Explore student competitions.

QUICK SUMMARY

An international poetry competition where young writers submit original poems in English. Open to poets aged 11–17 worldwide. Rated Intermediate Level, with difficulty mainly coming from originality, poetic craft and highly competitive international judging.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, Stone Soup’s current annual contest recognises original novels and long-form fiction, with accepted online work considered for possible print-book publication. Writers aged 18 or younger submit in English with parent or guardian authorization; the current contest requires at least 8,000 words. The main challenge is sustaining a coherent, original work across substantial length and first meeting Stone Soup’s editorial publication standard.

QUICK SUMMARY

An international public speaking competition where national champions deliver a prepared speech on an annual theme. Open to students aged 16–20 who qualify through an ESU-recognised competition in their country or region. Rated Expert Level, with difficulty mainly coming from national selection, persuasive delivery and high-level international judging.

QUICK SUMMARY

An England and Wales debating competition where school teams argue for or against motions on current and controversial issues. Open to students aged 11–18 in Years 7–13, with one team of three speakers representing each school. Rated Advanced Level, with difficulty mainly coming from argument construction, rebuttal, teamwork and competitive multi-round judging.

QUICK SUMMARY

An England and Wales public speaking competition where school teams take on the roles of speaker, chairperson and questioner. Open to students aged 13–16 in Years 9–11 at schools in England and Wales. Rated Intermediate Level, with difficulty mainly coming from speech delivery, questioning, teamwork and quick thinking.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, An all-island school poetry-speaking competition run by the National Library of Ireland and Poetry Ireland, with three age categories and a national final. Post-primary students resident on the island of Ireland enter through a teacher; categories align to school years. Contestants memorise and interpret a prescribed and a chosen poem, performing both through regional heats and later rounds.

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Rated Expert, IPPF is unusual among debate contests because most of the tournament unfolds through researched written exchanges before the final eight teams meet for live debates in New York. Teams of three to six full-time high-school students may enter internationally through a school or homeschool route. The long season demands research depth, precise citation, collaborative writing, sustained rebuttal, and oral advocacy if the team reaches the finals.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, this bilingual haiku competition is for post-primary students across Irish year groups, with entries accepted in English or Irish through the published school or individual route. Entrants submit concise original poems for adjudication and celebration. The challenge is using precise imagery, rhythm and restraint to create meaning within the compact haiku form.

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A global academic essay competition where students answer a set question in subjects such as politics, economics, history, philosophy or law. Open to individual students under 19 worldwide. Rated Expert Level, with difficulty mainly coming from independent research, original argumentation and highly competitive international judging.

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Rated Beginner, this free UK poetry competition is for children attending nursery or preschool settings, with entries submitted through their setting. Children create a first poem for judging, possible publication and prizes. The main challenge is helping very young writers express an original idea in their own words while keeping the activity playful and age appropriate.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, this online writing competition is for students aged 13–18 who submit an original blog-style response through the published individual entry route. Entrants should verify the live topic and rules before writing. The main challenge is presenting a focused idea with clear structure, engaging evidence and an accessible voice for a general reader.