Feel free to save the infographic at the end of the article to keep track of all writing competitions for high school students happening throughout the year of 2023. Please keep in mind that the infographic provides a deadline for competitions; however, each competition’s actual preparation time can vary, from 2 weeks to several months.
- Junior Division: 11-14 years old
- Senior Division: 15-18 years old
Competition Introduction: Since 2010, the New York Times has held a summer reading competition for middle school students from all over the world every summer. So far, more than 50,000 middle school students have participated.
The Summer Reading Contest invites students to choose something in The Times that has sparked their interest, then tell us why. At the end of every week, judges from the Times newsroom pick their favorite responses, and the winner’s work will be published in NY Times.
Competition schedule: Before the end of the competition (August), participants can choose any article, essay, video, interaction, podcast, or photo published in the New York Times to analyze, write about, and submit to the competition.
Every Tuesday after the start of the competition, the previous week’s winners will be announced and their writing pieces will be published.
Competition time: June 9 – August 18, 2023
Suitable for students: 13-19-year-old students from all over the world;
- Students aged 13-15 can submit via the form in the link to the weekly article, subject to parent or guardian consent;
- Students aged 16-19 can directly submit in the comments of the weekly articles.
Competition Introduction: The John Locke Essay Competition is organized by John Locke Institute, an independent education organization located in Oxford, UK. 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. All of their essay prizes are judged by senior academics from the University of Oxford. The judges will choose their favorite essay from each subject category and an overall ‘best essay’ across seven subjects. Read more about the complete guide to John Locke Competition.
Competition time: June 30, 2023
Suitable for students: 2 Levels – High school students 18 years old or younger and Middle School students 14 years old or younger at the submission deadline.
Competition Introduction: The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is the longest-running, oldest, and most prestigious literary and art competition in the United States, aiming to find creative works and original technical skills by students in grades 7-12. Since 1923, the Academic Art and Writing Award has recognized the vision, originality, and talent of young people, and has provided opportunities and academic awards for creative young people to express their talent. The high school award is a symbol of the pursuit of excellence and will help students stand out in university and scholarship applications.
Competition time: Deadlines vary by region and can be as early as December 1
Suitable for students: Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) can apply in 28 categories of art and writing.
Competition Introduction: Young Authors Writing Competition is sponsored by the English and Creative Writing Department at Columbia College Chicago. The competition has grown into a yearly international contest of high school writers. You may enter up to two works (in separate files) in each category of Creative Nonfiction and Fiction. In the Poetry category, you may enter up to two files, but each can have 1-5 poems. You can submit up to six files (two in each category). You cannot upload three or more files in the same category.
Competition time: The deadline was January 31, 2023
Suitable for students: Open to students in grades 9-12 worldwide
Competition Introduction: River of Words Poetry and Art Contest is a free, international youth poetry and art contest — the largest in the world — inspires children ages 5 to 19 to translate their observations into creative expression. River of Words® (ROW) is a program of The Center for Environmental Literacy and a part of the Kalmanovitz School of Education, at Saint Mary’s College of California.
Competition deadline: January 31, 2023
Suitable for students: K through 12th-grade students, ages 5-20. Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older.
Competition Introduction: The Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA) is organizing its flagship Harvard International Economics Essay Contest with the collaboration of the Harvard College Economics Review. HIEEC allows students to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Students hone their academic and professional skills through the contest and exhibit their knowledge.
Competition deadline: 11:59pm EST January 7, 2023
Suitable for students: Students in grades 9 to 12
Competition Introduction: The Princeton Ten-minute Play Contest is hosted by the Lewis Art Center of Princeton University. The annual competition’s judging committee comprises faculty and staff from the Program in Theater of Princeton University. They are all members of Princeton University.
Competition date: January 17, 2023 to March 31, 2023
Suitable for students: U.S. domestic or international students studying in the eleventh grade. International students in the equivalent of eleventh grade in the US
Competition Introduction:Write the World, developed by David Weinstein – who’s currently working at Harvard University, is dedicated to improving the writing of high school students through a global online community and guided interactive process. The monthly competition is developed around a particular idea or genre of writing, such as poetry, fantasy, sports journalism, or flash fiction. Through multiple competitions throughout the year, students are encouraged to develop their voices, refine their editing skills, and publish on an international platform. Write the World helps students develop the writing strategies and communication tools essential for success in school, career, and life. Students can receive peer and expert feedback before submitting their final piece.
Competition date: March 21, 2023
Suitable for students: Young writers ages 13-18
14. Young Reporters for the Environment Competition
Competition Introduction: Young Reporters for the Environment Competition is operated by Foundation for Environmental Education. YRE gives young people aged 11-25 a platform to research environmental issues and promote solutions through investigative reporting, photography, and video journalism. Competition Structure: There are three ways to participate in the YRE International Competition: General YRE International Competition, Litter Less Campaign Competition, and International Collaboration
Competition date: Competitions open during end of March
Suitable for students: Three age categories in the International Competition: 11-14, 15-18, and 19-25
Competition Introduction: New York Times invited students to write short, evidence-based persuasive essays through the New York Times Students Editorial Contest. Students can choose a topic of interest, then gather evidence from sources within and outside The NY Times and write a concise editorial (450 words or fewer) to convince readers of their view. The Editorial should focus on a topic that matters to students, cite reliable sources that illustrate different perspectives, and persuade readers of the student’s opinions. Last year, the competition received a peak of 16,664 submissions came in, about 5,000 more than ever before.
Competition date: March 15 to April 19, 2023.
Suitable for students: You must be a student ages 13 to 19 in middle or high school to participate. All students must have parent or guardian permission to enter.
Competition Introduction: JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America) conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen’s works in new generations of readers.
Competition date: June 1, 2023
Suitable for students: Students and home-schooled students enrolled at the high school level during the contest year
Competition Introduction: Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest is created by Winning Writers, the organization finding and creating quality resources for poets and writers. Winning Writers is among the “101 Best Websites for Writers” (Writer’s Digest, 2015-2019). The judges are Soma Mei Sheng Frazier, the winner of CutBank’s 2018 contest, released in 2019, and Michal Jones, Pushcart Prize-nominated poet, and parent in Oakland, California.
Competition date: April 15 – September 30, 2023
Suitable for students: No restriction on the age of the author. All countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions)
18. Marshall Society Essay Competition
Competition Introduction: Established in 1927, the Marshall Society is the Economics Society of the University of Cambridge. The competition invites pre-university students to write a convincing and well-structured essay related to economic theories.
Competition date: August 19, 2022
Suitable for students: Preuniversity students around the world
Competition Introduction: Bennington College Young Writers Awards are created by Bennington College, to promote excellence in writing at the high school level and to recognize outstanding writing achievement by high school students. The competition runs annually from September 1 to November 1. Over 5,000 students submitted poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to the Young Writers Awards competition each year. Each year, students in the 9th-12th grades are invited to enter one of the following categories with the following submission:
Poetry: A group of three poems
Fiction: A short story (1,500 words or fewer) or one-act play (run no more than 30 minutes of playing time)
Nonfiction: A personal or academic essay (1,500 words or fewer)
Competition date: September 1 to November 1
Suitable for students: 9th-12th grades, welcome submissions from both US and international students.
Competition Introduction: The Leonard Milberg High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the 11th grade in the U.S. or abroad. Contest judges are poets on the Princeton University Creative Writing faculty, which includes Michael Dickman, Paul Muldoon, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, James Richardson, Tracy K. Smith, Susan Wheeler, Jenny Xie, and Monica Youn.
Competition date: November 27, 2022
Suitable for students: Students in the 11th grade in the U.S or around the world
Competition Introduction: The New York Times Personal Narrative Writing Contest invites middle and high school students ages 11-19 to tell a short story in 100 words or less. Your work will be read by New York Times journalists, Learning Network staff members, and educators from around the United States.
Competition date: October – November
Suitable for students: Students ages 13 to 19 who are in middle or high school worldwide.
Competition Introduction: The NY Times invites students to play critic and write an original review for their New York Times Student Review Contest. Students can review anything that fits into a category of creative expression that The New York Times covers — from architecture to music.
Competition date: December 2022
Suitable for students: Students ages 11-19 anywhere in the world attending middle or high school can participate
Competition Introduction: In Profile in Courage, John F. Kennedy tells the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do the right thing for their country. These leaders demonstrated political courage by standing up for the public good despite pressure from interest groups, political parties, and even constituents. The JFK Courage Essay Contest asks students to write an original and creative essay demonstrating an understanding of the political courage described in John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage.
Competition date: January 13, 2023
Suitable for students: High school students in the United States and its territories in grades 9-12
24. New York Times 100-Word Tiny Memoir Contest
Competition Introduction: The New York Times invites all junior and senior high school students to write a memoir in less than 100 words that is very meaningful to each person. This can be a special situation, a scene, or a meaningful event. New York Times hopes to hear unique stories from the “young writers” in their own words. The judges hope to see how the “young authors” solve a problem in this short story and see the larger meaning behind the story.
Competition date: October 12
Suitable for students: Writers of all ages and levels of experience
Competition Introduction: The Concord Review (TCR) is an academic journal dedicated to publishing historical research papers of high school students in English. With the spring issue, the quarterly journal has published 1,362 research papers from authors in 46 states and 41 countries. Many of the authors of TCR have gone to prestigious universities and colleges across the US and around the world.
Competition date: Summer: February 1. Fall: May 1. Winter: August 1. Spring issue: November 1.
Suitable for students: Students must complete the paper before finishing secondary school and you have not yet enrolled in a college or university
Competition Introduction: Founded in 1998, the Foyle Young Poets Competition is a highly regarded global contest that attracts thousands of entries annually from aspiring poets around the globe. The competition is free to enter and allows young writers to showcase their work, gain recognition for their talents, and receive support and guidance from established poets. Many previous winners have succeeded in the literary world, becoming published authors and receiving numerous accolades for their work.
Competition date: Midnight July 31, 2023 (BST)
Suitable for students: Everyone aged between 11-17 on 31st July 2023.
28. F(r)iction Contest
Competition Introduction: F(r)iction is a triannual publication that boasts work from both industry legends and emerging writers. Each issue is carefully curated to evaluate an important cultural topic from vastly different perspectives. They accept short fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, comics, and poetry submissions all year round, and also host contests featuring celebrity guest judges and cash prizes twice a year (each spring and fall). Every piece published in F(r)iction is also accompanied by custom artwork.
Competition date: April 27, 2023<
Suitable for students: Everyone aged between 11-17 on 31st July 2023.
Submission length: Short stories: 1,001 – 7,500 words; Flash fiction: up to 1,000 words per piece; Poetry: up the three pages per poem
Prizes: $300 (Poetry and Flash), $500 (Creative Nonfiction), or $1,000 (Short Fiction)
Entry fee: $10 – $15
Judges: Jennifer Wortman (Short Fiction), Charlie Clare Burgess (Creative Nonfic), Exodus Oktavia Brownlow (Flash Fiction), Kyle Carrero Lopez (Poetry)
In early 2021, the nation’s art and writing contest (Scholastic Art & Writing Awards) announced their winners. Excitingly, Aralia students received a total of 38 awards, which consisted of 10 Golden Key Awards, 8 Silver Key Awards, and 20 Honorable Mentions! More information about the awards can be found here.
| Golden Key Award | Silver Key Award | Honorable Mentions |
| 10 | 8 | 20 |
In order to achieve these great results, most of the award-winning students have participated in the writing competition preparation program with the instruction and leadership of Aralia’s famous writing teachers. Aralia’s tutors are inspired teachers and professors who are committed to student success. They are recognized in their field or are currently teaching at top high schools and colleges/universities in the US.
What's next?
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How can I stand out in writing competitions? The only 5 tips you need to know are here: 5 Tips to Stand Out in a Writing Competition
Heard about John Locke Essay Competition but not sure where to start? Read this Complete Guide to John Locke Essay Competition
Finished your writing work but not sure where to submit it? Where to Submit Your Writing Works: 5 Main Platforms will answer your questions
This class is offered in the summer every year. Students from 13 to 18 years old wanting to learn how to shape their written English into effective and publishable creative pieces will find this particular Writing Competition course very exciting. The class will be shown a range of tools to learn the nuances of controlled, purposeful writing, including: figurative language, effective structuring and specific forms that they will apply to their own pieces.
