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The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition Guidelines 2020

Apply for the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition for Junior and Senior Category Students and Win a Trip to London for 2019/2020 Session

Interested in current issues? Want to EXPRESS YOUR ideas globally? Ready to write about it? Then apply for the ongoing Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition is the world’s oldest schools’ international writing competition, established in 1883. 

With thousands of young people taking part every year,it is an important way for the young voice of the Commonwealth to be developed and heard.
Through the sub-themes of sustainability, safety, prosperity and fairness, the 2018 theme asks young
writers to explore how the Commonwealth can address global challenges and work to create a better future for all citizens, particularly young people. 

All entrants receive a Certificate of Participation and one Winner and Runner-up from both the Senior and Junior categories will be invited to attend Winners' Week in London. Past winners include author Elspeth Huxley, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Mei Fong, and the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong.

Topics and Categories.

Senior Category: Born between July 1, 2002 and June 1, 2006 (14-18 years of age)
  1. Imagine you are President of one of the Commonwealth’s 31 Small States and you have been invited to give a speech on Climate Change to other Commonwealth leaders, what will you say?
  2. There is no Planet B: How will Climate Change affect you and your community?
  3. ‘We will never stop fighting for this planet’ – Greta Thunberg. How can young people make change happen?
  4. The destruction of the Oceans everyone’s concern.
Junior Category: Born on or after July 1, 2006 (under 14 years of age)
  1. Imagine you are Planet Earth, what would you say to Humans?
  2. A Blue Commonwealth: it is not too late to save our oceans. True or False?
  3. In 2019, students in more than 100 countries walked out of school to protest climate change. How can young people get their voices heard and make a difference?
  4. My planet, my place.

    Eligibility.

    • The competition is open to nationals or residents of all Commonwealth countries and territories, as well as residents of The Gambia, the Maldives and Zimbabwe. Residents of non-Commonwealth countries whose entries are submitted through their local RCS branch are also eligible.
    • Entrants must select a Senior or Junior topic depending on their age on 30th June 2020. Senior entrants must be born between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2006 (14-18 years) and Junior entrants must be born after 1 July 2006 (under 14 years of age).
    • The maximum word counts are 1,500 words for Senior entries and 750 words for Junior entries. These word limits apply to all topics and all formats (essay, poem, letter, etc). Exceeding the word count will result in automatic disqualification.
    • Entries must be written in English.
    • Only one entry per participant is allowed. Once an essay is submitted, students/teachers will nothave the opportunity to revise it. Please carefully check and improve your writing before submitting the final copy, and also ensure that all supplementary information is filled in correctly (name, contact details, topic number, etc.)

      Benefits.

      • All entrants receive a Certificate of Participation
      • One Winner and Runner-up from the Senior and Junior categories will win a trip to London for a week of educational and cultural events

      Method of Application

      Have you:
      • Read the competition’s Terms and Conditions and shown your parents?
      • Checked for spelling, grammar, punctuation and plagiarism? 
      • Made sure you are using a computer? (the online platform currently does not work on a mobile device)
      • Consulted the Frequently Asked Questions?

      If you answered ‘yes’ to all of the above, then you are ready to enter The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.

      In order to submit your essay you will need to register, making sure to complete all the mandatory fields. The password you register with will be used to login to your account, where you can see your registration details and reference number. IMPORTANT: You must upload your entry at the point of registration (in other words, you cannot register and return later to upload your entry). Please note that you will have only one opportunity to submit your essay so ensure that the correct and final version is uploaded before exiting the registration process. After submission, you should receive a confirmation email to the address you registered with. Please note: we do not accept essays sent by email.


      Having trouble submitting your essay? Contact competitions@thercs.org

      Offline Submission Procedure:

      Offline submissions are very difficult to process and can mean that your entry arrives after the Competition closing date. We will only accept an offline entry where the person submitting has no access to internet and is unable to submit online.

      If you are submitting your entry by post, please complete an entry form in block capitals and attach it to the front of your essay. Entries should be sent to your nearest postal hub, details of which are listed below.

      Please note that for postal entries, your essay must be received by 30 May 2020 in order to be eligible. We therefore suggest that you send your essay with plenty of time for delivery, as essays received by a postal hub after 1 May will not be considered in the competition.

      Europe
      The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
      The Royal Commonwealth Society
      Commonwealth House
      55-58 Pall Mall
      London
      SW1Y 5JH
      UK 

      Africa
      The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
      British High Commission
      Julius Nyerere Links
      PO Box 296
      Accra
      Ghana 

      Americas and the Caribbean 
      The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
      The Royal Commonwealth Society
      P.O. Box 878
      Bridgetown
      Barbados

      Asia
      The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
      Education Department
      British Council
      30 Napier Road
      Singapore 258509

      Pacific
      The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
      PO Box 10-741
      Wellington 6143
      New Zealand

      Please ensure your envelope is clearly labelled with ‘The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition’.

      All individuals and schools are encouraged to enter online if possible.

      Deadline: All online entries must be submitted before midnight (GMT) on 30 May, 2020; any offline entries must arrive at RCS London by 30 May, 2020.