Entries should answer one of the attached three questions, should be no longer than 2,500 words (including footnotes, references, illustration captions, and any other text), and should reach the College’s Tutorial Office no later than Friday 03 July 2026. The main focus should not be on something that has been or is currently being studied in the classroom or offered as A level coursework. The winner will receive a £500 prize (or, in the case of joint winners, each will receive a prize of £250); depending on the strength of the field of submissions honourable mentions may also be made.
Each entry should be accompanied by a completed cover sheet, and submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday 03 July 2026 to the Tutorial Secretary, Tutorial Office, Queens’ College, Cambridge CB3 9ET; essays and cover sheets may instead be scanned and submitted (as a single PDF file) by email to tutorial.secretary@queens.cam.ac.uk. Entries received after 5 p.m. on 3 July 2026 will not be considered. Entries that are over the prescribed maximum length will not be considered. Entries submitted without a cover sheet will not be considered.
Please note that entries will not be returned and entrants may therefore wish to keep their own copy of the submitted essay.
Receipt of entries will be confirmed by email. The winner and any honourable mention(s) will be notified by email in July 2026.
The College does not enter into correspondence about any aspect of the competition or the results thereof. Feedback on the essays submitted is not provided.
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