Name of the Event: Young Writers Award

Mode: Online

Working language: English

Last Date of Application: 1 November 2024

Link to Apply:

Bennington counts hundreds of literary greats among its esteemed alumni. Now they are looking for the next generation of writers. High school students worldwide are invited to submit poetry, fiction, or nonfiction entries for a chance to win cash, a scholarship, and prestige.

Submission Categories

Please choose to enter one of the following:

• Poetry: A group of three poems

• Fiction: A short story (1,500 words or fewer)

• Nonfiction: A personal or academic essay (1,500 words or fewer)

A first, second, and third-place winner is selected in each category.

Awards & Scholarships:

Cash – First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1,000; second-place winners receive $500; and third-place winners receive $250.

Scholarships – Young Writers Award (YWA) finalists and winners are also eligible for undergraduate scholarships at Bennington.

• YWA winners who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a $15,000 scholarship every year for four years, a total of $60,000.

• YWA finalists who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a $10,000 scholarship every year for four years, a total of $40,000.

Prestige – In addition, winning entries will be published on the Bennington College website in the spring, and may be published as a result of media requests from local newspapers or magazines. Authors retain all other copyrights.

We are not the official organisers of the program. If you have any queries regarding it, kindly contact the organisers at – ywa@bennington.edu