This page details eligibility, key dates, competition requirements, late submissions, judging, final results, and awards. Please read carefully.
1. Eligibility
The John Locke Institute Essay Competition is open to students from any country.
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Senior (High) Division: Participants must be 18 years old or younger on the date of submission.
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Junior (Lower) Division: Participants must be 14 years old or younger on the date of submission.
This year, the Junior and Senior divisions share the same question set but are judged separately by age group.
2. Key Dates – 2026
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Feb 1, 2026: Registration opens
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Mar 31, 2026: Registration closes (must register by this date to submit essays)
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Apr 1, 2026: Essay submissions begin
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May 31, 2026: Regular submission deadline
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Jun 7 / Jun 21, 2026: Late submission deadlines
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Jul 7, 2026: Shortlist announced
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Oct 2–4, 2026: Academic conference
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Oct 3, 2026: Awards dinner
3. Competition Requirements
Registration
All candidates must register before 11:59 PM BST on Mar 31, 2026.
Submission
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All essays must be submitted by 11:59 PM BST on May 31, 2026.
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Participants must meet the age requirement on the submission date (≤18 for Senior, ≤14 for Junior).
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Each essay must address only one question from the chosen subject category and must not exceed 2,000 words (excluding charts, tables, footnotes, bibliography, or author statement).
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PDF files must follow the naming format:
FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf
e.g.,Alexander-Popham-Psychology-2.pdf. Submissions not following this format will be rejected.
Recommendation
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Each candidate must provide the email of a referee familiar with their written academic work (preferably a school teacher or responsible adult not related to the participant).
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The John Locke Institute will email the referee to verify the originality of the essay.
We recommend submitting essays well before the deadline to avoid last-minute complications.
Consent for Data Use
Your submission will only be accepted if you allow us to process your data for the competition, including communications regarding the awards dinner, academic conference, and other John Locke Institute events.
Submission is completely free of charge.
4. Late Submissions
If you miss the May 31 deadline, you may submit late under the following conditions:
Submission Deadlines:
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7-day extension: Mon, Jun 7, 2026, 11:59 PM BST
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21-day extension: Mon, Jun 21, 2026, 11:59 PM BST
Late Fees:
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7-day extension: £25 (~RMB 233.52)
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21-day extension: £75 (~RMB 700.55)
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Payment must be made within 24 hours of the missed deadline via credit card.
To pay, log in to your account, select the appropriate option, and provide the payment information.
5. Judging
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We use a proprietary scoring system. Essays are evaluated using official systems and tools to detect plagiarism, contract cheating, AI usage, or other fraudulent practices.
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Essays are judged based on:
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Knowledge and understanding of relevant materials
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Effective use of evidence
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Quality of argumentation
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Originality
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Structure and organization
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Writing style and persuasiveness
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The most compelling essays are those that could change someone’s mind. Essays that ignore or fail to address strong counterarguments are unlikely to succeed.
Tip: Candidates should answer the question as clearly and directly as possible.
6. Final Results
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Authors of the best essays will be recognized and shortlisted.
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Shortlisted candidates will be notified by 11:59 PM BST on Jul 7, 2026 and invited to attend the academic conference and awards dinner in London, where winners will be announced.
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Attendance is optional. You do not need to travel to London to win prizes.
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All shortlisted candidates can download electronic certificates.
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First, Second, and Third Prize winners who attend the London awards dinner will receive signed certificates.
7. Awards
🏆 Grand Prize (1 Winner)
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Exclusive John Locke Institute Youth Scholarship
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$10,000 USD scholarship applicable to any of the Institute’s summer schools or gap year programs
🏆 Subject Category Prizes
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Best essay in each subject category: $2,000 USD scholarship for any John Locke course
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Essays may be published on the Institute’s website
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Second and Third Prizes awarded to other outstanding essays in each category
🏆 Shortlisted
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Shortlisted essays receive a certificate
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Attending the London awards dinner: physical certificate
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Non-attendees: electronic certificate download available
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Winners and runners-up may meet John Locke Institute judges and faculty at the awards dinner
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Family, friends, and teachers are welcome (subject to capacity)
All judges’ decisions are final and binding.
