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Top 35+ Writing and Essay Scholarships

Top 35 Writing & Essay Scholarships In 2024

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Writing and Essay Scholarship is available for you if you’re a writing enthusiast. There are plenty of scholarships available to help you pursue your education. In this blog post, we will list 35 writing essay scholarships that are available in 2024.

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List of Writing and Essay Scholarships Available

These essay scholarships are great opportunities for students who want to use their writing skills to further their education. So if you’re looking for some financial assistance to help you pay for school, be sure to check out the best essay scholarships listed below!

Top 35+ Writing and Essay Scholarships
Top 35+ Writing and Essay Scholarships

1. The Young Authors Writing Contest:

Description:

This is a writing contest for High school students in grades 9-12. Students from all over the country are encouraged to submit their best works of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to the Young Authors Writing Competition. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original writing piece of no more than 750 words.

Eligibility:

It is intended for students in the ninth (or freshman) through the twelfth grades (senior year). The ages range from 14 to 18, but the competition is known to be tolerant if a student is a little older or a little younger!

Amount: 

Complete Tuition

Deadline: The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

2. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Description: 

The scholastic Art and writing essay scholarships are a national writing competition for creative high school students. To enter, students must submit an original writing piece of no more than 2000 words.

Eligibility:

  • Originality of the works submitted: A piece of work that is original is distinct from what has been produced by other people. This indicates that the work was not derived from the original artwork or writing of another person. We recognize that artists and authors may occasionally produce work that makes references to other creators and popular culture in ways that are both original and important; but, to be eligible for an award, a piece of work must be significantly distinct from any source material.
  • Skills: This could be referring to the quality of the work and how it was done, but it could also be referring to other kinds of expertise. Think about problem-solving, critical thinking, or the evolution of an idea. Being empathic is a skill. Being creative is a skill!

Amount:

  • $10, 000

Deadline: The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024

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3. The National Peace Essay Contest

Description: 

The National Peace essay contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12 organized by the United States institute of peace. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. High school juniors and seniors from the 50 states, DC, and territories, as well as U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents studying at an international high school, are welcome to apply even if neither of their parents is a member of the Foreign Service.

Eligibility:

  • To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What Peace Means to Me.”

Amount:

  • $5000

Deadline: The deadline to enter is April 5, 2024.

4. The Fountainhead Essay Contest

Description: 

All high school juniors and seniors from around the world are encouraged to enter the Fountainhead Essay Contest. Essays should be between 800 and 1600 words in length and written entirely in English. Individuals may only submit essays that they have written themselves. Any work found to include plagiarized material will immediately disqualify the writer. The Institute will not consider whether or not it agrees with a student’s viewpoint when evaluating an essay, but rather will evaluate the student’s ability to explain and support that viewpoint. If you want to learn more about this scholarship, you can do so by checking out their website.

Eligibility:

  • Students enrolled in both full and part-time are eligible for this checkbox.
  • High School students only.

Amount:

  • $5,000

Deadline: April 27, 2024

5. The James Baldwin Scholars Program

Description: 

The James Baldwin Scholars Program is open to high school seniors who are planning to attend an accredited four-year college or university. Students must submit an essay on one of three topics related to the life and work of James Baldwin. The first prize is $5,000, with second and third prizes of $2,500 and $1,500 respectively.

Eligibility:

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  • Priority is given to students coming from low-income households
  • You must identify as first-generation (first in your family to attend college and earn a bachelor’s degree)
  • You must be a U.S. permanent resident or a U.S. citizen

Amount:

  • Full tuition for 6 years
  • Accommodation
  • Board (meals)
  • and books.

Deadline: February 1, 2024

6. The Young Patriots Essay Contest

Description: 

Open to students in grades 7-12, the Young Patriots Essay Contest is sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police and offers a first prize of $5,000. To enter, students must write an essay of no more than 500 words on one of three topics related to law enforcement officers.

Eligibility:

  • Any American citizen or lawful resident who is currently a student in grades 6-12, or a recent high school graduate who has never enrolled as a degree-seeking student in any college or university.
  • If you have enrolled in a college course for dual credit during high school, you are still eligible.
  • If you have ever won first place in a previous year’s Young Patriots Essay Contest, you are not eligible to win again.
  • Homeschool students are eligible.
  • American citizens residing abroad are eligible.
  • Non-citizen legal residents are also eligible. International students who do not meet these criteria are not eligible.

Amount:

  • Earn a college scholarship of up to $9,000.
  • Have your essay published on Debate Central.
  • See your essay posted on the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) home page.
  • Have your essay shared with 200,000 NCPA Policy Patriots via email.
  • Have your winning entry sent to your hometown newspapers, radio, and TV.

Deadline: January 1

7. The Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program

Description: 

The Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program is open to high school seniors who are enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university. Students must submit an audio essay on one of three topics related to democracy. The first prize is a $30,000 scholarship, with second and third prizes of $20,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Eligibility:

  • Open to students in grades 9-12 parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools.
  • Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence (the application for which has not been denied) and intends to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law.
  • Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or over, previous Voice of Democracy first-place state winners, and GED or Adult Education Students are ineligible.
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Amount:

  • $35,000

Deadline: October 31, 2024

8. The Bill of Rights Institute Essay Contest

Description: 

Open to students in grades 9-12, the Bill of Rights Institute Essay Contest is sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute and offers a first prize of $3,000. To enter, students must write an essay of no more than 1,000 words on one of three topics related to the Bill of Rights.

9. The Young Playwrights Festival

Description: 

The Young Playwrights Festival is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school.

Eligibility:

  • To enter, students must submit an original play of no more than 10 minutes.
  • live in the United States
  • between the ages of 12-1o
  • have written an original 10-15 page play
  • If you are interested in seeing a play of yours workshopped at the world-renowned Eugene O’Neill Theater Center

Deadline: The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

10. American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) High School Essay Contest

Description: 

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) High School Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What Diplomacy Means to Me.”

Eligibility:

  • Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states.
  • The District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas.
  • Students may be attending a public, private, or parochial school.
  • Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted.
  • Previous first-place winners and immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA and Semester at Sea are not eligible to participate.
  • Previous honourable mention recipients are eligible to enter.

Amount:

  • An all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital from anywhere in the U.S. for the winner and his or her parents, and an all-expense paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea.
  • $2,500 to the writer of the winning essay.

Deadline: The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

11. The National WWII Museum Student Essay Contest

Description:

The National WWII Museum Student Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1500 words on the topic of “Why was the Battle of Normandy Important?”

Eligibility:

  • Must either be in High school sophomore, or High school junior, High school senior, and High school freshman

Amount:

The grand prize winner will get $1,000, the second-place finisher $700, and the third-place finisher $500. The grants are only given out once a year and are not renewed if they are not used. This scholarship provides a total of $750 in financial aid to its recipients.

Deadline: The deadline is December 27, 2024.

12. The Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) Foundation Scholarship Program

Description:

The Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) Foundation Scholarship Program is a writing contest for female high school seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in sports media. To enter, students must submit an original writing piece of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “How I Plan to Cover Women’s Sports.”

Eligibility:

  • High School Students
  • Essay

Deadline: The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

13. The Young Historians Essay Contest

Description:

The Young Historians Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1500 words on the topic of  “The Impact of the American Revolution on My Life.”

Deadline: 22 July 2024.

14. The Holocaust Remembrance Project Essay Contest

Description:

The Holocaust Remembrance Project Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1500 words on the topic of “What Can We Learn from the Holocaust?”

Deadline: The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

15. The American History Essay Contest

Description:

This competition was devised to stimulate young people’s imaginative exploration of the rich history of our country and expose them to a fresh perspective on historical research. Every academic year, a one-of-a-kind essay topic is selected, and instructions for writing it are made available.

Eligibility:

  • Students in grades 5-8 are eligible to enter the contest.
  • Essays are evaluated based on several criteria, including their attention to detail, creativity, thoroughness, organization, clarity, and clarity of thought.
  • If you need more specific information, you can ask your local DAR chapter for it.

Amount:

At the end of each of the four grades, a winner will be chosen who will move on to compete at the state level. The winner of each grade level’s competition at the state level will move on to compete at the divisional level. The champions of each division will move on to compete in the national level competition, where the winners will be revealed. Every National champion will be presented with a medal, a diploma, and a monetary prize.

Deadline: October 26, 2024

16. The National Constitution Center Student Constitution Essay Contest

Description:

The National Constitution Center Student Constitution Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “The United States Constitution: An Enduring Document.”

Amount:

$2500

Deadline: The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

17. The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge Student Essay Contest

Description:

The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge Student Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “The Importance of Freedom.”

Deadline: March 1, 2024

18. The Constitution Day Essay Contest

Description:

The Constitution Day Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1500 words on the topic of  “The Significance of the United States Constitution.”

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Amount: 

$500

Deadline: October 14, 2024

19. We the Students Essay Contest

Description:

We the Students Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What Civic Value Do You Think Is Most Essential to Being an American?”

Eligibility:

  • Students who are enrolled in an educational program in the United States, one of its territories or districts, or an American Armed Forces School Abroad.
  • Students who are in grades 8 -12 attending public, private, religious, or charter schools, or are enrolled in a GED or correspondence school program, or are attending a home school are eligible to participate in this contest.
  • The age limit for participants is 14 years old or older as of the end of the contest period.

Amount:

$7500

Deadline: April 15, 2024

20. The Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest

Description:

The Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “The America I Believe In.”

Eligibility:

  • Students who are currently enrolled in grades 6-8 at a public, private, or parochial school in the United States or its territories, or who are participating in a home study program, are eligible to participate in the Patriot’s Pen program.

Amount:

  • At the national level, each winner of first place in their respective state will get a minimum of $500, and the winner of first place at the national level will receive $5,000!

Deadline: The deadline to enter is December 1, 2024.

Other Essay Scholarships Include:

Essay scholarships in this section includes writing contests for high school students for international students.

21. The Voice of Democracy Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “Is Our Constitution Still Relevant?” The deadline to enter is December 1, 2024.

22. The Out-of-the-Box Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1500 words on the topic of “How I Would Change the World.” The deadline to enter is January 15, 2025.

23. The Rosa Parks Day Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “How Mrs Parks’ Courage Changed America.” The deadline to enter is February 12, 2024.

24. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What Dr King’s Dream Means to Me.” The deadline to enter is January 1, 2025.

25. The Presidents’ Day Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “The Legacy of our Presidents.” The deadline to enter is February 12, 2024.

26. The Black History Month Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “African Americans in the Military.” The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

27. The Women’s History Month Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “Women Who Have Made a Difference.” The deadline to enter is March 1, 2024.

28. The Irish History Month Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “The Irish in America.” The deadline to enter is April 1, 2024.

29. The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “Asian Pacific Americans in the Military.” The deadline to enter is April 1, 2024.

30. The Jewish American Heritage Month Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “Jewish Americans in the Military.” The deadline to enter is May 1, 2024.

31. The Memorial Day Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What Memorial Day Means to Me.” The deadline to enter is May 1, 2024.

32. The Veterans Day Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What Veterans Day Means to Me.” The deadline to enter is November 1, 2024.

33. The Thanksgiving Day Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What Thanksgiving Means to Me.” The deadline to enter is November 1, 2024.

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34. The Presidents’ Day Writing Contest is a writing contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The contest is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a high school. To enter, students must submit an original essay of no more than 1000 words on the topic of “What the Presidency Means to Me.” The deadline to enter is February 1, 2024.

Upcoming Essay Scholarships

Here is a list of other upcoming writing and essay scholarships you can apply to in the coming year. Early applicants have more chance of winning so start preparing and ask for guidiance to write a good essay.

1. Achievement Awards in Writing (NCTE)

  • Eligibility: Juniors in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department (ask your teachers to nominate you if you qualify)
    Amount: No cash award, but incredibly prestigious!
    Opens: November 15, 2022

2. “A Helping Hand” Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Low-income, graduating high school seniors planning on enrolling in community college, career training programs, or four-year colleges/universities in the Fall of 2022 are all eligible. Current college and graduate students who demonstrate financial need may also apply
  • Amount: $500

3. “College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors

  • Eligibility: Graduating Class of 2022 high school seniors entering community college, career training, or four-year colleges/universities
  • Amount: $500

4. Altec Design Web Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Students at any level who respond to the prompt: “How do you foresee the internet changing your chosen career in the next 20 years?”
  • Amount: $750

5. Global Perspectives Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Incoming or current college students who answer the prompt: What kind of global impact project is most critical for you to focus on and why, and what is your plan to make that impact in the next year and beyond?
  • Amount: $1,000

6. “Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship

  • Eligibility: All post secondary students, regardless of the type of training/education they are pursuing
  • Amount: $500

7. Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship

  • Eligibility: High school seniors, college students, community college students, or graduate students who write an essay about cyberbullying
  • Amount: $1,000

8. JASNA Essay Contest (Jane Austen Society of North America)

  • Eligibility: High school, undergrad, or graduate students who write an essay about their appreciation for Jane Austen’s works
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Opens: February 2023

9. $1,000 “Mom to Scholar” Scholarship for Mothers

  • Eligibility: Mothers over the age of 35 either accepted to or attending technical, community, or four-year college/university
  • Amount: $1,000

10. “Gutsy Graduate Student” Essay Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Incoming or current graduate students at every level of their educational journey. This scholarship opportunity is open to students seeking master’s and doctorate degrees as well as graduate certificates
  • Amount: $500

11. “Making Waves” Scholarship for Women

  • Eligibility: Women currently attending high school, college, technical/vocational, or graduate school are eligible to apply
  • Amount: $500

12. My Alarm Center’s Scholarship Program

  • Eligibility: Students pursuing law enforcement, law, criminal justice, or a related field who write an essay about security
  • Amount:$1,000

13. Kaplun Essay Contest

  • Eligibility: Students who are in grades 7 through 12 who submit an essay about their Jewish faith
  • Amount: $500 to $1,800
  • Opens: Late September/October; Deadline: Early-mid March 2023

14. Princeton Prize in Race Relations

  • Eligibility: Open to all high school students who are involved in an activity that promotes positive race relations.
  • Amount: $1,000

15. Race Entry Student Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Open to college students passionate about running
  • Amount: $500
  • Opens: January 1, 2023

16. Platt Family Essay Contest

  • Eligibility: Open to U.S. college students who submit an essay about how memorializing key Civil War figures has changed in the past hundred years
  • Amount: $1,500 (three scholarships are awarded!)

17. Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Essay Contest

  • Eligibility: High school seniors and college students
  • Amount: $3,500 and $5,000

18. Richard G. Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship

  • Eligibility: High school seniors interested in journalism
  • Amount: $5,000

19. “Scholar Dollars” Essay Scholarship for Black Students

  • Eligibility: Black students in their senior year of high school to their last year of graduate school
  • Amount: $500

20. “Tuition Solution” Scholarship for STEM Students

  • Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors (including homeschooled students) planning on enrolling in a community college or four-year colleges/universities to study a STEM field in the Fall of 2022 are all eligible. Current college and graduate students working towards a STEM degree are also eligible
  • Amount: $500

21. Spirit of Giving Scholarship

  • Eligibility: High school seniors and college/graduate students who write an essay on the spirit of giving
  • Amount: $1,000 (three scholarships are awarded!)
  • Opens: October 1, 2022

22. Rodeo Ticket Student Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Open to all college students with an interest in Rodeo
  • Amount: $500
  • Opens: January 1, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions About Writing Scholarships

How much should I write if there is no word limit on the application?

If there is no specific word count requirement for the essay scholarships application, you should attempt to create an essay that is between 400 and 600 words long and submit it as part of your application. You could try to answer it in fewer words than this if the question is very straightforward and straightforward, or you could try to answer it in more words if the subject is complex and has multiple facets. On the other hand, as a general guideline, 400 to 600 words is a reasonable range to aim for when responding to pretty straightforward questions.

Where can I get help proofreading my scholarship essays?

It’s a good idea to enlist a friend or family member to help review your scholarship essays while you write them. Having a friend or colleague read over your essay before turning it in can be the last touch that makes it shine. A high school guidance counsellor might be able to help. Close people in your social circle, including family and friends as well as trusted educators, can be invaluable resources.

Do I have to major in English to earn a writing or essay scholarship?

Not at all! Some of these essay based scholarships may specifically target English majors, while others may have broader eligibility restrictions. Keep in mind that the defining characteristic of an essay or writing scholarship is that it bases its selection solely or primarily on the merits of the applicant’s written submission. That being said, physics, chemistry, computer science, or any other field of study would all be appropriate topics for an essay scholarships application.

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