essay writing competitions in uganda 2023

Help Us Track Your Inquiry

Nb: after filling this form, you will be redirect to make your payment. after making the payment, you will redirected to our agents to handle your inquiry swiftly, connecting you..., institution, career professional, i need help with, career selection & planning.

Find your best-fit career, stream, course or college through advanced assessments and expert guidance.

college applications

Get admits from your dream colleges through end-to-end applications guidance for overseas and liberal arts universities.

I am interested in

Career development programs.

State-of-the-art career assessments, expert guidance, and more to help students plan their career paths.

Career Advancement Programs

Expert-led MUN training programs, inspirational career talks and more to help students get that added edge.

Getting Certified (ICCC)

Become an International Certified Career Coach through a multi-level credentialing program by Mindler & CDA (USA).

Partnering with Mindler

Expand and grow your career counselling practice by leveraging the full force of Mindler’s career guidance platform.

Ready to discover your perfect career?

Enter your email id to take the orientation style test for free., career counselling programs.

Advanced assessment & personalised guidance to help you select the perfect stream and subjects that align you to the right careers.

Class 10-12

Expert guidance & 5-dimensional assessment to help you discover your perfect career and choose the right course and college.

5-dimensional assessment & superior guidance to help you discover your perfect career and choose the best next step.

Thank you for contacting us!

One of our team members will respond in 2 working days to resolve your query. If your query is urgent, you can alternatively call our career helpline.

Ready to pave your way to your dream college?

Leave your details below and we will get in touch shortly., college application programs, overseas application.

End-to-end overseas admissions guidance to help you build the perfect applications for your target universities.

Liberal Arts Application

Comprehensive guidance and personalised application development for admissions to Liberal Arts programs.

Ready to give students the best of career guidance?

Career development & planning ecosystem.

State-of-the-art assessment & end-to-end career guidance to help students discover their perfect career.

Ready to give your students the added edge?

Mun training program.

Expert-led training and comprehensive guidance sessions to help students excel at MUN conferences.

Mindler Talks

Career awareness and inspirational talks for students with professionals who have achieved success in their fields.

Ready to upgrade your career counselling skills?

Enter your email id to start your iccc application., international certified career coach (iccc).

A 3-month program with emphasis on global practices, experiential learning & career guidance tools.

Ready to grow as a counsellor?

Mindler partner program.

World-class career assessment platform & tools to help you scale up your career counselling practice.

Breaking News

• Sunbird AI Student Internship Program ... Read More
• Sunbird AI Fellows Program ... Read More
• Call for Applications for MOTIV Media Academy ... Read More
• Ground Breaker Full time Scholarship for girls to study Software Engineering ... Read More
• AU Digital and Innovation Fellowship - Cohort 2 ... Read More
• Apply to Women Institute of Technology and Innovation for 2024 Intake (Fully Funded) ... Read More
• Higher Education Students Financing Board Call for Student's Loan Application for AY 2023-2024 ... Read More
• Government Allied Health Training Institutions in Uganda ... Read More
• Government Nursing and Midwifery Training Institutions offering Diploma and Certificate Programs ... Read More
• Ministry of Education and Sports Mauritius - Africa Scholarship Scheme 2024 Edition ... Read More

From the Classroom

To the Courses

To the Careers

Impact of Certified Public Accountants in Uganda

Meet Welline Rebecca, a 22 year old who repairs welding transformers

2024 NSSF Career Expo

Meet Diana Acheng, The Aeronautical Information Officer at Entebbe Airport

Finance, Budgeting and Taxation

Education and Training

Health Science

Transportation, Distribution and Logistics

Subject Selector

Course Finder

Compare Courses

Career Path Discovery

Makerere University

Kyambogo University

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Gulu University

2024 HiPipo Women in FinTech Magazine

The rise of global digital jobs, career guidance for girls interested in architecture by dr assumpata nnaggenda musana, information on public universities admissions for 2024-2025 academic year.

• National Essay Competition 2023 for Secondary School Students - Student Hub Uganda

Help Us Track Your Application

National essay competition 2023 for secondary school students.

Deadline 22nd September 2023

UBA Uganda through the  UBA Foundation launched the National Essay Competition, targeted at senior secondary students. UBA Uganda through the UBA foundation launched the National Essay Competition (NEC). The National Essay competition is an education program introduced by the bank to equip students with good communication skills to position them for success in the professional world. The National Essay competition provides a competitive platform to develop the intellectual and writing abilities of senior secondary school students in Uganda.

Essay Topic:

The world is currently faced with challenges of global warming as a result of industrialization and gas emissions which negatively impact the climate and environment. How can Uganda contain these adverse impacts on the climate?

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a secondary school student.
• Essays must be handwritten (750 words max).
• Must submit a copy of the National ID or School ID or Passport.
• Submit complete contact information for the school or parent.
• Attach your Passport Photo

Selection procedure:

• Entries received for the competition will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges made up of professors from reputable Ugandan Universities, who will then shortlist 10 essays for further assessment.
• Following this, a second round of competition will involve the 12 finalists who will write a second supervised essay from which three best essays will be selected as the overall winners from the 12 finalists emerged from the first round of the competition

How to submit for UBA National Essay Competition 2023

Essays should be submitted at the UBA Head Office or any UBA Branch closest to you.

Submission Deadline:  22nd September 2023

Top courses currently admitting for january 2024, bachelor of criminal justice.

Nkumba University

Diploma in Criminal Justice

Bachelors of records and information management, bachelor of science in agriculture.

Busitema University

Bachelor of Science in Environment Management

Leave a reply, advertisement, courses admitting now, certificate in library & information science.

Ndejje University

Bachelor of Taxation Management

Diploma in business computing.

Datamine Technical Business School

Bachelor of Commerce

Lira University

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Mountain of the Moon University

In other News

Don't let your career dreams wait. Join our Career Mentorship Program

We are Building!

Help Youth Rising Build a Modern Library and Skills Center.

About Uganda Youth Writing Competition

Uganda Youth Essay Competition is a program of Youth Rising International that seeks to empower young people in Uganda to express their views through writing. The program focuses on putting views, ideals and opinions of young people at the forefront through writing challenges.

• PARTICIPATE IN THE ESSAY COMPETITION

01: Overview

In this age of social media where information sharing has been reduced to 2 lines of tweet, the institute also aims at sharpening young people’s writing skills by subjecting them to descriptive, exploratory and creative writing challenges.

We therefore believe the competition will bring out the ability within students to think quickly, write persuasively and present well-connected ideas while presenting well-connected ideas in a compact fashion.

The ultimate goal is to spark  “critical thinking”  and build the next generation of leaders that write with brevity, creativity, language, and unique personal style.

The writing challenges are open to  Ugandan aspiring writers who are between aged 12–25 years, or in grades Primary 5 – Primary 7, Senior one to Senior Six, or University students. Each challenge is open for a specific period of time that the writer can use to gather their thoughts, write and submit a 500 word essay. We encourage primary and high school students to work with their teachers and integrate writing challenges into their daily teaching schedules.

• SUPPORT YOUTH ESSAY AWARDS

Uganda Youth Essay Competition a program that seeks to empower young people in Uganda to express their views through writing. The program focuses on putting views, ideals and opinions of young people at the forefront through writing challenges.

01. National Winner

– UGX 50,000

– Essay Published in national News Paper

– Social Media mentions

02. Honorable Mentions

There will be 2 honorable mentions and each will receive up to 25,000 UGX cash prizes, The essays will be published on our website and social media channels.

03. Annual Challenges Winner

Essay winners receive certificates and cash prizes. 

• SEE PREVIOUS WINNERS

Annual Challenges Winner

Every December, we award the National All Challenges Winner with a Tablet. To qualify for the annual award, you must have participated in at least 6 challenges and. The Writing Institute picks 5 top essays from the year and submits them to the judges who choose the essay of the year.

The winning essay takes the Annual All Challenges prize and his/her essay is published on social media and national newspapers.

Annual Literary Magazine

The Annual Literary Magazine is a collection of the top 50 – 200 essays of the year. These are collected from each challenge and published in December. This is another great opportunity to have your writings featured.

• BROWSE CURRENT CHALLENGES

Youth Rising Writing Institute formulates its essays questions mostly around national and world issues. Essay challenges are designed focus to highlight and celebrate such issues on international days of observation. We also organize special challenges that may fall out of our regular calendar. Such challenges are sponsored by different partners.

Topic Categories

• Business and Entrepreneurship
• Environment and Climate Change
• Health and Wellness (COVID-19, HIV/AIDS), Malaria, SRHR, NTDs, etc.)
• History and Politics
• Human Rights
• Social Issues (WASH, Education, Youth Development)
• Traditional Folktales 

• See All Rules and Regulations

01. Registration

Entrants can enter in any challenge but can only submit one entry per challenge.

02. Submission

Essays must be submitted through the official PDF form following clear steps posted on each challenge page.

All submissions must be received before the deadline stated for each challenge.

Each essay must be written and submitted by a single author being the student without any co-authorship from another individual.

03. Communication

All communication with the entrant will be by email. It is the responsibility of the entrant to check their email address in order to receive further communications from Youth Rising Writing Institute

Joel Ankunda

Joel is currently an Associate at Shonubi Musoke and Co. Advocates. He is a Human Rights Lawyer and the founder of “Justice Behind Bars” an initiative geared towards helping inmates who can’t afford Lawyers get access justice through legal representation.

Prossy Kawala

Prossy is a Media and Community Solutions expert with profound knowledge and skills in developing and promoting meaningful initiatives for community transformation and development. She co-founded the Center for Media Literacy and Community Development – CEMCOD,

George Ocen

George is a prolific essay writer. In the past, he has won the East African Community Students’ Essay Writing Competition (2009); the Makerere Law Society Legal Writing Contest (2015); and the LEX: LEAD international writing scholarship.

Want to be a Judge?

Join our growing community of judges and help us discover the next Shakespeare. We recruit judges all year round and they voluntarily spend not more than 5 hours of their time every month reading 10-20 one-page essays. That is all the commitment we ask for. Nothing else. Now if you are the one, fill out the form below and we will get back to you with the next steps.

Youth Author In Residence 2023

Every year, Youth Rising International selects distinguished young people to work as authors and writers in residence to support the writing institute. Most Authors in Residence are previous essay winners and their role is to continue contributing to various writing challenge topics. 

DOuglas Kimumwe

High school student and youth fellow.

• Learn More about Douglas Kimumwe

Douglas Kimumwe

Who is douglas.

Douglas is a published author and an A Level Student at Seroma Christian High School. 

What does he do?

During his holidays he participates in creating youth writing challenges, blogging about various issues, and maintaining social media pages. 

How do I become an Author in Residence?

To become an Author in Residence, apply to Uganda Youth Essay Writing Competitions. The judges usually determine who they want to become an Author in Residence depending on the quality submissions.

Participate in uganda essay competition CONTACT US

Program impact, subsribe to our newsletter.

Stay in touch with us to get latest news and special offers.

Kanyerezi House, Mpumu-Salaama

Call / WhatsApp Us

+256 705 003 113

[email protected]

Unicaf Scholarships offer students the opportunity to further their education with affordable, high-quality degrees

• Global Network
• Recognition, Accreditation and Memberships

Study through Unicaf with one of its partner universities

• University Partners
• Programme Finder
• Professional Courses
• Graduation Ceremonies
• Online Experience
• On-campus Teaching
• Student Testimonials
• Global Organisation
• Our Faculty
• Programme Advising
• News & Events
• Unicaf in 5 Minutes
• Events Calendar
• The Unicaf Mobile App
• Virtual Learning Environment
• Online Learning

Amazing Opportunity to earn a Scholarship

• Apply For A Unicaf Scholarship
• Scholarship
• Unicaf Referral Programme
• Corporate Scholarship Scheme

Research with us

• Research Agenda
• Research Centres Unicaf Research and Innovation Centre in Zambia Research Centre in Malawi
• Research Groups
• Research Newsletter
• Unicaf Online Journal
• Conferences Unicaf University Graduate Conference (UGraC) Unicaf Master’s Conference (UMC) Unicaf University National Symposium on Dementia in Zambia
• Thesis Publications
• Publications Staff Students/Alumni
• Scholarships
• Research Centres
• Unicaf Research and Innovation Centre in Zambia
• Research Centre in Malawi
• Conferences
• Unicaf University Graduate Conference (UGraC)
• Unicaf Master’s Conference (UMC)
• Unicaf University National Symposium on Dementia in Zambia
• Publications
• Students/Alumni
• Français ( French )

How can we help?

Uganda - essay competition.

Unicaf University is proud to announce an essay competition, endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Sports, targeting final year students in both private and public schools across the country. This competition aims to challenge high school students through creative writing to describe their perceived Pearl that is Uganda.

The topic of the essay competition is “The Pearl Reimagined: A Visual Tour Through Uganda’s Stunning Landscapes.” Students have an opportunity to reference their travels across the different parts of Uganda and describe their memorable experiences in any of the local tourist sites.

The five winners of the competition will be chosen by a panel of judges. The prizes are as follows:

• 1st winner : Full scholarship plus 150 USD plus a Tablet
• 2nd winner : Full scholarship plus 100 USD plus a Tablet
• 3rd winner : 90% scholarship plus 100 USD plus a Tablet
• 4th winner : 100 USD
• 5th winner : 100 USD

The top 3 participating schools will also win a cash prize.

Competition Rules:

• Essays must be written in the English language
• Essays must not exceed 500 words
• Essays must use 1.5 spacing, size 12 fonts, Times New Roman

Submissions MUST include the following information:

• Name of student
• Name of school
• Address of school
• Telephone number of school (if available)
• Email address of school (if available)
• Name and telephone number of parent/guardian

We encourage all final year students in both private and public sectors to participate in this competition and showcase their writing skills while highlighting the beauty of Uganda.

Submissions must be emailed to [email protected] before the set deadline of 30th of June, 2023

For more information call +256 771 976 750 and Toll Free – +256 323 001 923

Privacy Overview

• Deadline Approaching
• Conferences
• Masters/Post Graduate
• PhD/Post Doctoral
• Summer School/Winter School
• Undergraduate
• Exchange Programs
• Fellowships
• Internships
• Miscellaneous
• Post an Opportunity

UNESCO Youth Essay Contest 2023

• Deadline January 20, 2023
• Region kenya

• Partially Funded
• Nairobi, Kenya

UNESCO calls for essays engaging with young researchers to enable intercultural dialogue.

UNESCO remains committed to meaningful youth engagement, with youth embraced by the Organization as both beneficiaries and key partners in co-shaping and co-delivery its mandate to build peace in the minds of women and men. This call for Essays reaffirms the importance of youth voices and agency, and reiterates the value UNESCO attaches to Youth-led knowledge production, their innovative ideas and thoughts to advance mutual understanding and peacebuilding.

Through this intellectual challenge, you are invited to: • Read UNESCO Global Report on We Need to Talk: Measuring lntercultural Dialogue for Peace and Inclusion; • Demonstrate understanding through use in your Essay of any one or more of the nine (09) structural and principle domains of the Framework mentioned in section 2 above; • Using the Framework, present concrete examples from your context of how absence of dialogue, exclusion, discrimination, marginalization and others factors impede better understanding and sustainable peace at community, national or regional levels; • Formulate clear recommendations that looks into structures, values, behaviours, and processes needed for dialogues to work as an instrument for enhancing social inclusivity and building/sustaining peace in East Africa. You may want to focus on and address any one or more of issues such as: Misunderstandings based on racial, ethnic, cultural or religious/belief differences, etc.; intolerance, marginalization or discriminations due to disability, sexual orientation, belonging to a minority group, hate speech, etc. inequalities and divisions rooted in political, economic, or social disparities, etc.

Recognizing the potential for lntercultural Dialogue and the need for better data in this area to effectively tackle pressing global issues, UNESCO has developed the UNESCO Framework for Enabling lntercultural Dialogue in partnership with the Institute for Economics and Peace. Including data from over 160 countries1 the Framework serves as a guide on how best to improve the structures1 values and processes that enable lntercultural Dialogue.

• The best three (03) essays: A round trip from home country to participate in the UNESCO Regional Launch event in Nairobi, Kenya, including accommodation; a UNESCO Certificate; opportunity to make a presentation of the essay during a dedicated session of the Launch event; publication of the Essay on the UNESCO Website; Hard copy of UNESCO publications “We Need to Talk: Measuring lntercultural Dialogue for Peace and Inclusion” (2022).
• From the 4th to 20th best Essays: A UNESCO Certificate of participation; Opportunity to participate online and contribute to the event; publication of the Essay on the UNESCO Website.

Eligibilities

• Eligibility: Be a young researchers or young experts aged between 18 – 35, and a national from any of the 13 Member States covered by the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda).

• Language: The essay can be submitted in English or French

•Novelty/Innovation: Essays must be original, innovative and unpublished. Already published works as well as plagiarized entries will be disqualified. If you use quotations, please include the reference at the bottom of the essay (references are not included in the word count).

• Style and Format: The essay may be in academic, literary, dissertation style, and must be typed and contain a title. It should be submitted in PDF or MS Word. Font: Arial; Font Size: 12; Line and Paragraph spacing: 1.5, Word Count: 1500 – 2500 words maximum

• Copyrights: Participants are invited to transfer copyright of the contested essays to the organizer (UNESCO), through signing of an Authorization Form that MUST be submitted alongside the Essay. This will allow relevant use as well as publication of selected pieces.

Application Process

• All applications must be sent to [email protected] and [email protected] and c.c. to hc.ngandeu-ngatta.unesco.org, with the Subject: UNESCO Essay Contest-We Need to Talk, and should be submitted by 20 January 2023 20:59 p.m.
• Authors must also fill, sign, and return an Authorization Form, alongside their submission.

Application Deadline: January 20, 2023

For Further Queries

Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarship 2024

UN Young Leaders Training Programme 2024

Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship 2024

Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer Research Grant 2024

Explore Scholarships For Young Women 2024

Keep connected.

Youth Opportunities is the largest opportunities discovery platform for youth across the globe.

© 2024 Youth Opportunities

Youth Opportunities

• Local Networks
• Promote Program

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?

• Undergraduate
• Short Courses
• Online Courses
• Masters/Postgraduate
• Postdoctoral
• Study in Africa
• Study in Asia
• Study in Australia
• Study in Europe
• Study in USA
• Fellowships
• Internships
• Volunteering
• OD Live Series
• Young Person of the Month
• Success Stories
• General Tips
• ODIC 2023 Application
• ODIC Judges
• ODIC 2022 Winners
• ODIC 2021 Winners
• ODIC 2019 Winners
• ODIC 2018 Winners
• ODIC 2017 Winners
• ODIC 2016 Winners
• Australia and Oceania

Youth Rising International Day of Education Essay Challenge 2023 for Ugandans

Deadline: January 22, 2023

Applications are open for the Youth Rising International Day of Education Essay Challenge 2023 . Are you a Ugandan aspiring writer who is 12–23 years old or in grades Primary 6 – Primary 7, Senior one to Senior Six, or a University student?

Apply to participate in the monthly essay competitions and stand a chance to win cash prizes, gift hampers, and a chance for your essay(s) to be featured in the annual literary magazine.

Challenge Question

Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind. The fifth International Day of Education will be celebrated on 24 January 2023 under the theme “to invest in people, prioritize education”. Building on the global momentum generated by the UN Transforming Education Summit in September 2022, this year’s Day will call for maintaining strong political mobilization around education and chart the way to translate commitments and global initiatives into action. Education must be prioritized to accelerate progress towards all the Sustainable Development Goals against the backdrop of a global recession, growing inequalities and the climate crisis.

In not more than 500 words, narrate how education has influenced your community and how Uganda can further prioritize education of the citizens.

Eligibility

• Open to youth who are citizens of Uganda and are resident in the country.
• Applicant should be 12–23 years old or in grades Primary 6 – Primary 7, Senior one to Senior Six, or a University student.

Application

They recommend that you take your time to develop your submission in Microsoft Word before you paste it into the application form.

Develop your essay as a one-page, not more than 500 words, Times New Roman, Size 12, single-spaced, and justified. After you have completed your essay, you will be able to copy it and paste it into the PDF application form .

The winning essays are published on the Youth Rising website and social media sites. Winners are contacted by email and phone.

For more information, visit Youth Rising .

Jude Ogar is an educator and youth development practitioner with years of experience working in the education and youth development space. He is passionate about the development of youth in Africa.

Related Posts

Mastercard foundation scholars program at the university of gondar 2024/2025 for ethiopians (fully-funded), cavendish arts science fellowship 2024 at girton college (£10,000 stipend), prince claus fund & creative industries fund nl building beyond mentorship programme 2024 (up to €10,000).

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Essay Writing Competition

Posted in Education, Science & Technology

Since its inception following the directive of the 9 th Meeting of the Council of Ministers in 2004, the EAC Essay Writing Competition has been a cornerstone activity fostering intellectual engagement among secondary school students across the East African Community. Directed by the Education, Culture, and Sports Committee, and supported by the EAC Secretariat and Partner States’ Ministries of Education, this competition has emerged as a platform for nurturing young minds and promoting regional integration.

The inaugural winners of the EAC Essay Writing Competition were honored during the 6 th Summit of the EAC Heads of State in November 2004, marking the beginning of a tradition where outstanding student voices are recognized at the highest level of EAC leadership. Since then, this prestigious award has become a regular agenda item at Ordinary Summits, underscoring its significance in the EAC's educational and integration endeavors.

At the heart of the EAC Essay Writing Competition lies the opportunity for secondary school students to delve into contemporary regional developments and articulate their perspectives on how these developments impact EAC regional integration. Through essays ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 words, students express their insights in English, French, or Kiswahili, showcasing linguistic diversity and cultural richness within the EAC.

2023 Essay Writing Competition

Theme: " Promoting Development and Integration through Sports and Games "

The 2023 theme invites participants to explore the role of sports and games in advancing both development and integration within the East African Community. This timely topic encourages students to reflect on the potential of sports as a catalyst for social cohesion, economic empowerment, and cross-border collaboration, thus contributing to the overarching goals of the EAC.

As the EAC continues to foster dialogue and critical thinking among the youth in the region, secondary school students from across the EAC are invited to participate in the 2023 Essay Writing Competition. An opportunity for the voices of the youth to be heard as we collectively envision a more integrated and prosperous East Africa.

East African Community EAC Close Afrika Mashariki Road P.O. Box 1096 Arusha United Republic of Tanzania Tel: +255 (0)27 216 2100 Fax: +255 (0)27 216 2190 Email: [email protected]

Quick guide:.

• Travelling within the EAC
• Studying in the EA region
• Working in the EA region
• Investing in the EA region
• Visiting the EAC HQ

Opportunities:

• Employment at EAC
• Consultancies
• Procurement
• EAC e-Procurement Portal
• Opportunities, Scholarships & Grants
• Kiswahili Mobility Programme

Tools & Services:

• EAC Trade Helpdesk
• EAC Reports Database
• EAC Information Repository
• EAC Data Portal
• EAC e-Library
• Staff Login
• Calendar of Activities Oct 2023 - Jun 2024

Help & Support:

• EAC Customer Service Charter
• Malpractice Statement
• Commitment to AF Policy
• Quality Policy Statement
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Request Information
• Customs Union
• Common Market
• Monetary Union
• Political Federaton
• Press Releases
• Calendar of Events
• Visiting the EAC
• Media Contacts
• Overview of EAC
• EAC Quick Facts
• EAC Partner States
• The Secretariat
• EAC Institutions
• EAC Leadership
• EAC History
• Key Documents
• EAC Emblems
• Opportunities at EAC
• E-RESOURCES
• REGIONAL STATISTICS

Winners of Unicaf University’s essay writing competition announced

Five exceptional students from Greenhill Academy, Buddo SS and St.Henry’s College Kitovu have been declared winners of this year’s Unicaf University’s secondary school essay writing competition .

Mohammed Shabir from Greenhill Academy got a full scholarship at Unicaf University, $150 and a tablet, Janet Kisaakye(Buddo SS) got a full scholarship,  $100 and a tablet, Hakim Katamba( Buddo SS) got a scholarship, $100 and a tablet, Gilbert Kyamaanyi( St.Henry’s College Kitovu) $100 and Buyungo Sebastian Amani (St. Henry's College Kitovu) $100 were on Friday declared winners of the essay writing competition at a ceremony held at Serena Hotel in Kampala.

Keep Reading

• > Govt yet to get shares in pharma it is funding
• > Uganda readies to present report on SDGs implementation progress to UN
• > Participation of girls in ICT will help bridge digital divide, says PS Zawedde
• > NSSF to challenge order to recall its Lubowa land title

The pearl reimagined: A visual tour through Uganda's stunning landscapes” essay writing competition endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Sports was aimed at igniting creativity, critical thinking, and a profound appreciation for Uganda's breathtaking natural beauty among the country's young talents.

“The essay competition elicited an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from students across various schools in Uganda as participants were encouraged to showcase their unique visions of Uganda's awe-inspiring landscapes, using their creative flair to narrate captivating visual stories. The competition provided a platform for students to express their artistic talents while competing for remarkable rewards and recognition,” Professor George William Nasinyama, the Unicaf University Vice Chancellor said.

“Tourism is one of the sectors promoted in the country because it is a big forex earner. We therefore deliberately asked learners to write essays about the sector.”

He said that community engagements make universities relevant in the communities they serve and that the essay writing competition was such.

He said all secondary schools in the country were invited to participate and at the end, a panel of distinguished internal and external commissioners, comprising accomplished educators, writers, and professionals, meticulously evaluated each submission to identify the most exceptional talents.

Reader's Comments

Popular this week, deputy speaker tayebwa commends gov't's multi-billion electricity scale-up project, the role of protests in uganda's political landscape, speculation rises over nrm's role in masaka nup rift, woman killed by mob in lira following husband's death, air force bids farewell to retiring officers, parliament questions government's shs1.1 trillion supplementary budget, uneb seeks shs6.5bn for examiners'meals, we want stadiums, ownership doesn’t matter – museveni, stay away from saudi arabia shows, ykee benda cautions ugandan musicians, foreign affairs officials 'frustrated' with travel protocol breaches, related articles.

Govt yet to get shares in pharma it is funding

Uganda readies to present report on SDGs implementation progress to UN

Participation of girls in ICT will help bridge digital divide, says PS Zawedde

NSSF to challenge order to recall its Lubowa land title

Use trade unions, MPs to fight for your rights- Mao tells workers

Kabale town traders decry poor drainage as floods disrupt businesses

Latest stories.

Hoima leaders livid with NWSC over dry taps

Speaker now orders stay of Lubowa Hospital visit

Kenya braces for more rain as flood death toll hits 60

Mbeki to rid South Africa's ANC of 'rotten apples'

Burkina Faso suspends BBC over army massacre report

Kasese MPs petition Museveni over Kilembe Hospital closure

Traders in Teso aim arrows at counterfeit goods

Two minors die in house fire

When your social battery runs out

Social entrepreneur donates to less privileged children

• Africa’s No.1 Food Safety, Quality & Compliance Website & Magazine

• ABOUT FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE
• SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
• ADVERTISE WITH US
• MEDIA KIT & EDITORIAL CALENDAR
• PRESS RELEASES
• FEATURES & INTERVIEWS
• AFRICA FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
• AFMASS FOOD EXPOS
• AFRICA FRESH PRODUCE EXPO

Select Page

UNBS unveils 2023/2024 ARSO Continental Essay Competition

Oct 27, 2023

UGANDA – Uganda National Bureau of Standards ( UNBS ) has unveiled the 11th ARSO Continental Essay Competition, aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of standards among African university students.

With the theme “Empowering consumers through standardisation to achieve rights to safe quality goods and services,” the competition invites students below the age of 35 from across Africa to participate.

This competition offers a unique platform for African youth to voice their perspectives on standards, standardization, and their impact on consumer rights.

Participants are encouraged to craft essays of 1000-1200 words in English or French, exploring the challenges faced by consumers and the solutions provided through the implementation of standards and related policies.

The competition emphasizes the importance of a clear introduction, insightful analysis, and a conclusion rooted in personal opinions.

Participants stand a chance to win significant prizes, including USD 1000 for the continental winner, fostering a spirit of healthy competition.

First and second runners-up will receive USD 800 and USD 500, respectively, at the continental level. Regional and national winners will also be acknowledged, providing a platform for recognition at various levels.

The 2022/2023 essay competition was under the theme, “The role of standardisation in promoting the growth of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) for sustainable, inclusive and diversified industrial and economic development in Africa”.

The winners who were recently honored during the 2023 World Standards Day celebrations in their different countries included, Babalola Segun Samson from Nigeria , Omwoyo Frank from Kenya , and Zona Ndamase from South Africa .

Submission guidelines

To enter, students must submit their essays in Word format along with a scanned copy of the filled registration form and their university ID.

The submissions, due by 29th February 2024, should be sent to [email protected] . The competition emphasizes originality, prohibiting submissions that have been shown elsewhere or focus on specific entities.

The ARSO Continental Essay Competition is an annual event organized by the African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO).

ARSO is a continental standards body established in 1977 by the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

The organization’s primary objective is to facilitate intra-African and international trade through the harmonization of standards and conformity assessment procedures in Africa.

The essay competition was initiated to promote an understanding and appreciation of standards among African university students.

It serves as a platform for young minds to explore and articulate their perspectives on standards, standardization, and their impact on various aspects of society, including consumer rights, economic development, and technological innovation.

For all the latest food safety news from  Africa  and the World, subscribe to our  NEWSLETTER , follow us on  Twitter  and  LinkedIn , like us on  Facebook  and subscribe to our  YouTube  channel.

Related Posts

ADM successfully ships traceable soybeans to Europe, expands sustainability initiative

Jan 19, 2024

Bilacon, QSI working on verifying authenticity of instant coffee

Aug 30, 2022

Etihad Cargo to launch cutting-edge cold chain facility

Nov 14, 2022

U.S. grapples with second human case of Avian Influenza amid outbreak in dairy cows

Apr 7, 2024

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

LATEST DIGITAL MAGAZINE

THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION

Since 1883, we have delivered The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest international schools' writing competition. Today, we work to expand its reach, providing life-changing opportunities for young people around the world.

ENTER THE QCEC 2024

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 is now live!

Find out more about this year’s theme

'Our Common Wealth' and make sure to enter by 15 May 2024!

140 years of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools and has been proudly delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883. 

ABOUT THE COMPETITION 

An opportunity for young Commonwealth citizens to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on key global issues and have their hard work and achievement celebrated internationally.

Frequently Asked Questions for the Competition. Before contacting us please read these.

MEET THE WINNERS 

In 2023 we were delighted to receive a record-breaking 34,924 entries, with winners from India and Malaysia. Read their winning pieces as well as those from previous years.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions for entrants to The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Please ensure you have thoroughly read them before submitting your entry.

African Writer Weekly

Top 10 Available Opportunities for African Writers

Prizes ranging from $100-$22,000 and lots more..

This newsletter is published every Wednesday

1. The St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition

St. Gallen’s Symposium is an annual platform for proactive ideation and debate, the 2024 symposium will be held in Switzerland. They are inviting young people to become a members of a unique global community and participate in the symposium with us by writing on this years topic question: Striving for more or thriving with less – What pressing scarcity do you see, and how do you suggest to tackle it?

Deadline: 1st February 2024. | Prize: Over $22,000 in cash + full sponsorship to event

Things to note for participation :

Scarcity generally refers to a situation where human needs exceed available resources . This year’s Global Essay Competition invites young leaders worldwide to focus on a specific contemporary or future challenge related to scarcity and propose an innovative way to address it.

Be creative in thinking about proposed solutions: do we need to strive for more and find ways to boost the availability of the resource in question? Or does it focus on ways to thrive with less and thus rethink our needs and demand?

Be free in choosing which scarce resource you focus on: examples include – but are NOT limited to – human labour, capital, natural resources, or intangibles like time, creativity, or care. Be bold and precise in describing a contemporary or future challenge of scarcity and the specific kind of resources you focus on, and offer a concrete and actionable idea of how we should confront it.

Register to Participate

2. SADC Tertiary Institution Essay Competition 2024 for young South African students

SADC Tertiary Institution Essay Competition is calling for submissions of essay entries from active tertiary institution-going learners, on the topic “ What in your opinion has SADC achieved since its formation; and does it reflect the vision of its founders?”

Deadline: 29th February 2024. | Prize: Total of $4500

Guidelines:

Open only to South Africans who are currently students of tertiary institutions in South Africa.

Essays are coordinated by the Ministries of Education in all respective SADC Member States. It is the responsibility of Government officials in SADC Member States to submit the top 3 essays to SADC Secretariat for adjudication at regional level.

The Secretariat will not accept entries from individuals and as such those entries will be disregarded and disqualified.

The essay should be 4 000 words . The deadline for submission of entries to Ministries of Education in respective SADC Member States is 29th February 2024.

For more information, please download the competition brochure and further guidelines here.

3. Call for Submissions: Black Feminist Collective

The Black Feminist Collective is an intergenerational group of Black feminists and womanists who stand for Black liberation in its entirety. They are seeking essays, articles, interviews, artworks etc, from Black feminists and womanists, for their Spring 2024 publication.

Deadline: 26th February 2024 | Prize: Professional Consulting and Publication

Notes to guide submission:

Please provide your email address in order for us to work with you to edit your work before it’s published.

If the work you’re submitting has been published before, please copy + paste a link to it was originally published, and we’ll cite it.

Describe your submission(s).

If your work contains graphic and explicit content, and please provide a content warning.

Pick at least one of the following sections in which you want your works to be published: Resource lists , Art , Politics , Movements , Culture , Interviews and Conversations , Reflections and Personal Narratives .

All writings must be at least 100 words.

Resource lists must be accompanied by a brief overview.

Both video essays and audio essays must be accompanied by a transcript, or be transcribed before it’s published. If you’re submitting video essays to the submissions form, please only upload the transcript.

Clarify if you want your visual artwork to be published individually,  or  if you want it to be featured on another person’s works for future publications.

If you want your visual pieces to be published individually, it should be accompanied by a title and a description,  or  by an optional 100+ word piece.

If the artwork is you’re submitting is a picture of someone else, you must also have their written consent to be photographed and featured in order for it to be published— please confirm this with us!

Upload at least one picture per submission.

Please give credit to the creator(s) of the image you are uploading.

If you’re submitting your writings, and you don’t want to upload an image, you can pick one of your favorite quotes to appear at the top of your published work. View this example .

For more information, click here .

Submit to Black Feminist Collective

4. Deep Vellum’s Best Literary Translations Anthology 2025:

The second edition of this exciting annual anthology will showcase literary translators’ work to make possible literary encounters from around the world for the English-language reader. This anthology will help redefine the canon of world literature and challenge the perception that only Anglophone literature matters in the cultural conversation.

Deadline: 5th January 2024 | Prize: $150 + copy of anthology

You can submit works of poetry, short fiction, literary essays, and hybrid-genre texts, translated into English from any language(s) and published online or in print in a US or US-affiliated literary journal or magazine during 2023.

Prose submissions are limited to 5,000 words. Drama, graphic, and illustrated works are not eligible. Acceptable file formats are .DOC, .DOCX, or .RTF.

Deep Vellum has a broad definition of “translation” and admire both “traditional” translations (those rendered so seamlessly into English that they seem to have been first written in it) but also more conceptual or experimental approaches to translation, especially where they reveal the often fraught and complex relationships between languages and cultures.

Translators will need to confirm that they have permission from the author or their estate (or that it is in the public domain) to publish the submission, should it be chosen, in this anthology.

Please make your nominations through Submittable and complete the questionnaire (Google Form) that is a required part of your submission. Both are important to completing your application.

Source: Brittle Paper

5. Iskanchi Book Prize 2024 is still open for submissions:

Iskanchi Book Prize aims to recognize exceptional prose and hybrid book manuscripts and offer the winners a chance to be published. This competition is open to both emerging and established African writers living anywhere in the world.

Deadline: 30 January 2024 | Prize: $1500 and book publication

Some things to note:

Submissions should be prose : Fiction and non-fiction manuscripts (novels, novellas, short story collections, essay collections, memoirs, etc.). OR hybrid : Manuscripts that blend multiple genres or mediums (e.g., poetry and visual art, prose and photography, experimental formats, etc.)

Book submissions should be previously unpublished and between 50,000– 120,000 words.

Simultaneous submissions to other publishers or competitions are allowed, but please notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

Subject of submission should be "Iskanchi Book Prize"

Please send all submissions to [email protected]

6. The Lolwe Editorial Scheme: Editorial Internship

Lolwe is offering four people a chance to be part of their editorial team as Editorial Interns. If you are someone that is interested in the editing process and wants to understand the submission to publication pipeline of a literary magazine, then this is for you.

Deadline: 22nd of December 2023 | Prize: 6 month internship.

Things to note:

Lolwe will offer training, guidance and mentorship by the editor-in-chief, assistant editors and the guest editors of Lolwe.

Interns will gain an understanding of the magazine publishing backend process. You will be a part of the daily activities of Lolwe and will learn how to read through submissions, edit, proofread and communicate with the writers. You will also gain insight into the admin part of the running a magazine.

Time demands are 3-5hours per week. This role offers no financial compensation but interns will be credited in the issue they work on as an acknowledgment of their efforts.

To apply to the Lolwe Editorial Scheme, kindly send an email to [email protected] with the subject ‘2024 Editorial Scheme’. In the email kindly tell us a bit about yourself and state why you should be considered for the scheme. Please be as clear and concise as possible (less than 300 words). Successful applicants will be notified by Monday, 8th January 2024.

Click here to find out more.

Get fresh opportunities delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Subscribe for free now!

Closing Soon

7. the pennacle short story contest.

The Pennacle is looking for stories that can make them laugh or cry or think about things differently. Send a concise, well-edited story in line with the theme: Nigeria Happened to Me Too . This theme is entirely open to interpretation.

Deadline: 10th December 2023 | Prize: N300,000 total + publication

This contest is open to Nigerians only.

Word limit is 2500 words . Titles are not included in the word count.

Submit only one entry. The piece must be previously unpublished.

Provide a short Bio of yourself (suitable for publication) of 300 words or less.

Submit your piece in PDF. It should be double-spaced with 14 pt font and above.

Please do not write your name or personal details anywhere in your PDF as this competition is judged anonymously.

First prize: N200,000, an interview and publication in Pennacle's coming quarterly Literary Magazine, publication in Pennacle's upcoming annual Anthology, and developmental mentoring. Second prize: N100,000, and the same benefits as First Prize. 10 runners-up : Publication in Pennacle's upcoming annual Anthology, detailed editorial review, and one year promotion of any produced work.

Entry Fee= N3000

8. The Pennacle Prize for Good Literature: Creative Non-Fiction

The Pennacle is now accepting essays on the topic: The Pursuit of Purpose, for their recurring Prize for Good Literature. This topic has been left vague so that you can approach it from any angle and with a style and creativity of your own.

This contest is open to citizens of any African country.

Word limit is 3000 words . Titles are not included in the word count.

Submit your essay.

9 . Afritondo Prize 2024 is accepting short story submissions with the theme “Aliens”

This year, Afritondo wants writers “to respond to the theme of “aliens”: unfamiliar things, unfamiliar people, how they are received and lived with or rejected, how they change families, communities, societies.”

Deadline: 16th December 2023. | Prize: $1000 (total)

Here are a few things to note:

      You may only submit an entry if you are a citizen or national of an African country ; one of your parents is a national of an African country; you identify as Black or African or belong to an African or Black minority population anywhere in the world.

Submissions must be in English. The submission, including the title, must be between 3000 and 5000 words.

 Submissions must reflect the theme. Only one submission per writer is allowed.

Submission is accepted only via email. Entries should be sent to [email protected] . The subject of the email should read: Submission for Afritondo Short Story Prize 2023 . The filename of the entry (i.e., the attached document) must be the title of the short story. In the body of the email tell us, briefly, about yourself, including such information as your legal name, country of residence, age, and contact details.

For more information to guide your submission read these guidelines : https://www.afritondo.com/entry-guidelines-2023

Share this newsletter with an amazing writer.

10. SpringNG’s Poetry Journal (March 2024 issue) is now accepting submissions.

Poetry Journal is accepting poetry and short story submissions for the 2024 edition. SprinNG is a society for the promotion, revitalisation, and improvement of new Nigerian generations in writing and literature.

Deadline: 16th December 2023 | Prize: N100,000

There are no age restrictions

Writers submitting poems should send no more than six poems, while writers submitting short stories (2000-word limit) should send no more than three short stories (all in a word document). 

While previously published works are welcomed, it is important to mention where and when they have been published while submitting.

Submission is done through the website ONLY. 

Apply today

Prose of the Week

A Small Unit by Chimezie Chika

It was the Harmattan solstice, and the traders were organising their affairs in preparation for the year-end closing of the market when a Toyota Hilux pulled up in front of Ikeajuana’s big shop in the sprawling pharmaceuticals market near the Niger Bridgehead. Policemen jumped down from the car, carrying heavy guns…

Continue raeding

Poetry of the Week

The Revolution has no Tribe by Dike Chukwumerije

Do you not know that poverty is not an Ijaw man? He will not spare the rest of us and afflict only the Ishan He will step over the river and come across the border So, when the drums sound let everybody answer…

Keep reading

Thanks for diving into our newsletter! Don't miss out—subscribe now for a weekly curated list including writing competitions, publishing opportunities, grants, fellowships, and content crafted to fuel the growth of African writers. Join the literary journey!

Yɛma yɛn apɛde pa ( may you meet good things—Twi, Southern and Central Ghana)

Ready for more?

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

7 Essay Writing Contests to Look Out For in 2023

• 7-minute read
• 28th December 2022

Essay contests are not only a great way to exercise your essay-writing skills but also an awesome way to win cash prizes, scholarships, and internship or program opportunities. They also look wonderful on college applications as awards and achievements.

In this article, you’ll learn about 7 essay writing contests to enter in 2023. Watch the video below, or keep reading to learn more.

1. Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest 

Deadline: Now–April 30, 3023

Who may enter:

This is an international contest for people of all ages (except for residents of Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus due to US government restrictions).

Contest description:

●  The contest is organized by Winning Writers, located in MA, USA.

●  They accept stories and essays on any theme, up to 6,000 words each. This contest defines a story as any short work of fiction and an essay as any short work of nonfiction.

●  Your stories and essays must be submitted in English.

●  You may submit published or unpublished work.

Entry fee: USD 22 per entry

●  Story: First Prize is USD 3,000.

●  Essay: First Prize is USD 3,000.

●  10 Honorable Mentions will receive USD 300 each (any category).

●  The top 12 entries will be published online.

Official website

Please visit the competition’s official website for more information on judges and submissions.

2. 2023 Calibre Essay Prize 

Deadline: Now–January 15, 2023, 11:59 pm

Who may enter: All ages and any nationality or residency are accepted.

●  This contest is hosted by the Australian Book Review.

●  Your essay must be between 2,000 and 5,000 words.

●  You may submit nonfiction essays of all kinds, e.g., personal, political, literary, or speculative.

●  You may enter multiple essays but will need to pay separate fees for each one.

●  Your essay must be unpublished.

Entry fee: AU 30 for non-members

Prize: AU 7,500

Official website:

For more information on this contest, please visit its official website.

3. John Locke Institute Essay Competition 

Deadline: June 30, 2023

●  Students from any country.

●  Students aged 15 to 18 years by the competition deadline.

●  Students aged 14 years or younger by the competition deadline are eligible for the Junior prize.

●  The contest is organized by the John Locke Institute.

●  Your essay cannot exceed 2,000 words.

●  There are seven subjects or categories for essay submissions: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law.

Entry fee: Free to enter

●  The best overall essay winner receives an honorary John Locke Fellowship, which comes with a USD 10,000 scholarship to attend one or more summer schools or gap year courses.

●  There is also a prize for the best essay in each category. The prize for each winner of a subject category and the Junior category is a scholarship worth USD 2,000 toward the cost of a summer program.

●  All winning essays will be published on the Institute’s website.

For more information about this competition and the John Locke Institute, please visit the official website . Also, be sure to check out our article on all you need to know about this contest.

4. The American Foreign Service Association 2023 Essay Competition 

Deadline: April 3, 2023

●  Students in grades 9–12 in any of the 50 states, DC, the US territories, or if they are US citizens or lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.

●  Students attending a public, private, or parochial school.

●  Home-schooled students.

●  Your essay should be 1,000–1,500 words.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

●  You will select a country or region in which the United States Foreign Service has been involved at any point since 1924 and describe how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals – including promoting peace – in this country or region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years.

●  Your essay should follow MLA guidelines.

●  Your essay should use a variety of sources.

●  The first-place winner receives USD 2,500, a paid trip to the nation’s capital from anywhere in the U.S. for the winner and their parents, and an all-expense-paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea.

●  The runner-up receives USD 1,250 and full tuition to attend a summer session of the National Student Leadership Conference’s International Diplomacy program.

Please visit the American Foreign Service website for more information.

5. The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) 2023 Essay Contest 

Deadline: Mid-February 2023–June 1, 2023

Who may enter: High school (including homeschooled), college, and graduate students worldwide.

●  The 2023 essay contest topic is marriages and proposals.

●  High school students may focus on Pride and Prejudice only or bring in other Austen works.

●  Undergraduate and graduate students should discuss at least two Austen novels of their choice.

●  Your essay must be in MLA format and 6 to 8 pages (not including your Works Cited page).

●  Your essay must be written in English.

●  First place wins a USD 1,000 scholarship.

●  Second place wins a USD 500 scholarship.

●  Third place wins a USD 250 scholarship.

●  Winners will also receive one year of membership in JASNA, publication of their essays on this website, and a set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels.

For more information and submission guidelines, please visit JASNA’s official website .

6. 2023 Writing Contest: Better Great Achievements by EngineerGirl

Deadline: February 1, 2023

●  Students in Grades 3–12. If international or homeschooled, please select your grade level based on if you were attending a public school in the U.S.

●  This contest is organized by EngineerGirl.

●  Students should write a piece that shows how female or non-white engineers have contributed to or can enhance engineering’s great achievements.

●  You should choose one of the 20 Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century as a topic and explore the technologies developed in the last century and the new ones being developed today. Make sure to follow the specific guidelines for your grade level.

●  Essays should be 650–750 words based on your grade level.

●  Please visit the contest’s website to see specific requirements based on your grade.

Winners in each grade category will receive the prizes listed below:

●  First-place winners will be awarded USD 500.

●  Second-place entries will be awarded USD 250 .

●  Third-place entries will be awarded USD 100 .

For more information and submission guidelines, please visit the official website .

7. World Historian Student Essay Competition

Deadline: May 1, 2023

Who may enter: Students enrolled in Grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools and home-study programs worldwide.

●  Your essay must address the following issue: In what way has the study of world history affected my understanding of the world in which I live?

●  Your essay should be 1,000 words.

Prizes: USD 500

For more information and submission requirements, please visit the contest’s official website.

Essay contests are a great way to expand your writing skills, discuss a topic that is important to you, and earn prize money and opportunities that will be great for you in the long term. Check out our articles on writing thesis statements, essay organization, and argumentative writing strategies to ensure you take first place every time.

If you need help with your essays and would like to make sure that every comma is in place, we will proofread your first 500 words for free !

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

3-minute read

How to Insert a Text Box in a Google Doc

Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...

2-minute read

How to Cite the CDC in APA

If you’re writing about health issues, you might need to reference the Centers for Disease...

5-minute read

Six Product Description Generator Tools for Your Product Copy

Introduction If you’re involved with ecommerce, you’re likely familiar with the often painstaking process of...

What Is a Content Editor?

Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Uganda Martyrs University rewards essay contest winners

Jun 29, 2023

Caesar Masinde, also an S5 student from Jinja College emerged second best with an essay titled: Values of the Uganda Martyrs that can lead to personal and societal transformation in our times.

The winning students namely Caesar Masinde (third-left), Joshua Balondemu (fourth-left) and Isaac Mondecee (fifth-left) with some members of the governing council of UMU. (Credit: Mathias Mazinga)

Mathias Mazinga

Journalist @new vision.

-----------

As one of the activities for the Uganda Martyrs Day (which the country celebrated on June 3, 2023), Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) organised an essay competition for secondary school students in Jinja Catholic diocese, which was the official organizer of the event.

The team of examiners at UMU declared Isaac Mondecee, an S5 student from Jinja College, as the best candidate with an essay titled:  Innovative ways the story of the Uganda Martyrs can be used to promote tourism in Uganda

Caesar Masinde, also an S5 student from Jinja College emerged second best with an essay titled:  Values of the Uganda Martyrs that can lead to personal and societal transformation in our times.

Joshua Balondemu (S6) from St. Gonzaga Gonza S. S Budini emerged third with an essay titled:  Innovative ways the story of the Uganda Martyrs can be used to promote tourism in Uganda.

The winners of the Uganda Martyrs essay competition, L-R: Caesar Masinde, Joshua Balondemu and Isaac Mondecee display their awards after the awarding function at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel, Rubaga on Wednesday, May 28, 2023. (All Photos by Mathias Mazinga)

UMU rewarded the winners during the assembly of the university’s governing council at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel, Rubaga on Wednesday (June 28, 2023).

Mondecee won a cash prize of sh1m. He also got a plaque and was also promised a scholarship tuition waiver to study at UMU.

Caesar Masinde got sh1.2m and a plaque.

Joshua Balondemu got sh1m and a plaque.

The chairman of the governing council of Uganda Martyrs University, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Raphael p’Mony Wokorach handed over the prizes. 

The function was also witnessed by the Vice-Chancellor of the UMU, Prof. Edrin Kyamanywa and other members of the governing council. A number of teachers from Jinja College and St. Gonzaga Gonza SS Budini also attended.

Help us improve! We're always striving to create great content. Share your thoughts on this article and rate it below.

Related Stories

Mathematics offers better career opportunities for girls

Parliament to support President Museveni’s skilling program says Tayebwa

Namasagali college launches 2nd generation alumni to enhance academics, development

Technical, vocational skills inevitable, says King Oyo

Museveni hailed as over 400 youths get skills in Rwenzori

Rwenzururu king calls for expansion of youth skilling programme

Essay Writing

Earn cash and kind prizes and awards with your writing skills. List of Essay Competitions for Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and other African countries

Apply for the Queens Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024

Spread the loveQueens Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 With the Queens Commonwealth Essay Competition, young writers like you have an amazing opportunity to share their thoughts, discuss important global concerns, and maybe win a trip to London for a week of cultural and educational events. All the information you require to take part in this esteemed … Read more

How to write a Research Proposal for Scholarship Applications in 2024

Spread the loveResearch Proposal for Scholarship Applications If you want to apply for a scholarship, you might be required to submit a thorough research proposal with your application. You will thus be able to learn about research proposals in this post and how to write one for your upcoming scholarship application in 2024. While some … Read more

Pentagon Partners National Essay Competition for Nigerian Law Students 2024

Spread the loveAre you a Nigerian undergraduate law student who is keen to learn how law and artificial intelligence (AI) interact? Undergraduate legal students are invited to demonstrate their knowledge and add to the conversation about artificial intelligence, privacy, and data protection through the National Essay Competition. The Pentagon Partners National Essay Competition offers participants … Read more

How to write an effective scholarship Essay 2024 – With Examples

Spread the loveApplying for scholarships would be simple if you didn’t have to write a scholarship application or essay, which makes us reflect carefully on our personal histories and current identities. Despite its potential to be the most difficult part of the program, it is also the most important part. You have the opportunity to … Read more

How to write research papers

Spread the loveWriting research papers is inevitable for university students. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a writer, you love writing or you dislike writing. For you to graduate, you must put together a research paper in the course of your study in school. So, what comes to mind when you think of research papers? Maybe … Read more

3 Proven Steps to Write an Excellent MBA Essay?

Spread the loveAn MBA essay is one of the documents international students who want to apply to a business school will need to provide. Firstly, aspiring students need to familiarize themselves with the necessary documents before they begin the application process so as not to make mistakes. Writing an excellent MBA essay might seem like … Read more

subscribe to our newsletter

Most recent, australia work visa 2024: step-by-step process, eira davies postgraduate scholarships 2024/2025 for women in developing countries – swansea university, esismad project african scholarship 2024 for students from african countries.

Women Deliver Emerging Leaders for Change East Africa 2024

Top 5 German Language Tests Accepted by Universities in Germany

Apply for the Arqus European University Talent Scholarships 2024

© 2024 AFTER SCHOOL AFRICA

Explore Opportunities

Your email will NEVER be used for any other purpose.

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

Download Chapter One of The Scholarship Digest 2019!

We interviewed Multi-Scholarship Award winners and put everything we learned into this book.

• Plus More than 1,400 carefully selected opportunities for Africans

• Campus Wolox
• Campus Gossip Girl
• Notice Board
• STUDENT’S TAKE
• Campus Plot
• Movie Reviews
• Meet The Plug
• Style Mania
• Internships

Valley University Launches Second Secondary School Essay Writing Competition

For a second consecutive year, Valley University of Science and Technology has rolled out another Essay writing competition. The competition started last year where 60 participants were awarded.

According to the University Marketing Officer, Mr. Agaba Andrew, this year’s competition has been made bigger to cover the whole country.  He says the major objective of the competition is to reach out to financially disadvantaged but bright students. This goes hand in hand with promoting a writing culture among secondary school students in the country.

Eligibility

• School going students
• S.6 Vacists
• Members of society who qualify for University education
• Discuss the relevancy of microfinance institutions in rural development.
• Examine the impact of climate change on agriculture and food security.
• For any society to develop, science and technology based knowledge is key. Discuss this statement in the context of rural development.
• The government of Uganda has been implementing measures to foster gender equality. To what extent have these measures strengthened gender equality and women empowerment?

Instructions

• Attempt one question
• Original essays should be submitted to [email protected] not later than 15 th July, 2023
• Clear contact details (district, school, email address, telephone number) should be indicated
• Indicate current level of education
• Written essays will be marked out of 60. There will be an oral essay defense that will be marked out of 40.

Related Posts

Makerere university launches research, information management system, valley university of science and technology bushenyi opens doors to bright students through the vice chancellor’s scholarship scheme.

Rewards include laptops, smartphones and scholarships at Valley University of Science and Technology

For any other details talk to Andrew on +256703371881/ +256786283058 or visit www.vust.ac.ug

Away from the essay, the University is admitting and offering bursaries to all those who have interest in joining the August 2023 Intake.

CB Reporter

The no.1 campus news site in Uganda. For articles, send us an email on: [email protected] to feature on Campus Bee, Join our WhatsApp group for all the lates news; https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va8u5yI1NCrcxsFHQj3v

Latest Articles

EU Delegation in Uganda Offers Exciting Graduate Trainee Program in Political Affairs

MUBS Announces Date for 17th Graduation Ceremony

• 23.9k Followers

Best Blog in the Social Media Awards 2016, Campusbee.ug delivers latest news from UNIs across Uganda, hostel buzz, gossip, campus events, fashion, & internship placements. For advertising, contact us on; [email protected] or call +256 773953037 / 0771681909

Like Us On Facebook

• 32.9k Followers
• Entertainment

© 2023 Campus Bee a brand of Hive Digital Ltd

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Remember Me

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Discover more from Campus Bee

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

•   Login
•   Create UNBS account

ARSO Continental Essay Competition

UNBS LAUNCHES 11TH ARSO CONTINENTAL ESSAY COMPETITION

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has launched the eleventh ARSO continental Essay competition under the theme; ‘Empowering consumers through standardisation to achieve rights to safe quality goods and services.’

The National Standards Bureaus in Africa under their continental standards body, the African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO) have been organizing Annual Continental Essay Competition for University Students in Africa since 2013, in a bid to promote appreciation of Standards in the Institutions of Higher Learning.

The winner of the competition at the continental level will walk away with USD1000, the first runner up with USD 800 and the second runner up with USD 500.

At the regional level, the winner will bag USD 500, first runner up will bag USD 300 and the second runner up, USD 200. At the national level, the winners will have the opportunity to progress to the regional level.

The competition is open to Citizens of all African Countries below the age of 35 years living in Africa and studying in a university/college recognized by the local National Council for Higher Education for or equivalent body in their countries.

To win, the students should;

• Write essays of between 1000 and 1200 words in English or French, double spaced and presented in Century Gothic, size 12
• Authors may use up to 50 words to describe themselves. Information should include their names, course and year of study, name, town and country in which their university is located. (N. B: this will not be part of the 1000- 1200 words)
• Authors should provide their postal, physical, telephone and email addresses on the first page of the essay together with the title of the essay and information on the author.
• Write the essays with a precise introduction and a general understanding of Standards, Standardisation and their relation with consumers
• Give  explanation of  general challenges being faced by consumers.
• Give explanation of solutions provided through the Implementation of Standards and and related policies developed nationally or continentally to address challenges of facing Consumers. Remember to relate with the theme.
• Precise conclusion drawing from your arguments and personal opinion.

Submit the;

• Essay in word document,
• a scanned copy of the Registration form and
• University ID of the author

Should be sent to [email protected]  by 29th February 2024 at midnight .

Essays that have been shown or accepted for other competitions, have been published in any form or focus on the work of a particular person, organization or brand name shall not be eligible for the competition and Participants are only allowed to submit one essay.

Attachments

Related Links

The ask window – type yor question here.

Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Best Essay Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 51 contests that match your search.

Anthology Travel Writing Competition 2024

Anthology Magazine

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel

The Anthology Travel Writing Competition is open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. We are looking for an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture. Max 1000 words.

💰 Entry fee: $16

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024

Hispanic Culture Review Contest 2022-2023

Hispanic Culture Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

As the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once said, "the best that the world has is in the many worlds that the world contains." Therefore, this year we invite you to reflect on the following questions: How do you or your community celebrate these connections? How do you value those experiences with those people who leave a mark on your life? 1 work will be awarded in each category: 1) photography & visual arts, 2) poetry, and 3) narrative/essay/academic investigation.

$100 for photography, poetry, and essay winners

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2023 (Expired)

High School Academic Research Competition

Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The High School Academic Research Competition is where talented students from around the world compete to publish high-quality research on any topic. SARC challenges students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, immerse themselves in the research process, and hone their writing skills for success.

Indigo Research Intensive Summer Program

📅 Deadline: April 17, 2024 (Expired)

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

swamp pink Prizes

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

From January 1st to January 31st, submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

Annual Contest Submissions

So To Speak

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, and Poetry

So To Speak is seeking submissions for poetry, fiction, and non-fiction with an intersectional feminist lens! It is no secret that the literary canon and literary journals are largely comprised of heteronormative, patriarchal, cisgender, able-bodied white men. So to Speak seeks work by writers, poets, and artists who want to challenge and change the identity of the “canonical” writer.

💰 Entry fee: $4

📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)

Indignor Play House Annual Short Story Competition

Indignor House Publishing

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Indignor House Publishing is proud to announce that our annual writing competition (INDIGNOR PLAYHOUSE Short Story Annual Competition) is officially open with expected publication in the fall of 2024. Up to 25 submissions will be accepted for inclusion in the annual anthology.

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction

The Letter Review

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, Crime, Humor, and Science Writing

2-4 Winners are published. We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Seeking Nonfiction 0-5000 words. Judges’ feedback available. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind. All entries considered for publication + submission to Pushcart.

Publication by The Letter Review

💰 Entry fee: $2

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024

A Very Short Story Contest

Gotham Writers Workshop

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Write a great short story in ten words or fewer. Submit it to our contest. Entry is free. Winner of the bet gets a free Gotham class.

Free writing class from Gotham Writers Workshop.

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

For this year’s Essay Contest, we are asking students to think about why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is important today.

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Berggruen Prize Essay Competition

Berggruen Institute

Genres: Essay

The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition, in the amount of $25,000 USD for the English and Chinese language category respectively, is given annually to stimulate new thinking and innovative concepts while embracing cross-cultural perspectives across fields, disciplines, and geographies. Inspired by the pivotal role essays have played in shaping thought and inquiry, we are inviting essays that follow in the tradition of renowned thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Publication in Noema Magazine

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024

Red Hen Press Women's Prose Prize

Red Hen Press

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, and Novel

Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. The awarded manuscript is selected through a biennial competition, held in even-numbered years, that is open to all writers who identify as women.

Publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2024 (Expired)

Young Sports Journalist 2024

The Young Sports Journalist Competition, 2024, seeks well-argued articles from aspiring journalists aged 14-21. Winning entries will be published online and printed in the Summer Issue of Pitch. Critiqued by our panel of accomplished judges, winners will also receive a £50 cash prize and offered work experience here at PITCH HQ. The competition runs from 7 February 2024 to 5 April 2024. And winners will be announced in May.

Publication in magazine and online

📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)

Military Anthology: Partnerships, the Untold Story

Armed Services Arts Partnership

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.

$500 Editors' Choice award

$250 for each genre category (prose, poetry, visual art)

Stories of Inspiration

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Nonfiction stories of inspiration wanted (between 500 to 2,000 words). Submissions should highlight the struggle and resilience of the human spirit, especially related to cultures of BIPOC or marginalized communities. Stories must be original, unpublished works in English. One successful entry will be awarded each month from April 2024 and will be included within Kinsman Quarterly’s online journal and digital magazine. Successful authors receive $200 USD and publication in our digital magazine. No entry fee required.

Publication in Kinsman Quarterly's online magazine

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

Artificial Intelligence Competition

New Beginnings

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

There is no topic relating to technology that brings more discussion than artificial intelligence. Some people think it does wonders. Others see it as trouble. Let us know your opinion about AI in this competition. Include experiences you have had with AI. 300-word limit. Winners will be selected January 1, 2024. Open to anyone, anywhere.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2023 (Expired)

Narratively 2023 Memoir Prize

Narratively

Genres: Essay, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Narratively is currently accepting submissions for their 2023 Memoir Prize. They are looking for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. The guest judge is New York Times bestselling memoirist Stephanie Land.

$1,000 and publication

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)

Literary and Photographic Contest 2023-2024

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry

As we move forward we carry our culture wherever we go. It keeps us alive. This is why we propose the theme to be “¡Hacia delante!”. A phrase that means to move forward. This year we ask that you think about the following questions: What keeps you moving forward? What do you carry with you going into the future? How do you celebrate your successes, your dreams, and your culture?

Publication in magazine

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)

100 Word Writing Contest

Tadpole Press

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel

Can you write a story using 100 words or less? Pieces will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes, and expands our beliefs about what's possible or unexpectedly delights us. In addition, we are looking for writing that is clever or unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling and complete story. The first-place prize has doubled to $2,000 USD.

2nd: writing coach package

💰 Entry fee: $15

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Lazuli Literary Group

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Novella, and Script Writing

We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.

Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"

📅 Deadline: March 24, 2024 (Expired)

Bacopa Literary Review Annual Writing Contest

Writers Alliance of Gainesville

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Bacopa Literary Review’s 2024 contest is open from March 4 through April 4, with $200 Prize and $100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, Free Verse Poetry, Formal Poetry, and Visual Poetry.

📅 Deadline: May 02, 2024

NOWW 26th International Writing Contest

Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW)

Open to all writers in four categories: poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and critical writing.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50

💰 Entry fee: $7

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

Irene Adler Prize

Lucas Ackroyd

I’ve traveled the world from Sweden to South Africa, from the Golden Globes to the Olympic women’s hockey finals. I’ve photographed a mother polar bear and her cubs and profiled stars like ABBA, Jennifer Garner and Katarina Witt. And I couldn’t have done it without women. I’ve been very fortunate, and it’s time for me to give back. With the Irene Adler Prize, I’m awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution.

2x honorable mentions: $250

📅 Deadline: May 30, 2024

The Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers.

💰 Entry fee: $28

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).

$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers

Climate Change Writing Competition

Write the World

Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction

This month, dear writers, ahead of COP27, help us raise the voices of young people in this urgent fight. In a piece of personal narrative, tell the world’s leaders gathering in how climate change impacts you. How has this crisis changed your environment, your community, your sense of the future? Storytelling, after all, plays a critical role in helping us grasp the emergency through which we are all living, igniting empathy in readers and listeners—itself a precursor to action.

Runner-up: $50

📅 Deadline: October 18, 2022 (Expired)

Creative Nonfiction Prize

Indiana Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, and Non-fiction

Send us one creative nonfiction piece, up to 5000 words, for a chance at $1000 + publication. This year's contest will be judged by Lars Horn.

World Historian Student Essay Competition

World History Association

Genres: Children's and Essay

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024

Environmental Writing 2024

The writer and activist Bill McKibben describes Environmental Writing as "the collision between people and the rest of the world." This month, peer closely at that intersection: How do humans interact with their environment? Given your inheritance of this earth, the world needs your voices now more than ever.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)

Tusculum Review Nonfiction Chapbook Prize

The Tusculum Review

A prize of $1,000, publication of the essay in The Tusculum Review’s 20th Anniversary Issue (2024), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded. Editors of The Tusculum Review and contest judge Mary Cappello will determine the winner of the 2024 prize.

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024

African Diaspora Awards 2024

Up to $1000 in cash prizes for the African Diaspora Award 2024. African-themed prose and poetry wanted. Top finalists are published in Kinsman Quarterly’s magazine and the anthology, “Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora.”

Publication in anthology, "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora" and print and digital magazine

Rigel 2024: $500 for Prose, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Literary or genre works accepted. Winner receives $500 plus publication, while runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Closes: February 29. Entry fee: $12.50. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope

$500 + publication

Runners-up and finalists are offered publication

💰 Entry fee: $12

International Voices in Creative Nonfiction Competition

Vine Leaves Press

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

Small presses have potential for significant impact, and at Vine Leaves Press, we take this responsibility quite seriously. It is our responsibility to give marginalized groups the opportunity to establish literary legacies that feel rich and vast. Why? To sustain hope for the world to become a more loving, tolerable, and open space. It always begins with art. That is why we have launched this writing competition.

Book publication

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024

Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Shuswap Association of Writers

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Essay, Memoir, and Short Story

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).

💰 Entry fee: $11

Solas Awards

Best Travel Writing

Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world. Funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. We hope these awards will be a catalyst for those who love to leave home and tell others about it.

📅 Deadline: September 21, 2024

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

How to Craft a Killer Short Story

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

Reedsy's guide to novel writing

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Save your shortlist

Enter your email address to save your shortlist so that you don't lose it!

By continuing, you will also receive Reedsy's weekly publishing tips and access to our free webinars.

We sent over your shortlist. Thank you for using Reedsy's Writing Contest Directory, happy publishing! 🙌

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Pawners Paper

• Book Review
• Non Fiction
• Literary News
• Call For Submissions
• Literary Magazines
• Affiliate Shop

Header$type=social_icons

Featured post, pawners paper calls for submissions.

Pawners Paper Is Back! Attention writers and wordsmiths ! We are thrilled to announce that Pawners Paper after a long hiatus, is now open fo...

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024: Poetry, Short Stories, Fiction

access to the African writing competitions 2024, we compiled a list of writing opportunities for African writers. Enjoy writing competitions in Africa

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 List

• Ensure you read the submission guidelines before submitting for the writing contests
• Ensure you are conversant with what the organizers of the writing contests want. You can do this by checking the works that won the previous contests.
• Ensure you meet the submission deadline for the writing contest. One mistake most writers make while submitting for contests in 2024, is omitting the date the submission closed or not paying close attention to it.
• Eligibility requirement for the contests. Checks if there's one provided for in the contest.
• And lastly, take a deep breath and submit your entries after proper checks for possible errors.
• International Writing Competitions 2024
• Poetry Competitions In 2024
• Essay Contests In 2024
• Poetry Competitions In Nigeria 2024
• Writing Competitions In Nigeria 2024
• Essay Contests In Nigeria 2024
• Poetry Competitions UK 2024
• Writing Competitions UK 2024
• Essay Contests UK 2024
• Writing Competitions In USA 2024
• Essay Contests USA 2024
• Writing Competitions In Canada 2024
• Poetry Competitions In Canada 2024
• Writing Competitions In Australia 2024
• Poetry Competitions In Australia 2024
• Writing Competitions United Arab Emirates 2024
• Short Story Competitions 2024
• Literary Magazines Accepting Submissions 2024
• Poetry Competitions For African Writers 2024

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024

• Short Story Competitions In Nigeria 2024
• Mental Health Poetry Competitions 2024

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 January 

• Defenestrationism's Lengthy Poem Contest 2024
• Gemini Magazine Poetry Prize 2024
• The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies 2024
• Quantum Shorts Flash Fiction Contest 2024
• The Colorado Prize for Poetry 2024
• The Gulliver Travel Grant 2023
• Rattle Chapbook Prize 2024
• Chris O'Malley Prize in Fiction 2024 and Phyllis Smart-Young Prize in Poetry 2024
• Pawners Paper's Spoken Word and Poetry Contest 1.0 2024
• Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest 2023
• Story Unlikely Annual Short Story Contest 2024

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 February 

• Dragonblade Publishing's Write Track Competition 2024
• The Ambroggio Prize 2024
• Harold Morton Landon Translation Award 2024
• The Tower Poetry Competition 2024

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 March 

• The 2024 New Poets Prize
• Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize 2024
• Indignor House Writing Competition 2024

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 April

• Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest 2024
• SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction 2024 | $4,000 Cash Prizes 
• Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest 2024 |$2000+ Cash Prize  
• Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize 2024 | $5,000 Cash Prize
• Poetry International Prize 2024 | $1000 Cash Prize 
• 2024 Oversound Chapbook Prize | $1000 and 50 Copies
• The Iowa Poetry Prize 2024
• Own Voices, Own Stories Award 2024 | $2000+ Cash Prizes  
• Al Blanchard Award 2024 | $100 Cash Prize And More  
• $100 cash award.
• Publication in 2024’s Best New England Crime Stories anthology
• Free admission to the Crime Bake Conference.
• A handsome plaque.
• The winner is not required to attend the conference.
• The Author of Tomorrow Award 2024 | £1000+ Cash Prizes 

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 May 

• The Waterston Desert Writing Prize 2024 | $3000 Cash Prize  
• 15th Call for the Casa África Essay Awards 2024 | 2000 Euros Cash Prize
• Montreal International Poetry Prize 2024 | $20,000 Cash Prize
• Academy of American Poets' James Laughlin Award 2024 | $5,000 Cash Prize and Sponsored Residency
• ABA Journal / Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction 2024 | $5,000 Cash Prize
• Academy of American Poets' Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize 2024 | $25,000 Cash Prize
• The Yeovil Literary Prize International Writing Competition 2024
• The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing 2024|$10,000 and publication

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 June

• Boulevard Emerging Poets Contest 2024 | $1,000 Cash Prize 
• Bard College's The Bard Fiction Prize 2025 | $30,000 and Writer Residency
• The Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award 2024 | $25,000 Cash Prize
• Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition 2024
• The Bridport Prize 2024
• 2024 McLellan Poetry Competition
• The Goi Peace Foundation's International Essay Contest For Young People 2024 | $700+ Cash Prizes
• University of Akron Press's Akron Poetry Prize 2024 | $1,500 and Publication
• Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors Short Story Contest 2024 | No Entry Fee
• The Griffin Poetry Prize 2025 | $130,000 Cash Prizes
• The 2024 Poetry London Prize | $8,000 Cash Prizes
• Drue Heinz Literature Prize 2024 | $15,000 Cash Prize and Publication 

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 July 

• The Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize 2024 | $1,000 Cash Prize  
• The Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry | $100, $50
• The HG Wells Short Story Competition 2024 | $1,000+ Cash Prizes and Publication  

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 August 

• The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2024 | Poetry and Short Story
• £5,000 prize money
• (£2,500 for the Poetry Winner, £2,500 for the Short Fiction Winner)
• Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual
• A five-day course from Arvon (Fiction Winner)
• Two online masterclasses with Arvon (Poetry Winner)
• One-year print subscription to Granta (Poetry & Fiction Winners)
• One-year digital subscription to Mslexia (Poetry & Fiction Winners)
• Six-week writing poetry course from Curtis Brown Creative (Poetry Winner)
• Full membership to The Poetry Society (Poetry Winner)
• A course from the Poetry School (Poetry Winner)
• Consultation with Redhammer Management (Fiction Winner)
• Six-week writing short stories course from Curtis Brown Creative (Fiction Winner)
• Full membership to Litopia (Poetry & Fiction Winners)
• One-year Deluxe Subscription to The London Magazine (Poetry & Fiction Winners)

Writing Competitions In Africa 2024 September 

• Rattle Poetry Prize 2024 | $15,000 Cash Prize  

List Of Writing Competitions In Africa 2023

• European Writing Prize 2023
• The prize for the winner will be as follows:
• 50 euros paid via PayPal or bank transfer
• Automatic lifetime membership into The European Society of Literature
• Publication in the following quarterly literary journal of TESL
• Potential talks with literary agents — they may scout the shortlist and winners.
• The prestige associated with being victorious! An unmatched opportunity to get your foot in the burgeoning literary industry of Europe and the Americas.
• Island Prize For African Writers 2023
• International Student Essay Competition 2023
• Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award 2023
• Nine Dots Prize 2023
• Ako Caine Prize For African Writing 2023
• Welkin Writing Prize 2023

I’m running this competition as a thank you to the writing community which has done so much to support both my writing and my freelance work over the past few years. In September 2022, I was lucky enough to receive a DYCP grant from Arts Council England to fund paid research and writing time, and this competition feels like a small thing that I can do to pay forwards my good fortune. As such, the competition is free to enter and I hope it will be a welcoming space for all writers. The competition is open to all forms of narrative prose, be that flash fiction, short-short, vignette, haibun, hermit crab, prose poem or work that sits outside such labels. There is a whole universe (or welkin) of possibilities.

• 1st place (£150 + annual membership of Writers' HQ worth £190)
• 2nd place (£75 + AdHoc Fiction book voucher worth £25)
• 3rd place (£50 + a copy of "Deflection" by Roberta Beary)
• Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest 2023
• Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest 2023
• Deep Wild 2023 Graduate Student Poetry Contest  
• Global Essay Competition 2023
• Center For African American Poetry and Poetics Book Prize 2023
• The Diana Woods Memorial Award 2023
• The Graywolf Press African Fiction Prize 2023
• Annual BSFS Poetry Contest 2023
• Please no previously published submissions.
• Winners will receive a cash prize, convention membership and be invited to read their winning entries at Balticon. Attendance at Balticon is not required to win.
• Winning poems will be published one time in the BSFAN, the Balticon convention souvenir book. In addition, a pdf version of the winning poems as they appear in the BSFAN will be available on the Balticon Poetry Contest website. Writers retain all rights to their work. By submitting to the contest, entrants agree to these terms
• Stephen Spender Prize 2023
• 2023 Helen Schaible International Sonnet Contest
• Winchester Poetry Prize 2023
• The 1729 Book Prize in Poetry 2023
• SURGING TIDE: THE ANNUAL SUMMER WRITING CONTEST
• 2023 Platt Family Scholarship Essay Contest
• 3rd Singapore Unbound Awards for the Best Undergraduate Critical Essays on Singapore and Other Literatures 2023
• The Granum Foundation Prize 2023
• The Yale Drama Series 2023
• Lucky Jefferson Poetry & Prose Summer Contest 2023
• Palette Poetry's Chapbook Prize 2023
• The Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism 2023
• The Masters Review’s Short Story Award for New Writers 2023
• The Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction
• Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2023
• The Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing 2023: The Hungry Tide 30th Anniversary Special
• The Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing
• The Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award 2023
• Academy For Teachers: Stories Out of School Flash Fiction Contest 2023
• The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts 2023 
• The Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction, Issue 24
• The New York Labor History Association’s Bernhardt Prize 2023
• Frontier Poetry's Roots and Roads Prize 2023
• Source Writing Prize 2023
• Mslexia Women's Fiction Competition 2023
• The César Egido Serrano Foundation 2023
• The Iowa Short Fiction Award & John Simmons Short Fiction Award 2023
• Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize 2023
• The Peter Poetry Prize 2023
• The National Poetry Competition 2023
• The ServiceScape Short Story Award 2023
• Frontier Poetry's Award For New Poets 2023
• The Benjamin Franklin Essay Competition 2023
• 2024 Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize
• Happiful Poetry Prize 2024 
• The Poetry.com Contest 2023
• One Teen Story Contest 2023
• 2024 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition
• The Betty Trask Prize 2023
• Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition 2023
• Cafe Writers Poetry Competition 2023
• Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest 2023
• 2023 Information Warfare Essay Contest
• How might the opening salvoes of the next war begin in the information space,and what should be done now to defend against those attacks? How might our adversaries be planning to win without fighting by using information warfare?
• What specific information warfare technologies (offensive and defensive) should the U.S. military be investing in now?
• How can the military recruit, educate, train, and retain the information warriors it needs to prevail in the information environment?
• Are there any recent case studies (that went well or poorly) that can provide lessons to guide strategy, operations, tactics, or acquisition over the next three to five years?
• What role will electronic warfare and emissions control play in the future of naval warfare?
• J.F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction 2023
• The Sarah Maguire Poetry in Translation Prize 2023
• The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry
• Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition 2023
• Troubadour International Poetry Prize 2023
• first prize £2,000
• second prize £1,000
• third prize £500
• plus 20 commendeds
• plus – winners & commendeds will be invited to read with judges (live & online) at the Bedford Park Festival ‘Yeats Birthday’ poetry event in June 2024.
• Afritondo Short Story Prize 2024
• The Masters Review Chapbook Competition 2024
• The 2023 Society of Classical Poets International Poetry Competition
• 2024 Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award 
• The Lyric College Poetry Contest 2023
• The Writivism Literary Prizes 2023
• The Tony Quagliano Poetry Award 2023
• Harbor Editions' Laureate Prize 2024
• Lilith Magazine Annual Fiction Contest 2023
• Kinsman Quarterly’s Iridescence Award 2023

• Advertise With Us

Sharing is caring

|recent posts$type=blogging$m=0$cate=0$sn=0$rm=0$c=12$va=0.

• Opportunities
• Call for Submission
• Essay Contests
• Annual Writing Contest
• SHORT STORIES
• Photography
• Book Reviews
• Literary Events
• Popular Authors Biographies
• Freelancing
• Non-Fiction
• Flash Fiction
• Publishers weekly
• Art and Photography
• Featured Profile
• African (65)
• Annual Writing Contest (16)
• Art and Photography (1)
• Articles (153)
• Book Reviews (10)
• Call for Submission (101)
• Contest (425)
• Essay Contests (56)
• Featured Profile (1)
• Fiction (12)
• Flash Fiction (3)
• Literary Events (7)
• Literary Magazines (121)
• Literary News (91)
• Newsletter (1)
• Non-Fiction (4)
• Opportunities (156)
• Poetry (91)
• SHORT STORIES (16)

/fa-clock-o/ |TRENDING$type=list

RECENT_$type=list-tab$date=0$au=0$c=5

Comments_$type=list-tab$com=0$c=4$src=recent-comments, random_$type=list-tab$date=0$au=0$c=5$src=random-posts, /fa-fire/ year popular$type=one.

Subscribe To Pawners Paper

• Privacy Policy
• Terms And Conditions

Footer Social$type=social_icons

Summer 2024 Admissions Open Now. Sign up for upcoming live information sessions here (featuring former and current Admission Officers at Havard and UPenn).

Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024

Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024

We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Entry to the competition is free.

About the Competition

The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions. 

Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:

Religion and Politics

Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.

Artificial Intelligence 

Neuroengineering

2024 essay prompts.

This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.

Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.

Awards and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.

Registration and Submission

Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.

Advisory Committee and Judging Panel

The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.

They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.

We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.

The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.

Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates

We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .

They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.

Why has religion remained a force in a secular world? 

Professor Commentary:

Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?

‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)

In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.

‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)

Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.

‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)

This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.

‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)

An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.

‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)

Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.

‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)

Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.

‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)

In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?

Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.

The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge

The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.

The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of  30th July, 2024.

Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel. 

The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting). 

King’s College Chapel

With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture. 

Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event. 

Confirmed Nobel Laureates

Dr Thomas R. Cech

The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.

Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.

He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.

As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado

Sir Richard J. Roberts

The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .

F or the discovery of split genes

During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.

His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.

Dr Aaron Ciechanover

The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .

F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation

Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.

Dr Robert Lefkowitz

The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .

F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors

Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.

Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.

Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.

Dr Joachim Frank

The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .

F or developing cryo-electron microscopy

Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.

In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.

Dr Barry C. Barish

The nobel prize in physics 2017 .

For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves

Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.

In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”

In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.

In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.

In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.

Dr Harvey J. Alter

The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .

For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.

Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.

Dr Ardem Patapoutian

The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .

For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses

Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition? 

The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.

Who is eligible to enter the Re:think essay competition?  

As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Is there any entry fee for the competition? 

There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.

Subscribe for Competition Updates

If you are interested to receive latest information and updates of this year’s competition, please sign up here.

• UBA FOUNDATION
• ATM BRANCH LOCATOR
• OPEN AN ACCOUNT

UBA Uganda Launches National Essay Competition

Uba uganda launches the inaugural national essay competition.

Uganda, Wednesday 17 th , August 2022:  United Bank for Africa – Uganda through its UBA foundation today launched the National Essay Competition at its Head Office in Kampala.  The National Essay competition is an education program introduced by the bank to equip students with good communication skills to position them for success in the professional world. The National Essay competition provides a competitive platform to develop the intellectual and writing abilities of senior secondary school students in Uganda.

Secondary students are expected to send in handwritten essays on the topic “How did the COVID -19 pandemic affect you and what were your biggest lessons from it?” 

Essays will be received at the UBA Head office, branches, website and social media platforms. On August 24th, 2022, when entries for initial phase close, 4 renowned Ugandan University lecturers and professors will review the entries and select an initial shortlist for further assessment. Three finalists will emerge at the end of the exercise and they will win a scholarship of Ugx 3.5m and laptops at the grand finale on September 9 th , 2022.

Speaking at the launch event Mrs. Chioma Mang, the UBA Uganda Managing Director/ CEO said, ‘United Bank for Africa is committed to the African youth and skilling them for future success. Which is why through the UBA Foundation we have launched the National Essay Competition.  We recognise the importance of good communication skills and through this competition, we hope to equip and prepare the students to excel and take up leadership roles in the future.”

Mrs Mang added that, ‘UBA has executed other CSR initiatives to support the education sector such as the Read Africa Project, where the bank donates African novels to secondary schools across the country. This project encourages a reading culture at a young age and promotes African literature.   UBA through its foundation will therefore continue to give back to the communities using similar CSR initiatives.’

The UBA National Essay competition was launched by the group in 2011 but this is the inaugural edition in Uganda

‘This is a good initiative by the bank for students in Uganda. The Ministry of Education and sports is happy to partner with UBA Uganda on this project. We pledge our support to ensure that all students across the country are aware, participate and submit compelling essays,’ Said Ms. Angella Naddamba, who was the chief guest at the launch event and representative from the Ministry of Education and sports.

She called on all teachers across the country to ensure full participation of their students in the essay competition.

The launch ceremony was attended by representatives from the Ministry of education and sports, KCCA, students, head teachers and UBA Uganda staff.

For more information of the UBA National Essay Competition, please visit UBA Branches, the website www.ubauganda.com or our social media platforms.

See more pictures from the Launch

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Current Accounts
• Savings Accounts
• UBA Salary Account
• Internet Banking
• Notifications Services
• Instant Bills
• Mobile Banking
• Magic Banking
• Chat With Leo
• Debit Cards
• Prepaid Cards
• Remittance Cards
• Corporate Debit Card
• Western Union
• UBA connect
• UBA AfriCash
• Small World
• UBA Personal Overdraft
• Salary Loan
• Agency Banking Services
• Bancassurance Services
• SME Business Accounts
• SME Loans and Advances
• UBA X AfCFTA
• Corporate Accounts
• Education Portal
• UBA Business Direct
• Collections
• Shoppers Mall
• Treasury Bills
• Money Market Deposits
• Trade Products
• Other Services
• Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
• Telegraphic Transfers
• Mobile Money Transfers
• This Is UBA
• National Essay Competition 2023
• Customer Notices
• Prequalification Document
• Press Releases
• UBA Financials
• Pillar 3 Market Discipline Disclosure
• Dormant Accounts
• About UBA (Uganda)
• Shared Values
• Our Customer Service Charter
• Branches and ATMs

Privacy Overview