# John Locke Institute Essay Competition The John Locke Institute Essay Competition is one of the most prestigious international academic writing competitions for high school students, challenging young scholars from around the world to write rigorous, original essays across six disciplines: philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, and theology. Top essays are judged by Oxford academics, and winners are invited to receive their prizes at the John Locke Institute's summer program in Oxford. ## About the John Locke Institute The John Locke Institute is an independent educational organization based in Oxford, England, founded to advance liberal education in the tradition of the great liberal thinkers—including John Locke himself, whose Second Treatise of Government laid the philosophical foundations for modern liberal democracy. The Institute offers summer programs at Oxford, publishes educational resources, and runs its annual essay competition as a global search for the next generation of original thinkers. ## The Essay Competition Each year, the John Locke Institute poses challenging, open-ended questions in six subject areas: **Philosophy**: Questions on the nature of knowledge, ethics, mind, language, or metaphysics **Politics**: Questions on political theory, institutions, democracy, justice, or sovereignty **Economics**: Questions on market design, inequality, development, behavioral economics, or policy **History**: Questions on historical causation, interpretation, or significance **Psychology**: Questions on cognition, behavior, social psychology, or mental health policy **Theology**: Questions on faith, reason, ethics, or religious philosophy Students choose one question in one subject and write an essay of 2,000 words or fewer making an argument in response. Essays are not summaries or research papers—they are arguments, and they are judged primarily on the quality of reasoning, originality, and philosophical depth. ## What Makes a Strong Entry? John Locke Institute judges—Oxford academics and practitioners in each field—look for essays that: - Make a clear, defensible thesis - Engage honestly with counterarguments - Use evidence and examples precisely (not decoratively) - Demonstrate original thinking, not just recall of received views - Are written with clarity and intellectual humility The competition explicitly rewards students who challenge conventional wisdom with well-reasoned arguments, not those who parrot mainstream positions. ## Awards **First Prize**: Oxford experience prize (invitations to JLI's summer program in Oxford, UK); award certificates and recognition **Runner-Up and Honorable Mention**: Recognition on JLI's website and award certificates The prestige of the competition comes not from large cash prizes but from the quality of the competition and the credibility of the judges. Winning the John Locke Essay Competition is recognized internationally as a mark of genuine intellectual ability. ## Eligibility The competition is open to **all high school students worldwide** (ages 18 and under at the competition deadline). There is no entry fee. Both domestic and international students are eligible. ## Application Timeline The competition opens in **January** and closes in **June**. Essays are submitted through the JLI website. Results are announced in **September**. ## College Application Value The John Locke Essay Competition is exceptionally well regarded at Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL, and increasingly at top American liberal arts colleges and research universities. Winning or placing in this competition—especially in philosophy or politics—is a genuinely prestigious academic credential. Many winners have gone on to study PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) at Oxford or attend top law and graduate schools worldwide. For American students applying to highly selective colleges, placing in the John Locke competition signals the kind of deep academic engagement that distinguishes applicants at the margin of admission.