
What are the greatest attributes of our democracy.
This essay highlights that the backbone of Democracy, specifically in the United States, is its ability to encourage deliberation and tolerance. We as a nonpartisan organization that encourages depolarization find the importance in shedding light on this particular subject in the increasingly divided global political climate. This succinct and engaging description of democracy captured our attention. Read the essay here.
Looking forward.
This speech excelled in its powerful word choice and ability to efficiently incorporate and explain numerous challenging topics. Its smooth progression from the past to the present and future provided a well-researched image of Singapore that garnered our applause. Read the essay here.
Countless countries around the world suffer from a plethora of issues – economic hardship, social turmoil, political polarization, pandemic recovery, unreliable leadership, corrupt governance, warfare and conflict, the list goes on. If you were elected the leader of your country, what would you do to address the issues your country faces in order to build a more prosperous society?
"Singapore in the 21st Century: Addressing the Unique Challenges of my Homeland" Read the essay here.
"My South African Manifesto" Read the essay here.
"Beyond the Paradox of Plenty: Battling Bangladesh’s Burdens" Read the essay here.
Optimist international - search.
Optimist International Essay Contest The 2014-2015 Optimist International Essay Scholarship Contests are now closed. --> Topic for the 2024-2025 school year is: "How Optimism Has Paved My Road to Success” Who: The contest is open to contestants under the age of 19 as of October 1st of the current Optimist International contest year (October 1 – September 30) and who have not yet completed secondary school or its equivalent, including CEGEP students in Québec, Canada. There is no minimum age. Students must enter in the District in which they reside. U.S. students attending school on military installations outside the U.S. are eligible to enter in their last home of record. How To Enter: Interested students must contact their local Optimist Club. They need to submit an essay on the pre-assigned topic. To find out a contact, please e-mail the Programs Department at [email protected] . The Essay Contest planning pages are intended for use by Optimist Clubs in organizing and conducting a contest in their Club. They contain no information on entering the contest and are of no use to students wishing to enter the contest. Students must contact their local Optimist Club. When:
Club Essay Planning Guide
District Essay Planning Guide
Certificate for Club level
Certificate for Region/Zone level
Certificate for District level
Essay Contest - Prior to event (.doc)
Essay Contest - After event (.doc)
District Essay Contest - After event (.doc)
Club Planning Guide
District Planning Guide
Essay Contest Application
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Showing 57 contests that match your search.
Armed Services Arts Partnership
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.
$500 Editors' Choice award
Additional prizes:
$250 for each genre category (prose, poetry, visual art)
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)
Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation
Genres: Essay
The contest invites high school students to respond to a prompt regarding human rights. Prizes include $3000 for 1st place, $1500 for 2nd, and $750 for 3rd. Essays should not exceed 2500 words and must include a cover page with specific details.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: December 10, 2024
World History Association
Genres: Children's and Essay
The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.
📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)
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Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Up to $1000 in cash prizes for the African Diaspora Award 2024. African-themed prose and poetry wanted. Top finalists are published in Kinsman Quarterly’s magazine and the anthology, “Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora.”
Publication in anthology, "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora" and print and digital magazine
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Expired)
Sunspot Literary Journal
Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story
A solar flare is short-lived but has a huge amount of energy. Sunspot Lit is looking for a noteworthy flare of creative energy through short stories, poems, or graphic novels.
Publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024 (Expired)
New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Genres: Essay and Non-fiction
The Great American Think-Off is an exhibition of civil disagreement between powerful ideas that connect to your life at the gut level. The Cultural Center, located in the rural farm and manufacturing town of New York Mills, sponsors this annual philosophy contest.
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)
The Letter Review
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.
Optional publication of excerpt + letter of recommendation
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024
Lazuli Literary Group
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing
We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.
Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: September 24, 2024
Lascuax Review
Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, or discovered. Pieces may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review.
FanStory.com Inc.
Genres: Essay and Memoir
Write about an event in your life. Everyone has a memoir. Not an autobiography. Too much concern about fact and convention. A memoir gives us the ability to write about our life with the option to create and fabricate and to make sense of a life, or part of that life.
📅 Deadline: August 13, 2024 (Expired)
Berggruen Institute
The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition aims to foster innovative ideas across cultures by posing significant philosophical questions relevant to contemporary life. It seeks submissions in English and Chinese that reflect novel thinking and compelling arguments.
Publication in Noema Magazine. Each language category will have a prize.
New Beginnings
Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story
There is no topic relating to technology that brings more discussion than artificial intelligence. Some people think it does wonders. Others see it as trouble. Let us know your opinion about AI in this competition. Include experiences you have had with AI. 300-word limit. Winners will be selected January 1, 2024. Open to anyone, anywhere.
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: December 15, 2023 (Expired)
Gotham Writers Workshop
Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story
Participants write a short story using ten words or fewer, inspired by the famous six-word story attributed to Hemingway. The submission must be original and unpublished, with entries judged based on originality and quality.
Winning entry receives a free Gotham class of their choosing (excluding premium classes).
Avernus Education
Welcome to our prestigious International Essay Competition. At Avernus Education, we are thrilled to provide a platform for young minds to showcase their prowess in Medicine, Engineering, Law, Economics, Psychology, History and Politics. These varied subject categories underscore the importance of interdisciplinary study, a crucial foundation for future leaders in our increasingly interconnected world. Winners receive an exclusive Avernus Education Scholarship worth over £5000 - granting them free entrance to our exclusive summer camp at Oxford University! Outstanding Runners Up receive 5 hours worth of Credits for Avernus Education courses, conferences and tutoring services.
100% Scholarship Award to our Oxford University Summer Programme (worth £5995)
Partial scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 19, 2024 (Expired)
Narratively
Genres: Essay, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction
Narratively is currently accepting submissions for their 2023 Memoir Prize. They are looking for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. The guest judge is New York Times bestselling memoirist Stephanie Land.
$1,000 and publication
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).
$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers
The Tusculum Review
The Tusculum Review Nonfiction Chapbook Prize is an annual contest that highlights nonfiction essays. In 2024, the prize was awarded to Mirela Musić for her essay 'The Nature of Alaska: An Introduction to Familiar Plants, Animals & Outstanding Natural Attractions.' The winning work will be published in the 20th Anniversary Issue of _The Tusculum Review_ in November 2024.
Publication of the winning essay and a limited edition chapbook with original art. Honorable mentions may also be recognized.
📅 Deadline: June 01, 2025
Write the World
What are the most important issues taking place close to home? Perhaps a rare bird sighting near your town? Or a band of young people in your province fighting for access to higher education? This month, immerse yourself in a newsworthy event inside the borders of your own country, and invite us there through your written reporting.
Best entry: $100
Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50
📅 Deadline: July 22, 2024 (Expired)
Vine Leaves Press
Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel
The competition is designed to give marginalized voices the opportunity to establish literary legacies. The next competition opens in February 2025.
Publication of the winning manuscript in 2026. Runners up will also be considered for publication.
📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024 (Expired)
Jane Austen Society of North America
JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers. Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: high school, college, and graduate school.
$1,000 scholarship
Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting
📅 Deadline: June 02, 2022 (Expired)
Masters Review
Genres: Essay, Fiction, and Non-fiction
This bi-annual contest recognizes emerging writers with submissions of previously unpublished fiction or nonfiction up to 6,000 words. Judged by Colin Barrett, it awards $3,000 for first place, $300 for second, and $200 for third, along with agency reviews for finalists.
Second place: $300 Third place: $200 Agency review for all finalists
📅 Deadline: August 25, 2024 (Expired)
Trio House Press
Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction
We seek un-agented full-length creative nonfiction manuscripts including memoir, essay collections, etc. 50,000 - 80,000 words.
📅 Deadline: May 15, 2024 (Expired)
Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal
The High School Academic Research Competition is where talented students from around the world compete to publish high-quality research on any topic. SARC challenges students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, immerse themselves in the research process, and hone their writing skills for success.
Indigo Research Intensive Summer Program
📅 Deadline: April 17, 2024 (Expired)
Shuswap Association of Writers
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Essay, Memoir, and Short Story
Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).
💰 Entry fee: $11
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)
This month, dear writers, ahead of COP27, help us raise the voices of young people in this urgent fight. In a piece of personal narrative, tell the world’s leaders gathering in how climate change impacts you. How has this crisis changed your environment, your community, your sense of the future? Storytelling, after all, plays a critical role in helping us grasp the emergency through which we are all living, igniting empathy in readers and listeners—itself a precursor to action.
Runner-up: $50
📅 Deadline: October 18, 2022 (Expired)
Unleash Press
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult
We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.
Coaching, interview, and editorial support
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024 (Expired)
Hispanic Culture Review
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry
As we move forward we carry our culture wherever we go. It keeps us alive. This is why we propose the theme to be “¡Hacia delante!”. A phrase that means to move forward. This year we ask that you think about the following questions: What keeps you moving forward? What do you carry with you going into the future? How do you celebrate your successes, your dreams, and your culture?
Publication in magazine
📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)
Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, Crime, Humor, and Science Writing
2-4 Winners are published. We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Seeking Nonfiction 0-5000 words. Judges’ feedback available. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind. All entries considered for publication + submission to Pushcart.
Publication by The Letter Review
💰 Entry fee: $2
Best Travel Writing
Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel
Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world. Funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. We hope these awards will be a catalyst for those who love to leave home and tell others about it.
📅 Deadline: September 21, 2024
Black Lawrence Press
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers.
💰 Entry fee: $28
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
Reed Magazine
The contest recognizes outstanding works of nonfiction, awarding $1,333 for creative nonfiction entries, such as personal essays. Submissions must be stand-alone essays, not previously published, and limited to 5,000 words.
All contest entrants receive a free copy of the latest edition of Reed Magazine.
📅 Deadline: November 01, 2024
Killer Nashville
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, and Thriller
The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.
💰 Entry fee: $79
📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024 (Expired)
So To Speak
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, and Poetry
So To Speak is seeking submissions for poetry, fiction, and non-fiction with an intersectional feminist lens! It is no secret that the literary canon and literary journals are largely comprised of heteronormative, patriarchal, cisgender, able-bodied white men. So to Speak seeks work by writers, poets, and artists who want to challenge and change the identity of the “canonical” writer.
💰 Entry fee: $4
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)
Nonfiction stories of inspiration wanted (between 500 to 2,000 words). Submissions should highlight the struggle and resilience of the human spirit, especially related to cultures of BIPOC or marginalized communities. Stories must be original, unpublished works in English. One successful entry will be awarded each month from April 2024 and will be included within Kinsman Quarterly’s online journal and digital magazine. Successful authors receive $200 USD and publication in our digital magazine. No entry fee required.
Publication in Kinsman Quarterly's online magazine
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024
The competition seeks articles from aspiring journalists aged 14-21. Winning entries will be published in Pitch Magazine and critiqued by a panel of judges. Winners receive a £50 cash prize and work experience.
Publication in magazine and online, work experience at Pitch Magazine.
📅 Deadline: April 12, 2024 (Expired)
Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.
Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!
That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests.
But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.
When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.
Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!
For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course : How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.
In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.
The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.
In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.
Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?
The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.
Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.
Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether.
Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.
On Writing:
On Editing:
It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners.
Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:
Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.
If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.
After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.
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DEADLINE PASSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTRIES! The selection process is now underway. All prize winners will be announced on October 31, 2024 (Japan time) on the Goi Peace Foundation website.
Before you register, please read the contest guidelines carefully.
CONTEST GUIDELINES
I am submitting my own essay. | I am a teacher/youth director/guardian submitting for my class/group. |
The Annual International Berkeley Undergraduate Prize for Architectural Design Excellence 2022 | |
stages open to all current full-time registered students in an undergraduate architecture degree program, undergraduates majoring in architecture, or diploma students in accredited schools of architecture worldwide. 25,000USD Purse. The Berkeley Undergraduate Prize for Design Excellence endowment was established in the Department of Architecture at the College of Environmental Design to promote the investigation of architecture as a social art. Each year the Prize Committee selects a topic important to the understanding of the interaction of people and the built world that becomes the focus of the Essay Competition. The Committee poses a Question on this website related to the topic. Students enrolled in any accredited undergraduate architecture program or diploma in architecture program throughout the world are invited to submit a 500-word essay proposal in English responding to the Question. Qualified students may also team up with undergraduates from allied arts and social sciences programs and submit proposals in teams of two. (For specific yearly requirements see the page). From the pool of essay proposals received, approximately 25-28 are selected by the Prize Committee as particularly promising. The selected student teams become Semifinalists. These Semifinalists are invited to submit a 2,500-word essay, again in English, expanding on their proposals. A group of readers, composed of the Prize Committee members selects five-to-eight of the best essays and sends these Finalist essays to a jury of international academics and architects to select the winners. At the conclusion of the Essay Competition submittals, all Semifinalists are also invited to submit a proposal for a BERKELEY PRIZE summer Fellowship. This year, the opportunity is a Community Service Fellowship. Details for this Fellowship, now in its second year, will be announced in early 2022. Are you in need of assistance? Please email . |
Essay COMPETITION2024 global essay prize, the short list for the 2024 global essay prize was released on wednesday, 31 july.. The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. Our Essay Competition invites students to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting questions beyond the confines of the school curriculum. Entering an essay in our competition can build knowledge, and refine skills of argumentation. It also gives students the chance to have their work assessed by experts. All of our essay prizes are judged by a panel of senior academics drawn from leading universities including Oxford and Princeton, under the leadership of the Chairman of Examiners, former Cambridge philosopher, Dr Jamie Whyte. The judges will choose their favourite essay from each of seven subject categories - Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology and Law - and then select the winner of the Grand Prize for the best entry in any subject. There is also a separate prize awarded for the best essay in the junior category, for under 15s. Q1. Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition? Q2. Do girls have a (moral) right to compete in sporting contests that exclude boys? Q3. Should I be held responsible for what I believe? Q1. Is there such a thing as too much democracy? Q2. Is peace in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip possible? Q3. When is compliance complicity? Q1. What is the optimal global population? Q2. Accurate news reporting is a public good. Does it follow that news agencies should be funded from taxation? Q3. Do successful business people benefit others when making their money, when spending it, both, or neither? Q1. Why was sustained economic growth so rare before the later 18th century and why did this change? Q2. Has music ever significantly changed the course of history? Q3. Why do civilisations collapse? Is our civilisation in danger? Q1. When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements? Q2. In the last five years British police have arrested several thousand people for things they posted on social media. Is the UK becoming a police state? Q3. Your parents say that 11pm is your bedtime. But they don’t punish you if you don’t go to bed by 11pm. Is 11pm really your bedtime? Q1. According to a study by researchers at four British universities, for each 15-point increase in IQ, the likelihood of getting married increases by around 35% for a man but decreases by around 58% for a woman. Why? In the original version of this question we misstated a statistic. This was caused by reproducing an error that appeared in several media summaries of the study. We are grateful to one of our contestants, Xinyi Zhang, who helped us to see (with humility and courtesy) why we should take more care to check our sources. We corrected the text on 4 April. Happily, the correction does not in any way alter the thrust of the question. Q2. There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people. Can we fix this? How? Q3. What is the difference between a psychiatric illness and a character flaw? Q1. “I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” What could the speaker mean by “spiritual”? Q2. Is it reasonable to thank God for protection from some natural harm if He is responsible for causing the harm? Q3. Does God reward those who believe in him? If so, why? JUNIOR prizeQ1. Does winning a free and fair election automatically confer a mandate for governing? Q2. Has the anti-racism movement reduced racism? Q3. Is there life after death? Q4. How did it happen that governments came to own and run most high schools, while leaving food production to private enterprise? Q5. When will advancing technology make most of us unemployable? What should we do about this? Q6. Should we trust fourteen-year-olds to make decisions about their own bodies? ENTRY REQUIREMENTS & FURTHER DETAILSPlease read the following carefully. Entry to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition 2024 is open to students from any country. Registration Only candidates who registered before the registration deadline of Friday, 31 May 2024 may enter this year's competition. All entries must be submitted by 11.59 pm BST on the submission deadline: Sunday, 30 June 2024 . Candidates must be eighteen years old, or younger, on that date. (Candidates for the Junior Prize must be fourteen years old, or younger, on that date.) Entry is free. Each essay must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, and must not exceed 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography or authorship declaration). The filename of your pdf must be in this format: FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf; so, for instance, Alexander Popham would submit his answer to question 2 in the Psychology category with the following file name: Alexander-Popham-Psychology-2.pdf Essays with filenames which are not in this format will be rejected. The candidate's name should NOT appear within the document itself. Candidates should NOT add footnotes. They may, however, add endnotes and/or a Bibliography that is clearly titled as such. Each candidate will be required to provide the email address of an academic referee who is familiar with the candidate's written academic work. This should be a school teacher, if possible, or another responsible adult who is not a relation of the candidate. The John Locke Institute will email referees to verify that the essays submitted are indeed the original work of the candidates. Submissions may be made as soon as registration opens in April. We recommend that you submit your essay well in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute complications. To submit your essay, click here . Acceptance of your essay depends on your granting us permission to use your data for the purposes of receiving and processing your entry as well as communicating with you about the Awards Ceremony Dinner, the academic conference, and other events and programmes of the John Locke Institute and its associated entities. Late entries If for any reason you miss the 30 June deadline you will have an opportunity to make a late entry, under two conditions: a) A late entry fee of 20.00 USD must be paid by credit card within twenty-four hours of the original deadline; and b) Your essay must be submitted before 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 10 July 2024. To pay for late entry, a registrant need only log into his or her account, select the relevant option and provide the requested payment information. Our grading system is proprietary. Essayists may be asked to discuss their entry with a member of the John Locke Institute’s faculty. We use various means to identify plagiarism, contract cheating, the use of AI and other forms of fraud . Our determinations in all such matters are final. Essays will be judged on knowledge and understanding of the relevant material, the competent use of evidence, quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style and persuasive force. The very best essays are likely to be those which would be capable of changing somebody's mind. Essays which ignore or fail to address the strongest objections and counter-arguments are unlikely to be successful . Candidates are advised to answer the question as precisely and directly as possible. The writers of the best essays will receive a commendation and be shortlisted for a prize. Writers of shortlisted essays will be notified by 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 31 July. They will also be invited to London for an invitation-only academic conference and awards dinner in September, where the prize-winners will be announced. Unlike the competition itself, the academic conference and awards dinner are not free. Please be aware that n obody is required to attend either the academic conference or the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London. All short-listed candidates, including prize-winners, will be able to download eCertificates that acknowledge their achievement. If you win First, Second or Third Prize, and you travel to London for the ceremony, you will receive a signed certificate. There is a prize for the best essay in each category. The prize for each winner of a subject category, and the winner of the Junior category, is a scholarship worth US$2000 towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute programme, and the essays will be published on the Institute's website. Prize-giving ceremonies will take place in London, at which winners and runners-up will be able to meet some of the judges and other faculty members of the John Locke Institute. Family, friends, and teachers are also welcome. The candidate who submits the best essay overall will be awarded an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship, which comes with a US$10,000 scholarship to attend one or more of our summer schools and/or visiting scholars programmes. The judges' decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into. R egistration opens: 1 April, 2024. Registration deadline: 31 May, 2024. (Registration is required by this date for subsequent submission.) Submission deadline: 30 June, 2024. Late entry deadline: 10 July, 2024. (Late entries are subject to a 20.00 USD charge, payable by 1 July.) Notification of short-listed essayists: 31 July, 2024. Academic conference: 20 - 22 September, 2024. Awards dinner: 21 September, 2024. Any queries regarding the essay competition should be sent to [email protected] . Please be aware that, due to the large volume of correspondence we receive, we cannot guarantee to answer every query. In particular, regrettably, we are unable to respond to questions whose answers can be found on our website.If you would like to receive helpful tips from our examiners about what makes for a winning essay or reminders of upcoming key dates for the 2024 essay competition, please provide your email here to be added to our contact list. . Thanks for subscribing! The John Locke Institute's Global Essay Prize is acknowledged as the world's most prestigious essay competition. We welcome tens of thousands of submissions from ambitious students in more than 150 countries, and our examiners - including distinguished philosophers, political scientists, economists, historians, psychologists, theologians, and legal scholars - read and carefully assess every entry. I encourage you to register for this competition, not only for the hope of winning a prize or commendation, and not only for the chance to join the very best contestants at our academic conference and gala ceremony in London, but equally for the opportunity to engage in the serious scholarly enterprise of researching, reflecting on, writing about, and editing an answer to one of the important and provocative questions in this year's Global Essay Prize. We believe that the skills you will acquire in the process will make you a better thinker and a more effective advocate for the ideas that matter most to you. I hope to see you in September! Best wishes, Jamie Whyte, Ph.D. (C ANTAB ) Chairman of Examiners Q. I missed the registration deadline. May I still register or submit an essay? A. No. Only candidates who registered before 31 May will be able to submit an essay. Q. Are footnote s, endnotes, a bibliography or references counted towards the word limit? A. No. Only the body of the essay is counted. Q. Are in-text citations counted towards the word limit? A. If you are using an in-text based referencing format, such as APA, your in-text citations are included in the word limit. Q. Is it necessary to include foo tnotes or endnotes in an essay? A. You may not include footnotes, but you may include in-text citations or endnotes. You should give your sources of any factual claims you make, and you should ackn owledge any other authors on whom you rely. Q. I am interested in a question that seems ambiguous. How should I interpret it? A. You may interpret a question as you deem appropriate, clarifying your interpretation if necessary. Having done so, you must answer the question as directly as possible. Q. How strict are the age eligibility criteria? A. Only students whose nineteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation. In the case of the Junior category, only students whose fifteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation. Q. May I submit more than one essay? A. Yes, you may submit as many essays as you please in any or all categories. Q. If I am eligible to compete in the Junior category, may I also (or instead) compete in another category? A. Yes, you may. Q. May I team up with someone else to write an essay? A. No. Each submitted essay must be entirely the work of a single individual. Q. May I use AI, such as ChatGPT or the like, in writing my essay? A. All essays will be checked for the use of AI. If we find that any content is generated by AI, your essay will be disqualified. We will also ask you, upon submission of your essay, whether you used AI for any purpose related to the writing of your essay, and if so, you will be required to provide details. In that case, if, in our judgement, you have not provided full and accurate details of your use of AI, your essay will be disqualified. Since any use of AI (that does not result in disqualification) can only negatively affect our assessment of your work relative to that of work that is done without using AI, your safest course of action is simply not to use it at all. If, however, you choose to use it for any purpose, we reserve the right to make relevant judgements on a case-by-case basis and we will not enter into any correspondence. Q. May I have someone else edit, or otherwise help me with, my essay? A. You may of course discuss your essay with others, and it is perfectly acceptable for them to offer general advice and point out errors or weaknesses in your writing or content, leaving you to address them. However, no part of your essay may be written by anyone else. This means that you must edit your own work and that while a proofreader may point out errors, you as the essayist must be the one to correct them. Q. Do I have to attend the awards ceremony to win a prize? A. Nobody is required to attend the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London. But if we invite you to London it is because your essay was good enough - in the opinion of the First Round judges - to be at least a contender for First, Second or Third Prize. Normally the Second Round judges will agree that the short-listed essays are worth at least a commendation. Q. Is there an entry fee? A. No. There is no charge to enter our global essay competition unless you submit your essay after the normal deadline, in which case there is a fee of 20.00 USD . Q. Can I receive a certificate for my participation in your essay competition if I wasn't shortlisted? A. No. Certificates are awarded only for shortlisted essays. Short-listed contestants who attend the award ceremony in London will receive a paper certificate. If you cannot travel to London, you will be able to download your eCertificate. Q. Can I receive feedba ck on my essay? A. We would love to be able to give individual feedback on essays but, unfortunately, we receive too many entries to be able to comment on particular essays. Q. The deadline for publishing the names of short-listed essayists has passed but I did not receive an email to tell me whether I was short-listed. A. Log into your account and check "Shortlist Status" for (each of) your essay(s). Q. Why isn't the awards ceremony in Oxford this year? A. Last year, many shortlisted finalists who applied to join our invitation-only academic conference missed the opportunity because of capacity constraints at Oxford's largest venues. This year, the conference will be held in central London and the gala awards dinner will take place in an iconic London ballroom. TECHNICAL FAQ sQ. The system will not accept my essay. I have checked the filename and it has the correct format. What should I do? A. You have almost certainly added a space before or after one of your names in your profile. Edit it accordingly and try to submit again. Q. The profile page shows my birth date to be wrong by a day, even after I edit it. What should I do? A. Ignore it. The date that you typed has been correctly input to our database. Q. How can I be sure that my registration for the essay competition was successful? Will I receive a confirmation email? A. You will not receive a confirmation email. Rather, you can at any time log in to the account that you created and see that your registration details are present and correct. TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR SUBMISSIONIf you are unable to submit your essay to the John Locke Institute’s global essay competition, your problem is almost certainly one of the following. If so, please proceed as indicated. 1) PROBLEM: I receive the ‘registrations are now closed’ message when I enter my email and verification code. SOLUTION. You did not register for the essay competition and create your account. If you think you did, you probably only provided us with your email to receive updates from us about the competition or otherwise. You may not enter the competition this year. 2) PROBLEM I do not receive a login code after I enter my email to enter my account. SOLUTION. Enter your email address again, checking that you do so correctly. If this fails, restart your browser using an incognito window; clear your cache, and try again. Wait for a few minutes for the code. If this still fails, restart your machine and try one more time. If this still fails, send an email to [email protected] with “No verification code – [your name]” in the subject line. SUBMITTING AN ESSAY 3) PROBLEM: The filename of my essay is in the correct format but it is rejected. SOLUTION: Use “Edit Profile” to check that you did not add a space before or after either of your names. If you did, delete it. Whether you did or did not, try again to submit your essay. If submission fails again, email [email protected] with “Filename format – [your name]” in the subject line. 4) PROBLEM: When trying to view my submitted essay, a .txt file is downloaded – not the .pdf file that I submitted. SOLUTION: Delete the essay. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “File extension problem – [your name]” in the subject line. 5) PROBLEM: When I try to submit, the submission form just reloads without giving me an error message. SOLUTION. Log out of your account. Open a new browser; clear the cache; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Submission form problem – [your name]” in the subject line. 6) PROBLEM: I receive an “Unexpected Error” when trying to submit. SOLUTION. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If this resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Unexpected error – [your name]” in thesubject line. Your email must tell us e xactly where in the submission process you received this error. 7) PROBLEM: I have a problem with submitting and it is not addressed above on this list. SOLUTION: Restart your machine. Clear your browser’s cache. Try to submit again. If this fails, email [email protected] with “Unlisted problem – [your name]” in the subject line. Your email must tell us exactly the nature of your problem with relevant screen caps. READ THIS BEFORE YOU EMAIL US. Do not email us before you have tried the specified solutions to your problem. Do not email us more than once about a single problem. We will respond to your email within 72 hours. Only if you have not heard from us in that time may you contact us again to ask for an update. If you email us regarding a problem, you must include relevant screen-shots and information on both your operating system and your browser. You must also declare that you have tried the solutions presented above and had a good connection to the internet when you did so. If you have tried the relevant solution to your problem outlined above, have emailed us, and are still unable to submit before the 30 June deadline on account of any fault of the John Locke Institute or our systems, please do not worry: we will have a way to accept your essay in that case. However, if there is no fault on our side, we will not accept your essay if it is not submitted on time – whatever your reason: we will not make exceptions for IT issues for which we are not responsible. We reserve the right to disqualify the entries of essayists who do not follow all provided instructions, including those concerning technical matters. International Essay CompetitionParticipating in our Internationally acclaimed essay competition can significantly benefit students in their skill, profile, scholarship, future admission and career. Our competition foster essential skills such as imagination, research, critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills to make students more academically prepared. Submit Essay NowSummer 2024 competition important info.
Awards, Prizes & RecognitionGift vouchers. From Cell Smash Ltd. London UK to all the Registered Participants on their digital products & services. Student MedalsAre awarded for each category: 1st Prize: Gold Medal 2nd Prize: Silver Medal 3rd Prize: Bronze Medal Certificates1st, 2nd & 3rd Rank Certificate for each category. Gold, Silver, Bronze & Participation Certificates for all. School TrophyAwarded to Institution in each category for highest number of Students having Gold Certificates + Certificate of Excellence. Winning Essays published in Riseverest Emerging Technologies International Journal Rules & RegulationsCompetition categories.
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Register for Summer 2024 Competition Write on your computer, submit Online. View Spring Competition ResultSchool, colleges & universities, worldwide competitors, chief judges. Teesside UniversityOhio State UniversityProf. Dr. FaridUnited intl. university. Dr. NiamsornSuan dusit university. ISF/YMCA GurgaonFrequently asked questions, could you help in topic identification and/or writing essay. Yes! We will conduct 6 Free Training Sessions Online on how to identify topic, conduct research, storytelling, writing essay, best practices and submission. Session Links will be shared only to the registered participants. I am School/College/University and/or Educator. How can our students participate?Please email [email protected] or WhatsApp +91-740-441-7047 along with the Name, Institution and Contact Details of the SPOC. We will get in touch with you within 48 hours to discuss the bulk participation method and process. Why Participate in this Competition? What is the credibility?Participating in the International Essay Competition, hosted by the well-known and highly accredited Riseverest, can significantly boost your Profile, Prestige, Confidence and increase chances of Scholarship and Future Admission. Many students from US, UK and Asia submit their essays to this prestigious competition which encourages students to conduct extensive research, fostering a deeper understanding of global challenges and cultures while enhancing critical thinking and writing skills, valuable for education and life. Our Chief Judge issues all the certificates. Alternative registration or fee payment methods?Please email [email protected] or WhatsApp +91-740-441-7047 to for Registration, UPI or bank transfer details/enquiries. Read new publications, articles and essays Receive Regular Updates on our programs ans services. Learn on Impact and Scholarship Opportunites WhatsApp: +91-740-441-7047 | Email: [email protected]Head Office: J-54 M2K County, Sector -5, Dharuhera, Haryana - 123106 Terms and Conditions Return and Refund Policy Privacy Policy © Copyright 2024 Riseverest Private Limited. All Rights Reserved
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To All The WorldThe world is a confusing place right now. We believe that faithful proclamation of the gospel is what our hostile and disoriented world needs. Do you believe that too? Help TGC bring biblical wisdom to the confusing issues across the world by making a gift to our international work. Winner Announcement: TGC’s 2024 Essay Contest for Young AdultsMore by staff. Gen Z is a generation that faces the temptation to avoid hard things. With phones to hide behind, it’s easier than ever to get lost in a virtual world instead of facing the real world . Scripture tells us we shouldn’t be surprised when we face trials in this life as if something strange were happening to us, and that we can even rejoice in trials (1 Pet. 1:6–7; 4:12–13). Our young writers are learning this countercultural lesson. We have a God who cares more about our Christ-conformity than our comfort, and this is good news. Over the past few months, we’ve had the privilege of reading the submissions to The Gospel Coalition’s 2024 Essay Contest for Young Adults . Nearly 200 young writers submitted original essays, and the editorial team reviewed them. These writers shared personal testimonies of their wrestling with God as they faced debilitating illness, societal pressure, and unfulfilled desires. We were impressed by their self-reflections on what they were pursuing more than God, whether it was acceptance into university, dream jobs, or the phones in their pockets. Their writing displayed their desire to treasure Christ above all else. Thoughtful WritersThe essays TGC received came from 183 young writers:
Many of these young writers poured out their hearts as they shared about times when God, in his love, withheld something from them. Others wrote of how they moved from clinging to their phones to clinging to Christ. Some shared how they see the need for men and women like themselves to give their lives to vocational ministry to reach the 3 billion people with no access to the gospel. Our hearts were warmed as we read stories of Gen Z Christians refusing the lies their culture is feeding them. Instead, they’re inviting us to taste and see with them that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8). Personal ReflectionsIn TGC’s contest guidelines , we provided three prompts that allowed writers to reflect on their own lives as a means of speaking to their generation. Gen Zers are stereotypically called “screenagers” for spending a considerable amount of time on the internet. One prompt asked, “How has the gospel changed your relationship with your phone?” Many who chose this prompt were aware of their temptation to depend on their devices. They want to view their phones as tools, not as extra limbs. Other writers shared why they’re considering full-time vocational ministry, knowing it’ll come at great cost. They’re willing to lay aside dream jobs with well-paying salaries for the sake of serving the Lord. Having to stand firm in the faith amid a deconstructing culture, they see themselves as equipped to reach their generation. The most selected prompt was “When did the Lord love you by not giving you what you wanted?” By withholding something these young people wanted (though it was often a good thing), the Lord in his kindness revealed sin in their lives, drawing them closer to himself. What a beautiful picture of what our loving Father does for us, his children (Heb. 12:5–11). We pray your hearts will be warmed and your souls edified as you read these essays (and TGC will be publishing more of them over the coming months). Among the essays, three pieces stood out as well-crafted, thoughtful, and engaging. Our editorial team was clear about which winners to select, and we’re delighted to publish them on the site for you to read. First Place: “ Who Was ‘i’ Without My iPhone? ” by Luke Simon Luke opens his essay with these words: “Steve Jobs might’ve been a prophet. Or he at least predicted how his device would shape my future. After all, he placed the ‘i’ next to ‘Phone.’” Behind his screen, Luke Simon became luk3simon, forging a new identity and avoiding reality—and ultimately God. Eventually, he realized he needed a digital detox. Luke gives us practical ways to unhitch our identities from our phones, pointing us to the hope found in Jesus alone. Second Place: “ How God’s ‘No’ to My Dream School Was a ‘Yes’ to the Local Church ” by Logan Watters In her inspiring essay, Logan tells of how membership in a faithful, gospel-preaching church was a better pursuit than her dream school. And this made no sense to her friends. When we seek the Lord’s will and his plans above our own, the self-seeking world around us is left confused. Logan writes, “After a taste of [God’s] plans compared to mine, I don’t want anything else.” Third Place: “ The Lord Loved Me by Giving Me a Broken Family ” by Karsten Harrison In his essay, Karsten sees God’s love through unanswered prayer. Speaking to those who come from broken families, Karsten brings hope by pointing to the Lord’s steadfast love and the rich fellowship found with our church family. He writes, “God doesn’t simply give whatever we ask. Instead, we pray that his will would be accomplished, thus aligning our wills with his.” May we learn with him that God’s “No” always comes from his love for us and invites us to depend on him. Take time today to read these essays and praise God for his faithfulness in his love toward us: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lam. 3:22–23) Read more essays from young adults: 2022 and 2023 Contest Winners. Now Trending1 richard hays thinks god changed his mind about same-sex sex. is he right, 2 ‘rings of power’ season 2: getting better, still flawed, 3 the 11 beliefs you should know about jehovah’s witnesses when they knock at the door, 4 honor your parents as you obey the great commission, 5 themelios 49.2. The Curious Case of the Christian Reformed ChurchThe CRC traveled far down the road toward theological liberalism—and then hit the brakes. Here’s how a denomination found its way back to orthodoxy. As a Single Man, I Felt Little Pressure to Get Married. I Wish I Had.Tim Keller’s Neo-CalvinismCan a Man Feel Like He’s a Woman?Where the Political Parties Stand on Social Issues in 2024When Spiritual Disciplines Took Over My LifeLimiting My Phone Expanded My View of GodLatest EpisodesTrevin wax on reconstructing faith. How Scripture Describes Jesus’s Victory and Reign (Matt. 24:29–44)Examining the Current and Future State of the Global ChurchDavid Brooks Explores the Amazing Power of Truly Seeing OthersWelcome and Witness: How to Reach Out in a Secular AgeLet Love Be Genuine (Rom. 12:9–21)Gaming Alone: Helping the Generation of Young Men Captivated and Isolated by Video GamesTo Understand Salvation, Understand the TrinityFaith & Work: How Do I Glorify God Even When My Work Seems Meaningless?Let’s Talk Reunion: The Blessings of Bible Study with FriendsGetting Rid of Your Fear of the Book of RevelationLooking for Love in All the Wrong Places: A Sermon from Julius KimIntroducing The Acts 29 Podcast |
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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.
The Harvard International Review offers a contest for high school students to write short-form articles on global issues. Submit your article by May 31, 2024 for the Spring 2024 theme, and compete for medals and certificates.
Discourse, debate, and analysis Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition 2024 This year, CCIR saw over 4,200 submissions from more than 50 countries. Of these 4,200 essays, our jury panel, consists of scholars across the Atlantic, selected approximately 350 Honourable Mention students, and 33 award winners. The mission of the Re:think essay competition has always been to encourage critical […]
1. Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2024) in one of the following age categories: a) Children (ages up to 14) b) Youth (ages 15 - 25) 2. Essays must be 700 words or less in English or French, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese. Essays must be typed, with your name, email address and essay title included ...
Since 1883, we have delivered The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest international schools' writing competition. Today, we work to expand its reach, providing life-changing opportunities for young people around the world.
1. Take a position on government intervention in combating climate change. 2. Discuss the benefits of cross-cultural understanding, cooperation, and education's role in fostering global citizenship. 3. Evaluate the pros and cons of private space exploration versus international collaborations. Argue for the most effective approach to ...
These individuals will be invited to participate in the global final round. Global Stage 2. The global finalists will be submitting their cumulative final essay of 1250-1500 words by Sunday, March 12th 2024, 23:59 pm (GMT+0) time. Global Stage 3. The winners will be announced by Friday, March 20th, 2024.
Global Essay Competition Compete in our Global Essay Competition and qualify for participation as a Leader of Tomorrow in the world's premier opportunity forcross-generational debates: The St. Gallen Symposium. Meet 300 of society's brightest young minds. Present and debate your ideas with 600 senior leaders. Be inspired by some of the world'smost impressive speakers. Gain […]
Five runner-ups - $100 each. The winners will be determined by the quality of writing, and the votes by other users' likes and comments. Deadline: January 31, 2024. Details here. 3. Voice Talent Scholarship Competition 2023-2024. Open to: Students enrolled in a university or college anywhere in the world.
Welcome to our prestigious International Essay Competition. At Avernus Education, we are thrilled to provide a platform for young minds to showcase their prowess in Medicine, Engineering, Law, Economics, Psychology, History and Politics. Winners receive an exclusive Avernus Education Scholarship worth over £5000 - granting them free entrance to our exclusive summer camp at Oxford University!
The Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Contest was launched to empower students to critically think about the issues that matter to them. By providing a platform for students to express their ideas and opinions, we aim to spotlight valuable insights and ideas from young people around the world. Ultimately, the Institute for Youth ...
Optimist International Essay Contest Topic for the 2024-2025 school year is: "How Optimism Has Paved My Road to Success" Who: The contest is open to contestants under the age of 19 as of October 1st of the current Optimist International contest year (October 1 - September 30) and who have not yet completed secondary school or its equivalent, including CEGEP students in Québec, Canada.
A writing competition for high school students to challenge themselves and explore different writing styles. Register by January 19th and win a Harvard Crimson internship, cash prizes, and more.
February 1, 2022. (Stage Two) Essay Semifinalists' 2,500-word essays due. February 8, 2022. Launch of Community Service Fellowship Competition for Essay Semifinalists. Early-March, 2022. Essay Finalists announced. March 12, 2022. Community Service Fellowship proposals due. Mid-April, 2022.
The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K-12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.
The Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People Heiwa Daiichi Bldg. 1-4-5 Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0093 Japan Tel: +81 3 3265 2071 [email protected] [email protected]
A group of readers, composed of the Prize Committee members selects five-to-eight of the best essays and sends these Finalist essays to a jury of international academics and architects to select the winners. At the conclusion of the Essay Competition submittals, all Semifinalists are also invited to submit a proposal for a BERKELEY PRIZE summer ...
Academic conference: 20 - 22 September, 2024. Awards dinner: 21 September, 2024. Contact. Any queries regarding the essay competition should be sent to [email protected]. Please be aware that, due to the large volume of correspondence we receive, we cannot guarantee to answer every query.
Eligibility: Students must be between the ages of 13-18 and currently enrolled in a secondary or high school at the time of the global competition in February 2024 -OR- have not started university studies yet and be under the age of 18. Registration: The registration fee is US$15 per student and must be paid upon registration. All guidelines ...
The Oklahoma Station Safari Club International will reimburse the winners' travel expenses up to a maximum of $500 per Essay Contest Winner. In the 15-17 age category: One girl and one boy will go on a guided hunt at the Rockin S Exotic Game Ranch near San Angelo Texas. Each boy or girl may choose 1 Aoudad, Blackbuck, Axis, or Scimitar Horned Oryx.
International Essay Competition Participating in our Internationally acclaimed essay competition can significantly benefit students in their skill, profile, scholarship, future admission and career. Our competition foster essential skills such as imagination, research, critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills to make students ...
Competition Structure and Dates Prizes Bootcamps Partners and Sponsors Contact Us Competitor Hub. Guidelines Resources Judging Global Winners 2024 Regional Winners 2024 Winning Essays 2024 Winning Essays 2023 Winning Essays 2022 Argumentative ...
Help TGC bring biblical wisdom to the confusing issues across the world by making a gift to our international work. Learn More. ... Announcing TGC's 2024 Essay Contest for Young Adults 'New City Catechism' Surpasses 500,000 Sales Milestone. Shane & Shane to Lead Worship at TGCW24. Books to Give Kids (and Teens) for Christmas 2023 ...
Competition Structure and Dates Prizes Bootcamps Partners and Sponsors Contact Us Competitor Hub. Guidelines Resources Judging Global Winners 2024 Regional Winners 2024 Winning Essays 2024 Winning Essays 2023 Winning Essays 2022 Argumentative ...