Finding the right outlet for your creative or academic voice can be challenging when you’re balancing a heavy high school workload. Standard classroom assignments rarely offer the freedom to dive deep into a complex philosophical argument, experiment with avant-garde poetry, or tackle global foreign policy issues. Online writing competitions bridge this gap by providing a formal platform where you can test your literary boundaries, benchmark your skills against a global peer network, and secure tangible proof of your writing capabilities for future applications.
What do online writing competitions for high schoolers include?
While every competition operates under its own distinct rubric, high-level writing contests generally assess three core competencies: structural integrity, original thesis formulation or creative ingenuity, and a disciplined command over prose. Academic essay competitions expect students to conduct independent secondary research, seamlessly integrate text-based evidence, and construct rigorous bibliographies that meet university-level standards. Creative writing contests, on the other hand, prioritize sharp narrative pacing, precise word choice, and the development of a distinct, mature voice within rigid constraints like precise word counts or specific thematic prompts.
We’ve compiled this list of 15 online writing competitions for high school students that will challenge your perspective and elevate your skills.
However, if you’re looking to secure funding for college tuition over publication credits, check out our guide on writing scholarships for high school students. You can also check out this guide on free writing programs for high school students.
Key Takeaways
- Online writing competitions for high school students span academic essay contests, creative writing prizes, and hybrid formats that blend literary craft with research, covering genres from poetry and fiction to policy analysis and environmental writing
- Several competitions offer substantial scholarship prizes, including the VFW Voice of Democracy ($35,000 top scholarship), Davidson Fellows ($100,000 top prize), and John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize (up to $10,000), giving strong work real financial value beyond recognition
- Academic essay competitions like the John Locke Institute, AFSA National High School Essay Contest, and Minds Underground require rigorous secondary research and formal bibliographies, while creative-focused contests like the Adroit Prizes and Bennington Young Writers Awards prioritize voice and technical craft
- Several competitions connect writing to other disciplines, including River of Words (environmental science) and the Bowseat Ocean Awareness Contest (marine biology), rewarding students who can combine factual accuracy with literary technique
- If you are interested in a longer-format, mentored research project rather than a single competition entry, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs offers a path toward producing a formal academic paper
15 Online Writing Competitions for High School Students
1. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Location: Virtual
Cost/Prizes: $10/entry and $30/portfolio; Scholarships range from $500 – $12,500
Acceptance rate: ~1% for National Gold Medals
Dates: June 9 – 11 (awards week)
Application Deadline: Typically, December to early-January
Eligibility: Students in grades 7-12 (13+) from the U.S and Canada
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards offer you a structural framework to submit creative works across 29 distinct categories, including critical essay, flash fiction, poetry, journalism, and novel. Submissions are judged blindly by panels of literary professionals who evaluate entries based on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice. Regional winners receive Gold Keys, Silver Keys, or Honorable Mentions, while national medalists secure exhibition opportunities, publication in national anthologies, and access to undergraduate scholarships.
2. AFSA National High School Essay Contest
Location: Virtual
Prizes: $2,500 cash prize, an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C., and a scholarship for a Semester at Sea
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1 winner and runner-up
Dates: The winner is announced in June
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
The AFSA National High School Essay Contest is an online writing competition that challenges you to analyze complex geopolitical scenarios and the systemic role of the United States Foreign Service in international diplomacy. You’ll craft an analytical essay answering a specific prompt regarding conflict resolution, peacebuilding, or diplomatic engagement in a chosen country or region. The competition requires rigorous secondary research, clear policy analysis, and the construction of persuasive non-fiction arguments regarding global stability. Successful entries will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of international relations, foreign policy structures, and economic statecraft.
3. Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Winners receive a full scholarship to a Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1 winner and 2 runner-ups
Dates: Winners are announced in March
Application Deadline: November 30
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers provides you with the chance to submit outstanding single poems to a premier literary journal. The contest is administered entirely by the editors of the Kenyon Review, who evaluate entries based on stylistic innovation, structural integrity, and lyrical precision. Winning and running-up poets receive direct publication in the print edition of the journal, establishing early-career credentials within an established literary framework. Beyond publication, the top awardees are granted access to intensive creative workshops where they analyze professional texts and engage in peer review workshops.
4. John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize
Location: Virtual (winners are invited to a conference and dinner at Oxford or London)
Prizes: Cash prizes range from $1,000 – $10,000; The overall winner also receives an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners/category; 1 overall winner
Dates: October 2 – 4 (academic conference)
Application Deadline: March 31 (registration deadline); May 31 (submission deadline)
Eligibility: Students who are 18 years old and under
The John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize offers you a challenging academic forum to write university-level essays across ten distinct categories, including Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, and Law. You’ll choose from a selection of precise, complex prompts designed to test critical thinking, argumentative depth, and familiarity with foundational texts. Essays are evaluated by senior academics from Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, and Harvard based on evidence utilization, logical structure, and stylistic clarity. The process requires you to go beyond standard high school curricula to address counterarguments, conduct independent research, and structure rigorous academic prose.
5. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Cash prizes range from $1,000 – $10,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5 winners
Dates: Winners are notified by the end of May
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
The Profile in Courage Essay Contest is an online writing competition that requires you to research and compose an original piece centered on an act of political courage by a United States elected official. Drawing inspiration from John F. Kennedy’s historical work, you must analyze decisions where an official risked their career or safety to act in the public interest against prevailing pressures. The assignment requires deep primary and secondary source research, detailed citations following formal style guides, and clear biographical analysis. Essays are evaluated on historical accuracy, clarity of argument, and persuasive rhetorical power.
6. Bennington College Young Writers Awards
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Cash prizes ranging from $500 – $2,000; Young Writers Award (YWA) winners are eligible for undergraduate scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners/category
Dates: Winners are announced in the spring
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school students
The Bennington Young Writers Awards are hosted by Bennington College to discover and encourage high-caliber literary talent at the secondary school level. You’ll submit work in one of three distinct genres: a collection of one to three poems, a short story (fiction), or a personal or academic essay. A panel of Bennington faculty, alumni, and writers judges the entries based on creative voice, technical mastery of the chosen medium, and thematic development. Winners secure financial prizes along with formal institutional recognition of their literary potential.
7. Write the World Global Writing Competitions
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Cash prizes of $100 for winners and $50 for runners-up
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1 winner, 1 runner-up, and 1 best peer review
Dates: Monthly competitions
Application Deadline: Month-end
Eligibility: Teens aged 13-19
Write the World Global Writing Competitions are structured as monthly, genre-specific contests designed to develop drafting, editing, and peer-review skills across diverse styles. Each month features a specific writing prompt ranging from investigative journalism and climate fiction to memoir and traditional poetry. The online platform includes a guided writing process where you will submit early drafts, receive constructive feedback from an international peer network, and refine your work before final submission. Guest judges, including established novelists and journalists, evaluate final entries based on focus, structure, and execution of the monthly prompt’s specific goals.
8. Ayn Rand The Fountainhead Essay Contest
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Cash prizes range from $1,000 – $3,000; Up to $25,000 in scholarship prizes
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 9 winners
Dates: Prompts every 3 months
Application Deadline: Seasonal deadlines; October 31 (final submission)
Eligibility: 8th-12th graders
The Fountainhead Essay Contest is an online writing competition for high school students focused on analytical writing, literary exposition, and philosophical defense. You’ll compose an essay addressing the assigned prompts based on the themes, characters, and philosophical framework of the novel The Fountainhead. Submissions must display clear textual analysis, precise logical sequencing, and an ability to apply abstract philosophical tenets to practical narrative conflicts. Judges grade essays based on clarity, style, and the depth of the argument presented regarding objectivism and individual liberty.
9. VFW Voice of Democracy Competition
Location: Virtual
Prizes: The winner receives a $35,000 college scholarship; Additional national scholarships range from $1,000 – $15,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 55 awards
Dates: Local judging in November; national winners are announced in early spring
Application Deadline: October 31; November 20 (entries due to the district)
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents and are planning to attend college
The VFW Voice of Democracy Competition requires you to write and record an original broadcast script centered on an annual patriotic theme. You’ll create a three-to-five-minute audio essay that combines formal written rhetoric with effective vocal delivery. The contest emphasizes clarity of thought, historical awareness, and the logical progression of ideas regarding democratic principles and civic responsibility. Submissions are judged on delivery, content structure, and the writer’s ability to clearly communicate complex abstract concepts to a general audience.
10. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose
Location: Virtual
Cost/Prizes: $15 entry fee (waivers available); Winners receive $200 and publication
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2 winners
Dates: Winners are typically announced in the fall
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students
The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose are awarded annually to high school students who display exceptional technical sophistication and ingenuity in creative writing. Students can submit up to five poems for the poetry category, or up to 3 works of fiction or creative nonfiction for the prose category. Submissions are evaluated by the journal’s editorial staff alongside guest judges chosen from recognized contemporary American authors. The selection process values formal experimentation, emotional maturity, and strong command over prose mechanics or lyrical structures.
11. Narrative High School Writing Contest
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Cash prizes range from $50 – $500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: First, second, and third-place winners, along with 10-15 finalists
Dates: Winners are announced mid-April
Application Deadline: February 4
Eligibility: High school students
The Narrative High School Writing Contest invites you to submit short stories, poems, or essays based on a specific, annually rotating prompt provided by the magazine’s editors. Stories or essays cannot exceed 600 words, and poems need to be 10 to 50 lines long. The evaluation panel consists of professional editors who read submissions using the same standards applied to established adult writers in their primary publication. Winning pieces are featured alongside professional literary content, providing students with a high-profile publishing credit.
12. River of Words Poetry and Art Contest
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Publication and certificates
Acceptance rate/cohort size: One Grand Prize and 2 runners-up/category; 50 finalists/category
Dates: Winners are typically announced in early April
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Students aged 5-19 who are not yet in college
The River of Words Poetry and Art Contest is an international competition designed to integrate environmental science with creative writing. You can submit original, unpublished poems that reflect your research, observation, and personal connection to your local watersheds and ecological systems. The judging panel prioritizes scientific accuracy of observations, vivid imagery, and creative exploration of environmental themes. The process encourages you to leave the classroom, conduct field studies, and translate natural data into literary expression.
13. Bowseat Ocean Awareness Contest
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Prizes up to $1,000 for gold medalists
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~300 students across tiers
Dates: Award announcements are in late fall
Application Deadline: June 8
Eligibility: Students aged 11-18
The Ocean Awareness Contest challenges you to explore critical environmental issues affecting global marine habitats through creative writing. You’ll submit works across multiple formats, including poetry, spoken word, creative writing, or interactive media, responding to an annually updated marine conservation prompt. Submissions must blend literary technique with factual environmental data, demonstrating a deep understanding of marine biology, climate change, or plastic pollution. Judges evaluate entries on structural creativity, artistic voice, and the accuracy of the underlying environmental research presented.
14. Davidson Fellows Scholarship (Literature Category)
Location: Virtual
Prizes: $100,000, $50,000, and $25,000 scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~20 Fellows across all categories
Dates: Winners are notified on or before July 15
Application Deadline: February 18
Eligibility: U.S. citizens/permanent residents under the age of 18
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship in Literature awards substantial financial prizes to young writers who have completed a significant, university-level portfolio of creative work. You must submit a comprehensive portfolio of 65 to 75 pages, consisting of three of the following genres: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenplay, or drama. The submission must demonstrate an exceptional command of structural form, thematic complexity, technical skill, and stylistic consistency across the entire body of work. A panel of university professors and literary critics judges the portfolios based on depth, originality, and high-level contribution to the field.
15. Minds Underground™ Global Essay Competitions
Location: Virtual
Prizes: Certificates, publication, and academic mentorship opportunities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1 Winner, 1 Runner-Up, and Highly Commended entries/category
Dates: Winners are announced in May
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: Students aged 8-18
The Minds Underground Global Essay Competition provides you with a rigorous, research-based platform to write university-level essays across fields such as English literature, law, medicine, philosophy, and STEM. You’ll choose from a selection of complex, contemporary prompts designed to test analytical depth, data synthesis, and arguments that go beyond standard school curricula. Essays are reviewed by a panel of university researchers and specialists who judge submissions on structural clarity, original thesis formulation, and command over evidence. The submission guidelines require you to address strong counterarguments and include comprehensive academic bibliographies.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like investigative journalism, media studies, political reporting, data journalism, and the ethics of news and information, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are online writing competitions for high school students?
Online writing competitions for high school students are structured contests that evaluate creative or academic writing against a set rubric, typically assessing structural integrity, originality, and command of prose. Academic essay competitions emphasize independent research and formal citations, while creative writing contests prioritize narrative voice, precise word choice, and adherence to thematic or formal constraints like word counts.
Which writing competitions offer the largest scholarship prizes?
The VFW Voice of Democracy Competition awards a $35,000 college scholarship to its top winner, with additional national scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $15,000. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship offers $100,000, $50,000, and $25,000 prizes for an exceptional literary portfolio. The John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize offers cash prizes up to $10,000 along with an honorary Junior Fellowship for its overall winner.
Do I need to be an experienced writer to enter these competitions?
It depends on the competition. Write the World’s monthly contests are specifically structured around a guided drafting and peer-review process, making them accessible to writers still developing their skills. More advanced competitions like the Davidson Fellows Scholarship and John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize expect a polished, university-level body of work and are judged by senior academics or literary critics.
Which competitions focus on academic or research-based essay writing rather than creative writing?
The John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize covers philosophy, politics, economics, history, and law with prompts judged by academics from Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, and Harvard. The AFSA National High School Essay Contest focuses on foreign policy and diplomacy. Minds Underground’s Global Essay Competitions span English literature, law, medicine, philosophy, and STEM, all requiring comprehensive bibliographies and counterargument analysis.
Are there writing competitions that combine literary work with science or environmental research?
Yes. The River of Words Poetry and Art Contest has you study local watersheds and ecological systems before writing original poetry reflecting your research and observations. The Bowseat Ocean Awareness Contest requires submissions that blend literary technique with accurate marine biology, climate change, or pollution data, judged on both scientific accuracy and creative voice.
Which competitions lead to publication rather than just cash prizes?
The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize publishes winning and runner-up poems directly in the Kenyon Review. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose include publication alongside a cash award. The Narrative High School Writing Contest features winning pieces alongside the magazine’s professional literary content, giving students a high-profile publishing credit evaluated by the same editors who review adult submissions.
Is there an option for students who want to pursue a longer, mentored research project instead of a single competition entry?
Yes. If you want to move beyond a single essay or creative submission into a sustained, mentored research project, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs pairs you with a professor or PhD scholar to develop a 20-page academic paper across a wide range of subjects. This route suits students who want ongoing feedback and a longer research arc rather than the single-deadline format of most writing competitions.
When should I apply to online writing competitions for high school students?
The Bennington Young Writers Awards close November 1, and the Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize closes November 30. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest closes January 12, and River of Words closes January 31. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship closes February 18, and the AFSA Essay Contest closes March 1. The John Locke Institute’s registration deadline is March 31 with submissions due May 31. Reviewing competition calendars early in the school year helps you plan around overlapping deadlines, since several contests close within the same few weeks.
Image source: Horizon Academic Research Program