High School Writing Contests Directory 2024–25
Published · Grade band: High School (9–12) · Topic: Writing
Writing competitions for high school students are more numerous than most students realize, and they serve different purposes: some reward finished portfolio work, some reward a single strong piece, some look for authentic personal voice, and some reward critical analysis. This directory focuses on the programs that carry genuine weight with readers beyond the contest itself — including college admissions offices and literary communities.
Verify all deadlines directly with the sponsoring organization before planning your submission calendar. Writing contest deadlines shift more than math contest dates do, and some programs pause or restructure in a given year.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — the gold standard
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the largest and most recognized creative writing program for students in grades 7–12 in the United States, running since 1923. Students submit original work in one or more of twelve writing categories: poetry, short story, personal essay/memoir, novel, science fiction/fantasy, flash fiction, humor, dramatic script, journalism, writing portfolio, and others.
Judging is regional first: students submit to their regional affiliate (administered through Scholastic and local arts organizations), and Gold Key winners from each region advance to national judging. National Gold Medalists in the senior division are recognized at a ceremony in New York. The top writing portfolio honor is the American Voices nomination, which carries meaningful weight with college arts programs.
Regional submission deadlines vary; most fall in December or January for the contest cycle ending in spring. Check the Scholastic website for the affiliate serving your region. The program is competitive at the national level but extremely broad at the regional level — Gold Key at regionals is attainable for a serious high school writer, and even a Silver Key is worth noting on a college application.
NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing — teacher-nominated
The National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards in Writing are unusual: students do not apply themselves. A teacher nominates a student, who then submits a writing sample. This means the award is entirely dependent on having a teacher who knows about it and who thinks of nominating you — which is both its weakness (many strong writers are passed over) and its strength (being selected carries the weight of teacher recognition).
Students who want to be considered for this award should let their English teacher know it exists. Teacher nomination windows typically open in the fall; the deadline has historically fallen in mid-November. Winners are announced in spring.
Bennington Young Writers Awards — the college-program signal
The Bennington Young Writers Awards are offered by Bennington College and cover fiction, nonfiction, and poetry categories for students in grades 9–12. The contest is smaller than Scholastic but carries strong signal in the college writing-program world, particularly for students interested in MFA programs later in their education.
The submission deadline has historically fallen in late November for the following spring’s awards. No entry fee. Finalists and winners receive publication consideration in Bennington’s student-facing literary magazine.
New York Times student contests — high-visibility current writing
The New York Times Learning Network runs several student writing contests annually, targeting different formats: personal narrative, editorial, review, and others. These are not credentials-level competitions but they are high-visibility — winners and finalists are published on the Times Learning Network site and widely shared among educators.
Contest themes rotate throughout the school year; each contest runs for a limited window, typically three to six weeks. The Times publishes each contest’s opening and closing dates on the Learning Network site as they launch — subscribing to the Learning Network newsletter is the most reliable way to catch them.
What admissions offices actually notice
For students applying to selective colleges, writing awards carry different weight depending on context. A national Scholastic Gold Medal in poetry is a genuinely notable credential. A regional Silver Key is real but not remarkable at highly selective schools. An NCTE Achievement Award nomination is distinctive because of the teacher-nomination structure. Bennington and similar college-sponsored awards signal interest in serious literary work.
A practical note: a strong, specific award — even a regional one — is more useful in an application than a list of entries and honorable mentions. Enter widely, but write each piece to be the best thing you’ve written, not to maximize entry count.
Planning your 2024–25 writing contest calendar
- September–October: Prepare Scholastic submission; research your regional affiliate’s specific deadline. Let your English teacher know about NCTE Awards.
- November–December: Scholastic regional deadline window; Bennington submission window; NCTE teacher nomination window.
- January–March: NYT Learning Network contests run throughout the year; watch for specific format launches.
- Spring: Scholastic national results; NCTE winners announced.
About this directory: Meli Review publishes a directory of academic contests for students from primary school through university. Deadline and eligibility information reflects our best research at publication; verify all details with official organizers before submitting. See also: Primary school writing contests.