Writing and humanities programs for high school students.
Writing contests, essay prizes and summer programs for readers, writers and history lovers.
28 opportunities, 13 free · Links and programs checked October 18, 2026 · By Lokesh Pampatti, founder of Clarity Prep
28 of 28 shown
Research & internshipsFreeLubbock, TX
Clark Scholars Program
Texas Tech University
Seven-week intensive research program with Texas Tech faculty. Free with a stipend.
Our take: Twelve students a year, a $750 stipend, any field including humanities. Age 17 by the start date.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Davidson Institute
Scholarships for students 18 and under who have completed a significant piece of work in their field.
Our take: $10,000 to $50,000 for a significant completed project. Only worth it if you have graduate-level work; if you do, few things read better.
ProgramFreeNew York, NY
Freedom and Citizenship
Columbia University Center for American Studies
Political philosophy seminar plus a year of college guidance for rising seniors.
Our take: Free, taught by Columbia faculty, followed by a year-long civic project. For low-income students near New York.
ProgramFreeVaries by year
Asian American Journalists Association JCamp
Asian American Journalists Association
Multicultural journalism training with working reporters and editors. Travel and housing covered.
Our take: All-expenses-paid and open to every background despite the host. Small cohort, real newsroom mentors.
ProgramFreeNotre Dame, IN
Leadership Seminars
University of Notre Dame
Ten days of seminars on global issues for rising seniors with strong records and leadership.
Our take: Free, about 100 students, one college credit. The paid Notre Dame Summer Scholars is a different program.
ProgramFreeAbroad (Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, Turkish, and more)
U.S. Department of State NSLI-Y
U.S. Department of State
Merit-based scholarships for summer and year-long language immersion overseas.
Our take: A full State Department scholarship to live abroad and learn a critical language. No prior language needed. Deadline is early fall, earlier than most.
ProgramFreePrinceton, NJ + online
Princeton University Summer Journalism Program
Princeton University
Journalism intensive for low-income juniors, followed by a year of one-on-one college counseling.
Our take: Free, and the college-application mentoring that follows is as valuable as the program itself. Income-eligibility applies.
ProgramFreeCornell, Michigan, Maryland
Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Telluride Association
Six-week college-level seminar on power, identity, and democracy. Everything is covered, including travel.
Our take: Free, seminar-style, and hard to get into. The essays are the application; start them in November.
ProgramUnder $1kValencia, CA
California State Summer School for the Arts
CSSSA
Four-week arts intensive at CalArts across seven disciplines.
Our take: State-subsidized for California residents and very competitive. Out-of-state students can attend at full cost.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Awards in 28 categories of art and writing for grades 7–12. Fee waivers available.
Our take: The oldest and most recognized award for teen artists and writers. A Gold Key at the regional level is worth listing; a national medal is a headline.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
The Concord Review
The Concord Review
Publishes serious academic history essays by secondary students worldwide.
Our take: The only quarterly journal publishing high school history essays, and admissions offices know it. A 5,000-word research paper is the entry fee.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
National YoungArts Foundation YoungArts
National YoungArts Foundation
National competition across ten artistic disciplines.
Our take: The top arts award for ages 15–18, and the only path to the U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. If you are a serious artist, this is the one.
Program$1k–5kIowa City, IA (also online)
Young Writers' Studio
University of Iowa
Two-week creative writing workshops from the home of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.
Our take: The most respected high school writing program in the country. Admission is on the writing sample alone.
ProgramOver $5kInterlochen, MI
Interlochen Arts Camp
Interlochen Center for the Arts
The largest and best-known summer arts program in the country.
Our take: For serious musicians, actors, dancers, writers, and visual artists this is a known name. Audition or portfolio required.
CompetitionFreeOnline
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
John Locke Institute
Essay competition in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law.
Our take: Popular on admissions forums and run by a for-profit summer school. A shortlist or a prize means something; entering does not, and a "commendation" is given to many.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Ocean Awareness Contest
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Annual creative competition for ages 11–18.
Our take: Art, writing, film, music, or poetry about the ocean and climate, with real scholarship awards. Good for a creative student who cares about the environment.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Student Contests
The New York Times Learning Network
Rotating contests in editorial writing, reviews, podcasts, photo essays, and more.
Our take: Free, frequent, and winners get published by The New York Times. The editorial, review, and STEM writing contests are the most useful.
ScholarshipFreeLocal VFW post → state → national
Voice of Democracy
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Audio-essay scholarship competition open to grades 9–12.
Our take: A recorded 3–5 minute essay. Local posts often get few entries, so the first rounds are very winnable; the national winner gets $35,000.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Young Writers Awards
Bennington College
Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction awards for grades 10–12.
Our take: Free to enter, judged by Bennington's writing faculty, real cash prizes. One of the cleaner writing awards.
CompetitionUnder $1kRegional → national at UNC
National High School Ethics Bowl
Parr Center for Ethics, UNC
Teams discuss ethical case studies before judges.
Our take: Collaborative rather than adversarial, so it rewards actual thinking. Small circuit; a national berth stands out.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool → regional → state → national (College Park, MD)
National History Day
National History Day
Year-long research competition on an annual theme.
Our take: Original historical research as a paper, exhibit, documentary, website, or performance. Reaching the national contest is a genuine humanities credential.
ProgramUnder $1kOnline
The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program
The Adroit Journal
Online mentorship pairing young writers with established poets and prose writers.
Our take: One-on-one with a published writer, online, low cost with waivers. Best value in youth writing.
Program$1k–5kGambier, OH + online
Young Writers Workshop
Kenyon Review
Two-week workshop for students who take writing seriously.
Our take: Well regarded, less selective than Iowa. Aid is genuinely available.
Program$1k–5kSewanee, TN
Young Writers' Conference
Sewanee: The University of the South
Two-week residential writing conference on the Sewanee campus.
Our take: Small workshops in fiction, poetry, playwriting, and nonfiction. A strong Southeast option.
ProgramOver $5kNew Haven, CT
Yale Young Global Scholars
Yale University
Two-week interdisciplinary sessions with students from 150+ countries.
Our take: Selective and well-run with a real international cohort. Does not move your Yale application; need-based aid is generous.
ProgramOver $5kAmherst, Stanford, Oxford, and others
Great Books Summer Program
Great Books Summer Program
Seminar-style discussion of classic texts on college campuses.
Our take: Pleasant, open enrollment, host-campus names on the brochure. A reading vacation, not a credential.
ProgramOver $5kAtlanta, GA
Emory University Pre-College Program
Emory University
Credit and non-credit courses for rising juniors and seniors on Emory's campus.
Our take: Metro Atlanta students can commute, which cuts the cost a lot. Still a paid class; neutral for Emory admissions.
ProgramOver $5kNew York, NY + online
School of The New York Times Summer Academy
School of The New York Times
Two-week courses taught by journalists and industry professionals.
Our take: Brand name, open enrollment, high price. Fun; not a signal.
“Helps an application” is our read on how much an admissions reader is likely to weigh it: Strong means getting in or placing is a real achievement, Solid means it shows real interest and effort, and Light usually means most students who apply and pay can attend. It’s our opinion, not a ranking from any college, and a light one can still be a great summer.
Want a list picked for you?
Clarity Prep members get opportunities matched to their grade, interests and state in the app, plus a mentor who helps them decide what’s worth applying to and checks in every week until the applications are in.
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Every program here is real and links to its own official site. Dates, costs and rules change every year, so check the official page before you apply. Deadlines are shown as the months they usually close. Spot something out of date? Email sessions@joinclarityprep.com.