Submissions for the 2026 Oxford Essay Prize Competition are not yet open — the competition opens in October 2026. We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives on the most important issues facing the world today. Sign up below to be notified as soon as entries open.
The Oxford Essay Prize Competition invites high school students from around the world to submit original essays on a wide range of academic and social topics. The 2026 competition is not yet open — submissions will open in October 2026. We believe that the next generation of thinkers — wherever they study — has important ideas to contribute to the world’s most pressing conversations.
The best essays are featured on the OCAR website, shared with our network of faculty, and winners may be invited to the Oxford campus for a special awards event.
Sign up to receive competition guidelines, topic announcements, and deadline reminders.
As OCAR builds its essay competition history, winning and shortlisted essays will be featured here.