Harvard Political Review Essay Competition

Organized by the Harvard Political Review (HPR), Harvard Political Review Essay Competition is a student-run journal of politics, policy, and culture founded in 1969, attracting students from over 20 countries across 5 continents. This is a prestigious opportunity for students passionate about social and political issues to showcase their analytical and writing skills.

Interested in the competition?

Competition Overview

Students in grades 6 to 12

Eligibility

$45-$65 per student

Entry Fee

Latest March 15, 2026

Registration Deadline

📌 Note: Aralia is not the organizer of this competition. For official rules, deadlines, and updates, please refer directly to the competition organizer. Aralia provides listings and information about competitions for student reference. Aralia is an online education platform offering competition preparation classes to students worldwide.

Competition Details

1. Eligibility

Middle School Category: Grades 6-8 (Year 7-9)
High School Category: Grades 9-12 (Year 10-13)

Participants can compete individually or in teams of 2-5 students (all team members must be from the same school).

Teams qualify for both individual and team awards; the team score is based on the top two individual scores.

2. Deadlines and Fees

Priority Deadline: January 1, 2026 ($45 per student)
Regular Deadline: February 15, 2026 ($55 per student)
Late Deadline: March 15, 2026 ($65 per student)

Fee Waiver is available for low-income students (must be requested before the regular deadline via school counselor/principal).

3. Competition Timeline

Participant Education Session: February 14, 2026 (Exclusive Zoom sessions with HPR for skill-building)
Judging Start Date: March 21, 2026

4. Prizes and Recognition

All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

Country and Regional Awards: Champion, 1st Runner Up, 2nd Runner Up, Honor, Merit
Global Awards: Global Champion, 1st Runner Up, 2nd Runner Up, Special Prize. The Harvard Political Review will feature the Global Champions, 1st runners-up, and 2nd runners-up’s work on its website.
Individual Awards: Top participants will receive individual honors.
Team Awards: Teams are eligible for both individual and team awards (based on top two individual scores)

Submission Details

1. Prompts

Each team member must choose a different prompt. The number of prompts selected should match the number of people on the team (e.g., 2 members = 2 prompts, up to 5 members = 5 prompts).

Prompts are being updated.

2. Submission details

Individual Category: Submit one essay responding to one of the provided prompts.
Team Category: Each team member selects a distinct prompt (e.g., a team of 3 submits 3 essays on 3 different prompts).
Essay Format: 800-1,200 words per essay. All essays must use Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced with APA referencing style.