The John Locke Essay Competition and the Harvard International Review (HIR) Academic Writing Contest are two of the most prestigious international writing competitions open to middle and high school students worldwide.
For students hoping to strengthen their writing skills and build a strong extracurricular profile for university applications, choosing between these two competitions can be a challenge. In this guide, we’ll compare the two competitions on factors such as eligibility, format, writing style, and college admissions value.
What Is the John Locke Essay Competition?
The John Locke Institute Essay Competition is regarded as one of the most prestigious international essay competitions for students under 19. Organized annually by the John Locke Institute, an independent educational organization based in Oxford, the competition attracts tens of thousands of participants from more than 150 countries. The judges include distinguished philosophers, political scientists, economists, historians, and legal scholars, all of whom read and carefully assess every entry.
In 2026, the competition featured essay prompts across ten subject categories:
- Philosophy, Economics
- Politics
- History
- Law
- Psychology
- Theology
- Public Policy
- International Relations
- Science & Technology
The competition emphasizes intellectual rigor by challenging participants to develop their own perspective on a complex issue and construct a compelling argument supported by logical reasoning. The essay questions are intentionally open-ended and often explore fundamental issues related to society.
Learn more about the John Locke Essay Competition here.
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What Is the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest?
The Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest is organized by the Harvard International Review (HIR), a renowned student publication that has been covering international affairs and other pressing global issues since 1979. Over its history, HIR has featured contributions from 43 Presidents and Prime Ministers, 4 Secretaries-General, 4 Nobel Economics Prize laureates, and 7 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
Participants are typically asked to respond to prompts related to contemporary issues and are expected to support their ideas with credible research and well-reasoned evidence. Topics often span international relations, climate change, artificial intelligence, economic development, public health, and geopolitical conflicts.
One feature that sets HIR apart from most writing competitions is its Defense Day. Finalists are invited to participate in a virtual HIR Defense Day, where they give a 15-minute presentation and oral defense of their article to Harvard International Review judges.
Learn more about the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest.
Comparing HIR and John Locke
Although both competitions involve academic writing, they differ significantly in their objectives and expectations.
| Category | John Locke Essay Competition | Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest |
| Eligibility | Students under 19 | Students in grades 7-12 |
| Writing Style | Argumentative academic essay | Scholarly journalism and policy analysis |
| Topics | Philosophy, Economics, Politics, History, Law, Psychology, Theology, Public Policy, International Relations, Science & Technology | International affairs and global issues across categories like public policy, economics, technology, and trade |
| Word Limit | Up to 2,000 words | 800–1,200 words |
| Best Suited For | Students who enjoy debating ideas and exploring complex questions | Students who enjoy researching real-world issues and analyzing evidence |
| Competitiveness | Extremely selective, with fewer than 1% receiving major awards | Highly competitive with a strong emphasis on research quality Gold medal = top 3% worldwide |
| AI Policy | Permitted but discouraged | Strictly prohibited; multiple AI checkers used |
Eligibility
Both competitions are open to students worldwide, making them accessible to participants regardless of school system or curriculum. The Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest is open to students in grades 7–12, with separate Junior and Senior divisions. The John Locke Essay Competition is open to anyone under the age of 19, with no minimum grade or age requirement.
Note: Eligibility requirements and competition rules can change from year to year. Students should always check the official competition guidelines before preparing a submission.
Competition Format
In John Locke, participants choose one question from a list of prompts across multiple academic disciplines. Each prompt is designed to stimulate critical thinking and intellectual debate. Students are expected to develop an original argument, evaluate different perspectives, and present a well-reasoned response supported by logic and analysis.
In the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest, participants are asked to write in response to a broader annual theme. In 2026, HIR announced three themes for students in the Senior division to choose from:
- Global Culture in the Digital Era
- Security in a Multipolar World
- Technology, Innovation, and Power
Participants select a topic related to their chosen theme and develop an analytical essay that explores a contemporary issue or real-world challenge.
Type of Writing
The John Locke Essay Competition is an argumentative essay competition. The most common failure judges describe is writing that is descriptive rather than analytical.
The Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest is about analytical and research-based writing in a journalistic register. Because the competition is organized by a student publication dedicated to international affairs and public policy, its writing style is often closer to journalism or policy analysis than to a traditional academic essay. Participants in this competition are expected to develop a defensible perspective on a contemporary issue, grounded in analysis rather than personal opinion.
Evaluation
The John Locke Essay Competition evaluates essays holistically, with judges considering factors such as:
- Knowledge and understanding of the topic
- Effective use of evidence
- Quality of argumentation
- Originality of thought
- Structure and organization
- Writing style and clarity
- Overall persuasive force
HIR evaluates students on their ability to produce a well-researched and analytically driven article about a chosen contemporary global issue. Strong submissions typically:
- Present a clear and focused thesis
- Demonstrate thorough research and credible source use
- Analyze issues from a global perspective
- Support claims with evidence rather than opinion
- Provide original insights into an underappreciated issue
- Connect research to broader trends and implications
Which Competition Is More Difficult?
From a writing perspective, the two competitions present different challenges. The John Locke Essay Competition is challenging because its topics go far beyond what students typically encounter in school.
The Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest presents a different set of challenges. Here, students are asked to identify an issue that is genuinely underappreciated in mainstream coverage, then build a credible argument around it within a tight word limit. For those who make it to Defense Day, there’s an additional challenge to articulate and defend that argument in front of a panel of judges.
Overall, both are among the most competitive writing competitions for high school students, with exceptionally selective evaluation processes.
In 2025, the John Locke Essay Competition received 63,328 submissions worldwide. Only 18.65% of entries advanced to the shortlist, but this was the first stage of the competition. Shortlisted essays then underwent a final round of judging for the official awards, including one Global Grand Prize. In addition, each subject category recognizes one First Prize, one Second Prize, and one Third Prize winner. Altogether, only around 25 students receive these top awards each year, resulting in an overall award rate of approximately 0.03%.
Beginning in 2026, the John Locke Essay Competition has also introduced several new requirements beyond essay submission, including a random interview, an English proficiency assessment, and parental verification, making the competition even more rigorous.
By comparison, the HIR Academic Writing Contest follows a two-stage evaluation process. All submissions are first reviewed by the editorial team. The strongest entries advance to Defense Day as finalists. Participants who do not advance but meet the required scoring threshold may still receive official recognition through one of several distinctions, including the Recognition Award, Outstanding Writing Content Award, Outstanding Writing Style Award, or High Distinction Award, all accompanied by official certificates.
Finalists are evaluated based on both the quality of their written submission and their performance during Defense Day. Awards are then presented according to global rankings, with the Gold Award recognizing the top 3%, the Silver Award the top 10%, and the Bronze Award the top 20% of finalists. In addition, every participant who successfully submits a paper receives a Certificate of Participation.
Overall, while both competitions are exceptionally competitive, they recognize excellence in different ways. The John Locke Essay Competition is defined by its highly selective, multi-stage judging process and extremely low award rate. In contrast, the HIR Academic Writing Contest evaluates participants through both academic writing and oral defense, while offering multiple levels of recognition that acknowledge outstanding achievement across a broader range of participants.
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Who Should Participate in the John Locke Essay Competition?
The John Locke Essay Competition is ideal for students who enjoy exploring big ideas and tackling questions that do not have clear-cut answers. It’s worth considering if you:
- Enjoy debating ideas and discussing complex issues
- Like asking “why” and questioning commonly accepted beliefs
- Are interested in subjects such as philosophy, economics, politics, law, history, psychology, or other humanities and social sciences
- Prefer constructing your own arguments rather than summarizing existing research
- Enjoy exploring multiple perspectives before reaching a conclusion
- Want to strengthen your critical thinking and argumentative writing skills at a level that goes beyond school assignments
- Find joy in discussing questions such as “Is democracy always the best form of government?” or “Can inequality ever be justified?”
If those kinds of questions feel like interesting puzzles rather than chores, the John Locke Essay Competition may be the right choice for you.
Who Should Participate in the HIR Academic Writing Contest?
The Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest is an excellent choice for students who are curious about the world and enjoy exploring contemporary issues through research and analysis. HIR may be a good fit if you:
- Regularly follow international news and current events with genuine interest
- Enjoy reading complex topics and learning from multiple sources
- Are interested in fields such as public policy, international relations, economics, political science, journalism, or global affairs
- Like analyzing real-world challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence, public health, or geopolitical conflicts
- Enjoy working with evidence, data, and credible sources
- Want to strengthen your research and analytical writing skills
- Are you comfortable defending your ideas out loud, since finalists will need to present at Defense Day
Students who succeed in HIR are often those who enjoy delving deeper into a topic grounded in actual research rather than intuition. For example, a student who is interested in learning about emerging technologies, global health challenges, international conflicts, or environmental policy will likely find HIR engaging. Rather than debating abstract questions, they will have the opportunity to investigate how real-world issues affect societies and shape the future.
If you enjoy connecting global trends and uncovering overlooked issues, the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest may be the right competition for you.
Build a Winning Submission with Aralia
Aralia has worked with students at both John Locke and HIR, with results including Grand Prizes, High Commendations, Gold and Silver Medals, and college admissions to schools such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. If you’re not sure which competition is the right fit, or you want structured support building a submission that can compete, that’s exactly what Aralia’s preparation programs are designed for.
John Locke Essay Competition Prep
In the John Locke Essay Competition Prep course, students will learn the ins and outs of essay writing, in preparation for entering the competition. We offer prep classes in all categories. Students will choose one topic, compose an original thesis and argument, and write an essay for submission. Students will engage in a guided analysis of primary and secondary sources, develop critical thinking skills, and discover interesting insights. In addition to the group classes, students will receive guidance on their individual projects from the instructor through one-on-one sessions.
HIR Academic Writing Contest Prep
Prepare for the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest with an advanced global affairs course designed to help students craft a standout 800–1,200-word academic essay. Through expert instruction, analytical training, and hands-on writing workshops, students develop critical thinking and research skills.
