Lumiere Scholars Essay Award

The Lumiere Scholars Essay Award is a free international essay competition and award for high school students (grades 9-12, enrolled as of 31 December 2026), any country. Six winners share more than USD 11,000 in cash prizes and scholarships. Gold is USD 1,000 cash plus a USD 3,390 scholarship; Silver USD 500 plus USD 2,500; Bronze USD 300 plus USD 2,000; plus High Honors and other scholarship tiers. Prompts from professors at Oxford, Cambridge, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, and Cornell. Argumentative essays, max 2,000 words, MLA 8, double-blind review. Opens 14 September 2026. Free registration deadline 30 November 2026 (11:59 PM EST). Submission deadline 20 December 2026 (11:59 PM EST). Virtual award ceremony 10 January 2027. Top essayists invited to a Gala Dinner at Oxford University on 9 July 2027. Contact Dhruva Bhat, [email protected]. Phone +1 (573) 279-4102. Address 300 Delaware Avenue, Suite 210 #207, Wilmington, DE 19801, USA.