13 Middle School Writing Competitions
- Stephen Turban
- 19 hours ago
- 11 min read
Writing competitions are a strong option for middle school students because they expose participants to advanced academic expectations while still being accessible and engaging. Through these contests, students develop practical skills like structured thinking, persuasive writing, and time management, all of which are essential for success in higher grades. They also offer early glimpses into practical applications of writing, sometimes including feedback from judges, publication opportunities, or exposure to industry standards.
Why should I participate in a writing competition in middle school?
For students aiming to build a competitive high school profile, participating in writing competitions demonstrates initiative, intellectual curiosity, and a willingness to challenge themselves beyond the classroom. Many competitions are hosted by respected organizations, ensuring credibility and a worthwhile experience that can meaningfully strengthen a student’s academic journey.
Recognizing this, we’ve carefully curated a list of 13 middle school writing competitions.
If you’re looking for programs for middle school students, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These competitions cover diverse formats, including persuasive essays (Stossel in the Classroom, VFW Patriots' Pen), creative writing and poetry (Young Writers Fright Club, Rattle Poetry Prize), and civic-focused letters (Local Letters for Global Change, New York Times Open Letters).
Most competitions are free to enter, including the John Locke Institute, John Estey Student Writing Competition, Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest, and New York Times Open Letters, while a few like the Arizona Authors Association and Harvard Political Review charge entry fees.
Prize amounts vary significantly, from the Rattle Poetry Prize's $15,000 grand prize to smaller awards like Local Letters for Global Change's $300 (donated for community engagement) and certificates of recognition from the Harvard Political Review.
Several competitions support publication opportunities, including Write the World's Environmental Writing Competition, the Queen's Commonwealth Writing Competition, and New York Times Open Letters, giving students a chance to reach a wider audience beyond the contest itself.
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program offers a structured alternative for students who want sustained, one-on-one mentorship to build an independent academic project rather than a single competition submission.
Prize: US $5,000 scholarship for the first-place winner (to be used toward a John Locke Institute Summer School or Gap Year program)
Cost: Free to register
Dates: May 31 to submit
Deadline: March 31 (to register)
Eligibility: Students aged 18 years or younger
The John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize is an international competition for school students that focuses on analytical thinking and academic writing. You can select a topic from subjects such as philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, or law, and there is a junior category designed for younger participants. The competition allows you to engage with complex questions and develop your ability to construct clear, well-reasoned arguments. Submissions are reviewed by academic evaluators, giving you structured feedback on your work. If you place highly, you may receive a scholarship to attend the institute's programs, along with a certificate and the opportunity to participate in related academic events.
Prize: $50 amazon gift card to the top 3 writers + Young Writers’ Award of Excellence to the school with the best set of entries
Cost: Free to register
Dates: April – June
Deadline: June 19 (most likely to submit)
Eligibility: For ages 10–18
The Fright Club invites you to experiment with creative writing through a suspense or horror theme. You are encouraged to develop a short piece that could be unsettling, tense, or even humorous, as long as it engages with elements like mystery, fear, or the supernatural. Your story must be 100 words or fewer, so you will need to focus on clear structure and careful word choice. To help you get started, you can use the provided story-starter postcards or refer to ideas in the accompanying graphic organizer, though you are free to shape the direction and ending of your piece. Selected entries may be published, and some participants receive prizes, while the competition itself is free to enter.
Prize: $1,000
Cost: Free to register
Dates: March 3 – June 3
Deadline: May 29 (to register)
Eligibility: Open to all K–12 students, including homeschool and international participants (submissions must be made via a teacher)
The John Estey Student Writing Competition, organized each year by the American Writers Museum, is open to students in grades 3 through 12. To take part, your school must submit entries on your behalf through an educator, with a limit of three submissions per category per school. You are invited to respond to an annual prompt by creating an original piece in a format of your choice, such as fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. The prompt is designed to guide your writing, but you can interpret it in a way that fits your ideas and approach. Your submission should be no more than 1,000 words, allowing you to develop your work with sufficient detail and structure.
Prize: Up to $300 (distributed to your class teacher for global community engagement)
Cost: Free to register
Dates: November 14 (to submit)
Deadline: No registration deadline specified
Eligibility: Current K-12 students
The Pulitzer Center runs the Local Letters for Global Change, a competition open to middle school students and older. In this contest, you write a letter to a local decision-maker, such as an elected official, school board member, or city representative, focusing on a global issue that connects to your community. You are expected to present a clear perspective and suggest practical steps to address the issue at the local level. Your letter can be written in English or Spanish and should address one of the following themes: climate and environment, global health, human rights, information and AI, or peace and conflict. The process helps you develop persuasive writing skills while also encouraging awareness of civic processes. Selected entries, including those from winners and finalists, are published on the organization’s website along with brief author details.
Prize: Up to $100. Runner-Up and Best Peer Review will each receive $50.
Cost: Free to register
Dates: May 5 – 26
Deadline: Most likely May 26 to submit; competitors may request expert feedback on May 12
Eligibility: Writers between 13 and 19 years old
The Write the World Environmental Writing Competition is open to writers aged 13 to 19 from around the world and does not require an entry fee. The contest asks you to examine your relationship with the natural environment and consider how issues like climate change affect your life and community. You are expected to submit a piece of creative nonfiction between 400 and 1,000 words. Your writing should combine factual information with personal reflection, focusing on environmental change and the individual and collective responses to it. Entries are reviewed by guest judges, and selected pieces, including those from winners and runners-up, are published on the Write the World platform and in the Starfish Canada Youth Journal.
Prize: Up to $500
Cost: $40 for members; $50 for non-members
Dates: January 1 – June 1
Deadline: Most likely June 1 to submit
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 6–12
The Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest is an annual competition open to participants of all ages worldwide. You can submit work across several categories, including poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, novels, novellas, plays, and youth-focused sections for children and teen writing. If your submission is selected, you may receive a cash award, with prizes varying by category. Winning entries are also featured in the Arizona Literary Magazine, and recipients are invited to attend the award ceremony held during the Desert Nights Writers Conference. The contest accepts both unpublished pieces and work that has been published recently, giving you flexibility in what you choose to enter.
Prize: National winners: Up to $5,000; State-level winners: Starting at $500; Additional local and regional prizes available
Cost: Free to register
Dates: Not specified
Deadline: October 31 to submit
Eligibility: U.S. students in grades 6–8
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriots’ Pen contest is a writing competition for middle school students. In this program, you write a 300–400-word essay responding to an annual theme related to ideas such as patriotism, democracy, or civic responsibility. Your essay is submitted through a local VFW Post, which connects your entry to a community-level review process before it advances to higher judging levels. The contest is designed to help you practice structured writing and reflect on civic topics in a clear and organized way. Entries are evaluated at the local, state, and national levels, and selected participants may receive recognition and awards, including scholarships.
Prize: Up to $15,000
Cost: $30 (one-year subscription to Rattle)
Dates: Not specified
Deadline: July 15 to submit
Eligibility: Open to writers worldwide
The Rattle Poetry Prize is an annual competition run by Rattle. It is open to writers of all ages worldwide, including middle school students, as long as submissions are written in English. You can enter up to four poems, and there are no restrictions on subject matter or style. Entry requires a $30 fee, which also includes a one-year subscription to Rattle. The competition awards a single grand prize of $15,000 for one poem. In addition, ten finalist poems are selected, and these, along with other eligible submissions, are published in the winter issue of the magazine. A $5,000 Readers’ Choice Award is also given based on entrants' votes, and all participants receive a print subscription regardless of the outcome.
Prize: Up to $1,000
Cost: Free to register
Dates: September (previous year) – November (current year)
Deadline: June 8 to submit
Eligibility: Middle and high school students between 11 and 18 years old
The Ocean Awareness Contest, organized by Bow Seat, is an international competition for students that invites you to respond to environmental topics through creative work such as writing, visual art, music, or other media. It is divided into junior (ages 11–14) and senior (ages 15–18) categories, so you compete within your age group. Your submission is evaluated based on how well it responds to the annual theme, as well as its originality and creative approach. Selected entries receive cash awards of up to $1,000, and some work may be featured through Bow Seat’s exhibitions, screenings, or online platforms. The program also includes a set of “We All Rise” prizes for U.S.-based students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Latinx, intended to support participation by those groups.
Prize: Up to $2,500
Cost: Free to register
Dates: May 17 – 23 (remote interviews for students who make it to the final phase of judging); May 31 (winner announcement)
Deadline: March 13 to submit
Eligibility: Students in grades 5–12 (ages 10–18) living in North America, Hawaii, or at a U.S. military address
The Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest is open to middle and high school students. In this competition, you choose a topic from provided prompts, which may include issues such as free speech, minimum wage, or immigration, and write an essay between 500 and 1,000 words. The contest asks you to present a clear position and support it with reasoning and evidence. Your work is evaluated based on how clearly you express your ideas, how well your essay is organized, and the strength of your arguments. The program is intended to help you practice structuring written arguments and engaging with public policy topics through writing.
Prize: Not specified
Cost: Free to register
Dates: March 4 – April 30
Deadline: April 30 to register/submit
Eligibility: Commonwealth nationals or residents aged 18 or under
The Royal Commonwealth Society runs the Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition, which is open to Commonwealth citizens or residents aged 18 or under. You are invited to respond to a set of prompts covering themes such as sport and culture, the environment, shared identities, and human relationships. You can submit your work in several formats, including a poem, letter, article, story, essay, or short script, as long as it addresses the chosen theme. Creativity in your approach to the prompt is an important part of the submission. Entries are first reviewed within five regions: the Americas, the Pacific, Asia, Africa, and Europe, with a winner selected from each. These regional winners are then considered for an overall recognition. Regional winners are also invited to take part in a week-long program in London that includes cultural activities and an award ceremony.
Prizes: Certificate
Cost: $45–$85, based on registration period
Dates: January 15 – March 20
Deadline: January 15 (priority) | March 1 (regular) | March 15 (late) | March 20 (submission)
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 (middle school category)
The Harvard Political Review annual essay competition is open to middle school students and focuses on topics such as education, public policy, and personal philosophy. You can take part either individually or as part of a team of up to five members. The competition provides a set of prompts that require you to analyze ideas and present structured arguments, and it includes a preparatory component led by the publication's members. Your work is evaluated based on how effectively you develop and communicate your ideas. All participants receive a certificate, and those who meet a specified scoring threshold become eligible for country and regional recognition. The top-ranked participants globally are acknowledged separately, and a selection of essays is published on the Harvard Political Review website.
Prize: Your work is published on The Learning Network.
Cost: Free to register
Dates: February 25 – April 8
Deadline: April 8 (to submit)
Eligibility: Open to students aged 13–19 who are currently enrolled in middle or high school anywhere in the world
The New York Times Open Letters Opinion-Writing Contest is open to students ages 13 to 19 worldwide. In this competition, you are asked to write an open letter about an issue that matters to you, directed at a specific individual, group, or institution, while also considering a broader audience. Your submission must be no more than 500 words and should include evidence from at least one New York Times article along with one additional reliable source. The contest focuses on presenting a clear argument and supporting your perspective with relevant information. Selected entries are published on The Learning Network, offering an opportunity for your work to reach a wider audience.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best writing competitions for middle school students?
Strong options depend on a student's interests. Students drawn to persuasive writing might consider the VFW Patriots' Pen or Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest, those interested in creative writing might look at the Young Writers Fright Club or Rattle Poetry Prize, and those interested in civic engagement might consider Local Letters for Global Change or New York Times Open Letters.
Are there free writing competitions for middle schoolers?
Yes, most are free, including the John Locke Institute's Global Essay Prize, Young Writers Fright Club, John Estey Student Writing Competition, Local Letters for Global Change, Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest, VFW Patriots' Pen, and New York Times Open Letters.
Which writing competitions are specifically designed for middle schoolers, not high schoolers?
The VFW Patriots' Pen is specifically for students in grades 6 through 8, and the Harvard Political Review Essay Competition has a dedicated middle school category for grades 6 through 8, distinguishing them from many contests that span both middle and high school.
Do any middle school writing competitions lead to publication?
Yes, selected entries from the Write the World Environmental Writing Competition, Local Letters for Global Change, the Queen's Commonwealth Writing Competition, and New York Times Open Letters can be published on the organizations' websites or in affiliated journals and magazines.
Which writing competitions for middle schoolers offer the largest cash prizes?
The Rattle Poetry Prize offers the largest single prize at $15,000, while the VFW Patriots' Pen offers up to $5,000 for national winners and the Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest offers up to $2,500.
When should I apply to writing competitions for middle school students?
Deadlines are spread throughout the year. Early deadlines include the Harvard Political Review's priority deadline (January 15) and the Stossel in the Classroom Essay Contest (March 13), while others like the New York Times Open Letters (April 8) and Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest (June 8) fall later in the year.
One more option — The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about. Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE.
The program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard. The program is rigorous and fully virtual. We offer need-based financial aid for students who qualify. You can find the application in the brochure! To learn more, you can reach out to our Director, Dhruva, at dhruva.bhat@lumiere.education, or go to our website.
Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year, you can apply using this application link! If you’d like to take a look at the upcoming cohorts + deadlines, you can refer to this page!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1–1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.