The Armstrong Arts and Humanities Essay Competition is a free annual competition for students in Year 12 or equivalent attending state-maintained schools in the UK run by Magdalene College, University of Cambridge. Questions are designed to be multi-disciplinary, and are aimed at encouraging connections between different subjects and from varying perspectives.
Prizes include a £300 First Prize, a £200 Second Prize, and a £100 Third Prize. Honourable mentions may also be awarded. Prize winners are invited to visit Magdalene College over the summer.
Location(s)
- Remote
Schedule
- Winter/Spring
Cost/Compensation
- Free entry
Eligibility Requirements
- Open to students attending state-maintained schools in the UK, and who are in their penultimate year of education (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, or Year 13 in Northern Ireland)
Deadline
- Beginning of May
Application or Entry Requirements
- Submissions must adhere to the word limit of 2,000 words, not including footnotes or bibliographies
- Word count should be stated at the end of the essay
- All sources must be cited and listed in a bibliography
- Entrants should submit one essay only
- Submission must be entirely the entrant’s own work
- Entries must not be submitted or have been submitted to an exam board as part of any coursework, extended essay, or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), either in part or in full
- Essays must be submitted via the form on the website
Notifications of Decisions
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
Have other questions?
The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, it is the world's third-oldest university in continuous operation. The university operates eight cultural and scientific museums, including the Fitzwilliam Museum and Cambridge University Botanic Garden, while its libraries hold a total of more than 16 million books. Cambridge's alumni roster boasts a wide array of Nobel laureates, world leaders, and pioneers in numerous fields, including influential figures such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Francis Bacon, Lord Byron, John Maynard Keynes, and Stephen Hawking, among many others.
