Top Writing Contests For High School Students in 2024
by
Indigo Research Team
&
Published:
May 7, 2024
Last Updated:
September 11, 2024
High school students have many benefits to gain from participating in writing contests and essay competitions. First, competitions generally sharpen your creative thinking, writing, and reading skills. These are the building blocks to any college success.
But there is more: most high school writing competitions offer financial benefits through cash prizes or writing contest scholarships. Moreover, a sure way to boost your confidence is to be named among the winners of a prestigious writing competition for high school students. Apart from the bragging rights you just earned with your friends, you can feature the win in your college application essays.
Most high school essay competitions don’t expect Shakespeare's level grammar or complex vocabulary. The easy review board wants to score your unique perspective and assess how genuine your creative process is. Moreover, most writing contests have multiple winners, increasing your chances of claiming a prize.
Even if you don't consider yourself an avid writer, you can still win an essay competition. There are different types of essay competitions for high school students in different fields. They also come in many formats, such as creative writing, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction essay contests.
Writing competitions are not one-size-fits-all. This allows you to apply to a competition type that aligns best with your skills and area of interest. Background also matters when you are applying to a contest. Whether in science, art, economics, business, technology, or any other field, you can easily find and apply to a writing contest that matches it.
Here are the common categories of writing competitions you can expect to find in this article:
If you consider yourself an imaginative student, a creative writing contest is your outlet for expressing yourself. In this essay contest, the reviewing committee assesses how you engage your audience with ingenious narratives and vivid descriptions. Many winners of creative writing contests have done so with original concepts, authentic voices, and unique expressions of real or fictional human experience beyond their academic field.
Short story contests are creative writing contests that challenge you to express your creativity within a specified word count. This is where structure and editing skills will help you shine. If you love to write flash fiction or novellas, short writing contests for teens are your chance to hone your imaginative and narrative skills to a larger audience.
Student essay competitions are common, especially in Philosophy, Science, and Social science. You will be challenged to develop a clear thesis statement, research evidence, and present your evidence in a constructive, logical essay. A typical easy writing prompt could be “Is Technology Controlling Us?” Essays have a more structured format compared to creative writing contests. You must include an introduction, body paragraphs with clear transitions, and a conclusion summarizing your points.
If you love rhythm, imagery, and portraying emotions, you already have a half-chance at winning a high school poetry competition. Prestigious poetry contests like the Griffin Poetry Prize offer opportunities to win as much as C$130,000 yearly. There are also local poetry contests in NYC and national youth poetry competitions, which are less competitive. If you are a budding poet, participate in a poetry contest for teens to polish your concise, evocative writing skills before you try other highly competitive, prestigious poetry competitions.
A long-form essay writing contest (fiction or nonfiction) challenges you to write and submit captivating stories using storytelling techniques. Essay prompts for fiction writing contests cover genres such as fantasy, science fiction, or historical fiction while adhering to specific word limits. The essay Judges will assess your character development and narrative structure.
Non–fiction essays, however, prompt you to write essays that tackle real-world issues like COVID-19 or climate change. It will assess your persuasive skills, research, and critical analysis of the subject matter. It also demands logical arguments, credible references, and a clear thesis statement.
From prestigious national contests to local writing competitions that offer cash prizes, high school students have a wealth of opportunities to showcase their talents and hone their skills through writing contests and essay competitions. Here is the list of writing competitions you can apply for in 2024:
if you are a teen and can easily make well-reasoned arguments that don't necessarily align with the crowd, you might see your opinion essay live on the esteemed NYT's Learning Network and even in The New York Times. This exposure could boost your visibility, earn you recognition, and potentially unlock doors to future writing gigs, scholarships, or internships. All it takes is to be a high school student between the ages of 13 to 19, write an opinion essay in 450 words or fewer about something that matters to you, and persuade the judges of the New York Times writing competition enough to care about your opinion.
After submission, the short essay writing contest judges of the NY Times will evaluate your submission for critical thinking, persuasive communication, and curiosity. The beauty of it all? You choose and write on the topic you care about. The more niche a problem or opinion you address, the better it resonates. There are rubrics against which your essay will be judged, such as viewpoint, evidence, logic, and persuasion. However, the best way to understand the expectations is to read a few essays by previous winners.
Eligibility: Students ages 13 to 19 who are in middle school or high school anywhere in the world.
Writing prompt: Students are encouraged to write on a topic they know a lot about, perhaps something personal, but here are some argumentative prompts from other students for inspiration.
Submission deadline: The New York Times writing contest 2024 submissions will be open from March 15 to April 19, 2024.
Rewards: Your opinion may get published in the New York Times, and viewed by over 7 million digital subscribers.
The National Scholastic Art Writing Competition for high school students has over 11 writing categories, including humor, flash fiction, poetry, short stories, journalism, and more. The competition ensures that young writers can find a category that aligns with their interests. You start by competing at the regional levels, then move to the national levels. Their Local organizations hold regional writing essay contests, and the winners are then sent to the national level for further consideration.
The application process is straightforward: Apply online and upload your best work in the category that best represents your writing piece. Entry fees are reasonable, at $10 per individual entry and $30 per portfolio, but don't worry if the cost is a barrier—fee waivers are available.
If you win at the national level, your work will be featured in exhibitions in New York and throughout the USA. Past winners have gained incredible exposure and validation for their talent.
Eligibility: Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) can apply in 28 categories of art and writing.
Writing prompt: Participants are free to be creative and explore their unique topics.
Submission deadline: Entries open in September, and deadlines vary between December and January, depending on your region.
Reward: National Medalists are eligible for scholarships up to $12,500
The Texas Book Festival is a prestigious annual event that promotes literature, ideas, and culture. If you are an author, you are invited to submit your published work at this in-person festival held in downtown Austin. The event features over 260 authors who present diverse books across genres like art, architecture, cookbooks, fiction, graphic novels, nonfiction, poetry, and more.
To participate in the Texas Book Festival writing competition, apply online by filling out a submission form with details about your book. Additionally, you must ship one physical copy of your finished book, galley, ARC, or manuscript to the designated address: Texas Book Festival, ATTN: Submissions, 1023 Springdale Road, Building 14, Suite B, Austin, TX 78721.
If selected, your book will be part of this esteemed writing contest and literary festival. In the event, you get to network with other authors, readers, and book lovers from across the region and beyond.
Eligibility: Books must be published in the 12 months before the Festival (between October 2023 and November 2024
Submission deadline: open January 15 through May 15, 2024.
Reward: Get exhibited at the Texas Book Festival
The Foyle Young Poets Award is an annual prestigious poetry contest that celebrates the talent of young writers aged 11 to 17. It's an incredible opportunity to showcase your poetic skills and potentially kickstart your career as a poet.
Each year, the poetry contests for teens recognize 15 top winners and 85 commended poets, so there are plenty of chances to shine. You're free to choose your theme and style, and you can submit as many poems as you like, as long as they're no more than 40 lines each.
If you're among the winners, the Poetry Society will support you throughout your journey, providing publication, performance, and development opportunities and access to a paid internship program. Many past winners of the poetry contest, like Jay Bernard and Richard O'Brien, have established successful careers in poetry. While you can explore any theme you desire, many past winners have found success by aligning their work with the annual anthology theme. For example, the 2023 winner's poem title is "The Roots Belong to You."
To apply, simply enter your poem submission on their website or send it by post, along with a completed entry form. You can apply as an individual or part of a school or youth group.
Eligibility: You must be 11-17 years old by the July 31, 2024 deadline. It's completely FREE to enter. Poems must be in English, British Sign Language, or Braille, but you can include phrases in your mother tongue or another language.
Prompts: Submit any first-publication poem(s), preferably anthologies, no more than 40 lines.
Submission Deadline: Enter your poems by July 31, 2024.
Rewards: The top 15 poets receive a mentoring package with opportunities to receive support and feedback on their writing, and all 100 winners receive a year's youth membership of The Poetry Society and a bag full of books donated by generous publishers.
The Bennington Young Writing Competition is a free writing contest promoting high school students' writing excellence. With three categories—poetry, fiction, and nonfiction—the competition recognizes winners in each category every year.
This annual event runs from September 1 to November 1, offering you the potential to earn a scholarship worth almost $60,000 to study literature at Bennington College. Bennington's literature program has produced numerous accomplished writers, including novelists, poets, journalists, biographers, Pulitzer Prize winners, and New York Times bestsellers. The best part is there's no entry fee All entries must be original work reviewed, approved, and sponsored by a high school teacher.
To apply, visit the official online application portal. Choose one category for your submission and follow the guidelines:
- For poetry, type your submission double-spaced and submit a group of three poems.
- For fiction or non-fiction, type your submission double-spaced and keep it under 1,500 words.
- For plays, type your submission double-spaced and keep it under 30 minutes in length.
Don't forget to clearly print your name on each page.
Eligibility: Students everywhere, including the USA, in grades 9-12.
Prompts: Submit a group of three poems, a short story fiction of 1,500 words or fewer, or a personal or academic essay in the non-fiction category.
Submission Deadline: This annual event runs from September 1 to November 1.
Rewards: First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1,000; second-place winners receive $500; third-place winners receive $250.
The John Locke Essay Competition is a prestigious opportunity for young writers to showcase their independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis, and persuasive style. Participants' essays are expected to go above and beyond your school curriculum, and you have three chances to win across seven categories: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law. Judges will select the best essay in each category, as well as a Grand Winner for the best essay overall and the Best Essay in the Junior Category for writers under 15 years old.
Moreover, student essay competitions prefer entries that address a single question from your chosen category and do not exceed 2,000 words. During the application process, you'll need to provide the email address of an academic referee familiar with your academic work. To apply, fill out the form online and submit your essay. The filename of your PDF must follow this format: FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf. The registration deadline is Friday, May 31, 2024. Application is free, but if you miss the deadline, you can submit a late entry by paying a fee of US$ 20.00 within twenty-four hours of the original deadline.
After the judges review your submission, you may be called to discuss your essay with a John Locke Institute faculty member. Writers of shortlisted essays will be notified by 11:59 pm BST on Wednesday, July 31. They will also be invited to London for an invitation-only academic conference and awards dinner in September, where the high school student essay contest prize winners will be announced. If you need more guidance on this competition, check out this article: Everything You Need to Know About John Locke Essay Competition in 2024.
Eligibility: Students of any country must be eighteen years old or younger on June 30, 2024. (Candidates for the Junior Prize must be fourteen years old or younger on that date.)
Prompts: There are at least three different question prompts for each category, ranging from Philosophy to Law.
Submission Deadline: Sunday, June 30, 2024, by 11:59 pm BST.
Rewards: The winner of each category will receive a scholarship worth US$2,000 towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute program. The Best Essay overall will receive a US$10,000 scholarship to attend one or more of the John Locke summer programs.
The Ocean Awareness Contest is an excellent stem writing contest for high school students. The competition encourages young individuals to raise awareness about critical environmental issues while building their writing portfolios. It encourages young participants to become climate witnesses and share their unique climate stories through paid creative writing contests and other art forms like films, poetry, and visual art, rewarding them for their efforts.
The contest has two divisions: Junior and Senior High School. As a high school student, you can participate either as an individual or as part of a club, group, or any size organization.
To apply, you'll need to create an online account where you'll submit your contact information, your submission, a written reflection (an overview of your submitted creative writing), parent consent, and sponsor information. The results will be announced in November 2024, and the best works will meet the theme, showcase originality, and demonstrate creative imagination.
Eligibility:
You will need an adult sponsor, such as a counselor, teacher, parent, or mentor.
Prompts: Consider climate issues and solutions and how they have affected you or your community. Share your climate story through art, writing, performance, film, or multimedia.
Submission Deadline: June 10, 2024
Rewards: Cash awards of up to $1,000 are available.
The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition provides a platform for young high school students to develop their writing skills and compete globally. This unique competition offers workshops, webinars, and bootcamps, and allows participants to have their essays evaluated by The Harvard Crimson. The entire competition is held online, removing geographical barriers to entry, and offers a chance to add a high-impact achievement to your CV/resume.
Eligibility and Registration
Students must be between 13-18 years old and currently enrolled in a secondary or high school or have not started university studies yet. The registration fee is US$15 per student and must be paid upon registration.
Prompts: Each participant will select a prompt from the creative, argumentative, or journalistic options. For detailed prompts, visit the Essay Prompts page.
Submission Deadline: February 22nd, 2025, at 11:59 PM GMT-0
Rewards:
- 1st place: US$1,000 Cash Prize, US$1,000 Crimson Mentorship Credit, Exclusive Harvard Crimson Internship with Letter of Recommendation
- 2nd place: US$750 Cash Prize, US$750 Crimson Mentorship Credit, Exclusive Harvard Crimson Internship with Letter of Recommendation
- 3rd place: US$500 Cash Prize, US$500 Crimson Mentorship Credit, Exclusive Harvard Crimson Internship with Letter of Recommendation
- English Language Learner Award: US$100 Cash Prize
- All 12 winners will have their essays published on the Official Harvard Crimson Essay Competition Website and receive global champion certificates
Writing contests are a great way to prove your creativity, as there are many different genres to explore, depending on your interests. Unlike standardized tests, like the SAT or ACT, writing contests and essay competitions aimed to explore creative argumentations.
By joining these kinds of competitions, it will help you to:
1. Sharpen Your Writing Skills
This competition will push you to refine your craft, support your arguments, and provide clear points of view that will convince the readers. This is a highly-valued skill that is demanded, especially to prepare you for your future professional career.
2. Get Publications Opportunities
Some writing contests, like the One Teen Story Contest, offer you a chance to publish your story on the platform of their choice. This is a great opportunity to enhance your college application by showcasing your renowned skills.
3. Network and Learn to Receive Feedback
Many writing competitions connect you with talented writers and judges. You can use this time to hone your writing skills and ask for feedback from these people.
No matter what subject you are interested in, you have your own “voice” and stories to tell. However, it’s important to learn how to communicate this “voice” in a writing piece that has a nice logical flow. You can learn this by analyzing past submissions or similar publications. Reading the winners’ essays will give you an idea of the format, tone, length, and topics that are typically successful.
If you want to succeed in your writing competitions, you can also find a mentor who can help you guide and give feedback along the way. Most of the competitions will allow students to have mentors as long as the work and ideas are originally from the students.
Indigo Research can provide you with mentors from top universities who can help you with research and guide you in your essays, whether you are applying for a writing contest or publishing in high school journals. Join our online high school research program and start early planning for the next essay you will write and submit to writing competitions in 2024.
Increase your chances of excelling in 2024's top writing contests by honing your skills with Indigo Research. Our program connects you with mentors from prestigious universities such as Columbia, Cornell, and Harvard, who can guide you through the intricacies of academic writing. By engaging in research under their expertise, you'll not only refine your writing techniques but also enhance your analytical and critical thinking skills, setting you apart in any contest. Join Indigo Research today and transform your writing into a winning craft.
