Registration & Submission
Q: If I do not register before the registration deadline (May 31), can I still register or submit an essay?
A: No. All participants must complete their registration before May 31. If you fail to register before the deadline, you will not be able to participate in this year’s competition.
Q: Do footnotes, endnotes, bibliographies, or reference lists count toward the word limit?
A: No. Only the main body of the essay is counted toward the word limit.
Q: Are in-text citations included in the word count?
A: Yes. If you use a citation style that includes references within the text (such as APA format), those citations will be counted as part of the word limit.
Q: Is it necessary to include footnotes or endnotes in my essay?
A: Footnotes are not required, but you may include in-text citations or endnotes if needed. Any factual statements should be properly referenced, and the source and author should be clearly identified.
Essay Writing
Q: What should I do if I am interested in a question that seems ambiguous or open to interpretation?
A: You should carefully consider the question and present your own interpretation and argument. However, make sure your essay remains focused and directly addresses the topic.
Eligibility
Q: How strict are the age eligibility requirements?
A: The age requirements are strictly enforced.
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For the Junior category, participants must not turn 15 before June 30 of the competition year.
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For other categories, participants must not turn 19 before June 30 of the competition year.
Birthdate Requirements
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Junior Category: Born after June 30, 2009
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Senior Categories: Born after June 30, 2005
Participation Rules
Q: Can I submit more than one essay?
A: Yes. Participants are allowed to submit multiple essays, as long as each essay responds to a valid competition question.
Q: If I am eligible for the Junior category, does that mean I cannot participate in other categories?
A: No. You may submit essays to multiple categories if you wish.
Q: Can I collaborate with someone else on my essay?
A: No. All submissions must be entirely the participant’s own work. Collaborative submissions are not allowed.
Use of AI Tools
Q: Can I use AI tools such as ChatGPT to help write my essay?
A: All submitted essays will be checked for AI-generated content. If an essay is found to be generated by AI tools, the participant will be disqualified from the competition.
During the submission process, participants must declare whether any AI tools were used in the writing process. If AI assistance was used, detailed information must be provided.
The safest approach is not to use AI tools when writing your essay.
Q: Can other people help me with my essay?
A: You may discuss ideas with others and receive feedback to improve your work. However, no part of the essay may be written by someone else.
Awards & Certificates
Q: Do winners have to attend the awards ceremony?
A: No. Attendance at the awards ceremony is not mandatory.
However, if you receive an invitation to attend the ceremony, it means your essay has performed exceptionally well in the first round of judging and may be competing for First, Second, or Third Prize.
Q: Will participants who are not shortlisted receive a certificate?
A: Unfortunately, certificates are only awarded to shortlisted participants.
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If you attend the awards ceremony in person, you will receive a printed certificate.
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If you cannot attend, you will be able to download a digital certificate.
Q: Will I receive feedback on my essay?
A: Due to the large number of submissions, it is not possible for judges to provide individual feedback on every essay.
Awards Ceremony
Q: Why is this year’s awards ceremony not being held in Oxford?
A: In previous years, venue capacity limitations prevented many shortlisted participants from attending the ceremony.
To accommodate more participants, this year’s awards ceremony will be held in central London.
Need More Information?
If you have additional questions about the competition, feel free to scan the QR code to contact our academic advisors.
You can also download and study past winning essays for free to better prepare for the competition.
Free Download: Past John Locke Winning Essays ⇓
