# 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 free; 30 can be done online.

## Programs (70 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page)

| Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Commonwealth Jubilee Playwriting Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/commonwealth-jubilee-play-competition) | The Royal Commonwealth Society | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [Polyphony Lit Magazine](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/polyphony-lit) | Polyphony Lit | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-30 |
| [Canadian Short Screenplay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-canadian-short-screenplay-competition) | Canadian Short Screenplay Competition Inc. | $35 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-02 |
| [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 |
| [National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-poetry-writing-month) | Maureen Thorson / NaPoWriMo.net | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [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 |
| [Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/adroit-journal-summer-mentorship) | The Adroit Journal | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-01 |
| [Teen Ink Magazine Submissions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/teen-ink) | Teen Ink | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [Slamdance Screenplay Competition (Student Division)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/slamdance-screenplay-competition-student-division) | Slamdance Film Festival | $45 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-15 |
| [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 |
| [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 |
| [The Concord Review (Publication)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-concord-review-publication) | The Concord Review | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-01 |
| [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 |
| [National English Honor Society Writing Contests](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-english-honor-society-writing-contests) | NEHS | $15 | virtual | Grades 10–12 | 2027-04-01 |
| [Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lune-spark-young-writers-short-story-contest) | Lune Spark | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-novel-writing-month) | National Novel Writing Month | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |

## Frequently asked questions

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

ExtracurricularHub currently lists 70 verified online writing opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.

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

Yes — 27 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); The Concord Review (Publication) (August 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.

### Are online writing programs worth it for college applications?

What matters is verifiable output — a project, publication, competition result, or research paper. Online programs that produce one count exactly like their in-person versions, and they show initiative when local options are thin.

## Related pages

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

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Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virtual/writing
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.