Your writing competition calendar.

A small canvas for a distinctive voice: flash writing with a real theme and a strict word limit.

Australian secondary-school students; Years 7–9 and 10–12 divisions.

A national poetry goal for secondary students, with junior and senior school divisions.

Australian citizens or permanent residents attending secondary school in Australia, including home school; under 19 at the deadline.

A substantial fiction challenge for students who can sustain characters, plot and revision across a novella.

Australian secondary-school students, including home school; under 19 on 4 December 2026.

An established national school poetry award with age-based categories.

Students in Australian education settings, Kindergarten to Year 12; home-school entries are included.

A chance to develop a position, make a personal connection and write for a public audience.

Australian students in Years 5–12, including equivalent home-school ages.

A publishing-industry writing opportunity to keep on the watchlist.

Australian secondary-school-aged writers; confirm age and school criteria when a new round appears.

A senior-secondary opportunity for expressive, carefully shaped prose.

Australian students in Years 11 and 12.

A concise fiction challenge organised by the Peter Cowan Writers Centre.

Check the 2027 conditions for location, age categories and youth eligibility.

A youth fiction category run by the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre.

Current youth category: writers aged 17 and under; verify residency and new-edition rules.

A focused youth poetry category alongside the centre’s adult competition.

Current youth category: Australian residents aged 10–17.

Tell a lived experience that helps an audience understand life in your community.

Ages 16–22 in regional, rural or remote Australia; major-capital exclusions apply.

A local award with junior and senior secondary categories and an annual anthology.

Young Writers entrants must live, work or study in Boroondara; school-year divisions apply.

A local writing award suitable for eligible students in Years 7–10.

Students in Years 1–10 who live or attend school in the City of South Perth.

A local opportunity to develop a voice and share writing with the community.

Ages 12–25 who live, work or study in the Mildura Rural City Council area.

A literary publication pathway for young writers building a body of original work.

Writers under 25 in Australia, or Australians living overseas.

A national history research competition about Australian experiences of the First or Second World War.

Australian students in Years 9 and 10; schools may submit up to three entries.

A regional literary award with dedicated young-writer categories.

Writers under 18 in the Goulburn Valley and surrounding eligible areas; check the organiser’s regional definition.

A regional Future Leaders initiative linked with the Sorrento Writers Festival.

Years 11 and 12 students in the Mornington Peninsula Shire.

Write imaginatively about belonging, poverty and the world around you.

School students in Years 3–10 across Australia.

A local storytelling competition run by Newcastle Writers Festival for younger students.

Writers under 14 on the 2026 reference date, living in one of the ten greater Hunter council areas.

A council-run literary award with separate Years 7–9 and Years 10–12 categories.

Primary and secondary categories; confirm current geographical eligibility with Mosman Council.

A council writing award with age-group judging.

Ages 8–18; current local eligibility must be checked against the council’s conditions.

A local competition welcoming stories, poems, memoirs, essays and other writing forms.

Ages 5–18 who live or attend school in Eurobodalla.

A council-run short-story opportunity with published finalist work.

School-aged writers; consult the next round for year groups and location eligibility.

A local youth award that began in 2026, with stories and poems from neighbouring communities.

Secondary students aged 12–18 who live or study in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick or the City of Sydney.

A long-running youth award hosted by Stanton Library and North Sydney Council.

Current age range: 11–18. Check the next entry form for any other eligibility conditions.

A local literary award offering separate secondary-school categories.

People who live, work or study in Glen Eira; Years 7–9 and Years 10–12 student categories.

A local-library creative-writing competition with a dedicated teenage category.

Current secondary-age category: ages 13–17 who live, work or attend school in Stonnington.

A youth storytelling competition associated with Scribblers Festival.

School-aged writers; confirm next-round age divisions and geographical eligibility.

A Territory-wide creative-writing award run by City of Darwin Libraries.

Northern Territory residents aged 18 and under at submission.

A secondary-school writing competition run by ACTATE.

ACT school students in Years 7–12; a separate teacher category also exists.

A state school-writing award for prose and poetry.

South Australian students from Reception to Year 12.

A school poetry opportunity with an anthology and student prize categories.

Students in Australian schools; check age categories in the current SAETA rules.

Develop historical interpretation using evidence and a well-supported argument.

Students in Queensland and the Northern Territory, Years 7–12.

A regional short-story competition connected to the Capricorn Coast Writers Festival.

Students enrolled in Livingstone Shire schools, including eligible local home and distance education.

A local nature-writing project that shares young people’s stories and connections to place.

Young Tasmanian writers; the 2026 groups included ages 11–15 and 16–22.

A Red Room Poetry initiative linking student poetry with environmental action.

Australian school students and teachers; use the student category and current eligibility rules.

A youth poetry section within an established Australian poetry prize.

Youth section: ages 12–18; the Australia-based organiser also accepts overseas entrants.

A short-story challenge with separate junior, middle and senior secondary categories.

Years 7–12 at schools with current VATE membership; school submission caps apply.

Investigate a demanding question, build an original argument and learn to defend it with evidence.

Pre-university students worldwide; check the current age and junior-category reference dates.

Connect economic theory with real-world evidence and develop a clear, well-reasoned position.

Students worldwide who have not started university; confirm the new edition’s conditions.

Pursue a substantial historical question and prepare an original research paper for editorial consideration.

Sole-authored history research completed before finishing secondary school; check pre-university eligibility.

Shape an ambitious literary piece and submit to a competition run by Bennington College.

Students in grades 9–12 worldwide. Grade 12 entrants must first complete the college’s non-binding application step.