# Essay Contests & Writing Competitions for High School Students Essay contests are the fastest way to turn writing skill into application-ready proof: a national title from a major foundation prize fits on one line and needs no explanation. Most cost nothing to enter and run on annual cycles — the winning strategy is entering several with one well-revised essay adapted to each prompt. 24 verified programs match this page; 20 of the featured listings are free; 21 can be done online. ## Programs (24 total) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [American Enterprise Institute High School Economics Writing Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/american-enterprise-institute-high-school-economics-writing-competition) | American Enterprise Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Lincoln Forum Scholarship Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lincoln-forum-scholarship-essay-contest) | The Lincoln Forum | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2026-07-31 | | [Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association Essay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/harvard-undergraduate-economics-association-essay-competition) | Harvard College | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-05 | | [Ayn Rand Institute Anthem Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ayn-rand-institute-anthem-essay-contest) | Ayn Rand Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 9–10 | 2027-05-31 | | [St. Gallen Symposium Wings of Excellence Essay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/st-gallen-symposium-wings-of-excellence-essay-competition) | St. Gallen Symposium Foundation | Free | in_person | Grade 12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Horizon Academic AI Essay Prize](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/horizon-academic-ai-essay) | Horizon Academic | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-07-13 | | [National High School Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/anthropology-essay) | American Anthropological Association | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-18 | | [Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/voice-of-democracy-audio-essay-competition) | Veterans of Foreign Wars | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-31 | | [Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize in Ethics Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/elie-wiesel-ethics-essay) | Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2027-01-20 | | [Optimist International Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/optimist-international-essay) | Optimist International | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jfk-profile-in-courage-essay-contest) | JFK Library | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-11 | | [APA TOPSS High School Psychology Student Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/apa-topss-high-school-psychology-student-competition) | American Psychological Association (TOPSS) | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-20 | | [Paideia Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/modern-greek-studies-essay) | Modern Greek Studies Association | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-15 | | [Fountainhead Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fountain-essay) | Ayn Rand Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2026-07-31 | | [Ayn Rand Institute Fountainhead Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ayn-rand-fountainhead-essay) | Ayn Rand Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2026-07-31 | | [InvestWrite Essay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/personal-finance-challenge) | SIFMA Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-31 | | [JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jfk-profiles-courage-essay) | John F. Kennedy Library Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-12 | | [National Peace Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-peace-essay-contest-usip) | United States Institute of Peace | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Federal Reserve Bank Economic Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/federal-reserve-bank-economic-essay-contest) | Federal Reserve | $100 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [DAR Good Citizens Award and Scholarship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/daughters-american-revolution-essay) | Daughters of the American Revolution | Free | hybrid | Grade 12 | 2027-01-31 | | [American Foreign Service Association National High School Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-peace-essay-contest) | United States Institute of Peace | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [EngineerTeen Annual Writing Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/engineerteen-annual-writing-contest) | National Academy of Engineering | Not listed | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [National WWII Museum Student Writing Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-wwii-museum-student-writing-contest) | The National WWII Museum | Not listed | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-22 | | [George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/sar-knight-essay-contest) | National Society Sons of the American Revolution | Not listed | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many essay contests programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 24 verified essay contests opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these essay contests programs free? Yes — 20 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: Horizon Academic AI Essay Prize (July 13, 2026); Lincoln Forum Scholarship Essay Contest (July 31, 2026); Fountainhead Essay Contest (July 31, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do essay contests extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in essay contests (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep. ## Related pages - [Writing Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/writing) - [Poetry Contests & Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/poetry) - [Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/competitions) - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/essay-contests Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.