Aralia Students Are 4x More Likely to Publish a Research Paper
1. What is Harvard International Review?
Founded in 1979, Harvard International Review (HIR) is a quarterly magazine on international affairs by a journalist organization of Harvard University students. The editorial team includes Harvard students, faculty, and experts in the field. HIR’s journal articles are written from the perspective of scholars, leaders, and policymakers, and “each issue has exclusive interviews and editorials.” Looking at HIR over the past 45 years it’s been in publication, the prestigious, notable magazine has featured 43 Presidents and Prime Ministers, 4 Secretaries-General, 4 Nobel Economics Prize laureates, and 7 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
Is Harvard International Review peer-reviewed?
No, but HIR is still an excellent, well-written international news source for over 500,000 readers worldwide. Read more about HIR History to understand Harvard International Review’s credibility, including a list of renowned world leaders who have contributed to the journal.
2. What is Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest?
Among its impressive reader base of prominent world leaders, HIR also has a lot of high school readers. Hence, since its initiation in 2020, Harvard International Review hosts an HIR Academic Writing Contest (HIR AWC) for high schoolers interested in international affairs. Students compete by writing short-form articles just like those published in Harvard International Review. The goal of HIR AWC is to “encourage and highlight outstanding high school writing on… international affairs.” Each school year, the contest features 3 rounds: Fall/Winter, Spring, and Summer, and topics/prompts are provided for each round.
3. Why Should I Participate in the HIR AWC?
Participating in HIR AWC gives you the opportunity to engage deeply with an important global issue and develop your own informed perspective on how change can be implemented. It encourages you to think critically, form independent opinions, and explore topics that matter in today’s world.
Upon winning, you’re given an impressive platform to express your voice and a significant boost for your college applications. HIR Defense Day sets you up well for public speaking, debate, pitching yourself in future job interviews, and to professors for collaborating in their research labs.
HIR AWC also offers you insight into what it is like to work in journalism or study international relations. During Defense Day, you can meet knowledgeable individuals, learn about pressing global issues you may not have encountered before, and observe how experts approach complex topics through critical thinking. You will also have the chance to connect with other finalists and expand your academic network.
In addition, all submissions are professionally graded by HIR judges. Even if you do not become a finalist or receive an award, the feedback and evaluation can still be valuable for your academic development and writing progress.
4. Who Can Participate in the Competition?
Middle school and high school students (Grade 7-12) all nationalities who attend an American high school (including American citizens studying abroad) are eligible to participate in the HIR Academic Writing Contest.
High school students outside the United States may also apply, but all submissions must be written in English using standard American spelling.
All participants must register and pay before submitting their articles prior to the submission deadline.
6. Contest Themes
Junior Contest (Grades 7–8): Inventions that Changed How We Live.
Senior Contest (Grades 9–12): Senior participants choose one of three themes:
- Global Culture in the Digital Era
- Security in a Multipolar World
- Technology, Innovation, and Power
7. Important Dates
Spring 2026
Article Submission Deadline: May 31, 2026
HIR Defense Day: June 29, 2026
Summer 2026
Article Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026
HIR Defense Day: October 5, 2026
Fall/Winter 2026
Article Submission Deadline: January 2, 2027
HIR Defense Day: February 5, 2027
Unlock Your Writing Potential: Students in Our Writing Competition Preparation Class Are More Likely to Secure Awards
8. What is Harvard International Review Defense Day?
With each contest season, selected Finalists are invited to a virtual HIR Defense Day. These impressive student Finalists each give a 15-minute presentation and oral defense of their article in front of judges from Harvard International Review.
What is an oral defense?
Students will present their research and distinctive perspectives on the global issue at hand in their article and state their proposal for change. Oral defenses are common for students pursuing PhD programs. PhD candidates present their preliminary data, defend the importance of their thesis/dissertation, and request approval on their research plan for the remainder of their PhD years to a board of professors. Similarly, HIR Defense Day is also an excellent opportunity for students to taste what it’s like to confidently pitch their ideas in front of a board of business executives!
9. What Awards Do Students Get From the HIR Academic Writing Contest?
Students who are selected to become Finalists for Defense Day compete for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. Students who don’t qualify for Defense Day but receive a high enough score can receive an HIR certificate for either the Commendation Prize, Outstanding Prize, or High Commendation Prize. See below for example certificates.
Finalists who win medals also receive certificates along with name recognition on the HIR website. Students whose essays received a Gold Medal are in the global top 3% of HIR academic writing contest. Silver: global top 10%. Bronze: global top 20%
Additionally, every submission gets a certificate of completion. We’ll cover all the details of how the scoring system works later on in the blog.
10. Submission Guidelines
Your article must be between 800 to 1,200 words (excluding figures, data tables, or authorship statements). Read more about the HIR AWC Submission Guidelines.
Student submission should address a topic related to international affairs today. List of categories to examine the topic from:
- Agriculture
- Cybersecurity
- Defense
- Education
- Employment & Immigration
- Energy & Environment
- Business, Finance & Economics
- Public Health
- Science & Technology (include Space)
- Trade
- Transportation
- Law & Diplomacy
11. How Do I Pick a Topic?
Below are some starting points to help you pick a topic:
- Spend some time reading recent articles published by Harvard International Review so you can get a sense of what kinds of issues they’re focusing on right now.
- Look at winning submissions from the most recent season to understand the tone, structure, and level of analysis they expect.
- If you’re working with Aralia, talk with an instructor who can help you shape your ideas and strengthen your argument.
- Stay up to date by using news apps like CNN, The New York Times, or The Washington Post.
- Sign up for email newsletters to get a weekly rundown of the current state of world affairs.
- Visit your school library to get assistance with access to the latest trending topics in research journals.
- Pick a country you’re interested in, Google them, and click the “News” tab. Try out some less famous countries.
One important note: HIR values originality. They’re not looking for another general article on the most commonly discussed global issues. Instead, strong submissions often focus on topics that are overlooked or approached from a fresh angle.
If there’s a major issue you care about, think about what perspective is missing. Is there a new scientific or policy development that hasn’t received much attention yet? Is a certain population outside the West affected in a way that isn’t widely discussed? Are there countries or crises that are being ignored by larger media outlets or international organizations?
The goal is to bring an issue that deserves more attention and analysis. Once you’ve brainstormed a few ideas, make sure to review the contest grading rubric before you begin writing so you understand exactly what judges are looking for.
12. How Do I Write an Article That Stands Out?
First, make sure you are writing from a truly global perspective rather than focusing only on the United States. HIR wants an “analytically backed perspective on an under-appreciated global issue.” Your article should present a clear, well-supported thesis, but it should not read like an opinion column.
Second, take research seriously. Strong articles require time and depth. One High Commendation recipient shared that they spent about a month researching and drafting their submission. Planning ahead will help you develop a more thoughtful and credible argument.
Third, avoid writing something that feels like a standard academic research paper. Choose an issue you genuinely care about, and approach it with a specific purpose. Read about HIR AWC Gold Medalist Heidi Pan and her passion for bringing awareness to an overlooked environmental issue. You can also read Heidi’s Gold Medal paper.
Read more about how Aralia’s students won the HIR Essay Contest to see how Aralia Education can elevate your global affairs journalism skills.
13. How Do I Do Research and Cite?
Your HIR Academic Writing Contest article should be thoroughly researched, and all citations should be in hyperlinks. Do not include a bibliography.
How do I cite with hyperlinks?
This is an example of a hyperlink when one word or a short phrase is linked to the relevant article (in this case, the source of the information you’re writing about). You should hyperlink either a single word or a very short phrase. Anytime you pull in a fact you researched (i.e., event/news, case study, individual’s story, historical fact, current public sentiment, people’s quotes, etc.), you should cite it with a hyperlink. See this example:
“Economic and political opportunity ultimately drive many trained individuals to emigrate, contributing to brain drain on a massive scale.” Africa’s Growing Scientific Communities: A New Renaissance
How many sources should I cite per article?
The articles on HIR range anywhere between 6 to around 20; our recommendation is to aim for 10 reliable sources and don’t overwhelmingly cite any single source. You must cite in the Associated Press (AP) style, as this citation style is most common for news writing.
What’s a reliable source?
From other high-quality HIR articles, we’ve compiled a list of good sources for you to cite research from: CNN, History.com, Washington Post, Business Insider, TIME Magazine, CDC, WorldData.info, Marie Carie (on global issues), NewHumanitarian, World Bank, CNBC, ScienceDirect, and London School of Economics and Political Science blogs. These are just a couple of starting points.
What types of sources should I collect research from?
A hallmark of an excellent HIR essay is in-depth, comprehensive research. You can cite research from news articles, research studies, historical articles/essays, and even video documentaries (from credible accounts) on YouTube.
You can cite the same article multiple times, but ensure you have many sources if you repeat a citation. Do not cite one source 5 times and only have a couple of other sources. You cannot cite ChatGPT and other similar tools.
Other rules
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, is strictly prohibited. Consider working with Aralia’s instructors if you want editing support and peer review. More information on Aralia Education’s HIR Contest Preparation.
14. Take Aralia's HIR Academic Writing Contest Preparation
If you want to strengthen your HIR Academic Writing Contest submission with expert guidance, consider joining Aralia’s HIR Contest Preparation Program. Our experienced instructors help students develop strong research skills, refine their thesis, and write with the clarity and depth HIR expects.
In the 2022 Winter round of HIR AWC, students who took Aralia’s HIR class won 2 Gold medals, 2 Silver medals, 1 Bronze medal, 11 High Commendations, and 4 Outstanding Writing Style prizes.
HIR Academic Writing Contest Prep
In the HIR Academic Writing Contest Preparation, students will explore college-level topics in international affairs to craft a compelling, well-researched essay.
