15 Journalism Competitions for High School Students
Journalism competitions provide high school students the opportunity to apply classroom learning in real-world environments. Participating in these competitions can help you learn real-world skills such as reporting, interviewing, fact-checking, multimedia storytelling, editing, and writing under tight deadlines. Many journalism contests are organized by leading educational and media organizations, giving you exposure to industry-style formats early on. Whether you’re producing a documentary, competing in a live quiz bowl, creating multimedia content, or submitting investigative writing pieces, these experiences can strengthen your portfolio and provide concrete examples for college essays and applications.
If you want to see what other competitions are there for high schoolers, check out art competitions here, and for writing-based competitions, find a list here!
Why should you participate in journalism competitions in high school?
Journalism competitions are one of the most practical ways to explore different areas of media and communication while building essential skills in research, analysis, storytelling, and visual communication. You can choose from a wide range of formats, including writing contests, multimedia journalism challenges, photography competitions, environmental storytelling programs, and student journalism awards. Many of these opportunities also encourage collaboration, allowing you to work with publication staff members, classmates, or creative teams while learning how professional media projects are executed.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 15 journalism competitions for high school students that span traditional reporting, editorial writing, podcasting, documentary filmmaking, and social media journalism.
Key takeaways
This list gathers 15 journalism-related competitions for high school students spanning essay writing, opinion journalism, podcasting, environmental reporting, and portfolio-based awards, with standout hosts including The New York Times, the Journalism Education Association, and Scholastic.
Entry is free for many of these, particularly The New York Times contests, while a handful charge a small registration fee, and prize money ranges from certificates and trophies up to $12,500 in scholarship funds for the most established competitions.
This list spans a wide range of formats, from portfolio-based journalism awards and live quiz bowls to podcast production and environmental storytelling, giving students with different strengths and interests several ways to get involved in journalism.
Most of these are open nationally or internationally, with only a couple, including a live journalism quiz bowl, requiring in-person attendance at a specific conference location.
A few of the earliest deadlines fall in September and October for two of the most established writing competitions, so it's worth starting early if a longer-form essay or research-based piece is your focus.
1. The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition (HCGEC)
Prize/Award: $1,000 and $1,000 Crimson Mentorship Credit for 1st place winners | $750 and $750 Crimson Mentorship Credit for 2nd place winners | $500 and $500 Crimson Mentorship Credit for 3rd place winners | All winners will receive access to a Harvard Crimson Summer Journalism Course, have their essays published on the Official HCGEC, and receive a Certificate of Achievement, alongside global recognition and fame
Format: Fully virtual | Individual competition (only one entry allowed per participant)
Competition Dates: Prompts are announced on January 30 | Regional Essay Submission Deadline is on February 23, and the Global Essay Submission Deadline is on March 19
Registration Fee: $20 ($15 with early bird discount)
Registration Deadline: October 1 - December 15 (Early Bird Registration) | December 16 – February 10 (Regular Registration Timeline)
Eligibility: Students aged 10 - 18 years
The HCGEC is a fully virtual international writing competition where high school students respond to university-style prompts in one of three categories: creative, argumentative, or journalistic. If you choose the journalistic track, you’ll research and analyze real-world issues, develop clear evidence-based arguments, and practice concise reporting and explanatory writing within a strict word limit. You’ll first submit a 500-word essay for the regional qualifiers, and selected finalists will expand their work into a longer essay for the global finals. Organized by The Harvard Crimson and Crimson Education, the competition will also include live webinars and bootcamps where students can receive guidance from journalism and writing professionals. Top performing students may have their essays published on the competition’s official platform, and receive cash prizes, mentorship credits, and invitations to the Harvard Crimson Summer Journalism Course.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote (you can work from anywhere in the world)
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type | Full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 10% | 70 - 100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort – spring (January), summer (May), fall (September), and winter (November).
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 8 to 12 weeks, devoting 10 to 20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students. In this program, you work with high-growth start-ups on an internship across a variety of industries such as tech/deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies raising over a million dollars on average. During the 8-week program, interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company at the end of the internship. You can apply now.
3. The Orwell Youth Prize
Prize/Award: All winners receive a £100 ($132) cash prize, a certificate, and the complete works of Orwell for themselves and their schools | Winners also get published in The Orwell Prize Anthology | They also get published on The Orwell Youth Prize official website and get invited to become part of the Orwell Youth Fellows programme
Format: Online submissions | Only individual submissions are permitted
Competition Dates: Once you submit the first draft before February 25 (feedback deadline), you can get feedback and guidance from professionals on refining your piece before the final submission deadline (April 29)
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: April 29 (final deadline for submission)
Eligibility: Students aged 7 - 13 years who are at school or college in the UK
The Orwell Youth Prize is a UK-based writing competition where you’ll respond to an annual social or political theme through formats such as journalism, essays, reviews, speeches, blog posts, or creative nonfiction. Your submission will be evaluated not only on writing quality but also on how thoughtfully you engage with real-world issues and communicate your perspective to a broader audience. A standout feature of this competition is its feedback process: if you submit an early draft, you’ll receive personalized editorial feedback from volunteer readers working in fields such as journalism, publishing, academia, and civil society before submitting your final version. Organized by The Orwell Foundation and inspired by the work of George Orwell, the competition will also offer online resources, workshops, and research guidance to help students refine their ideas and writing process. As you develop your entry, you can strengthen skills in investigative thinking, opinion writing, research, revision, and journalistic storytelling. Winners receive publication opportunities, cash prizes, and invitations to join the Orwell Youth Fellows programme.
4. My List: A Different Kind of Review Contest by The New York Times
Prize/Award: Winners will have their work published on The Learning Network
Format: Online submission | You can participate individually, or with a partner, or as a group
Competition Dates: January 14 - February 25
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: Submission deadline is February 25
Eligibility: Middle and high school students aged 13 - 19 years | Children and stepchildren of New York Times employees and students living in the same household as New York Times employees are not eligible to participate
My List: A Different Kind of Review Contest by The New York Times offers the right option if you enjoy cultural criticism and curated lists. This is an online competition where you’ll create a themed list of three to five works of art or culture and explain why readers should or shouldn’t engage with them. You can participate individually or in a small group, writing concise reviews that connect books, movies, music, podcasts, restaurants, video games, or other reviewed media through a shared editorial theme. The main focus of this content is on curation and criticism rather than traditional long-form reviewing, requiring you to combine analysis, recommendation, audience awareness, and evidence-based opinion writing within a strict 600-word limit. As you prepare your submission, you’ll practice skills commonly used in arts and culture journalism, including crafting hooks, organizing commentary around a central theme, and supporting evaluations with specific examples. The competition will also provide extensive learning resources through The New York Times Learning Network, including mentor texts by professionals, writing prompts, lesson plans, and examples from past winners, with selected entries being published on The Learning Network platform.
5. Scholastic Journalism Week Student Poster Contest
Prize/Award: The winner will receive $500 plus their design will be showcased on the Scholastic Journalism Week webpage, Scholastic Journalism Week poster, and additional promotions
Format: Online submission | Individual and team entries permitted
Competition Dates: Entries accepted from August 11
Registration Fee: $5 per entry
Registration Deadline: Submission timeline is August 11 - September 15
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in U.S. public, private, and home schools
The Scholastic Journalism Week Student Poster Contest is a national design competition where you’ll create an original poster inspired by a journalism-related theme selected by the Journalism Education Association (JEA). In previous years, students have been asked to interpret themes such as “Press Under Pressure” through a 17 × 22 inch poster using typography, photography, illustration, or digital graphic design, either individually or as part of a team. Although the contest will focus on visual communication rather than reporting, it is an excellent opportunity for students interested in journalism competitions, as it expects participants to engage with complex ideas such as press freedom, ethical reporting, censorship, and the role of student media. As you develop your submission, you may strengthen skills in editorial design, visual storytelling, branding, and communicating complex civic themes through concise imagery and layout choices. The winning design will receive a $500 cash prize and will be featured on the official commemorative poster for Scholastic Journalism Week.
6. SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest
Prize/Award: First, second, and third place winners receive $1,000, $500, and $300 scholarships, respectively
Format: Online submission
Competition Dates: Entries must be submitted by February 22 | Results will be announced in May
Registration Fee: $10 as an entry fee
Registration Deadline: Submission deadline is February 22
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in U.S. public, private, and home schools | The competition is currently not open to international students
The SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest is a journalism-focused writing competition where you’ll respond to a prompt about media literacy, press freedom, or the role of journalism in society through a 300- to 500-word essay. Organized by the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation in partnership with the Journalism Education Association, the contest will emphasize analytical thinking and clear argumentation. Aspiring journalists focus on evaluating current media issues, requiring them to examine how journalism functions in a democratic society and communicate their perspective with clarity and evidence. Essays will be judged using a publicly available rubric that breaks down scoring across criteria such as analysis, originality, structure, language, and mechanics, giving you a transparent view of how your entries will be evaluated. As you prepare your entry for submission, you can strengthen skills in opinion writing, media analysis, persuasive communication, and concise editorial-style writing, with top submissions receiving scholarship awards.
7. Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Prize/Award: Winners may receive scholarships ranging from $500 to $12,500, depending on the award category
Format: Online submission for regional entries | Select award-winners are invited to celebrate National Awards Week in NYC
Competition Dates: Entry submission opens on October 1 | Regional results will be announced on January 28 | National announcement day is on March 25 | June 9 - 11 is National Awards Week
Registration Fee: $10 per individual entry and $30 per portfolio (fee waivers available)
Registration Deadline: Regional entry deadlines begin on December 1 | Deadlines vary based on region and competition category (some regional deadlines even extend up to January 6) | Check here to find out the deadlines for your region and competition category
Eligibility: Students in grades 7th - 12th
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is a long-running national competition where you’ll submit original work across a wide range of creative categories, including journalism, critical essays, poetry, science fiction, and personal memoirs. Your work will compete at regional levels, where you can earn distinctions such as Gold or Silver Keys before advancing to national-level evaluation. The program stands out for its emphasis on originality, technical skill, and the development of an authentic personal voice, encouraging students to create work that is both polished and reflects individual perspective. Along the way, you can strengthen skills in storytelling, analytical writing, reporting, revision, and genre-specific writing techniques, depending on the category you choose. The program will also provide national recognition opportunities, with medalists honored at a star-studded ceremony at Carnegie Hall in NYC.
8. The New York Times - Open Letters: Our Opinion-Writing Contest
Prize/Award: Winners will have their work published on the Learning Network
Format: Online submissions; participants may work alone or in groups
Competition Dates: February 25 - April 8 | Results will be announced three months after submissions are closed
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: All entries must be submitted by April 8
Eligibility: Middle school and high school students aged 13 - 19 years | Children and stepchildren of New York Times employees and students who live in the same household as them are not eligible to apply
The New York Times’ Open Letters: Our Opinion-Writing Contest challenges you to write a public-facing open letter that addresses a specific person, group, or institution about an issue you care about while also persuading a broader audience to pay attention. You can participate individually or in a group by submitting a 500-word opinion piece supported by at least two sources, including one from The New York Times and one external source. This contest is valuable for aspiring journalists because it focuses on persuasive writing, evidence-based argumentation, audience awareness, and the use of rhetorical strategies commonly used in opinion journalism and editorial writing. As you develop your letter, you’ll gain experience in researching issues, evaluating sources, structuring arguments, and adapting your tone for both a direct recipient and a general public. The contest will also provide extensive free learning resources, including writing guides, mentor texts, examples from past winners, and Q&A sessions with Times journalists and opinion writers, while selected winning entries will be published through The Learning Network.
9. The New York Times Student Podcast Contest
Prize/Award: Winning podcasts will be published on The Learning Network
Format: Online submissions | Students can participate individually or as a group
Competition Dates: April 8 - May 13 | Winners will be announced three months after submissions are closed
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: Entries must be submitted by May 13
Eligibility: Middle or high school students aged 13 - 19 years from anywhere in the world
The New York Times Student Podcast Contest challenges you to create an original podcast episode of five minutes or less, either individually or with a group if you are interested in audio storytelling, reporting, or media production. You can experiment with formats such as interviews, journalistic investigations, narrative storytelling, commentary, or conversational discussions with friends, while planning, scripting, recording, and editing your episode for a public audience. While preparing for the competition, you need to think carefully about structure, pacing, sound design, and audience engagement, focusing on delivering a complete listening experience rather than simply presenting information. Throughout the process, you may build practical journalism and media production skills such as interviewing, audio editing, scripting, research, and storytelling. Participants will also have access to free lesson plans, webinars, and examples from past winners to help them gain insight into the fundamentals of podcast production. Winning entries will be featured on The Learning Network.
10. JEA’s Journalist of the Year (JOY) Scholarships
Prize/Award: The top winner receives scholarship funds worth $4,000 to their college or university account | Up to 5 finalists will receive scholarship funds worth $1,200 each to their college or university account
Format: Submission is typically through an online form, but some states may have different protocols | Check here | All submissions for the national Journalist of the Year are digital
Competition Dates: Submission deadlines may vary by state | The national JOY submission deadline is March 15
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: State-level submission deadline may vary | Check here | Portfolios that won at the state-level must be submitted to the JEA by March 15
Eligibility: Applicant must be a high school senior or equivalent for international schools | Applicant’s adviser must be a current JEA member | Only state JOY award winners can enter the national competition
JEA’s JOY Scholarships are a portfolio-based competition for high school seniors who have demonstrated substantial experience in student journalism across areas such as reporting, editing, design, broadcast, photojournalism, and digital media. You’ll first compete at the state level, where winning portfolios will advance to the national competition organized by the JEA. You will be required to submit recommendation letters, your resume, and a personal narrative about your journalism experience, along with your digital portfolio. Each portfolio will be evaluated on both technical journalism skills and broader areas such as leadership, ethics, audience engagement, and news literacy. JOY will emphasize long-term journalistic growth, asking you to document the breadth, impact, and development of your work over several years rather than one standalone project. As you prepare your portfolio for submission, you’ll gain experience organizing professional work samples, critically reflecting on your reporting process, and presenting yourself as a student journalist ready for college-level or future professional journalism opportunities.
11. Young Reporters for The Environment (YRE) International Competition
Prize/Award: The winners will be spotlighted on the YRE website
Format: Only first-place winners from national or network competitions can submit entries to the International competition (entries are submitted by National Operators) | You can participate individually or in groups
Competition Dates: National Operators must submit entries by April 30 | Announcement of shortlisted entries and International Jury Meeting will be in early June | Announcement of the winners of the YRE International Competition will be in mid-June
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: April 30 is the International deadline for competition submission
Eligibility: Young people aged 11- 25 years who are participating in the YRE programme through their schools, universities, and youth groups, enrolled in the Twinning international collaboration, students from International Schools that are registered as Eco-Schools, part of Scouts Groups (from countries where FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) has no national member), or from UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet)
The YRE International Competition is an environmental journalism contest where you’ll investigate local sustainability issues and report on them through articles, videos, photography, or podcasts. You can participate individually or as part of a group through your school, university, Scout group, or youth organization, with entries first competing at the national level before advancing to the international competition. Each year will focus on a specific environmental theme, such as food security or climate change, and will challenge you to connect local reporting with broader global environmental challenges and practical solutions. Along the way, you’ll develop skills in interviewing, field research, fact-checking, multimedia production, ethical journalism, and audience engagement while working within detailed media-specific guidelines and submission standards. YRE is distinctive as it focuses on public dissemination, with judging criteria rewarding students for sharing their work through social media, school communities, and local or national media outlets, rather than focusing solely on the final submission.
12. Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL) International Student Competition
Prize/Award: Finalists and Honorable Mention winners will receive certificates
Format: Online submission (entries can only be submitted by Teacher Champions on behalf of their schools | The Teacher Champion is typically a teacher, school representative, or in some cases even a parent or guardian)
Competition Dates: Submission timeline is October 1 - March 8 | Announcement of International Competition Finalists and Honorable Mention winners is on May 1 | The top 2 finalists in each category will be invited to participate in the International Student Debates (July 1 - 2)
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: Registration opens on September 7 | Submission deadline is March 8
Eligibility: Students aged 7 - 18 years
The TSL International Student Competition invites you to explore a global sustainability theme through a creative or journalistic submission in formats ranging from essays, opinion pieces, and podcasts to videos, artwork, poetry, or music. Each year will focus on a different environmental challenge, such as Sustainability Culture and From Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Action. Rather than focusing on a single competition format, TSL emphasizes open-ended interpretation and originality, allowing you to choose the medium that best communicates your perspective while adhering to submission guidelines for word count, file format, or media duration. Through the process, you can strengthen skills in research, sustainability analysis, storytelling, multimedia communication, and source attribution, including responsible disclosure of any AI-assisted research tools used during preparation. The entries will be evaluated on originality, understanding of the topic, communication, and inspirational impact rather than technical specialization alone.
13. JEA National Journalism Quiz Bowl
Prize/Award: The winning team receives a trophy
Format: A National Journalism Quiz Bowl has 4 students | The competition takes place at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention, which takes place at varying locations across the U.S.
Competition Dates: April 17 – 18 (the Minneapolis dates are April 16 - 18)
Registration Fee: $50 per team
Registration Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to high school students
The JEA National Journalism Quiz Bowl is a team-based competition held during the JEA or NSPA National High School Journalism Convention, where four-person teams compete in both a written qualifying round and live quiz matches. You’ll answer questions across topics such as press law and ethics, AP Style, current events, photography, broadcast journalism, design, and journalism history, making it one of the broader journalism-based quiz competitions available to high school students. Participating teams will first complete a 50-question online qualifying exam together, with the top 16 teams advancing to in-person buzzer rounds the following day. Preparation may often involve dividing subject areas among teammates and using journalism textbooks, current events coverage, and JEA curriculum materials to study collaboratively. As the competition draws students from multiple publication types, including newspaper, yearbook, broadcast, and literary magazine staff, it encourages cross-disciplinary teamwork and familiarity with different areas of student media. Winning teams will receive a trophy.
14. Quill and Scroll’s Writing, Visual, Multimedia Contest
Prize/Award: Awards may vary based on the category | Winners of some categories may even receive scholarships worth $7,500 or opportunities to have their work published | All award recipients will be eligible to apply for Quill and Scroll student scholarships in May of their senior year
Format: Entries are submitted online | You can participate individually or as a team, depending on the category
Competition Dates: You can only submit work that has been published between February 6 (of the previous year) and February 5 (of the year of the competition) | The submission deadline is February 6
Registration Fee: $8
Registration Deadline: The entry deadline is February 6
Eligibility: Open to high school students
The Quill and Scroll Writing, Visual, Multimedia Contest is a digital journalism competition where you’ll submit published work across more than 50 categories, including writing, photography, design, video, audio, social media, and multimedia reporting. You can compete in areas ranging from news writing and investigative reporting to podcasting, documentary video, infographic design, and creator-driven social media journalism, making it one of the broader journalism contests in terms of category variety. Entries must be submitted online through links, PDFs, images, or media folders, and judges will evaluate your work based on reporting depth, storytelling, design effectiveness, production quality, and audience engagement, depending on the category. The contest is organized by Quill and Scroll, and award-winning students become eligible for Quill and Scroll scholarships, while certain categories also offer additional opportunities, including New York Times Summer Academy scholarships and potential republication through the Youth Environmental Press Team.
15. Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
Prize/Award: Award winners can earn cash awards of up to $1,000
Format: Online submissions | Students can participate individually, or as part of a club or group of any size
Competition Dates: You can only submit work that has been published between February 6 (of the previous year) and February 5 (of the year of the competition) | The submission deadline is February 6
Registration Fee: Free
Registration Deadline: Contest deadline is June 8
Eligibility: Middle and high school students aged 11 - 18 years from around the world
The Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest invites you to explore ocean-related themes through formats such as creative writing, film, multimedia, podcasts, and spoken word if you are interested in environmental storytelling and creative journalism. The competition will be open internationally to students aged 11 - 18 years and will allow both individual and group submissions. Entries are judged anonymously over multiple rounds by artists, educators, scientists, and former contest winners. Journalism-focused participants can develop skills in research, narrative writing, documentary filmmaking, multimedia communication, and environmental reporting while responding to an annual theme focused on climate and ocean issues. Bow Seat will also provide a Resource Studio featuring articles, artistic examples, research materials, and storytelling guides that can help you strengthen both your reporting and creative process.
Questions students often ask about these competitions
1. Do I need to already be part of my school's newspaper or journalism program to enter these competitions?
No, most of these are open to any interested student and don't require being on a school publication staff. A genuine interest in reporting, writing, or media production matters more than prior formal experience.
2. Some of these competitions accept much younger students too. Does that affect how competitive they are for high schoolers?
It can vary, since a wider age range sometimes means competing against both younger and older students in the same category. Check each competition's judging criteria to see if entries are evaluated by age group or all together.
3. Can I enter as an individual, or do most of these require a team?
It depends on the competition. Several allow individual submissions, while a few, like the live quiz bowl, are strictly team-based. Check the format details before assuming you need to coordinate with others.