Have you ever thought about entering an essay contest or an awards competition based on your career and academic interests? These types of contests are often hosted by schools, universities, organizations, or publishers to encourage critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication.
Key features to consider as you explore opportunities:
- Theme or Prompt: Participants are given a specific topic, question, or theme to write about. Examples: “What does leadership mean to you?”, “The role of technology in education”, etc.
- Eligibility Guidelines: May be open to certain age groups, education levels (e.g., high school, college), or geographic regions. Some contests are open to the general public.
- Length Requirements: Word count is usually specified (e.g., 500–1000 words). Essays exceeding or falling short of the limit may be disqualified.
- Submission Guidelines: Pay attention to the rules for your (a)Format (e.g., typed, double-spaced, PDF or Word document); (b) Deadline for submission; and (c) Method of submission (online form, email, or physical mail).
- Judging Criteria: Common ways your submission may be judged are for : Originality and creativity; Relevance to the theme; Structure and organization; Grammar, punctuation, and spelling; and Clarity and strength of argument or message.
- Prizes/Awards: Might include scholarships, cash prizes, publication, certificates, or other awards. Some contests offer recognition even for finalists or honorable mentions.
- Method of Announcement of Winners: Winners are typically announced on the contest’s website or at an event. Sometimes winning essays are published or shared publicly at a conference or awards ceremony.
Below are a few contests that we found….
| Academic / Career Discipline | Competition Name | Description |
| Biology / Biomedical | Lasker Essay Contest | Engages early career scientists and clinicians from the US and around the globe in a discussion about big questions in biology and medicine and the role of biomedical research in our society today. |
| Computer Science / Data Analytics | Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Collegiate Award | This organization encourages students to explore careers in computing and technology by offering awards, opportunities, and community. Past AiC award winners report a college major or minor in a science, technology engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field. |
| Economics | IAES Annual Best Undergraduate Paper Award (BUPA) | The International Atlantic Economic Society (IAES) strives to recognize and reward outstanding research conducted by undergraduate students worldwide. Each year, four finalists are selected to present their research orally. The winner receives: $1000, a commemorative plaque an invitation to publish their research in the Atlantic Economic Journal. |
| Environmental Affairs | Contests for Environmental Writing – curated by EcoLitBooks | EcoLitBooks compiles a list of various writing contests dedicated to environmental themes, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They are a great resource for finding a range of opportunities. |
| History / Sociology | Douglas B. Rogers Essay Competition | Hosted by the Abbeville Institute, this competition invites undergraduate students to write essays on topics related to Western Civilization and societal issues. |
| Mathematics | Mathworks Math Modeling (M3) Challenge | Participants in M3 Challenge use math and data to solve open-ended and timely real-world problems. Participants should provide insight and suggest solutions via the use of the modeling process. The Challenge problem is unknown to students until teams download it over Challenge weekend to begin their work time. |
Interested in finding out more?
Check out these essay competitions by major on Scholarships.com.
You can also look at professional organizations or develop targeted prompts to use with AI methods to help you find additional essay competitons targeted to your academic area or career interests.
