Requirements and Submissions
About the Contest
Bennington counts hundreds of literary greats among its esteemed alumni. Now we鈥檙e looking for the next generation of writers. High school students worldwide are invited to submit poetry, fiction, or nonfiction entries for a chance to win cash, a scholarship, and prestige.
Students currently enrolled in Grades 9-11 are invited to submit an entry to one category by the November 1 deadline, via the button above.
Students enrolled in Grade 12 should submit their YWA entry by completing either the or . Since so many YWA participants also apply to Bennington, this approach allows students to submit their college and YWA applications through one streamlined process.
Contest Requirements
This contest is for all writers in grades 9鈥12, including those outside the United States. Entrants can submit 1-3 poems, a short story or stand-alone excerpt from a larger piece, or a personal or academic nonfiction essay. There is no entry fee.
Submission Categories
Entries must be typed (nothing handwritten or scanned), with a total submission limit of 1500 words.
- Fiction: a short story or stand-alone excerpt from a larger piece.
- Nonfiction: a personal or academic essay, or a stand-alone excerpt from a larger piece.
- Poetry: between 1-3 poems, with a combined limit of 1500 words.
A first, second, and third place winner is selected in each category. Distinguished submissions in each category and grade are also selected.
We ask that participants submit in only one category and submit only one time per year. Word counts are strict and include all the text submitted, including headers, footers, footnotes, titles, and bibliographies. We are unable to return submissions.
Guidelines
- All entries must be original work. Each will be checked for plagiarism. Plagiarized work will be disqualified.
- All must be reviewed and approved by a high school sponsor teacher. We will use your sponsoring teacher as a contact for the competition should we have any questions. For homeschooled students, please contact a mentor to sponsor your writing.
Deadline
Enter your submission by the deadline of November 1. The contest opens September 1.
Awards & Scholarships
Cash: First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $2,000; second-place winners receive $1,000; and third-place winners receive $500.
The YWA distinguished writer designation will be awarded to entries from each category by grade level and receive $250.
Scholarships: Young Writers Award (YWA) finalists and winners are also eligible for undergraduate scholarships at Bennington.
- YWA winners who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a full-tuition scholarship each year for four years, representing more than $60,000 per year in financial aid.
- YWA distinguished writers who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a half-tuition scholarship each year for four years, representing more than $30,000 per year in financial aid..
- YWA finalists who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a $25,000 scholarship every year for four years, a total of $100,000 in financial aid.
Prestige: The Young Writers Awards are recognized as one of the by The Teen Magazine. In addition to cash prizes and scholarships, winning entries will be published on the 51成人猎奇 website in the spring. They may also be published through media requests from local newspapers or magazines, or recorded for the Bennington audio library. Authors retain all other copyrights.
Contact Us
For more information, email us at ywa@bennington.edu or to receive updates.
Young Writers Awards FAQs
See below for frequently asked questions.
I am at a school outside of the U.S. Can I still enter?
Absolutely! We welcome students from all over the globe to participate in the Young Writers Awards.
Is there a fee to enter?
Nope! The competition is free.
I have submitted this work previously to other awards, publications, or competitions. Can I still submit it?
We welcome simultaneous submissions.
I鈥檓 a gap year student. Can I enter?
We ask that students who participate be in grades 9th through 12th grade. Sadly, gap year students are not eligible for the competition.
Can my submission be in a language that is not English?
We have a diverse group of people who read our submissions; however, we currently accept only submissions that are written in English.
Is the word count absolute?
The word count is strict. Get your fiction or nonfiction submission down to 1,500 words. Headers, footers, footnotes, titles, and bibliographies all count.
What does 鈥渟ponsoring teacher鈥 mean?
A sponsoring teacher is someone who has worked with you, read what you鈥檝e decided to submit, and helped you edit it. They鈥檝e given you feedback and advice. Once you submit your work, your sponsoring teacher鈥檚 work is largely done, but we want to make sure that you鈥檝e done this step.
Who can my sponsoring teacher be?
You don鈥檛 have to have taken a class with them, but they should know you and have worked with you in some capacity previously. Homeschooled students need to list a non-parent mentor.
Do you return submissions?
No. We are unable to return submissions.