Bennington College is currently accepting applications for its Young Writers Awards 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
About Bennington College Young Writers Awards
Bennington College has given many of our nation’s foremost writers their start. They include twelve Pulitzer Prize winners, three U.S. poet laureates, four MacArthur Geniuses, and authors of countless New York Times bestsellers. In celebration of this legacy, Bennington hosts the Young Writers Awards to honor outstanding writing achievement at the high school level. This annual event represents one of the most prestigious high school writing competitions in the country. High school students worldwide are invited to enter.
Benefits of Bennington College Young Writers Awards
Cash: First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $2,000; second-place winners receive $1,000; and third-place winners receive $500.
The YWA distinguished writer designation will be awarded to entries from each category by grade level and 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 full-tuition scholarship each year for four years, representing more than $60,000 per year in financial aid.
- YWA distinguished writers who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a half-tuition scholarship each year for four years, representing more than $30,000 per year in financial aid..
- YWA finalists who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a $25,000 scholarship every year for four years, a total of $100,000 in financial aid.
Bennington College Young Writers Awards Requirements
- This contest is for all writers in grades 9–12, including those outside the United States.
- Entrants can submit 1-3 poems, a short story or stand-alone excerpt from a larger piece, or a personal or academic nonfiction essay.
- There is no entry fee.
Entries must be typed (nothing handwritten or scanned), with a total submission limit of 1500 words.
- Fiction: a short story or stand-alone excerpt from a larger piece.
- Nonfiction: a personal or academic essay, or a stand-alone excerpt from a larger piece.
- Poetry: between 1-3 poems, with a combined limit of 1500 words.
- A first, second, and third place winner is selected in each category. Distinguished submissions in each category and grade are also selected.
- They ask that participants submit in only one category and submit only one time per year. Word counts are strict and include all the text submitted, including headers, footers, footnotes, titles, and bibliographies. We are unable to return submissions.
Application Date and Process
- Click on the link to the application website to apply
Application Deadline
01 October, 2026
Opportunity Application
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Bennington College Young Writers Awards
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