Royal Geographical Society × Financial Times School Essay Competition 2026
Rated Expert, This international school geography competition asks students to develop an evidence-led response to the 2026 migration question. It is free for eligible 16-18-year-old geography students, with each entry uploaded by a teacher before the deadline. The main challenge is combining current evidence, geographical analysis and independent judgement in a concise essay or StoryMap.
Verified information
Competition details can change. Always confirm dates, eligibility and entry requirements on the official organiser's website.
Official website ↗OVERALL COMPETITION LEVEL
Expert Level
6 evaluation dimensions have source-backed automatic scores; 0 dimensions need conflict review.
Competition overview
Key information
Eligible ages
16–18
School level
Sixth-form geography students aged 16-18 in the final two school years, in the UK and overseas
Registration method
School Only
Competition stages
One submitted essay or open-access ArcGIS StoryMap; winner and highly commended entries selected by a judging panel
Fee
Free
Online / in-person
Online
Dates
Competition timeline
Registration opens
Not yet announced by the organiser
Registration closes
9 Nov 2026
Competition starts
Not yet announced by the organiser
Competition ends
Not yet announced by the organiser
Editorial perspective
Our Take
The Royal Geographical Society runs the School Essay Competition in partnership with the Financial Times. It is a strong fit for students who enjoy geography as an argument rather than a memory exercise: the task rewards careful selection of evidence, a clear line of reasoning and the discipline to reach a conclusion within a tight format. That combination makes it useful for developing research and writing habits, but it is less suitable for someone hoping to assemble a polished entry in one hurried sitting. The prompt gives entrants room to choose evidence and examples, yet that freedom is also the central difficulty. A successful response needs a controlled scope, a logical structure and enough time to test whether each source genuinely supports the argument. Preparation should therefore focus on thinking and revision, not on decorative presentation or collecting the largest possible number of facts.
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