Virtual & Online Writing Programs for High School Students

Online writing programs — live workshops, mentored magazines, remote masterclasses — put professional feedback within reach of any student with a laptop.

Remote workshops leave a paper trail colleges can verify: published pieces, contest results, a portfolio. Finish each program with something submittable.

70 verified programs match this page; 27 of the featured listings are completely free.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• Commonwealth Jubilee Playwriting Competition — The Royal Commonwealth Society: A youth playwriting competition celebrating the Commonwealth’s Jubilee, inviting short plays from young writers across member countries.
• We the Students Essay Contest — Bill of Rights Institute: Compete in a national essay contest exploring constitutional principles. Open to grades 9-12, this free competition builds writing skills and boosts c
• American Enterprise Institute High School Economics Writing Competition — American Enterprise Institute: Economics essay competition from AEI. Analyze economic policy issues for prizes.
• NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing — National Council of Teachers of English: National writing competition for high school juniors and seniors to showcase creativity and earn recognition. Build skills for college applications an
• Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - Gold Medal Portfolio — Alliance for Young Artists & Writers: Highest honor in Scholastic Awards for exceptional art or writing portfolios. Past winners include Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath.
• Lincoln Forum Scholarship Essay Contest — The Lincoln Forum: Essay contest on Abraham Lincoln and Civil War era. Cash prizes and attendance at annual symposium. Shows historical research and writing excellence.
• Polyphony Lit Magazine — Polyphony Lit: International literary magazine for high school students featuring fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction from emerging writers worldwide.
• Canadian Short Screenplay Competition — Canadian Short Screenplay Competition Inc.: An international contest recognizing outstanding short film screenplays, with prizes, promotion, and industry exposure.
• Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association Essay Competition — Harvard College: International essay competition on economics topics. Winners published in Harvard Economic Review and receive prizes.
• National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) — Maureen Thorson / NaPoWriMo.net: A month‑long, online poetry writing challenge each April inviting writers worldwide to draft a poem a day.
• Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI) — JEI (founded by Harvard-trained scientists): Publish your high school research in a peer-reviewed science journal! Build writing and STEM skills, enhance college applications, and gain hands-on e
• Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship — The Adroit Journal: Highly competitive writing mentorship. Work 1-on-1 with published authors. ~10% acceptance.
• Teen Ink Magazine Submissions — Teen Ink: Submit your creative writing or art to Teen Ink's free online publication. Gain recognition, enhance your portfolio, and stand out on college applicat
• New York Times STEM Writing Contest — The New York Times: Essay contest explaining the importance of STEM topics.
• Ayn Rand Institute Anthem Essay Contest — Ayn Rand Institute: Essay contest on Ayn Rand's Anthem. $2,000 first prize for 9th-10th graders.
• NYT Personal Narrative Essay Contest — New York Times: Enter a national writing competition for high schoolers to craft 600-word personal narratives. Perfect for honing storytelling skills and boosting col
• Richard Wilbur Poetry Award — University of Maine at Farmington: An annual poetry award honoring Richard Wilbur, recognizing outstanding unpublished poems submitted for consideration.
• Horizon Academic AI Essay Prize — Horizon Academic: Compete in a selective AI essay competition for high school students. Build research and writing skills, boost college applications, and explore cutti
• Interactive Fiction Competition (IFComp) — Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation: An annual global competition for creating and playing new works of interactive fiction and text-based games.
• National High School Essay Contest — American Anthropological Association: Explore anthropology in this free essay competition for grades 9-12. Develop writing skills, boost college applications, and showcase your ideas in a
• Slamdance Screenplay Competition (Student Division) — Slamdance Film Festival: Screenplay competition at filmmaker-run festival known for discovering new talent. Winners receive industry recognition and festival access. Alternati
• Why Mom Deserves a Diamond Writing Contest — Why Mom Deserves a Diamond, Inc.: A national writing contest where students write a short essay honoring their mothers for a chance to win a garnet or amethyst gemstone.
• Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Competition — Veterans of Foreign Wars: Patriotic audio essay competition with scholarships.
• Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize in Ethics Essay Contest — Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity: Join a national ethics essay competition for high school seniors to showcase your writing and critical thinking skills. Boost college applications and
• The Concord Review (Publication) — The Concord Review: Publish your high school history research in a prestigious peer-reviewed journal. Enhance writing skills, boost college applications, and gain recogni
• Optimist International Essay Contest — Optimist International: Compete in a virtual essay competition for high school students (grades 9-12) to sharpen writing skills, build your resume, and boost college applicat
• JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest — JFK Library: Essay contest on political courage. $10k first prize. Winners invited to Boston.
• National English Honor Society Writing Contests — NEHS: Writing competitions for NEHS members. Poetry, prose, creative nonfiction.
• Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest — Lune Spark: Annual short story contest for young writers with cash prizes and publication opportunities.
• National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) — National Novel Writing Month: A global challenge each November to draft a 50,000-word novel in 30 days, with special programs supporting teen writers.

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