Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards
Catalog organization: Penguin Random House / We Need Diverse Books
Compiled by: ExtracurricularHub Editorial Team — editorial policy
Last updated
Researched Aug 22, 2026
What Is Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards?
Penguin Random House and We Need Diverse Books recognize original writing by seniors at U.S. public high schools. In 2026, six first-place students each received a $10,000 college scholarship: the Chinua Achebe Award for Freedom of Expression, Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry, Maya Angelou Award for Spoken Word, Michelle Obama Award for Memoir, James Baldwin Award for Fiction, and a top NYC-area entrant award. Eighty-two honorable mentions received creativity kits.
The 2026 cycle opened October 1, 2025 and closed January 15, 2026 or when 1,000 applications were received, whichever came first. Applicants had to be current public-high-school seniors in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. territories and plan to attend college in fall 2026. More than 1,000 students from over 900 schools entered.
Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards Key Facts: Cost, Deadline, and Eligibility
| Cost | Varies — see Cost and funding |
|---|---|
| Format | Online |
| Eligibility | Grade 12 |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced — researched August 22, 2026 |
| Listing last updated | August 30, 2026 |
Program details shown here reflect the current catalog record.
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How to Apply to Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards
Open the application for Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards