# Free Writing Programs for High School Students

Free writing programs — university workshops, national contests, funded summer studios — cost nothing but a polished submission.

Writing is the cheapest activity to excel in and the hardest to fake: a Scholastic medal or a published piece outweighs any paid workshop on an application.

87 verified programs match this page; 30 of the featured listings are free; 20 can be done online.

## Programs (87 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page)

| Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Telluride Association Summer Seminars (TASS)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/telluride-association-summer-seminars-tass) | Telluride Association | Free | in_person | Grades 10–11 | 2026-12-03 |
| [National Student Poets Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-student-poets-program) | Institute of Museum and Library Services | Free | hybrid | Grades 10–11 | 2026-08-01 |
| [Young Playwrights Festival](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/young-playwrights-festival) | Young Playwrights Inc. | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-01-29 |
| [We the Students Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/we-the-students-essay-contest) | Bill of Rights Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-15 |
| [Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - Gold Medal Portfolio](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/scholastic-art-writing-awards-gold-medal-portfolio) | Alliance for Young Artists & Writers | Free | virtual | Grades 7–12 | 2026-12-01 |
| [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 |
| [NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ncte-writing-achievement-awards) | National Council of Teachers of English | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-15 |
| [Dow Jones News Fund High School Journalism Workshops](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/dow-jones-news-fund-high-school-journalism-workshops) | Dow Jones News Fund | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 |
| [Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/youth-speaks-spoken-word-slam-poetry) | Youth Speaks | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-poetry-writing-month) | Maureen Thorson / NaPoWriMo.net | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [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 |
| [JCamp High School Journalism](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jcamp-high-school-journalism) | Asian American Journalists Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-11 |
| [Why Mom Deserves a Diamond Writing Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/why-mom-deserves-a-diamond-contest) | Why Mom Deserves a Diamond, Inc. | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-12 |
| [Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/journal-of-emerging-investigators-jei) | JEI (founded by Harvard-trained scientists) | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Teen Ink Magazine Submissions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/teen-ink) | Teen Ink | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/adroit-journal-summer-mentorship) | The Adroit Journal | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 |
| [New York Times STEM Writing Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/new-york-times-stem-writing-contest) | The New York Times | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-15 |
| [Northwestern National High School Institute (Cherubs) - Journalism](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/northwestern-national-high-school-institute-cherubs-journalism) | Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-03-02 |
| [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 |
| [NYT Personal Narrative Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nyt-personal-narrative-contest) | New York Times | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-02 |
| [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 |
| [Richard Wilbur Poetry Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/richard-wilbur-award) | University of Maine at Farmington | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Horizon Academic AI Essay Prize](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/horizon-academic-ai-essay) | Horizon Academic | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-07-13 |
| [Interactive Fiction Competition (IFComp)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/interactive-fiction-competition) | Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-28 |
| [National High School Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/anthropology-essay) | American Anthropological Association | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-18 |
| [Southern Cross Novel Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/southern-cross-novel-challenge) | Southern Cross Education Institute | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [Write Angle Creative Writing Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/write-angle) | Institute of Indian Interior Designers, Calicut Centre | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [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 |
| [Polyphony Lit Magazine](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/polyphony-lit) | Polyphony Lit | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-30 |

## Frequently asked questions

### How many free writing programs are listed for high school students?

ExtracurricularHub currently lists 87 verified free writing opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.

### Are any of these free writing programs free?

Yes — 30 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); National Student Poets Program (August 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.

### How do I get into a free writing program?

Funded programs select on demonstrated interest, not credentials you don't have yet: a short portfolio, a class project, or a clear essay about why this subject beats a stronger application from a student who never says why. Apply to several — free seats fill fast.

## Related pages

- [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free)
- [Writing Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/writing)
- [Free STEM Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free/stem)
- [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars)
- [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit)

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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.