About The Award
Registration & Submissions Open
Sep 14, 2026
Early Bird Submission Deadline
(Submit early to get $100 bonus on your final scholarship amount)
Oct 25, 2026
Free Registration Deadline
Nov 30, 2026
Submission Deadline
Dec 20, 2026
Shortlist Announcement
Jan 4, 2027
Virtual Award Ceremony
Jan 10, 2027
Gala Dinner @Oxford University
July 9, 2027
At Lumiere Education, we believe that curiosity drives progress. When young scholars are given the chance to ask bold questions, gather evidence, and share what they discover, they sharpen their thinking, improve their communication, and create ideas that can move society forward.
The Lumiere Scholars Essay Award invites high school students to examine issues that matter to them, cross disciplinary lines, test assumptions, and defend their arguments with rigorous evidence. Essay entries are reviewed by our Academic Advisory Committee, an international panel of distinguished professors and researchers.
6 winners (1 Gold, 2 Silvers, 3 Bronzes) will share more than $11,000 in cash prizes and scholarships. The top essayists will be invited to the Lumiere Research Symposium and Gala Dinner at Oxford University in July 2027.
Free to enter and open worldwide, the award celebrates rising thinkers, sparks dialogue about the ideas shaping our future, and continues Lumiere's mission of empowering the next generation of researchers.
Keynote Speech by Nobel Laureate
Dr. Didier Queloz, the Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics 2019, will be speaking virtually at the Gala Dinner on July 9, 2027 at Oxford University.
Dr Didier Queloz is a Swiss astronomer and Nobel Laureate. He is the Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and a part-time professor of physics at ETH Zurich.
In 2019, Dr. Queloz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Michel Mayor and James Peebles for discovering the first exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star. In 1995, during his PhD, he and his supervisor identified 51 Pegasi b using a custom-built spectrograph.
In 2017, he received the Wolf Prize in Physics for his pioneering work in exoplanet detection, years ahead of the Nobel recognition.
He holds professorships at both Cambridge and the University of Geneva, and is the founding director of the Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe.
In 2022, Dr. Queloz was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour by France.
Dr. Didier Queloz
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2019
Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of Cambridge
Fall 2026 Awards
NEW THIS YEAR: High Honors Award & Medalists will be invited to the Lumiere Research Symposium and Gala Dinner on July 9, 2027, at Oxford University.
Gold
(1 recipient)
$1,000 cash award
$3,390 Scholarship to any Lumiere Research Scholars Program
Bronze
(3 recipients)
$300 cash award
$2,000 Scholarship to any Lumiere Research Scholars Program
Note: Scholarships are awarded as a tuition reduction upon acceptance into a Lumiere program. Receiving a scholarship does not guarantee admission.
Academic Advisory Committee
Dr. Shana Cohen
Affiliated Lecturer, University of Cambridge
Dr. Joseph Bafumi
Professor, Dartmouth College
Dr. Sean Lawler
Professor, Brown University
Dr. Verena Fetscher
Lecturer, University of Oxford
Dr. Ingrid Byerly
Senior Lecturing Fellow, Duke University
Dr. Felix Waldman
Director of Studies, University of Cambridge
Dr. Doroteya Vladimirova
Fellow, University of Cambridge
Dr. Stephen Jesch
Senior Lecturer, Cornell University
Dr. Emanuele Di Lorenzo
Professor, Brown University
Dr. Loreta Gandolfi
Affiliated Lecturer, University of Cambridge
Fall 2026 Prompts
Participants can choose ONE of the following five prompts.
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Felix Waldman
Can democratic political systems co-exist with economic inequality?
Professor Commentary:
This is a classic problem in the history of political theory, with its first prominent formulation occurring in the eighteenth century in the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The problem has persisted in the ensuing centuries. In the recent work of the political economist Thomas Piketty, we find a revived interest in the compatibility, or otherwise, of democratic politics with economic inequality, particularly where the latter conflicts with a chief hallmark of democratic political life - meritocratic professional systems.
Will cancer be eliminated by 2050?
Professor Commentary:
The 21st Century has seen major breakthroughs in patient outcomes for some cancer types. What has driven these improvements, and what would be the next critical steps to eliminate the global cancer burden by the end of this century?
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Sean Lawler
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Ingrid Byerly
On what basis should one determine whether an international treaty should be honored, or whether it is appropriate to cite new circumstances that render agreements - often drafted by political predecessors in former world orders – obsolete?
Professor Commentary:
Otto von Bismarck remarked that "All treaties between great States cease to be binding when they come in conflict with the struggle for existence." In the current political climate, as geopolitical interests evolve and allies shift, numerous agreements between global parties have been reneged, dismantled or challenged. Discuss the circumstances under which ‘broken promises’ are justified, and whether treaties can be abandoned because they are reviewed as outdated, harmful, unjust, politically expedient or inconvenient. Should treaties that were inherited be honored because of the principle involved, or do contemporary considerations supersede a respect for an obligation that was set in place during an earlier era, in a different world order? What would be a better solution than the abandonment of a treaty that could result in a breach of trust? How could States or societies best leverage their disenchantment towards former treatise without negatively affecting their reputation among the larger international community, and still fulfill their obligations towards the effective maintenance of global order and world peace.
How has mass media coverage of U.S. politics changed in the last 50 years, and how do those changes shift preferences regarding the political candidates we elect?
Professor Commentary:
People self-select what media they are exposed to. They often select sources of information that correspond with their preexisting ideological beliefs. The enormous explosion in sources of information over the last 50 years may help explain the growth in political polarization and the corresponding fewer opportunities for compromise. Also, a media culture driven by profits gave Trump an enormous amount of media exposure in 2015 and 2016. This, no doubt, gave him a big advantage. Students can explore these issues and others with this essay question.
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Joseph Bafumi
Prompt contributed by
Dr. Doroteya Vladimirova
Who should sit in the empty chair
in the boardroom?
Professor Commentary:
Choose a stakeholder that cannot speak for itself in the decisions that shape its fate – a river, a forest, a generation not yet born – and argue how an organisation should give it a seat at the table. Who represents it, by what authority, and what happens when its interests conflict with those of the shareholders and directors already in the room?
Register to access Judges' Recommended Reading List
Judging Criteria
At Lumiere, essays are evaluated with our proprietary rubric. The judging panel comprises esteemed professors and researchers from Oxford, Cambridge, Brown, Dartmouth, and Cornell, engaging in a double-blind review process. Our system is designed to eliminate biases related to an author’s identity, affiliation, or reputation.
The strongest essays show intellectual independence and persuasive arguments that can change a thoughtful reader’s mind. Submissions that ignore major counterarguments or fail to engage meaningfully with opposing perspectives are unlikely to succeed.
The award seeks well-reasoned, research-based argumentative essays rather than original research papers. Participants are not expected to perform primary data collection or advanced data analysis to submit.
Originality
A distinct viewpoint and fresh insights
Analysis
A thorough understanding of the subject, supported by strong arguments.
Evidence
Well-substantiated arguments using credible, integrated sources.
Structure
Logical organization, clear progression of ideas, and smooth transitions.
Presentation
Meticulously edited, formal, grammatically correct, and precisely worded academic writing.
Guidelines & Eligibility
General Guidelines
Free entry
There are no fees required to enter this essay award. It is open to all eligible participants without cost.
Format & Style
Language
Essays must be in English.
Single Submission
Participants may submit only one essay.
Original Scholarship & Sole Authorship
1. Each essay must be the original work of the participant.
2. While participants may seek feedback or engage in discussion, the writing must be conducted entirely by the student. No joint or collaborative submission is permitted.
3. The use of external writing services is strictly prohibited.
Academic Integrity
1. Plagiarism in any form will result in disqualification.
2. All referenced material must be appropriately cited, and essays must reflect the participant’s original thought and expression.
3. Each participant must provide the email address of an academic referee who is acquainted with their academic work (a school teacher or counselor). Lumiere may contact referees directly to confirm the authenticity and originality of the submitted essays.
Academic
Essays must be academic and use formal language. Students may not use personal anecdotes to substantiate their arguments.
The award seeks well-reasoned, research-based argumentative essays rather than original research papers. Participants are not expected to perform primary data collection or advanced data analysis to submit.
Word Limit
Essays must not exceed 2,000 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography.
Citation Format
Essays must follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) 8th edition citation style.
For further reference, please consult this MLA 8 citation guide.
Eligibility
The competition is open to all students from any country who will be enrolled in high school (as of December 31, 2026). The submission must be in English and not exceed 2,000 words.
Current scholars or alums of the Lumiere Research Scholars Programs are welcome to apply, but may not submit their final Lumiere paper.
Free Registration Deadline: 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on November 30, 2026
Submission Deadline: 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on December 20, 2026
The Official List of the Spring 2026 Lumiere Scholars Essay Award Winners
Vedant Rastogi
Saint Joseph's Institution International, Singapore 🇸🇬
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