10 Argumentative Essay Contests for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 60 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Students interested in research and writing can combine the two skills to participate in argumentative essay competitions. Argumentative essays require you to take a firm stance on a particular topic and make a convincing case for your opinion using facts, reasoning, and logic. These competitions thus help you refine your persuasive writing skills.
Participating in such contests also helps you stand out in your college applications. Some contests offer monetary awards, while others publish your work, thereby providing exposure. Here are some essay competitions you can participate in.
10 Argumentative Essay Contests for Middle School Students
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 6 winners
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Scholarships up to $3,000 for winners
Application Deadline: April 26
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Middle schoolers interested in research can consider participating in the Lumiere Junior Scholars Essay Contest. You choose one from a few essay prompts and respond to it. The contest is designed to help you question your thinking and assumptions. Thus, you strengthen your argumentation, critical thinking, and writing skills through this essay contest. All entries are reviewed by the Academic Advisory Committee, which comprises distinguished professors and researchers, for intellectual independence and persuasive arguments. Winners receive a range of scholarship awards.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Winning entries published on The Learning Network
Application Deadline: April 8
Eligibility: Students aged 13–19
Winners of this competition can win this chance to have their writing published by the New York Times. You must write an open letter to people or groups about an issue that you are passionate about. The letter must be relevant to and appropriate for the NYT audience. Not exceeding 500 words, address your letter to a specific group of people and include a call to action for the issue you are writing about. The letter’s contents must also be supported by at least two sources, including one from NYT. The winning entry will be published on The Learning Network.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 3 winners from each category
Location: Virtual; award ceremony held in London
Cost/Stipend: Prize varies by placement
Application Deadline: May 31
Eligibility: Students under 19 years old
The John Locke Institute’s essay contest encourages you to build knowledge and refine your argumentation skills. You can respond to a question from a wide range of subjects based on your interests. Judging criteria require that you demonstrate independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis, and persuasive style. You can submit more than one entry as long as they cover different subjects. Submissions are judged by academics from leading educational institutions. Ensure that your writing is supported by relevant sources and references. Winners can attend the award ceremony and an invite-only conference in London.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 5 winners
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $65 per student
Dates: Submit by March 20
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Students interested in political science and social issues can participate in this competition by the Harvard Political Review. Through this competition, you can explore global political dynamics, the influence of international institutions, local community challenges, the power of youth activism, and the role of technology in shaping politics through your entry. Your submission takes the form of an essay in response to the competition prompt. Like the articles published in the Harvard Political Review, your essay must be an opinion piece backed by facts and sources. You can also sharpen your argumentation and critical thinking skills through the virtual training session. Winning entries are published in HPR.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 3 winners
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $29 (early application) or $50 (regular application)
Application Deadline: December 10 (early application) or December 30 (regular application)
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12
This essay competition invites you to write about global issues that you are intrigued by. Yale students review and judge all submissions; they also provide feedback for your submission and insights on a range of topics regarding international relations. In your submission, you must justify why you chose a particular global issue and present actionable solutions for it. Through this competition, you learn about policymaking as well as international relations. Webinars on essay writing help you refine argumentation and critical thinking skills.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 33 winners across categories
Location: Online; award ceremony held at Cambridge University
Application Deadline: May 10
Eligibility: Students aged 11–18
Students compete in this essay competition according to their age division. You engage with thought-provoking and controversial topics to write an essay. The submission can consider historical, contemporary, and speculative perspectives on a range of subjects. Entries are judged based on intellectual rigor, originality, and clarity. The competition aims to broaden your horizon and understanding while challenging established beliefs. Winners are invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at King’s College, University of Cambridge.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 3 winners
Location: Online
Application Deadline: February 23 (regional essay) and March 19 (global essay)
Eligibility: Students aged 10–18
This virtual competition offers university-style prompts for aspiring writers. You can participate in the creative, argumentative, or journalistic categories and submit your essay. For the argumentative essay category, you consider pros and cons of private space exploration in comparison with international collaboration. Webinars and resources are available for you to sharpen your skills and write a winning essay. The competition also provides networking opportunities for you to meet other writers.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 3 winners; 5 finalists
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Prize varies by placement
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 5–12
You can participate in the middle school division for this competition. Your submission must range between 500 and 1,000 words in length. Four prompts are provided by the competition, and you must write an essay in response to one of them. If you reach the final stage of the competition, you participate in an interview round to discuss your essay. Participating in this contest improves your research, critical thinking, and persuasive writing skills.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 3 winners
Location: Online
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 studying in Tennessee
Tennessee students can participate in this contest on civics. The competition is designed to help middle schoolers become active citizens for the future. Each year, the competition theme and prompt may change, but they are related to topics of citizenship, leadership, and civic duty. The specific prompt you respond to varies by grade band. Winners receive a TNStars 529 Program College Savings scholarship of $100, $250, or $500 as well as a trip to the State Capitol. If you want to expand your participation, you can also partake in the Student Mock Election.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 3 winners
Location: Online
Application Deadline: End of March
Eligibility: Students aged 11–14
Students passionate about environmental conservation, policy, and sustainability can opt for this competition. Here, you participate in the national rounds to receive the opportunity for international recognition. Depending on your interests, you can participate in the International Competition, Litter Less Campaign, or International Collaboration. You can submit an article, photograph, or video as part of your entry. Your submission is judged by jury members based on originality, objectivity, composition, research, style, and so on. Persuasive and research-backed essays stand a good chance of winning awards.
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.
Image Source - Lumiere Education logo