As a high school student, you may want to consider participating in writing contests and essay competitions. Essay competitions and writing contests sharpen your creative thinking, writing, and reading skills, which are the building blocks of college success. 

But there is more: most high school writing competitions offer cash prizes. Moreover, to be named among the winners of a prestigious writing competition for high school students can boost your confidence and college application. Most high school essay competitions do not expect expert knowledge. The review boards look for creativity, or a unique perspective on topical issues. Most writing contests have multiple winners, increasing your chances of claiming a prize.

There are different types of essay competitions in different subjects. Whether in science, art, economics, business, technology, or any other field, you can easily find and apply to a writing contest that matches your academic strengths and interests. There are also creative writing contests which involve writing poetry, fiction and nonfiction. 

Types of Writing Competitions for High School Students

Essay Writing Contests

Essay Writing competitions are common, especially in philosophy, science, and the social sciences. You will be challenged to develop a clear thesis statement, reference your claims, and present this in a logical way. 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, a conclusion summarising your key points and adhere to a strict word count. 

Creative Writing Contests 

If you consider yourself an imaginative student, a creative writing contest may be preferable to an essay competition. Creative writing contests offer the opportunity to write in a variety of literary genres and subgenres: fiction (e.g. science fiction, the short story), poetry and nonfiction (e.g. autobiographical writing). In this type of contest, the review board assesses how you engage your audience with ingenious narratives, vivid descriptions and evocative figurative language. 

Some of the Most Prestigious Competitions For High School Students

Here is a list of writing competitions you can apply for: 

The New York Times Open Letters Contest

Open to students ages 13 to 19 from anywhere in the world, this annual contest invites you to write a public open letter calling attention to an issue you care about — and urging a specific person, group, organization, or institution to take action. The letter should be directed at someone with the power to address the problem, but written for a general audience. Think of it as the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail applied to an issue that matters to you today.

Entries must be 500 words or fewer and include at least two credible sources (at least one from the New York Times). Winners have their letters published on the NYT Learning Network and may be featured in the print edition.

The contest typically runs in late February through early April. The 2026 cycle ran February 25 – April 8; the 2027 cycle is expected to open in February 2027. Check nytimes.com/learning for the current year's prompt and dates.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

The Scholastic Art and Writing Competition is the US’s “longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens”. High school students who wish to participate can submit work either in the literary or visual arts, or a combination of both. This is judged by experts in the field. Winners receive cash prizes as well as recognition via exhibitions and publication.   

Submissions for the 2027 Scholastic Awards open October 1, 2026, with regional deadlines running from October through January — check artandwriting.org/regions for your region's specific deadline, as they vary significantly.

The Foyle Young Poets Award

Participants are free to choose their own theme and style. Poems must be no longer than 40 lines each. UK-based entrants may submit up to 3 poems; international entrants may submit 1 poem. All entries must be written in English (though phrases in another language are permitted). Entry is free worldwide.

The Poetry Society supports winners throughout their careers with publication, performance, and development opportunities, including a paid internship programme. Top 15 winners receive a mentoring package; all 100 winners receive a year's youth membership of the Poetry Society and a selection of books. Past winners who have gone on to significant careers include Jay Bernard, Sarah Howe, Helen Mort, and Richard O'Brien.

The 2026 deadline was July 31, 2026. The competition opens each year in spring — check poetrysociety.org.uk or foyleyoungpoets.org for the 2027 dates.

The Bennington Young Writers Awards

Organised by Bennington College, the Bennington Young Writers Awards is a free annual competition open to high school students in grades 9-12 from anywhere in the world. The competition has three categories — poetry, fiction, and nonfiction — with cash prizes and scholarship recognition in each.

A few things that matter for submitting: all entries must be 1,500 words or fewer (strictly enforced, including titles and headers); a sponsoring teacher or mentor must review and approve your work; and AI may not be used in any stage of the writing or revision process. Grade 12 students submit through the Common Application or Coalition Application (non-binding, no supplemental essays, no application fee required).

Cash prizes per category: $2,000 (first), $1,000 (second), $500 (third), and $250 for Distinguished designations. Students who win first place and enroll at Bennington receive a full-tuition scholarship for four years; Distinguished designation recipients receive a half-tuition scholarship; finalists receive $25,000 annually for four years.

The submission window opens September 1 and closes November 1 each year. Winners are announced in spring. Check bennington.edu/events/bennington-young-creators-awards/bennington-young-writers-awards for current details.

The John Locke Essay Competition

Now officially called the Global Essay Prize, this free competition invites students under 19 to engage with challenging, intellectually provocative questions that go well beyond the school curriculum. Named after the 17th-century Oxford philosopher John Locke — a founding figure of Classical Liberalism who believed education should foster a love of knowledge — the competition asks students to reason carefully, argue persuasively, and engage honestly with the strongest objections to their own position.

There are now 10 subject categories to choose from: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, Law, International Relations, Public Policy, and Science & Technology. Students may submit essays in as many categories as they wish; each essay must address one of the official questions in its category and must not exceed 2,000 words. Judges include senior academics from Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.

The Junior Category is for contestants under 15 years old as of the submission deadline. Junior and Senior entries are judged separately within each category, so each category awards six prizes in total. A Grand Prize is also awarded for the single best essay overall.

Prizes are awarded as JLI scholarships: 1st place in each category receives a $5,000 scholarship toward any JLI programme; 2nd place receives $2,000; 3rd place receives $1,000. The Grand Prize winner receives a $10,000 JLI Junior Fellowship. Winners are invited to an academic conference and awards dinner in London in October, though attendance is not required to claim a prize.

On AI: the competition permits using AI tools as a research aid or thought partner, but essays that rely heavily on AI will score lower — originality and independent reasoning are the primary judging criteria.

For 2026: registration opened February 2 and closed March 31; essays were due by May 31 (with paid extensions available through June 21); shortlist notifications went out July 7; awards ceremony in London October 3. The 2027 cycle will follow a similar timeline — check johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition for the next cycle's dates.

The Ocean Awareness Contest

The Ocean Awareness Contest encourages young people to explore environmental issues and their relationship with the natural world through creative work in any medium — visual art (handcrafted or digital), poetry, spoken word, creative writing, film, performing arts (music and dance), or interactive and multimedia projects.

The contest is open to students ages 11-18 from around the world. College students are not eligible. Participants are divided into two age-based divisions: Junior (ages 11-14) and Senior (ages 15-18). Students can enter as individuals or as a group — class, club, or team of any size. Cash awards of up to $1,000 are available.

The contest theme changes each year and shapes the prompt. The 2025 theme was "Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside," with a June 9, 2025 deadline. The 2026 theme and deadline had not been announced at the time of this update — check bowseat.org for the current cycle's prompt, theme, and deadline.

Why You Should Apply for Writing Contests and Essay Competitions?

Writing contests are a great way to prove your creativity and the depth of your knowledge. Unlike standardised tests, like SAT or ACT, writing contests and essay competitions enable you to practise argumentative and creative writing and to access publication opportunities.  

No matter what subject you are interested in, you have your own ‘voice’ and stories to tell. However, it is important to learn to communicate this ‘voice’ through a writing piece that has a coherent, logical flow. You can learn this by analysing past submissions available on the competitions' webpages and by studying research written by academics. Reading this material 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 the students’ own.

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 student mentorship program and start early planning for the next essay you will write and submit to writing competitions.