<p>The John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize is an annual international essay competition for students under 19, drawing tens of thousands of entries across academic subjects. Students answer one prompt from a chosen subject in an argumentative essay of up to 2,000 words, judged on intellectual originality and quality of argumentation.</p><ul><li>Open to students aged under 19 on 31 May 2026, worldwide including Singapore</li><li>Junior category for students aged 14 or under; Senior category for ages 15–18; judged separately</li><li>Ten subject categories: Economics, History, International Relations, Law, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Public Policy, Science &amp; Technology, and Theology</li><li>Essays capped at 2,000 words excluding diagrams, tables, endnotes, and bibliography</li><li>Category winners receive a US$5,000 John Locke Institute scholarship; second and third places receive US$2,000 and US$1,000; the overall grand-prize winner receives a US$10,000 scholarship toward an Institute summer programme</li><li>Deadline: 31 May 2026; late submissions accepted until 21 June 2026 with a fee</li><li>Free to enter by the regular deadline</li></ul><p>Register and submit through the Institute's essay competition portal.</p>