10 Middle School Essay Contest With Scholarships
- Stephen Turban
- 20 minutes ago
- 8 min read
If you’re a middle school student, taking part in a middle school essay contest with scholarships is a smart move. These contests allow you to step into a space that echoes college‐level academics without needing to commit to a full‐blown summer program or pay a big fee. You can sharpen real practical skills: research, argumentation, and clear writing, while gaining industry exposure and potentially connecting with mentors, judges or organizations that value your efforts. Rather than simply being “fun,” an essay contest invites you to present your ideas and stretch how you think and act. For students drawn to academic writing, it's worth treating this as a low‐cost exploration of what rigorous academic work looks like.
With our focus on middle school essay contest with scholarships, we’ve narrowed down a curated list of top opportunities. We looked for contests that are selective, offer networking or recognition, require substantive work, often include meaningful awards, and are hosted by reputable organizations. Our goal is to help you pick contests that feel prestigious without being hype‑driven.
10 Middle School Essay Contest With Scholarships
Location: Online (hosted by Lumiere Education, Wilmington, DE)
Cost/Stipend: Free to enter; winners receive cash prizes and scholarships up to $11,000
Acceptance rate or cohort size: 6 winners and multiple honorable mentions selected from a global applicant pool
Dates: Submissions open September 29 - December 14
Submission Deadline: December 14
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 6 - 8 from any country as of December 31
The Lumiere Junior Scholars Essay Contest invites you to explore complex topics through structured argumentative writing. You can choose from five prompts covering ethics, technology, politics, and global responsibility, and your response must be grounded in formal academic writing and original thought. The contest prizes include over $11,000 in total scholarships and cash awards, with winning essays judged by faculty from institutions like Cambridge, Columbia, and Princeton. This is a selective and academically rigorous competition focused on building strong reasoning, evidence use, and formal writing skills. If you're ready to write like a scholar, this contest provides a platform to test your abilities on a global stage.
Location: Online (hosted by the Ayn Rand Institute, Santa Ana, CA)
Cost/Stipend: Free to enter; prizes up to $25,000
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Multiple winners across contests; highly competitive global participation
Dates: Submission deadline for both current contests is October 31
Application Deadline: October 31
Eligibility: Open globally to students ages 13 and older; “The Fountainhead” contest includes grades 8–12
These annual contests challenge you to analyze one of Ayn Rand’s novels—either The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged, and craft an original argumentative essay. You’ll select from specific prompts tied to the book’s philosophical themes and develop a structured, thoughtful response. While the contests are open to a wide range of grade levels, middle schoolers in 8th grade are eligible for The Fountainhead contest, which makes it one of the few major international essay contests with scholarships available at this age. Awards include significant scholarship prizes, with multiple winners and honorable mentions recognized. Engaging with these contests can help you strengthen literary analysis, argument development, and philosophical reasoning, while giving you a chance to be published and honored by a global academic audience.
Location: American Writers Museum, Chicago, IL (online submission)
Cost/Stipend: Free to enter; $1,000 prize for each of three middle school winners
Acceptance rate or cohort size: 3 winners selected per grade category (Elementary, Middle, High School)
Dates: Submission window March 10 – June 6
Application Deadline: June 6
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 enrolled in schools or homeschools (excluding international homeschoolers)
This writing competition invites you to respond creatively to a quote from Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” You can craft your response in any written format: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, script, or song; as long as it stays under 1,000 words. All submissions must be original and submitted through your school or homeschool with a teacher’s coordination. If selected, your work will be featured on the American Writers Museum’s website, and you'll receive a $1,000 award. For middle school students interested in blending literary insight with creative freedom, this is a nationally recognized, structured competition worth considering.
Location: Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free to apply; full tuition scholarship including room and board for the winner
Acceptance rate or cohort size: One full-tuition scholarship winner; additional finalists may be offered admission and aid
Dates: Submission window opens September 1 – closes November 15
Application Deadline: November 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11 during the 2025–26 school year (excluding current Interlochen students)
This competitive scholarship contest gives you the chance to win full tuition to attend Interlochen Arts Academy as a Creative Writing major. You’ll need to submit a portfolio of five to seven original writing samples (up to 4,000 words total), representing at least two genres like poetry, fiction, screenwriting, memoir, or experimental writing. Submissions must be anonymous and follow formatting rules, and finalists are invited to apply formally to the Academy. If selected, you’ll join a year-round arts boarding school known for producing accomplished young writers. The scholarship is non-transferable and intended specifically for those committed to pursuing writing in an immersive, academic setting.
Location: Online (hosted by the Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation, CA)
Cost/Stipend: Free to enter; $1,000 grand prize per division, plus $100 grade-level prizes and $50 for honorable mentions
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Over 1,000 submissions annually; 23 pieces published in the latest journal
Dates: Contest opens December 1 – closes February 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12 worldwide
This annual fiction-writing contest challenges you to craft a compelling story using exactly 1,000 words. Open to students in grades 6 through 12, the contest awards a $1,000 grand prize to one middle school and one high school entrant. Additional cash prizes are given to the top submission in each grade, along with publication in Bluefire, the foundation’s literary journal. Judges prioritize creativity, originality, and emotional resonance, but you’re free to write about any topic that isn’t vulgar or previously published. If selected, your work will be recognized in print and showcased to a global audience. It’s a strong opportunity for emerging writers looking to gain both credibility and exposure.
Location: Online; Awards Ceremony held in Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: Free to apply; scholarships of $25,000, $50,000, and $100,000
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Highly selective; only a small group of students are named Davidson Fellows each year
Dates: Full application due February 11
Application Deadline: February 11
Eligibility: Students must be 18 or younger as of the deadline, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and must have completed a “significant piece of work” in Literature, STEM, Philosophy, Music, or an interdisciplinary “Outside the Box” category
To apply for the Davidson Fellows Scholarship, you submit a project that demonstrates original thinking and a level of depth comparable to advanced academic or creative work. Your submission must show how your work contributes something meaningful, whether through new insights, creative applications of knowledge, or innovative solutions. You’ll also need to provide documentation, get two nominators, and be ready to explain your process and goals clearly. If selected, you’ll attend recognition events in Washington, D.C., where scholars are honored and connected with a broader intellectual community. This scholarship is designed for students who are already working at a high level and want their accomplishments formally recognized on a national scale.
Location: Online (hosted by Rattle Foundation, Los Angeles, CA)
Cost/Stipend: $30 entry fee (includes one-year Rattle subscription); $15,000 grand prize; $500 to ten finalists; $5,000 Readers’ Choice Award
Acceptance rate or cohort size: One winner and ten finalists selected from over 3,000 submissions
Dates: Submissions accepted until July 15
Application Deadline: July 15
Eligibility: Open worldwide to writers of all ages; submissions must be in English and previously unpublished
This annual poetry contest awards a $15,000 grand prize for a single unpublished poem, with ten additional finalists receiving $500 each and publication in Rattle’s winter issue. All entries are anonymously reviewed by the editorial team, and finalists are also eligible for a $5,000 Readers’ Choice Award, voted on by Rattle subscribers and entrants. You can submit up to four poems per entry, with no line or subject restrictions. Though it requires an entry fee, that cost includes a year-long subscription to Rattle. It’s one of the largest poetry prizes for individual poems and is open to all poets, including younger or unpublished writers, making it a competitive but rewarding opportunity.
Location: Online (hosted by Curieux Academic Journal, a nonprofit organization)
Cost/Stipend: Free to apply; $500 scholarship awarded to three winners
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Three recipients selected
Dates: Application open April 1 – June 20
Application Deadline: June 20
Eligibility: Current middle or high school students
This scholarship supports students from underrepresented or economically disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing independent research. To apply, you’ll submit a project proposal that includes your research plan, timeline, budget, and rationale. The award funds can go toward materials, software, or other project-related costs, provided your project poses no risk to people or animals and avoids hazardous materials. Curieux focuses on accessibility in academic research, offering a rare opportunity for middle school students to fund their own ideas. If selected, you'll receive $500 and guidance to help make your project a reality.
Location: Online (hosted by the Bill of Rights Institute, Arlington, VA)
Cost/Stipend: Free to enter; top prize is $10,000, with over $40,000 total awarded
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Multiple winners: 1 Grand Prize, 3 major category winners, 6 honorable mentions, plus State Fair Prizes
Dates: Project activity must occur between May 18 – May 3; submissions due May 3
Application Deadline: May 3
Eligibility: U.S.-based students ages 13–19 enrolled in middle or high school as of January 1
The MyImpact Challenge is a civic engagement competition where you create and report on a community service, volunteer, or entrepreneurial project. Your application includes a project report, a written essay linking your work to American founding principles and civic virtues, and visual documentation. Projects must show clear community impact and personal growth, with judging based on originality, understanding of civic values, and quality of execution. The top prize is $10,000, with multiple levels of awards recognizing outstanding civic leadership. This is a strong opportunity to showcase how your ideas and actions can make a difference in your community.
Location: Online (International)
Cost/Stipend: Free to enter; cash prizes from $50 to $1,000
Acceptance rate or cohort size: Highly competitive; thousands of entries, hundreds of winners across divisions and categories
Dates: Open now until June 8
Application Deadline: June 8
Eligibility: Students worldwide ages 11–18, enrolled in middle or high school; solo or group submissions accepted (up to 7 entries per student, one per category)
This global creative arts competition invites youth to explore their personal relationship with the ocean through the 2026 theme: “Your Story, Our Ocean: How Our Ocean Sustains, Protects, and Inspires Us.” You can submit original work in up to 7 categories, including visual art, poetry/spoken word, creative writing, film, music/dance, interactive & multimedia. All submissions require a short reflection (100–300 words) explaining the creative process and what was learned. This contest is ideal for environmentally conscious creatives looking to raise awareness, strengthen their portfolio, and join a global community of youth leaders and artists.
Lydia is an alumna from Harvard University and studied Molecular and Cellular Biology & Economics. In high school, she was the captain of her high school’s Academic Decathlon team and attended the Governor's School of Engineering and Technology. She is working as a life sciences consultant after graduation.
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