The John Locke Institute Essay Competition is a long-running writing contest for teens who are interested in humanities and social science in the United States.

In this post, we provide a comprehensive overview of the John Locke Institute Essay Competition, including key dates, application requirements, and why you should apply.

By the way, Rishab Jain, a Harvard student who has achieved success in numerous international competitions has made his FREE Student STEM guide public with a a list of 50+ more opportunities and competitions.

You should definitely check it out next.

What is the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

John Locke Institute annual dinner gala.

The John Locke Institute (JLI) is an organization that provides high school summer and gap year courses in humanities and social sciences, with affiliations from Oxford and Princeton University.

The JLI Essay Contest is a highly prestigious writing competition that invites high school/secondary students from around the world to submit a piece falling in one of several humanities categories.

See these below along with sample questions: Philosophy (e. g.

Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition?) Politics (e. g.

When is compliance complicity?) Economics (e. g.

What is the optimal global population?) History (e. g.

Has music ever significantly changed the course of history?) Law (e. g.

When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements?) Psychology (e. g.

There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people.

Can we fix this?

How?) Theology (e. g.

Does God reward those who believe in him?

If so, why?) Junior Prize (e. g.

Is there life after death?) Each year, tens of thousands of entries are submitted from students in more than 150 countries.

Pieces may win prizes or commendations, and top contestants are invited to an academic conference and gala ceremony in London each year.

What are the prizes?

The John Locke Institute Essay Competition awards first, second, third prizes, and commendation titles to top students.

Students whose essays exemplify extreme merit are first "shortlisted" and invited to the annual dinner gala, where prize winners will be announced.

The prize winner of each subject category will be awarded a scholarship worth US$2000 towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute program, and the essays will be published on the Institute's website.

The best essay overall receives a US$10,000 scholarship of such nature.

Am I Eligible for John Locke Institute?

The only eligibility criteria for the John Locke Institute Essay Competition is that students must not be 19 years of age before or on June 30, 2024 for the 2024 contest.

There is a separate Junior category for students whose fifteenth birthday falls after June 30, 202

4. Each essay entry must be original work written by the student.

Only individual works are allowed.

How do I apply to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

To apply for the John Locke Institute Essay Competition, students must submit an essay that does not exceed 2,000 words in length.

Students may add endnotes and/or a bibliography for citations.

Additionally, the application requires a verification from an academic referee of the participant to ensure their essay is their original work.

See below for key dates for the 2024 contest: Registration opens: 1 April, 202

4. Registration deadline: 31 May, 202

4. (Registration is required by this date for subsequent submission. ) Submission deadline: 30 June, 202

4. Late entry deadline: 10 July, 202

4. (Late entries are subject to a 2

0. 00 USD charge, payable by 1 July. ) Notification of short-listed essayists: 31 July, 202

4. Academic conference: 20

- 22 September, 202

4. Awards dinner: 21 September, 202

4. Why should I apply to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

Aside from being a highly competitive and prestigious competition, there are a plethora of reasons why you should apply to the John Locke Institute Competition.

See some of these below.

Gain recognition If you're an aspiring artist, winning awards from these types of competitions can thrust your work into the spotlight and be received by many people.

Especially because young creatives typically don't have a lot of chances to gain recognition for their pieces, submitting them to contests can be an excellent way to receive good exposure.

Additionally, winning a prestigious award can validate the quality of your work and your artistic merit.

Receiving a distinction from the John Locke Institute means that your work went through a rigorous round of selection and deserved its spot among the top recognized entries.

Get a boost on your college application Entering art competitions shows your passion in the creative field.

Adding such an honor in your college application can round out your profile and provide a good contrast with your other extracurriculars, or if your sole focus is on the arts, can help develop your spike.

Participating in contests like the John Locke Institute Competition shows that you actively seek out opportunities in whichever field you're interested in and avidly develop your passions.

Individuals who have such an intrinsic drive and sense of self are received well in college admissions.

Win scholarships The John Locke Institute Competition offers many distinctions, out of which multiple offer scholarships for high school students.

For example, the overall winner receives $10,000 in cash scholarships, and category winners $2,000 towards a JLI program.

Winning awards that are attached to monetary scholarships therefore adds additional value to the honor that translates well into college applications and artistic portfolios.

Gain an artistic community Participating in the John Locke Institute Competition exposes you to a community of other like-minded artists and creatives.

Thousands of students apply to this contest every year, and for winners, attending award ceremonies and interacting with other students can expand your worldview in many positive ways.

Having a community in your corner in any kind of endeavor is a great thing, and can act as a support system as you pursue this field.

Concluding Remarks—John Locke Institute Competition In conclusion, we provided a comprehensive overview of the John Locke Institute Competition as well as reasons for why it's worth it to apply.

Participating in creative competitions and winning them can enhance your college application, bring exposure and recognition to your works, and earn scholarships.

However, the John Locke Institute Competition isn't the only well-known creative-based competitions for high schoolers.

Check out this list of the top 10 writing competitions for high school students to elevate your writing endeavors to the next level.

Rishab Jain, a Harvard student who has achieved success in numerous international competitions has made his FREE Student STEM guide public with a a list of 50+ more opportunities and competitions.

You should definitely check it out next.

Image Credits: John Locke Institute.