If you want to impress a college admissions committee, foregrounding your creativity is an effective strategy. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, especially if it leads to the award of the coveted  Scholastic Gold Key prize. This article explains the value of these awards, how they can boost your college applications, and how to enroll. Now, let’s find out why this coveted award is worth your time and energy.

What are  the Scholastic Art &Writing  Award and the Scholastic Gold Key ?

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is one of the longest running and most  prestigious competitions for creative teenagers in grades 7–12, age 13 and up. Established in 1923, this program honors the creativity, innovation, and talent of young artists and writers. Over the years, it has become an effective platform for students to express themselves creatively and excel academically.

Each year, nearly 110,000 teens submit more than 335,000 original works across 29 categories, from creative writing and painting to photography, sculpture, and speculative fiction. The submissions are reviewed by a committee of scholars and artists, who then decide the winners. All the entries are first entered regionally for Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention awards. These are all outstanding achievements that demonstrate talent and commitment to creative arts and expression. However, the Gold Key can open greater opportunities since entries that win it are automatically considered for national awards, which include Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards. National medalists and their mentors are honored with media exposure, cash prizes, and a star-studded ceremony at the Carnegie Hall in New York. The 2026 ceremony featured Emmy Award-winning actress Sarah Jessica Parker and actor and comedian John Leguizamo, with the Alumni Achievement Award presented to Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Such an achievement can have a significant impact on your applications when getting into colleges. 

 4 Reasons To Apply for The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Still wondering “Is a Scholastic Gold Worth the effort?” The answer is yes. Here are four  reasons why:

1. Put Your Work in the Spotlight

Entering your work into the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards gives you special exposure. Over 110,000 teens enter each year, submitting more than 335,000 original works, so being recognized ranks your piece as one of the best in the country. Scholastic Art And Writing regional and national awards showcase your skills to the world beyond your school or neighborhood and make you famous as a budding artist or writer. Winning works are usually displayed in galleries or magazines and promoted through media. This level of exposure can catch the eye of college admissions officers, grant committees, and even industry experts. 

2. Improve Your Craft With Professional Feedback 

One of the  best parts of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is hearing back from the expert judges. These professionals, who include  artists, authors, and high-profile academics,  evaluate your work in terms of creativity, technical skills , and whether it takes on a unique identity or a voice. The feedback that they provide can help  hone your craft. Constructive feedback is a great way to learn because it highlights areas of improvement.

3. Connect with a Vibrant Creative Community 

Participating in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards means joining a community of like-minded people. From the local contests to the national competitions, the competition builds an inclusive network of other students like you who love art and writing. It is also typical of program alumni , who have gone on to be famous artists and writers to interact with participants, giving their insights and experiences. Being a part of this community can provide you with the chance for long-term friendships, mentorship, and relationships beyond your academic and professional career. 

4. Win Scholarships (up to $12,500)

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards can be financially rewarding as well. If you win a Scholastic Awards Gold Key, for example, you will be entitled to scholarships worth up to $12,500. This amount can help in making college much more manageable.  

How to Submit Your Entry

To apply to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards you must be a student in grades 7–12. Students in the 12th grade can submit a portfolio as well as individual pieces. The entry process starts with creating an account on the Scholastic Awards website and uploading your art or text. Entry fees are $10 per individual work or $30 for portfolios. If the fee is a barrier, simply select the "fee waiver" option when submitting in the online portal — no documentation or approval is required. The Alliance encourages students who can pay to do so, as the fees help fund the program, but no student should skip entering because of cost. Submissions open each year on October 1 and regional deadlines run from early December through early January. For the 2027 Awards, the portal opened October 1, 2026; the earliest regional deadline is December 1, 2026, with some regions as late as January 6, 2027. Regional Announcement Day (when Keys and Honorable Mentions are posted) is January 27, 2027. Check artandwriting.org/regions for your specific deadline. Specific deadlines may vary by region, so check your region’s Scholastic Awards deadline to make sure that your work is ready on time.

Prizes 

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards offers regional and national prizes that give young artists more recognition and visibility. Regional entries are judged and given one of three prizes — Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention. The Gold Key is the ultimate and most elite certificate that confirms your work is exceptional. 

Regional winners are honored in an awards ceremony and the Gold Key winning paintings are displayed in a public gallery for all to see. The Scholastic Gold Key winners then go on to compete in the national competition, where it is even more competitive. National medalists can win the National Gold Key or National Silver Key award, further cementing their status as top creative artists.

The following scholarship and cash awards are available alongside the standard recognition awards:

• Portfolio Scholarships (graduating seniors only): Gold Medal Portfolio winners receive $12,500; Silver Medal with Distinction portfolio recipients receive $2,000.
• Best-in-Grade Award: Works selected as juror favorites from each grade receive $500 scholarships — open to all grades, not just seniors.
• American Voices & Visions Award: A selection of regional Gold Key works from each region receive $500 — also open to all grades.
• New York Life Award: Works on the theme of personal grief, loss, and bereavement are eligible for $2,500 scholarships and travel stipends.
• Herblock Award for Editorial Cartoon: Works in the editorial cartoon category on current events are eligible for $2,000 scholarships.
• Educator Awards: Educators of National Winners are also eligible for cash awards.

The $12,500 portfolio scholarship is the largest single award, but students in every grade and category have scholarship opportunities worth pursuing.

Regional Gold Key vs. National Gold Medal: The Difference That Matters for College Applications

One of the most common points of confusion about the Scholastic Awards is the difference between a Regional Gold Key and a National Gold Medal — and it matters more than most guides explain, because the two carry very different weight in a college application.

A Regional Gold Key means your work was judged among the best in your region by a panel of professional artists and writers. It's a genuine achievement and competitive at the regional level, which can include thousands of entries. All regional Gold Key winners are automatically considered for national adjudication.

A National Gold Medal or Silver Medal means your work was then reviewed at the national level — across all regions — and placed among the best in the country. This is significantly more selective. Fewer than 1% of all submissions reach national medal level.

For college applications, this distinction matters:

• A National Gold Medal is a meaningful, independently recognizable credential. Admissions officers at selective schools know what it means. It belongs in your activities list as its own entry, described specifically: "National Gold Medal, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — Short Story category."
• A Regional Gold Key is a real achievement worth including, but it's most powerful as context for your creative involvement — listed in your activities alongside your other artistic work, or mentioned in an essay about your creative process. It doesn't carry the same standalone weight as a national medal.
• A National Silver Medal also advances from regional Gold Key and is a genuine national distinction — describe it accurately rather than conflating it with a regional award.

The most common mistake students make on their application: listing "Scholastic Gold Key" without specifying whether it was regional or national. Admissions readers know the difference, and leaving it vague can read as a deliberate attempt to obscure a regional award as a national one. Be precise: "Regional Gold Key, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards" is still an accomplishment worth listing — it just needs to be named honestly.

What to Do After You Win

Winning a Scholastic Award — at any level — opens a few doors that students frequently don't walk through. Here's what to do.

If you win a Regional Gold Key

Your work is automatically considered for national adjudication. You don't need to do anything for it to advance — the regional affiliate submits it on your behalf. But there are a few things worth doing:

• Log into your account at portal.artandwriting.org and verify your contact details are current. National notifications and scholarship information go to the email on file.
• Check whether your regional affiliate is hosting an awards ceremony or gallery exhibition. Most do, and attending is worth it — your work may be displayed publicly, and you'll meet other serious young artists in your area.
• Start working on your next piece. Gold Key winners often have strong instincts that got them there — continuing to produce work while the momentum is fresh usually yields better results than waiting.

If you win a National Medal

Gold Medalists are invited to National Awards Week in New York City, held each June at Carnegie Hall and surrounding venues. Attendance is not mandatory but is worth the effort if you can manage it — it's one of the most concentrated communities of serious young creative talent in the country, and the networking effect is real.

Beyond the ceremony:

• Your work will be considered for the national online gallery at artandwriting.org/gallery, which is publicly accessible and makes your work findable by colleges, publishers, and other programs.
• If you're a graduating senior and submitted a portfolio, check the scholarship section of your account. Portfolio scholarship decisions are communicated directly.
• Update your college application immediately. A national medal is the kind of update worth contacting admissions offices about if you're mid-process — most schools accept supplementary materials through a specific portal or email.
• The Scholastic Alumni network includes writers, artists, and creative professionals across industries. The official alumni page at artandwriting.org/alumni is worth bookmarking — it lists events and opportunities specifically for former award recipients.

How to describe it in your Common App

In the Activities Section, be precise about what you won and when. A strong entry looks like this: "National Gold Medal, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Short Story — one of ~600 national medalists selected from 110,000+ submissions." That specificity — the category, the level, and the scale of the pool — is what gives the entry weight. A vague "Scholastic Award winner" does not.

If you won multiple years or at multiple levels, list the highest recognition as the primary entry and note the others in the description field or the Additional Information section.

Using Research to Enhance Your Preparation For The Scholastic Art & Writing Competition

If you are preparing for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and hoping to win  the Scholastic Gold Key Award, you may consider joining   a research program. Indigo Research can help provide the support you need. Our program offers students the opportunity to carry out extended independent projects in literature and the arts under the mentorship of expert academics. Contact us today to learn more about our program.