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Discourse, debate, and analysis
Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.
Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024
Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024
We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.
Entry to the competition is free.
About the Competition
The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions.
Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:
Religion and Politics
Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.
Artificial Intelligence
Neuroengineering
2024 essay prompts.
This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.
Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria
Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.
Awards and Award Ceremony
Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.
Registration and Submission
Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.
Advisory Committee and Judging Panel
The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.
They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.
We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.
The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.
Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates
We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .
They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.
Why has religion remained a force in a secular world?
Professor Commentary:
Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?
‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)
In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.
‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)
Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.
‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)
This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.
‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)
An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.
‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)
Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.
‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)
Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.
‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)
In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.
Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?
Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.
The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge
The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.
The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of 30th July, 2024.
Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel.
The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting).
King’s College Chapel
With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture.
Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event.
Confirmed Nobel Laureates
Dr Thomas R. Cech
The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.
Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.
He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.
As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado
Sir Richard J. Roberts
The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .
F or the discovery of split genes
During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.
His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.
Dr Aaron Ciechanover
The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .
F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation
Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.
Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.
Dr Robert Lefkowitz
The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .
F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors
Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.
Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.
Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.
Dr Joachim Frank
The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .
F or developing cryo-electron microscopy
Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.
In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.
Dr Barry C. Barish
The nobel prize in physics 2017 .
For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves
Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.
In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”
In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.
In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.
In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.
Dr Harvey J. Alter
The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .
For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus
Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.
Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.
Dr Ardem Patapoutian
The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .
For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses
Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition?
The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.
Who is eligible to enter the Re:think essay competition?
As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.
Is there any entry fee for the competition?
There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.
Subscribe for Competition Updates
If you are interested to receive latest information and updates of this year’s competition, please sign up here.
Bookings Open for Online Summer Courses
Watch our Explainer Video
How Our Essay Competition Works
Submit your entry.
Research and write your essay and then submit it, along with your references, via our short form below.
Entries close at 9pm UK time on 15th April 2024 !
Awards Ceremony
All shortlisted entrants and their parents and teachers will be invited to attend our Awards Ceremony in May 2024, where the winners will be announced.
Over £100,000 Worth of Academic Prizes
Free Conference place
The first thousand students who are successfully shortlisted will be awarded a free place at one of our OxBright Conferences (worth £95) in the autumn. Alternatively, you can put this credit towards an Online Course or Online Internship .
All shortlisted entrants and their parents and teachers will be invited to attend our online Awards Ceremony in May 2024, where the winners will be announced.
Matilda Winner, History, 2023
I’m both thrilled and flabbergasted at the outcome of the competition.
Winning this competition undoubtedly made me feel much more confident in researching and writing in my field from now on, opening a lot of new doors for me!
Regina Winner, Psychology, 2023
I’m very happy and grateful to win such a meaningful competition. I truly learned a lot.
My advice to anyone considering entering is to try to think deeper and further about your chosen topic.
Alex Winner, Philosophy, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
Entering the essay competition, how will entering the oxbright essay competition help me in the future, why do you run an essay competition.
OxBright is about giving students the edge to help them to succeed, find their purpose and make a difference in the world.
We think it’s the greatest time to be alive, but we’re aware that young people face challenges their predecessors didn’t. We’re passionate about encouraging students to be optimistic about the future by being active thinkers interested in collaborating to create a better future for the long-term. You can read more about this in our Worldview .
Our essay competition combines these two elements – encouraging students to think actively about the future, and giving them tools to help them to succeed.
Who can enter?
Anyone can enter – the only eligibility criteria is that you must be aged between 15-18. You don’t need to have previously joined an OxBright programme in order to take part.
Kindly be aware that to be eligible to take up any of the free places offered as prizes, such as our online courses/internships, winning students must be between the ages of 15 and 18 at the commencement of the programme.
Can I write more than one essay?
Sorry, we only accept one essay per student in each Essay Competition. This is due to the volume of essays we receive.
Can I enter jointly with a friend?
No, we can only accept entries from individuals, and it’s important to make sure that your work is entirely your own.
Is there a fee to enter the OxBright Essay Competition?
No, the essay competition is completely free to enter.
When is the entry deadline?
The deadline has been extended, and is now the 15th April 2024, at 9pm.
Are you connected to any university?
No, OxBright is an independent education organisation which is not connected to any university.
Where can I see the results of the Essay Competition 2023?
You can see the results of our previous Essay Competition, including the winning essay in full, here .
Writing Your Essay
What are the subject categories i can enter for, how long should my essay be.
There are three parts to the essay:
- Essay title: the title of your essay can be up to 100 characters long, including spaces
- Essay: your essay can have up to 3,800 characters , including spaces (this is about 500 words). This includes everything you write, like the main text and in-text citations. In-text citations are little notes you put in your essay to show where your information came from. For example, if you quote something from a book by John Smith, you would add (Smith, 2010, p. 50) right after the quote. These citations are part of your word count, so make sure to include them
- References: as for references, there’s no word limit – you can include as many as you need! These are important for showing where your information came from. Please use the Harvard Referencing Style for your references (you can find how to do this in the guidelines provided here ). This won’t count towards your essay character limit, so please list all the sources you used
What are the evaluation criteria?
We’ll be assessing essays on the following criteria:
- Fluency of written English
- Relevance to the question
- Creativity and originality of ideas
- Use of evidence or examples
- Relevance to the OxBright Worldview
Should I use references?
Please make sure to include references to your sources, using the Harvard Referencing Style (guidelines here ).
What makes a good essay?
Make sure to read our criteria carefully (you can find it in the FAQ above).
We want essays that are thoroughly researched, packed with examples and solid evidence. What really catches our attention are essays with unique analysis. So, we’re not just interested in essays that simply describe things – we want your thoughts, analysis, and fresh ideas.
Don’t forget, it’s crucial to use and mention trustworthy sources for the evidence you provide.
Do you accept personal or descriptive essays?
We’re looking for clear, concise and compelling answers to the question above, written and formatted in an academic style. Please don’t submit personal essays or creative writing samples.
What Happens Next?
When will i hear the results.
We’ll be in touch within two weeks of your entry to let you know whether or not you’ve been shortlisted (all entrants who meet our core standards of relevance and coherence will be shortlisted).
All shortlisted entrants and their parents and teachers will be invited to our Awards Ceremony in May 2024, when the winners in each subject category will be announced.
How are essays assessed?
You can read about the criteria we use to assess your essay in the FAQ above (“What are the evaluation criteria?”).
Essays are assessed using our proprietary system which combines a mixture of technology and personal assessment. Essays which are deemed to be plagiarised or be written by AI will be rejected and our decision on this is final.
There are two stages to our assessment process:
Shorlisting Our first stage assessment reviews whether the essay is relevant and coherent. If so, your essay will be shortlisted, you will be offered a free place at an OxBright Conference and you will be invited to the Awards Ceremony.
Awards Shortlised essays are then given further assessment by our panel. This includes a review of the References. In the application form, we ask for a the name of a teacher who is familiar with your academic work. If your essay is nominated for an Award, we will ask this teacher to confirm that the essay was genuinely written by you.
What are the prizes?
Please click here for more information about the prizes and awards.
Why is the overall prize a place at Oxford Scholastica in 2025, not 2024?
Will i receive feedback.
Unfortunately, due to the volume of entries received, we are unable to provide feedback on essays.
Does everyone who enters get a free place at a Conference?
The first thousand students to who make a valid submission and are shortlisted will be invited to attend an OxBright Conference of their choice, free of charge (worth £95). Conference subjects include Business, Medicine, Law and Psychology. It is optional to attend a Conference.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to choose to apply the £95 credit toward another programme with us.
Does everyone receive a certificate?
Only students who win one of the awards receive a certificate. Certificates are issued in online format.
Do you publish the names of the award winners?
Yes, award winners will be published on our website after the Awards Ceremony.
How can I pass on some feedback about the essay competition?
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Brain 2023 essay competition.
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Masud Husain, Brain 2023 essay competition, Brain , Volume 146, Issue 7, July 2023, Page 2657, https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad160
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The response to our inaugural essay competition last year was remarkable. The impressive quality of submissions and diversity of subjects considered by the authors—who included researchers, clinicians, patients, carers, as well as people who have no immediate link to neurology—was extraordinary. The thoughtful and sometimes moving nature of those essays have encouraged us to launch a new competition this year.
We seek writing that stimulates, provokes and makes our readers reflect. We emphasize that essays for Brain are NOT scientific articles. Nor are they academic pieces, but rather writing that provides a broader perspective on life for the general reader. Essays do NOT have to focus on neurological topics or the brain but they should make our readers reflect. They can be opinionated, entertaining or amusing, but most importantly, they should be enlightening, illuminating some aspect of the human condition, and written well.
The best submissions will be published in our Essay section, highlighted on Brain’s website and social media, and made freely available to all readers. Last year’s winning essay was published in the January 2023 issue of Brain, while the two runners-up had their submissions published in February and March of the journal.
What are we looking for in an essay? Aldous Huxley famously began the Preface to his Collected Essays (1960) with: ‘What is true of the novel is only a little less true for the essay. For, like the novel, the essay is a literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything’. According to Huxley, essays often focus either on the personal or autobiographical; or the objective or factual; or the abstract and universal. ‘Most essayists are at home and at their best in the neighbourhood of only one.’ However, he concluded: ‘The most richly satisfying essays are those which make the best not of one, not of two, but of all the three worlds in which it is possible for the essay to exist. Freely, effortlessly, thought and feeling move … from the personal to the universal, from the abstract back to the concrete, from the objective datum to the inner experience’.
We want an essay to be a coherent, carefully crafted piece of writing that aspires to achieve all these elements, providing an absorbing experience that stays with our readers long after they have enjoyed the text.
If you’re interested to submit an essay, or know someone who does, please read the following carefully :
This competition is open to anyone who would like to write an essay.
Essays have a limit of 2000 words. Please provide a word count at the end of the text.
Essays do not have an abstract but must have an introductory paragraph (∼100 words) to set the scene or summarize the contents for the reader.
Ideally, they don’t have subheadings but could have breaks within the text to divide up sections.
To reiterate, Essays are NOT scientific articles or academic texts. They do not have to cover neurological topics. They are supposed to stimulate, provoke and make our readers reflect.
If necessary, you can add up to 10 references, but Essays don’t have to have any references.
Please consider adding up to two images, ideally without copyright, to accompany your text.
Submit your text to the Brain pre-submission email address: [email protected]
Please DO NOT put your name, affiliation or any other information that can identify you anywhere on the text. Submissions will be judged by a panel that is blind to who you are or where you come from.
Only one submission per author is allowed.
All the information you need is provided here—if you read the text carefully. Please don’t send in further questions about the competition.
Deadline for submission: 15 October 2023.
We’re very much looking forward to reading your essays.
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8 Psychology and Neuroscience Competitions for High School Students
If you're a high school student working on a psychology project, are interested in the subject, or wish to gain some competitive experience in the field, this blog is for you! Competitions in psychology and neuroscience not only give you a platform to showcase your knowledge and passion but also provide an opportunity to connect with fellow curious minds.
Taking part in competitions, especially in fields like psychology or neuroscience, can really catch the eye of college admissions officers. It shows them a bunch of things:
Passion and Dedication : Your involvement demonstrates genuine interest and commitment to the field. It shows you're not just about grades; you're actively exploring and engaging in your interests.
Skills in Communication and Research : These competitions highlight your ability to explain complex ideas and present research effectively, which are essential skills in higher education.
Adaptability and Drive : Meeting competition deadlines and following submission guidelines showcases your adaptability and drive to excel, qualities that colleges highly value.
Demonstrated Success : Winning or even participating successfully in these competitions adds a tangible achievement to your application. It's proof of your abilities in a competitive setting.
So, when admissions officers see your involvement in these competitions, it paints a picture of a motivated, passionate, and capable student, which can make a significant impression on your college applications.
In this blog, let's take a look at 8 psychology and neuroscience competitions for high school students designed to engage and inspire students like you.
1. Psychology Olympiad
The IPsyO welcomes high school students from across the globe. It's crafted to be a demanding competition, so participants should view it as a chance to grow, putting their grasp of psychology, creativity, and originality to the test.
Participants are assessed on their concept clarity, real-world application, critical analysis of research scenarios, and proficiency in experimental design and quantitative data interpretation.
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2023 sessions are already closed. Based on this year’s deadlines, the applications close on the 25th of July.
Eligibility: Participation in the IPSYO is not directly open to individuals. If a student is interested in competing, the IPSYO might know teachers in their country who are willing to assist in assembling a team.
Mode/Platform: https://www.ipsyo.org/apply
Prize: Winners will receive gold, silver, and bronze medals based on aggregate scores, while the top 5 teams worldwide will be awarded based on team members' average scores.
2. TOPSS Competition for High School Psychology Students
This contest challenges students to create a concise, under 3-minute video demonstrating their grasp of a psychological concept from the Cognition Pillar of the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula.
The video should include an accurate explanation of the chosen psychological construct, reference at least one relevant research study showcasing its potential societal benefits, and provide a practical example of how this knowledge can improve their school or local community.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2024
Eligibility: Only current high school students, including international students, can participate in the competition. Teams are not allowed, and each school can submit a maximum of five entries.
Mode/Platform: The mode/platform for video submission is YouTube. The complete set of rules for video submission can be found here .
Prize: $300 scholarship award
3. Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)
JSHS encourages high school research and offers scholarships and recognition to support students' future STEM endeavors. Registration for JSHS is completely free for student participants, providing them with the chance to showcase their STEM research among peers and professionals from various STEM fields, including Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience, and more.
Application Deadline: Regional symposium deadlines fall between September and December, with variations based on location.
Eligibility: Participants must select a regional symposium based on their school's address (except for the Virtual Region) and must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
Mode/Platform: Regional Symposium - https://jshs.org/students/find-your-region/
Prize: Up to $12,000 in undergraduate tuition scholarships
4. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) stands as the oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school seniors in the United States. It provides a platform for these seniors to present their original research, which is assessed by a national panel of professional scientists.
Participants can choose from a range of categories, each offering sub-categories. For instance, under Behavioral and Social Sciences, you'll find topics related to human and animal behavior, and social and community relationships, which encompass fields like psychology, sociology, and anthropology, as well as subjects like learning and perception, among others. Remarkably, alumni of this competition have gone on to make significant contributions to science, earning numerous prestigious awards including thirteen Nobel Prizes.
We have covered this competition in detail here .
Application Deadline: November 8, 2023
Eligibility: US high school seniors and US citizens living abroad are eligible to apply. Non-US citizens attending American schools abroad are not eligible.
Mode/Platform: Online Application System
Scholars receive $2,000 each
Schools supporting scholars get $2,000
Finalists receive awards ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.
5. AAN Neuroscience Research Prize
This award aims to inspire high school students to delve into the intricacies of the brain and nervous system via research endeavors. It seeks to identify and commend students who exhibit exceptional scientific prowess, indicating potential contributions to neuroscience.
Additionally, the award acknowledges science educators who have shown exceptional support for students passionate about neuroscience.
You read more about the competition here !
Application Deadline: November 2, 2023
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (grades 9-12) can apply with original research projects, conducted individually, without the need for formal lab settings. Relatives of judges, AAN Science Committee, or AAN staff are not eligible.
Mode/Platform: Website: https://www.aan.com/research/neuroscience-research-prize
Prize: Each winner will receive a $1,000 prize
6. Psychology Essay Competition — Minds Underground
The Minds Underground™ Psychology Essay Competition & Challenge welcomes Year 12 students, although younger participants are also encouraged. This competition offers students a chance to delve into university-level research, refine their writing and persuasive abilities, and get ready for university interviews.
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2023 sessions are already closed. Based on this year’s deadlines, the applications close on 16 April 2023
Eligibility: Open to Year 10-13 students (ages 16-18) worldwide. Essays must be in English.
Mode/Platform: Essays should be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format on Online Form .
Prize: Winners receive a £30 voucher for educational resources and a custom Resource Pack for university applications.
7. Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC)
These competitions are widespread, spanning almost every U.S. state and over 70 countries, regions, and territories worldwide. They operate at various tiers, including local, regional, state, and even national levels, with some being associated with the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.
To qualify for ISEF, participants must first secure a victory at a fair affiliated with the Society. Each affiliated fair is allotted a specific number of projects, either individual or team-based, that they can sponsor to participate in ISEF.
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2023 sessions are already closed. Based on this year’s deadlines, the applications close on June 14, 2023.
Eligibility: To participate in ISEF, students in grades 9-12 must first win at an affiliated fair.
Mode/Platform: Submission to an Affiliated fair .
Prize: Winners receive the $25,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND Award, along with scientific trips and cash rewards for finalist teachers and schools.
8. International Brain Bee World Championship
Established in 1998 by Dr. Norbert Myslinski, the International Brain Bee aims to enhance our understanding of the brain and combat brain disorders. Over the years, it has motivated numerous students to delve into neuroscience and consider it as a career path.
The competition unfolds in three stages: participants begin with a Local Brain Bee, with the victors progressing to their nation's National Brain Bee. Ultimately, the winner of each National Brain Bee competes in the prestigious IBB World Championship.
Eligibility: Brain Bees typically accept high school students aged 13-19, with eligibility based on school enrollment or neuroscience knowledge. Participants need to qualify through a National Brain Bee.
Mode/Platform: This year, it was held virtually.
Prize: Up to $3000
If you are looking to start your own research journey in psychology with 1-1 mentorship from a top PhD scholar, check out the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online high school program for students that I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. You can find the application form here.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
Image Source: ISEF logo
- competitions
Top Psychology Competitions For High School and Middle School Students
By Logan Pearce
PhD candidate in Social Psychology at Princeton University
8 minute read
If you are currently conducting a research project in psychology or just completed one, you should consider participating in a psychology competition! While it may seem intimidating in the beginning, there are many benefits to participating in psychology competitions. Here are a few:
Develops your ability to explain complex ideas and your research to a new audience
Gives you a deadline, which in turn provides motivation for you to complete your research project
Provides opportunities to practice following guidelines and submission requirements, which are skills you will need in high school, college, and beyond
Looks great on a college application
You might win! (Don’t sell yourself short!)
In assessing each competition, I considered the academic rigor of its hosting institution, its relevance to psychology, and its accessibility for students. Accessibility of course comes in many forms. I considered whether the competition was accessible to students of different ages and in different geographical areas. None of the competitions required an entry fee, which is something else I looked for. (If you ever have to pay a lot of money for a competition, that’s a bad sign.)
8 Psychology Competitions For Students
1. junior science and humanities symposium (jshs).
Hosting institution : United States Department of Defense
Format : Written Research Report
Application deadline : The regional symposiums vary by region, but the deadlines are usually between September and December. The regional symposiums are actually held from January through March. The national symposium is held sometime in April or May.
Individual or team : Either, but in the case of a team project, only one person presents/submits the work. That person will be presented with any scholarships/awards that they win.
Eligibility : Citizens or permanent residents of the United States only
This competition is for high school students (grades 9 - 12) who have conducted original research in a STEM field. First, students submit a written research report detailing their findings. Judges select a portion of those submissions to be considered in the appropriate regional symposium based on the applicant’s location. Winners from the regional round move on to the national symposium.
This is a great competition since students of many different ages can compete. One difficulty is that students generally have to travel to the regional symposium to present their work (a few are online). While there is at least one symposium in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe and the Pacific, in some states there is only one symposium.
2. International Psychology Olympiad
Hosting institution: International Psychology Olympiad Association
Format: Academic Test
Application deadline: TBA
Individual or team: Individual or team
Eligibility: Worldwide; over 35+ countries have participated in the past
This competition has an academic test format with 3 different sections: concept understanding, application and analysis, and research design. In preparing for this test you should have a good understanding of psychology concepts and be able to apply this theory to actual problems. After registration, students will receive study materials to help prepare them for the test. You register for this competition through your school or an organization, so try to find classmates who might be interested as well, and reach out to school teachers or administrators early so they can sign you up!
3. Minds Underground Psychology Essay Competition
Hosting institution: Minds Underground
Format: Essay
Application deadline: Passed for this year, but based on last year’s date should be April 2024 for the upcoming year
Individual or team: Individual
Eligibility: Worldwide
This essay competition offers three essay prompts to choose from every year (you can submit one essay per category prompt). Past essay prompts have included questions like “Can we think without language?” and “How can the mind be altered by changes in the brain?” These profound questions are quite open-ended, so it forces you to do a good amount of research to support your perspective. As a result, you can learn quite a bit about psychology in the process while also developing your own opinions about the space.
Research and Prepare for your Competition or Fair
Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own. Our highly-specialized mentors can help guide you to feel even more prepared for an upcoming fair or competion. We also offer options to explore multiple topics, or to showcase your final product!
4. Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC)
Hosting institution: Society for Science in partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific
Format: Submission to a local science fair
Application deadline: Varies depending on the local fair, but most fairs take place between January and April
Individual or team: Either. Up to three people can form a team, but each student must submit an individual application. Students on the same team are judged separately. Students can complete a team project and submit their application even if the other team members do not submit one.
Eligibility: The only criteria is that the student competes in an affiliated fair in the U.S. or a U.S. territory. You will have to check the fair’s rules to see if you are eligible to compete.
I like this competition because it is only for middle school students (6th, 7th, and 8th grades) - many opportunities are only for high school students. These students first compete in a local fair that is affiliated with Thermo Fisher. Judges at the local fair can then nominate up to 10% of the students to participate in the national competition. The Top 300 students receive awards, and the finalists chosen from the Top 300 travel to Washington, D.C., to compete for awards with even bigger prizes.
One drawback of this competition is that students must compete in a local fair first, which has the same transportation costs as I discussed earlier. Additionally, the site says that there is a fair “in nearly every state and territory in the U.S.,” which means there are a few states or territories that do not have a fair.
5. TOPSS Competition for High School Psychology Students
Hosting institution: TOPSS (American Psychological Association Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools)
Format: Video
Application deadline: The deadline for this year has passed, but check back soon!
Individual or team: Individual, although competitors also “must work with a teacher prior to submitting the entry to ensure the submitted content follows competition guidelines and rules.”
Eligibility Worldwide
In this competition, high school students submit a three-minute video that demonstrates their grasp of a psychological concept and how this concept can be used to make people’s lives better in the “real world”. The video should fall into one of the following categories: social psychology, personality, multiculturalism and gender, or motivation and emotion. To be eligible to compete, students must have completed or be currently enrolled in a psychology course. Each video submission must include a reference to at least one reputable outside source. You can check out this article to learn how to skim research papers effectively while looking for your outside source(s). Pro-tip: A major part of this competition is explaining the psychological concept and all research that you cite in your own words!
This competition is accessible for a variety of students, which is great. Even though it is hosted by the American Psychological Association, international students can compete. Applicants don’t have to pay for common research expenses (e.g., getting materials, paying participants) since the competition focuses on students’ understanding of existing research. However, I think this is also a potential limitation of the competition. Some students may not be as interested in reading articles and instead prefer to conduct their own research.
Also note that the video format may feel awkward for some students, but the 2022 competition submission was an essay, so perhaps that changes from year to year.
6. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Hosting institution: Society for Science
Format: Research Paper
Application deadline: The 2024 application opens on June 1, 2023. Check back on their website for the 2024 deadline.
Eligibility: United States citizens and students (of any citizenship) studying in the U.S. can compete.
This competition goes back to 1942 and is the oldest science and math competition in the United States! Since it has that background, it is very prestigious and academically rigorous. Applicants complete original scientific research projects and submit their findings in a formal research paper. Experts in the appropriate scientific field carefully review each project, leading to the Top 300 and Top 40 finalists. The Top 40 finalists compete in an in-person Finals Week in Washington, D.C., for the Top 10 awards. Each Top 40 scholar receives at least $25,000! ($25,000 seems like a typo, but don’t worry, I double-checked!)
Read our article about How to Write a Research Paper
The downside of this competition is that only high school seniors can compete. Applicants can conduct their research in any year of high school; however, it still limits younger students who want to compete earlier in their academic careers.
Check out our Ultimate Guide to the Regeneron Science Talent Search for more information about this competition
7. United States Army’s eCybermission Competition
Hosting institution: United States Army
Format: Scientific Report
Application deadline: Currently closed, but the previous deadline was in early 2023. Registration for the 2023-2024 competition opens in the fall.
Individual or team: Team
Eligibility: U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S.
This entirely virtual competition ranked high on the list because it is another rare opportunity for younger students. It is a team-based STEM competition for U.S. students in the 6th - 9th grades. Students form a group with 2 - 4 members total, along with an adult advisor. The team then completes a scientific research project or designs an engineering prototype to solve a problem in their community. Teams submit a paper describing their experimental research or engineering design process. They can win awards at the state, regional, and national levels.
The requirement to have 2 - 4 team members can be a pro or a con depending on the student and their goals and resources. On the one hand, it develops key collaboration skills which are useful in many different areas and can provide a sense of community. Each team member will also bring unique strengths to the project. On the other hand it might be challenging to find team members who have similar interests and vision for the project.
8. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
Format: Submission to a local science fair
Application deadline: Varies depending on the local fair
Individual or team: Either. Students can form teams with up to three members total. Unlike the Theromo Fisher competition, in ISEF teams compete as a unit.
The Society for Science also hosts this competition, which is essentially the high school version of the Thermo Fisher competition. 9th-12th grade students first compete in a local science fair that is affiliated with Regeneron, and judges at that fair nominate a certain percentage of participants for the international level. These finalists compete for over 600 individual and team awards, with substantial monetary prizes.
This competition is accessible for all high school students and for international students. There are fairs in nearly every U.S. state as well as over 70 other countries, regions and territories. Students can submit projects in one of 21 categories that span all engineering and science disciplines, including the psychology subcategory under “Behavioral and Social Sciences.” We also have an ultimate guide to competing and winning in the Regeneron International Science Engineering Fair.
Competition Prep and Psychology Resources For High School Students
All of these research competitions are great and hosted by reputable organizations, so consider each one and make the best decision based on your interests, goals, and resources. You can’t go wrong! Also remember that when you are submitting research involving human subjects for competitions, you will need to get IRB approval before conducting your research. If you would like any help conducting research that you want to submit to a competition, please apply for our flagship mentorship program here . You can also check out these articles to learn about research opportunities for high school students , internship opportunities for high school students , and creative ways to explore your passions .
Psychology projects completed by Polygence students
We also wanted to highlight some amazing psychology research projects that Polygence student alumni have completed in the past. Whether you’re submitting the project for a competition or not, the process of working on one is a great way to learn and explore your passions!
Janani’s project assessed how emotional intelligence affects a person’s lifestyle and wellbeing . Janani developed a questionnaire to assess people’s emotional intelligence and after completing the survey found some interesting insights about what provokes human anger and the connections between memories and emotions experienced. Janani also wrote a research paper to share her findings!
Valeria’s project explored the neglected mental health crisis and how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted minority groups and youth in the United States . Valeria researched the harmful mental health effects of the pandemic and also provided suggestions for potential solutions within healthcare and education systems. Valeria’s research paper was published in the Curieux Academic Journal!
Luke researched the topic of nepotistic hiring and how favoritism plays a role in the job market . What started for Luke as an initial survey about mental health during the pandemic eventually transitioned to a psychological study where he predicted that cultural differences and different socioeconomic status would lead to nuances in manager behavior in certain job-hiring situations. Luke’s research paper was published in Frontiers, a peer-reviewed academic journal.
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