8 Political Science Essay Competitions for Middle Schoolers

Students curious about political science may find essay competitions to be a unique avenue to express their ideas. Here, you receive prompts on various political topics, and you are required to conduct research and write original essays. Thus, you not only showcase your writing skills but also develop your ability to conduct research.

Many competitions offer winners rewards, prizes, and an opportunity to get published. These accolades help you stand out during college admissions. Here are a few political science essay competitions you can participate in.

8 Political Science Essay Competitions for Middle Schoolers

1. Lumiere’s Junior Scholars Essay Contest

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6 winners

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: Scholarships awarded to winners

Dates: Not specified

Application Deadline: April 26

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8

The Lumiere Junior Scholars Essay Contest encourages ambitious middle schoolers to sharpen their writing skills. You select one from the available essay prompts and tackle the thought-provoking question in a unique manner. Through this competition, you question your thinking and assumptions, thereby strengthening your argumentation, critical thinking, and writing skills. All entries are judged by an international panel of distinguished professors and researchers who form the Academic Advisory Committee. They select winners based on intellectual independence and persuasive arguments. Winners receive a range of scholarship awards.

2. John Locke Institute’s Global Essay Prize

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners per category

Location: Virtual | Award ceremony held in London

Cost/Stipend: Varies by placement

Dates: Not specified

Application Deadline: May 31

Eligibility: Students under age 19

This competition is designed for writers to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting questions. You demonstrate independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. From the available subjects, you can submit an essay on a political science or public policy question. Entries are judged by a panel of senior academics drawn from leading universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. Winners and runners-up can attend the award ceremony in London in October. The student with the best overall essay earns an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship. 

3. New York Times Open Letters

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: Winning entries are published on The Learning Network

Dates: Not specified

Application Deadline: April 8

Eligibility: Students ages 13–19

You can earn the opportunity to be published by the New York Times with this contest. For this competition, you write an open letter to people or groups about an issue you care about. This could also be a political topic in the form of a protest or appeal to the intended audience. The letter must be appropriate for a general NYT readership and include a call to action. Furthermore, your letter must include at least two sources, one of which should be NYT. The winner has their letter published on The Learning Network.

4. John Estey Student Writing Competition

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 4 winners

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: $1,000 prize

Dates: Not specified

Application Deadline: June 3

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8

This competition has a changing theme every year. The prompts may touch upon various subjects, including political science. You can use the prompt as a first line, last line, or simply as inspiration. Your entry can be in the form of a fiction or nonfiction story, poem, song, scene, short monologue or other form of writing. In addition to the prompt, the platform provides a range of resources for you to refer to. Winners receive prize money of varying amounts. 

5. Harvard Political Review Essay Competition

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5 winnersLocation: VirtualCost: $65 per studentDates: Submit by March 20Application Deadline: March 1Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8

This challenging competition is for middle schoolers interested in political science and social issues. Through this competition, you 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. You write an essay in response to one prompt, which must be an opinion piece similar to articles published in the Harvard Political Review. You also attend a virtual training session that helps you sharpen your argument and critical thinking. Winners have their entries published in HPR.

6. The Yale International Relations Association Global Essay Competition

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

Through this competition, you present your thoughts on international relations and global issues. Entries are reviewed by Yale students, who provide insights on political topics and feedback on your writing. A strong essay is one that justifies the chosen global issue and proposes ideas for solutions. Thus, you gain exposure to policy-oriented thinking. You can attend webinars on essay writing that help you refine argumentation and critical thinking skills. Winners receive prize money.

7. Young Reporters for the Environment International Competition

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners

Location: Online

Cost/Stipend: Not specified

Dates: Not specified

Application Deadline: End of March

Eligibility: Students ages 11–14

Students passionate about environmental conservation and policy can participate in this competition. Winners and those recognized in the national rounds get the chance to receive international recognition. You can participate in the International Competition, Litter Less Campaign, or International Collaboration. Although the competition focuses on the environment, you can approach it from a political science perspective. The submission can be in the form of an article, photograph, or video. Jury members score your entry based on originality, objectivity, composition, research, style, and so on. 

8. Civics Essay Contest

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3 winners

Location: Online

Cost/Stipend: Not specified

Dates: Not specified

Application Deadline: February 27

Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8 studying in Tennessee

This is a writing contest for Tennessee students. It encourages middle schoolers to become active citizens for the future. The competition theme may vary by year but typically centers around citizenship, leadership, and civic duty. The prompt varies by grade band. Winners receive a TNStars 529 Program College Savings scholarship of $100, $250, or $500 in addition to a trip to the State Capitol. Students can also partake in the Student Mock Election.

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.

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