Young writers in Commonwealth countries can now begin to apply for the 2025 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.
Winners and runner-ups stand a chance to win a trip to London for a week of educational and cultural events, at a special Awards Ceremony event at the Royal Palace, London.
Program Summary
- Host: Royal Commonwealth Society
- Host Country: UK
- Category: Competitions
- Eligible Countries: Commonwealth Countries
- Reward: Fully Funded Trip to London | Certification | Prizes
- Deadline: May 23, 2025
Program Details
Annually, young people are asked to write on a theme that explores the Commonwealth’s values and principles, fostering an empathetic and open-minded world view in the next generation of Commonwealth leaders.
Recent themes have focused on the environment, inclusion, the role of youth leadership, and gender equality.
Winners are invited to travel to the United Kingdom for a week of educational and cultural activities, which culminates in a special Awards Ceremony, usually held at Buckingham Palace, that is hosted by the Society’s Vice-Patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, applicants must:
- Be a citizen of a Commonwealth country
- Be under 18 years of age
- Choose to answer one of the topics, and you are encouraged to interpret this in any way you wish.
- Think carefully about the form of writing you use to answer the topic. There are a variety of forms and styles to play with.
- Make sure to use your own voice and your own words. Judges are very good at spotting work that is not original.
- We understand that English is a diverse language and there are different and innovative ways of using it around the Commonwealth. We encourage diversity and creativity of language in submissions.
- Ensure you take into account grammar and punctuation whilst writing your piece. Do not submit an entry without proof-reading.
- Presentation is important: think about the visual appearance of the entry as well as the quality of the content.
Program Benefits
Successful contestants in this competition will receive:
- One Winner and Runner Up will be chosen from each category.
- Winners and Runners Up (accompanied by one adult/guardian) will be brought to London for a week of educational and cultural events, culminating in a special Awards Ceremony.
- A number of Gold Finalist, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards will be given in both the Senior and Junior categories, rewarding excellence in writing.
- All successful entries will receive a Certificate of Participation.
How to Apply
To apply for this competition:
- Click HERE to commence application and submit your write-up
- Select the category to which you belong (Junior or Senior) l
- Click on START to submit your entry.
To begin the program application process, click HERE
To receive more scholarship updates, click HERE
