<p>The Minds Underground Economics Essay Competition 2026 is a global student essay contest, run in partnership with Aseeder, that invites entrants to engage in university-level research linking economic theory to real-world scenarios. Students choose one question from four subfields: international economics, mathematical economics, behavioral economics, or environmental economics.</p><ul><li>Eligibility: primarily Year 12 students aged 15 to 18, with younger applicants and gap-year students also welcomed.</li><li>Submission deadline: 3 April 2026.</li><li>Essay length: 1,000 to 1,500 words on one chosen prompt.</li><li>Judging criteria: critical analysis, reasoning, originality, and engagement with theory, data, and policy.</li><li>Outstanding winners may be invited to the MU Oxford Economics Camp and receive tailored university-application support.</li></ul><p>Submissions are made via the Google Form linked on the Minds Underground Economics Competition page.</p>