Horizon Academic Essay Prize

Check out the details for the 2027 edition!

Horizon Academic Essay Prize 2027

About The Essay Prize

Overview

Horizon Academic began in 2016 to enable the world's most ambitious high school students to do their best work. The Horizon Academic Research Program has since then worked with more than 1000 brilliant young researchers. We now want to celebrate outstanding writers and critical thinkers.

The objective of the Horizon Academic Essay Prize is to push young students to critically engage with the world around them. We expect participants to dive deep into their chosen questions - showcase independent thought, clear argumentation, and rigorous analysis.

All essay entries are judged by our Academic Advisory Board, a panel of distinguished professors and scholars leading global universities. The top 3 essays will be awarded the Grand Visionary Prize, which awards $1,000 USD in cash and a $6,950 USD scholarship, the Grand Innovator Prize with $500 USD in cash and a $4,000 USD scholarship, and the Grand Excellence Prize with $250 USD in cash and a $3,000 USD scholarship. Additional prizes include Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards for outstanding essays within each prompt, as well as Honorary Mentions.

The competition is open for all current high schoolers. Through this essay prize, Horizon Academic aims to elevate student scholarship and foster critical dialogue on the ideas shaping our collective future.

For any questions about the essay competition, please contact us at essayprize@horizoninspires.com.

Awards

GRAND INNOVATOR PRIZE - 1 RECIPIENT

$500 USD cash award
Scholarship worth $4000 (USD) to the Horizon Academic Research Program

GRAND VISIONARY PRIZE - 1 RECIPIENT

$1000 USD cash award
Scholarship worth $6950 (USD) to the Horizon Academic Research Program

GRAND EXCELLENCE PRIZE - 1 RECIPIENT

$250 USD cash award
Scholarship worth $3000 (USD) to the Horizon Academic Research Program

GRAND VISIONARY PRIZE - 1 RECIPIENT

$1000 USD cash award

Scholarship worth $6450 USD to the Horizon Academic Research Program

GRAND INNOVATOR PRIZE - 1 RECIPIENT

$500 USD cash award

Scholarship worth $4000 USD to the Horizon Academic Research Program

GRAND EXCELLENCE PRIZE - 1 RECIPIENT

$250 USD cash award

Scholarship worth $3000 USD to the Horizon Academic Research Program

GOLD WINNERS - Top 1% of essays in each prompt
Scholarship worth $3225 to the Horizon Academic Research Program

SILVER WINNERS - Top 2% of essays in each prompt
Scholarship worth $2580 to the Horizon Academic Research Program

BRONZE WINNERS - Top 3.5% of essays in each prompt
Scholarship worth $1935 to the Horizon Academic Research Program

HONORABLE MENTIONS - Top 10% of essays in each prompt
Scholarship worth $1290 to the Horizon Academic Research Program

Scholarships are awarded as tuition reductions upon acceptance into Horizon Research Programs. Receiving a scholarship does not guarantee admissions.

2027 Essay Theme

The 2027 theme is “Back to the Future”.

Every generation makes choices that the next one has to live with. The decisions we make today are already shaping how future generations will live, work, communicate, travel, govern, and interact with the planet. Some of these changes will create extraordinary opportunities. Others may produce consequences that are difficult to anticipate.

Imagine it is 2050 and you are looking back at the 2020s. Which decisions will we be thanked for, and which will we be blamed for?

Choose one of the questions below and build an argument grounded in evidence from both the past and the present. Consider not only what has happened, but what we can learn from it — and what we should do differently today to shape the future.

Participants are free to engage with any one of these 5 questions that feeds into this central theme:

1. AI: Who Gets Left Behind?
Electricity, roads, and the internet each began as private ventures before societies came to treat them as public infrastructure. Today, the most advanced AI is owned by a handful of companies. Should advanced AI be treated as a public good rather than a private product?

2. Robotics: The Job We Should Never Automate
Machines are moving into roles once thought uniquely human, from elder care robots in Japan to surgical robots in hospitals. Is there any job that should stay human even if a machine could do it better?

3. Climate: Prevent or Prepare?
Some climate impacts are already locked in, and budgets are finite. Drawing on a specific country or region, should limited climate funding go mainly to cutting emissions or to adapting to the changes already underway?

4. Health: The Next Silent Crisis
Antimicrobial resistance already kills over a million people a year and is projected to grow. Meanwhile, the antibiotic pipeline has slowed to a trickle. If you could fund only one line of defense against the next global health crisis, what would it be, and why would 2076 thank you for it?

5. Geopolitics: Today's Wars or Tomorrow's?
Governments are raising defense budgets to prepare for future threats, from cyberwarfare to conflicts over water and critical minerals. At the same time, humanitarian funding for ongoing crises is falling short. Should countries prioritize preparing for future conflicts or ending the ones happening now?

Eligibility

The competition is open to all students from any country who will be enrolled in high school (as of May 31, 2027).

Current scholars or alums of the Horizon Academic Research Programs are welcome to apply, but may not use their Horizon thesis work.

Key Dates

Register for free until 23:59 Eastern Time on January 17, 2027. Late registration is $5 until January 24, 2027. Upon successful registration, students will receive submission instructions.

Shortlisted essays will be notified by February 8, 2027 and invited to the virtual award ceremony on February 14, 2027.

Free Registration Deadline

January 17, 2027

Late Registration and Submission Deadline

January 24, 2027

Shortlist Notified

February 8, 2027

Award Ceremony

February 14, 2027

Evaluation Criteria

At Horizon, essays are judged using a proprietary grading system developed to reward depth, originality, and intellectual rigor. Each entry is reviewed by multiple qualified judges in a double-blind manner, and top-scoring essays may be selected for additional review by the full judging panel. In some cases, essayists may be invited to discuss their entry with a member of Horizon’s academic faculty.

We employ a range of tools to detect plagiarism, contract cheating, use of AI, and other forms of academic dishonesty. Any suspected violations are taken extremely seriously, and Horizon reserves the right to disqualify submissions at its sole discretion. All determinations in such matters are final.

The strongest essays are those that demonstrate genuine intellectual independence and persuasive power — writing that is not only well-argued, but capable of changing a thoughtful reader’s mind.

Submissions that ignore key objections or fail to engage meaningfully with opposing perspectives are unlikely to be successful.

Originality & Creativity

The essay should demonstrate a distinctive perspective and innovative thinking, offering fresh insights or approaches to the topic.

Analysis & Critical Thinking

Submissions should reflect a thorough understanding of the subject matter, supported by well-reasoned arguments and critical evaluation.

Use of Evidence & Research

Arguments must be substantiated with relevant and credible evidence, indicating careful research and effective integration of sources.

Clarity, Structure, & Coherence

The essay should exhibit logical organization, with a clear progression of ideas and seamless transitions that enhance overall readability.

Presentation & Language Use

Entries are expected to be meticulously edited, using formal language, correct grammar, and precise vocabulary appropriate to academic writing. Essays must be concise.

2026 Judging Panel

Dr. Mariame Diabate

Postdoctoral fellow, Stanford University. PhD, University of Ohio

Dr. Corrado Mazzaglia

PhD & Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cambridge

Dr. Ryan Farber

Adjunct Professor, Purdue University Fort Wayne. PhD, University of Michigan

Dr. Mark Iskarous

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Chicago. PhD, Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Bogdan Popescu

Assistant Professor, John Cabot University. PhD, University of Chicago

Dr. Marta Madureira

PhD, University of Oxford

Dr. Kelsey McDermott

PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Dr. Vicky Kaisidou

PhD, University of Birmingham

Dr. Sterling Sweningson

PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology

Mrs. Iris Ponce

PhD, Yale University

Mr. Miguel Diaz-Lopez

PhD, Johns Hopkins University

Ms. Paula Martorell

PhD, University Hospital Bonn

Submission Guidelines

Formatting and Content

Essays must be written in English and must not exceed 1,000 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography. Appropriate citations are mandatory and must follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) 8th edition citation style.

To ensure a blind review, do not include your name, school, or any identifying information within the essay. Personal details will be collected separately through the submission system.

Academic Referee

Each participant will be required to provide the email address of an academic referee. This person should be a school teacher, or another responsible adult who is not related to the candidate, who is familiar with the candidate's written academic work. The Horizon Academic Essay Prize will email referees to verify that the essays submitted are indeed the original work of the candidates.

Academic Integrity

The Horizon Academic Essay Prize holds a zero-tolerance policy for academic dishonesty in the form of plagiarism or cheating. Participants may be asked to discuss their essay with a member of the Horizon Academic Essay Prize. We use various means to identify plagiarism, contract cheating, the use of AI and other forms of fraud. Our determinations in all such matters are final.

AI Usage

Participants are required to declare any use of AI tools in connection with their essay. If AI was used, they must clearly specify the extent and purpose of its usage. Any use of AI will negatively impact the evaluation, and extensive reliance on AI may result in disqualification. Incomplete or misleading declarations will lead to immediate disqualification at the discretion of the Academic Advisory Board.

Original Authorship

Each essay must be the independent work of the participant. While participants may seek feedback or engage in discussion, the writing must be conducted entirely by the student. The use of external writing services is strictly prohibited.

Each essay must be the independent work of the participant.
While participants may seek feedback or engage in discussion, the writing must be conducted entirely by the student.
The use of external writing services is strictly prohibited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a Certificate of Participation?
All short-listed candidates, including prize-winners, will be able to download eCertificates that acknowledge their achievement.
Can I submit more than one essay?
Only one essay may be submitted per participant. Submitting multiple essays may result in disqualification.
Can I get feedback on my essay?
The judges’ decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into. Due to the high volume of submissions, we are unable to provide individual feedback.
Can I collaborate with someone else to submit a joint entry?
No, each submitted essay must be the sole work of one individual. Joint or collaborative submissions are not permitted.
May I have someone else edit, or otherwise help me with, my essay?
Participants must be the sole writers and editors of their own work. Discussion, feedback, and proofreading are permitted, but the only person making changes to and writing the essay must be the participant.
How will winners be notified?
Students whose essays make it to the shortlist will be notified via email by March 24, 2027.
Is there any entry fee for the competition?
No, the Horizon Academic Essay Prize is free for all current high schoolers to participate.
If I win a scholarship, when can I use it?
Scholarships awarded to outstanding essays will be valid for use until April 11, 2027.

2026 Winners

GRAND INNOVATOR PRIZE

Isabella Giuseppina Tuzzeo,
IIS Cristoforo Marzoli, 11th grade, Italy

Prompt: Social Movements and Progress.
“The Power to Name: Linguistic Innovation as a Catalyst for Social Change”

GRAND VISIONARY PRIZE

Vamika Banssal, Scottish High International School, 11th grade, India.

Prompt: Mental Health Stigma.
“The Cost of Relief”

GRAND EXCELLENCE PRIZE

Munotidaishe Mantiziba
Kotwa Government High School, 12th grade,

Zimbabwe.

Prompt: Law and Surveillance Technology.
"The Archival Loom: The Industrialization of Justice

And the Right to a Human Nexus"

Gold Winners

Zelin Yu, Olive Tree International Academy, BFSU, 11th Grade

Jingyi Wu, St. Robert Catholic High School, 10th Grade

Zifu Ding, Hwa Chong Institution, 12th Grade

Iris Cao, Novi High School, 11th Grade

Yizhuang Yao, The Experimental High School Attached To The Beijing Normal University, 11th Grade

Ethan Kennedy, Mentari Intercultural School Jakarta, 11th Grade,

Jihoon Choi, ICS, 10th Grade

Zoha Bilal, LGS Defence, 11th Grade

Nailah Ali Hussain Ali, Emirates International School Jumeirah, 11th Grade

Juliet Grotrian, Queen Margaret College, 11th Grade

Swasti Sahoo, Adamstown Community College, 11th Grade

Meredith Williams, Queen Margaret College, 11th Grade

Rayaan Vyas, Eton College, 10th Grade

Yao Qian Guo, Mulgrave School, 11th Grade

Silver Winners

Himaghna Roy Choudhury, South Forsyth High School, 10th Grade

Arishka Betadpur, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, 10th Grade

Nischal Reddy Sabbella, Indus International School Bangalore, 11th Grade

Harold Wang, West Point Grey Academy, 11th Grade

Arnav Sehgal, Bloomfield Hills High School, 11th Grade

Danika Sirois Wallace, École Clément-Cormier, 12th Grade

Dexter Clarke, Montverde Academy, 11th Grade

Christian Estrada, Phillips Academy Andover, 11th Grade

James Woo, Poolesville High School, 11th Grade

Ayushi Pathak, Milpitas High School, 10th Grade

Maiya Ang, Cherry Hill High School East, 11th Grade

Tahira Arora, GD Goenka, Flagship School, Vasant Kunj, 11th Grade

Shrish Naicker, Haberdashers' Adams Grammar School, 11th Grade

Vedant Aryan, Gems Modern Academy, 10th Grade

Riya Mathur, Leigh, 11th Grade

Kwan Yin Jayden So, Harrow School UK, 11th Grade

Shourya Sood, Bishop Cotton School, 11th Grade

Alice Feng, Meriden School, 10th Grade

Kiara Shah, DAIS, 11th Grade

Bronze Winners

Isabel Amat, Evanston Township, 10th Grade

Preet Patel, Dunedin High School, 11th Grade

Ayona Jaswal, A.B. Lucas Secondary School, 10th Grade

Muhammad Zunair, Govt. College For Men, Nazimabad # 2, Karachi, Pakistan, 11th Grade

Sangyoon Kim, Harrow School, 11th Grade

Sofia Chang, Stanford University Online High School, 9th Grade

Jia Wong, Yongsan International School Of Seoul, 10th Grade

Ngoc Vo, Vinschool Central Park - Secondary And High School, 11th Grade

Ahmet Asım Önce, Galatasaray High School, 10th Grade

Chetana Surpaneni, Queen Margaret College, 10th Grade

Ayati Pradhan, The Shri Ram School Moulsari, 10th Grade

Michelle Bai, Beijing City International School, 10th Grade

Arihant Singhal, VIBGYOR High School, Haralur, 10th Grade

Sneha Kannan, Greenhills School, 11th Grade

Adya Parikh, DSB International School, 11th Grade

Masroor Ahmed, Cedar College, 11th Grade

Ruqaya Fakhruddin, St. Michael's Convent School, 10th Grade

Hyukbin Lee, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 10th Grade

Dona Al-Bedeiri, The Ahliyyah School For Girls, 11th Grade

Joshan Gupta, Genesis Global School, 10th Grade

Hyejun Lee, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Dania Hanif, Lahore Grammar School JT, 11th Grade

Eva Zeng, Shanghai High School International Division, 10th Grade

Kaif Abbasi, Learning Alliance International, 11th Grade

Jason Lai, St. Paul's Co-Educational College, 11th Grade

Cielo Gascon, Reedley International School, 11th Grade

Kien Tom, Post Oak Highschool, 11th Grade

Honorable Mentions

Kayi Wei, Annie Wright Schools, 11th Grade

Suleman Yousaf, Headstart Gulmohar Campus Islamabad, 11th Grade

Nigel Chirambagowa, Waterford Kamhlaba United World College Of Southern Africa, 11th Grade

Angela Huang, Mcfarland High School, 10th Grade

Chenlin Yao, High School Affiliated To Fudan University, Xuhui Campus, 11th Grade

Priscilla Natallina Gunadi, IPEKA BSD, 8th Grade

Taneesha Omer, International School Lahore, 9th Grade

Gabriel Nyameshie, Mawuli School, 12th Grade

Puneethen Thirunavukkarasu, Haas Hall Academy Rogers, 11th Grade

Jiayi YE, UWC China, 11th Grade

Vladyslav Potyliak, Kharkiv International School, 10th Grade

Aydan Omarov, Haileybury Astana, 9th Grade

Ainsley Leung, Shanghai American School, 11th Grade

Sophia Wang, Shanghai High School International Division, 10th Grade

Margarita Cemel, Narva Kesklinna Kool, 10th Grade

Sana Javed, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

Yuxuan Chen, The Experimental High School Attached To Beijing Normal University, 10th Grade

Neha Ramakrishnan, NPS Indiranagar, 11th Grade

Yingxuan Zheng, United World College Of Changshu China, 10th Grade

Jingyue Bai, Wuhan Britain-China School, 11th Grade

Hyeonseo Ko, Beijing International Bilingual Academy, 10th Grade

Jisoo Yoo, Saint Paul Preparatory Seoul, 10th Grade

Amal Assaf, Al-Ra'ed Al-Arabi School, 10th Grade

Anum Fatima, Hamdard Public School, 11th Grade

Merry Kurniawan, Saint John Catholic School, 9th Grade

Riho Suematsu, UWC ISAK Japan, 11th Grade

August Heidemann, Egma, 10th Grade

Aakriti Yadav, Greenwood High, 11th Grade

Tianyi Zhao, The Second High School Attached To Beijing Normal University, 11th Grade

Kaede Budhathoki, Global College Of Management, 12th Grade

Hana Bu, George School, 10th Grade

Lula Semenova, Liceum European N1, 11th Grade

Hadia Khan, Headstart Gulmohar Campus, 9th Grade

Amaad Ali, International School Of Choueifat Lahore, 11th Grade

Musa Anwar, Yongsan International School Of Seoul, 11th Grade

Hyewon Jeon, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Bruce Li, International Department Of The Affiliated High School Of South China Normal University, 11th Grade

Mihika Bhattacharjee, Greenwood High School, 10th Grade

Shuohan Bai, Hangzhou Yungu School, 11th Grade

Basma, American International School Abu Dhabi, 10th Grade

Purvi Lath, Greenwood High International School, 10th Grade

Anqi Qiu, North Broward Preparatory School, 11th Grade

Maryam Khan, British Overseas School, 10th Grade

Idrees Saeed, International School Lahore, 10th Grade

Leqi Chen, Chengdu Shishi High School International Department, 11th Grade

Shriya Nair, Greenwood High International School, 11th Grade

Liya Thapa, St.Xavier's College, Maitighar, Kathmandu, Nepal, 11th Grade

Rida Khan, Headstart School Kuri Campus, 11th Grade

Esther Sun, Seoul Foreign School, 10th Grade

Dengbin Hu, CATS Academy Boston, 11th Grade

Lovish Maharjan, Global College Of Management, 12th Grade

Miko Huynh, New Century International School, 10th Grade

Yiqun Chen, Guangzhou Foreign Language School, 11th Grade

Sayeed Ul Hassan, Hamdard Public School, 11th Grade

Aqsa Nauman, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

Patrycja Durniak, 11th Grade

Adina Liu, American Heritage Schools, 10th Grade

Abdul Rehman, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

Jessie Liu, Shanghai High School International Division, 9th Grade

Jaye Vongphachanh, Doshisha International High School, 10th Grade

Aadil Nazir, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

Priyanka Shanbhag, The International School Bangalore, 10th Grade

Anushka Jaiswal, Greenwood High International School, 10th Grade

Ruchita R, Greenwood High International School, 11th Grade

Elena Lu, San Domenico School, 10th Grade

Sarah, International School Islamabad, 10th Grade

Woori Lee, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Shakib Arafat, International Hope School Bangladesh, 9th Grade

Hyunsuh Lee, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Nam Kim, SFS, 11th Grade

Narjes Zahra, Al Murtaza School, 9th Grade

Beckham Hong, Shanghai High School International Division, 10th Grade

Nanthini M, Greenwood High International School, 11th Grade

Aiman Ahmad, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

Nuerzhen Abzhapbar, National School Of Physics And Math, 11th Grade

Sena Kim, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Sofia Farooq, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

William Lu, International Department Of The Affiliated High School Of South China Normal University, 11th Grade

Ngan Hoang, New Century International School, 10th Grade

Luba Hebenstreit, The Mahindra United World College Of India, 10th Grade

Sharon Yoon, Chadwick International, 11th Grade

Mela Mote, British Overseas School, 11th Grade

Serene Su, Shanghai High School International Division, 10th Grade

Ayaan Meherally, Greenwood High International School, 10th Grade

Tehya Houlahan, St. Ignatius College Prep, 10th Grade

Sally Kim, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Aariz Husain, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

Molly Choi, Saint Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Harsimar Kaur, Greenwood High International School, 10th Grade

Luna Ip, St. Stephen's Girls' College, 11th Grade

Jose Miguel Gutierrez, Phillips Academy Andover, 10th Grade

Akanksha Rao, Delhi Public School Bangalore East, 9th Grade

John Kim, Grace Christian Academy, 11th Grade

Mouhamad Elrayes, Adabiyyeh High School, 11th Grade

Naomi Dang, New Century International School, 10th Grade

Annur Salman, International School Lahore, 11th Grade

Aira Kim, St. Paul Preparatory Seoul, 11th Grade

Ayyub Shah, Headstart School, 10th Grade

Muzammil Murtaza, Headstart School, 11th Grade

Sara Shah, Headstart School, 11th Grade

Alyssia Lui, Li Po Chun United World College, 10th Grade

Diana Zeng, Shanghai High School International Division, 9th Grade

Raisa Rahman, South Breeze School, 10th Grade

Mabel Gaw, Brent International School Manila, 10th Grade

Rhea Mahajan, Greenwood High International School, 10th Grade

Avani Sha, The International School Bangalore, 10th Grade

Ishmita Zaman, Chattogram Cantonment Public College, 11th Grade

Nora Bekele, Westmount Charter Mid High School, 11th Grade

Lydia Chung, Leonia High School, 11th Grade

Prem Priyank, St. Xavier's High School, 11th Grade

Previous Winners

2025 Winners

GRAND VISIONARY PRIZE

Riya Ravikumar, Westmount Charter School, Canada

GRAND INNOVATOR PRIZE

Victoria Ashley Sakhrani, St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, Canada

GRAND EXCELLENCE PRIZE

Miracle Nakhla, Brooklyn Technical High School, United States

Horizon Academic Essay Prize