Every year, there are a number of essay competitions open to writers. These contests can offer a great opportunity to have your work read and judged by experts in the field, as well as the potential for winning some cash prizes. In this blog post, we will list some of the top essay competitions for writers. So if you're looking to submit your work to a contest this year, be sure to check out the options below!

Ever thought about writing fiction?

Register now for our free 7 Day Story Writing Challenges. Write a short story in a week, get extensive feedback on your entry, and compete for a £500 prize in each round of the challenges.

Annual Student Essay Contest

**Prize: $1,000**

Essay contest open to all students in the following four divisions: 5th – 6th grade, 7th – 8th, 9th – 10th, and 11th – 12th (or equivalent ages/school years). This is an excellent opportunity for young people to comment on the current world as they see it and make the case for a democratic society.
**Entry:** free
**Deadline:** Feb 27, 2023

Details

Crazyhorse Swamp Pink Prizes

**Prize: $2,000**

From January 1st to January 31st, submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication.
**Entry:** $20
**Deadline:** January 31, 2023

Details

AIIRA Writing Contest

**Prize: $2,000**

We invite contestants to submit writing that imagines the world in the year 2050 and explores the relationship between humans, technology, and their food: what will food look, taste, and feel like; where will it come from; who will produce and transport it; and how will we access and consume it? The world you bring to light should be believable and probe the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the future of agriculture. Your submission can be fiction or creative non-fiction, but keep in mind that the strongest submissions will use research to support the reality described. Contestants must be undergraduate students to submit to this contest.
**Entry:** free
**Deadline:** December 31, 2023

Details

Medical Student Essay Contest

National Essay Contest

**Prize: $2,500**

The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) partners with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest. The contest engages high school students in learning and writing about issues of peace and conflict, encouraging appreciation for diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peacebuilding and protect national security.
**Entry:** free
**Deadline:** April 03, 2023

Details

Looking for more writing competitions to enter? Check out our ‘Big List of International Writing Competitions’.

World Historian Student Essay Competition

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

**Prize: $500**

We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.
**Entry:** $15
**Deadline:** Feb 22, 2023

Details

Editor's Prize - Work Anthology

**Prize: $150**

Writers are invited to submit creative interpretations on Work for an upcoming anthology and the chance of winning the editors' prize. Essays, fiction, drama, and poetry interpretations of the theme will be accepted. Submissions should have a total word count of no more than 5,000 words. All authors chosen for the anthology will receive a paperback copy of the book. Only one editor’s prize will be selected.
**Entry:** $10
**Deadline:** December 30, 2022

Details

2023 Book Prize

**Prize: $1,000**

Writers are invited to submit novels, short story collections and creative nonfiction manuscripts. The Editors' Prize winner receives a publication contract with Unleash Press and $1000 prize, along with 10 printed copies of the final book. We may also offer publication contracts to additional outstanding manuscripts.
**Entry:** $35
**Deadline:** December 31, 2023

Details

Ever thought about writing fiction?

Register now for our free 7 Day Story Writing Challenges. Write a short story in a week, get extensive feedback on your entry, and compete for a £500 prize in each round of the challenges.