15 Writing Contests for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 6 hours ago
- 10 min read
Are you a middle school student looking to participate in a competition to test yourself or build on your skills? Writing contests can be a great way to gain essential academic and communication skills beyond the classroom. They encourage deeper reflection, helping you make compelling, structured arguments, something that’s helpful not only for writers but for all academically curious students.
These competitions cover topics ranging from fiction and critical reviews to climate change and engineering, focusing on both creativity and intellectual growth. In addition to boosting your confidence, writing contests for middle school students make it possible to gain national recognition, cash prizes, and opportunities to be published on reputable platforms.
Let’s dive into some of the reputable and free-to-enter writing contests for middle school students.
Submission deadline: Typically runs from mid-March to mid-April
Eligibility: Middle or high school students who are 13-19 years old with permission from their parent or guardian
Cost: Free
Prize: Winning entries get published on The Learning Network
The New York Times’ Open Letters: Our Opinion-Writing Contest is aimed at students aged 13 to 19 worldwide, inviting you to craft persuasive open letters addressing issues you care about. You address your letter to a specific individual, group, or institution, with the larger aim to influence and persuade anyone who reads it, from the person you are writing for to the broader public.
Submissions must be no more than 500 words with evidence from at least one New York Times article and one external source. You will use a compelling voice to highlight your unique ideas and perspective. Top entries are published on The Learning Network, and you can look at past winning entries as well as detailed guidance about the competition here.
Submission deadlines: Registration: May 31 | Submission: June 30
Eligibility: Students aged 19 years or younger
Cost: Free
Prize: Scholarships of up to 10,000 towards attending any John Locke Institute program
Location: London (for optional academic conference and awards dinner)
The John Locke Institute invites students to explore fascinating questions in subjects like philosophy, history, law, and economics for its Essay Competition. It's a chance to dive deep into topics that might not be covered in your regular classes and to share your own ideas through writing. There are different categories based on your age, including a special Junior Prize for those 14 and under.
This is an opportunity to challenge yourself by engaging with one of the interesting essay questions within each category. Students from all over the world are welcome to participate, making it a valuable writing contest for middle school students by exposing them to diverse perspectives and helping them build writing and critical thinking skills that support future academic success. Awards are given in the form of scholarships that can be used to attend a program at the John Locke Institute in Oxford, UK.
Deadlines: Intent to Participate form is open until May 23. Submissions are invited until June 6
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6-8, with separate categories for elementary and high school students
Cost: Free
Prize: Up to $1,000
The John Estey Student Writing Competition is an annual contest hosted by the American Writers Museum, open to students in grades 3 to 12. The competition invites entries through an educator, with one school submitting 3 entries per category.
Each year, participants are invited to submit original works, such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other creative formats, as a response to a prompt. For this year’s competition, the prompt is 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.” Submissions across genres should have a maximum of 1,000 words and can incorporate the quote in various ways, serving as inspiration or a thematic element.
Submission deadline: TBA; last year’s deadline was November 15
Eligibility: Current K-12 students
Cost: Free
Prize: Up to $300 (distributed to your class teacher for global community engagement)
The Pulitzer Center’s Local Letters for Global Change is a writing contest for middle school students and beyond, where they write letters to local representatives, including elected government representatives, school board members, city council members, or attorney generals. You are encouraged to address global issues you believe should be prioritized and connect these to your local communities. You also propose actionable solutions, fostering skills in persuasive writing and civic engagement.
Letters, which can be written in English or Spanish, should focus on one of these key areas: climate and environment, global health, human rights, information and AI, or peace and conflict. Winner and finalists’ letters, along with the authors’ photos and bios, are published on the Pulitzer Center website. For preparation, all entrants are invited to participate in virtual workshops. If interested, you are advised to visit their resources section to stay updated, as the dates for this year’s workshops are to be announced.
Submission deadline: May 26
Eligibility: Writers between 13 - 19 years old
Cost: Free
Prize: Up to $100
The Environmental Writing Competition by Write the World is a free-to-enter contest for young writers aged 13 to 19 globally. Sponsored by Patagonia, the competition invites you to reflect on your relationship with the natural world and the impacts of climate change on your lives and communities.
This competition offers you the chance to use self-expression in the form of creative non-fiction, where you share your take in 400 to 1,000 words. It emphasizes factual yet personal storytelling, encouraging you to explore themes such as environmental degradation and activism. Submissions are evaluated by guest judges, and winning and runner-up entries will be featured on the Write the World platform as well as the Starfish Canada Youth Journal.
Submission deadline: TBA; last year’s submission window was open from November 6 to December 4
Eligibility: Middle or high school students who are 13-19 years old with permission from their parent or guardian
Cost: Free
Prize: Winning entries get published on The Learning Network
The New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest started in 2022 as a writing contest for middle and high school students. It is free to enter, and asks for a personal story, told in 100 words or fewer, with no restrictions on the format, style, or theme. Along with the original, unpublished narrative, you provide an artist’s statement that reflects on your writing process and the choices you made.
The contest has received over 25,000 entries to date, and emphasizes clarity, emotional impact, and authenticity, encouraging you to focus on a specific meaningful moment from your life. Winning entries, which are announced by February, are published on The New York Times Learning Network, and some may also appear in the print edition of the newspaper. You can find more inspiration and step-by-step guidance here.
Submission deadline: July 15
Eligibility: Open to writers worldwide
Cost: $30 (one-year subscription to Rattle)
Prize: Up to $15,000
The Rattle Poetry Prize is organized every year by Rattle, a well-known poetry magazine. It is open to people of all ages around the world, including middle school students, as long as they write in English. You can submit up to 4 poems in any style and on any topic, which makes the contest a flexible and creative space for young poets.
The entry fee is $30, which includes a one-year subscription to Rattle. The competition awards a grand prize of $15,000 for a single poem, with several students having won in the past. The winning poem, 10 finalist poems, as well as other eligible poems, are published in the winter issue. One of the finalists is also selected for a $5,000 Readers’ Choice Award, determined by votes from entrants, and all participants receive a print subscription regardless of the outcome.
Submission deadline: Typically in February
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6-8, with separate categories for elementary and high school students
Cost: Free
Prize: Up to $1,000
The EngineerGirl Writing Contest is all about exploring the world of engineering through writing. Each year, the contest provides a prompt that invites you to blend your writing skills with your interest in how things work, and a chance to share your innovative ideas and perspectives on technology and engineering. For the 2025 contest, the challenge was to describe a common object you would make ‘smart,’ explaining its functions, how it would help people, and potential problems.
The submission word limit depends on your grade level, with different requirements for elementary, middle, and high school students. This ensures the contest is matched to your stage of education, making it both suitable and engaging for participants at every level. Submissions are judged based on the design, presentation, data accuracy, critical reflection, consideration of risks and challenges, and quality of writing.
Submission deadline: June 9
Eligibility: Middle and high school students between 11-18 years old
Cost: Free
Prize: Up to $1,000
The Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest is an international contest for students, encouraging you to explore environmental issues through creative expression like digital art, writing, music, and more. The contest is divided into junior (ages 11-14) and senior (ages 15-18) divisions, allowing students to compete within their age group.
Submissions are evaluated based on creativity, relevance to the year’s theme, and originality. Winners receive cash awards of up to $1,000, and their work may be showcased through Bow Seat's exhibits, film screenings, and social media channels. Additionally, 10 We All Rise prizes are awarded to US-based students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Latinx, to encourage their participation and uplift their voices.
Submission deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Students in grades K-12
Cost: Free
Prize: $500
The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international contest organized by the World History Association (WHA), open to students in K-12 grades. You write a 1,000-word essay that connects personal or family experiences to broader themes in world history, such as cultural backgrounds or significant historical events. The guidelines insist on keeping the identity of the author undisclosed and are evaluated based on thesis clarity, personal examples, critical thinking, organization, and the effectiveness in communicating a personal connection to world history. The winner receives a $500 prize and a year-long WHA membership.
Submission deadline: Typically May 1
Eligibility: Current grade 8 students nominated by their school
Cost: $5
Prize: Certificates based on level of distinction
The Promising Young Writers Program is organized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) as a writing contest for middle school students in grade 8. To participate, you must be nominated by your school, and each school can nominate a certain number of students based on its enrollment for the grade.
You are required to submit a themed writing piece of no more than 10 pages, with the prompt provided by NCTE each year. Submissions are evaluated by a panel of educators who assess elements like language control, audience awareness, and originality. All participants receive certificates to acknowledge their achievements, with the winner of the First Class award getting their own and their school’s name featured on the NCTE website. The program is open to schools in the United States, its territories, Canada, and American schools abroad.
Submission deadline: TBA; typically between November and December
Eligibility: Middle or high school students who are 13-19 years old with permission from their parent or guardian
Cost: Free
Prize: Winning entries get published on The Learning Network
The New York Times Annual Student Review Contest started a decade ago as a writing contest for middle and high school students, where you submit original reviews of creative works. Your piece can span categories that the New York Times has critiqued, including architecture, art, fashion, technology, restaurants, hotels, and more. Past entries have included reviews of Balenciaga’s spring/summer line, the BeReal app, and more.
Each submission must be no more than 450 words, and express a clear opinion about a new experience, with the support of specific details. Submissions are accompanied by an artist’s statement, and are judged based on criteria, including clarity of opinion, attention to detail, audience awareness, language use, and adherence to guidelines. Winners have their work published on The New York Times Learning Network.
Submission deadline: Submissions are typically invited until April
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12
Cost: Free
Prize: Can vary (up to $6,000 awarded for the 2025 grand prize)
The ARTEFFECT Competition encourages young artists to express themselves creatively through visual art, accompanied by a written impact statement of 500 to 1,000 words. The competition often features different categories, which might include painting, drawing, photography, digital art, and sculpture, so you can enter with the type of art you enjoy making most.
The 2025 competition offered over $25,000 in cash prizes, including a $6,000 grand prize, with other separate awards for middle and high school divisions. The contest is free to enter and sees participation from students around the world.
Submission deadline: Open from December 1 to February 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12
Cost: Free
Prize: Up to $1,000
The Bluefire $1000 for 1000 Words fiction writing contest for middle and high school students is organized by the Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation. Participants are required to submit an original, unpublished fiction piece that is exactly 1,000 words long. The contest is free to enter and welcomes submissions on any topic, provided the content is appropriate and not previously published.
The competition has seen participation from students from 46 different countries in the past. 2 grand prizes of $1,000 each are awarded, one each for the best submission from grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. Additionally, $100 cash prizes are given to outstanding entries, one per grade level. Winners are typically announced in April and those selected for publication are invited to the award ceremony in May.
Submission deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Open to writers worldwide
Cost: $40 for members and $50 for non-members
Prize: Up to $500
The Arizona Authors Association, a non-profit established in 1978 to support and promote writers and literary excellence, holds an annual Literary Contest that welcomes both published and unpublished works across fiction and non-fiction. A distinctive feature is the ‘Oldie But Goldie’ category, which allows self-published books from the past 50 years to be submitted, provided they haven't previously won in this contest.
You have the chance to compete with writers worldwide with cash prizes for the grand winner, first winners, second winners, third winners, fourth winners as well as best of subcategory winners. You can also have your work be featured in the annual Arizona Literary Magazine, offering valuable recognition and exposure.
One more option—The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a virtual program designed for middle school students where they are paired with a PhD mentor from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE. You choose a topic that interests you to build your own project by the end of the program
Founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD duo, the program is rigorous and designed for high-achieving students, with 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 Head of Partnerships, Maya, at maya.novak-herzog@lumiere.education or go to our website.
Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year. For more information, you can visit this application link.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD 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 - The New York Times Logo