The New York Times holds a series of annual contests for students. Contest offerings vary by year but generally include challenges such as creating narratives, profiles, opinion pieces, reviews, podcasts, videos, illustrations and photo essays.
Here is the 2024-2025 contest schedule:
Election 2024 Student Conversation Forum
Contest Dates: September to October, 2024
Reflect on your civic and political values, beliefs and identity and share your perspectives on current issues by participating in our special discussion forums for teenagers.
Coming of Age in 2024: A Multimedia Contest
Contest Dates: October 2 to November 4, 2024
Choose any of the questions that we’ve posed in the Election 2024 Student Conversation Forum and make something in response — whether in writing, visual art, video or audio.
100-Word Personal Narrative Contest
Contest Dates: November 6 to December 4, 2024
Write a short, powerful story about a meaningful experience from your life in 100 words or less.
‘Where We Are’ Photo Essay Contest
Contest Dates: December 4, 2024 to January 15, 2025
Create a photo essay about an offline community that interests you.
My List: A Different Kind of Review Contest
Contest Dates: January 15 to February 12, 2025
Choose any collection of three to five works of art or culture to group in some way, and then tell us why we should — or shouldn’t — check them out. (Example: “4 Fantasy Books to Get Lost In”)
‘How to …’ Informational Writing Contest
Contest Dates: February 12 to March 12, 2025
Write a short description of how to do (almost) any task.
Open Letter Contest
Contest Dates: March 12 to April 16, 2025
Write a letter to a specific person or group who can make change on an issue that matters to you.
Podcast Contest
Contest Dates: April 16 to May 14, 2025
Make an original podcast of no more than five minutes that informs or entertains listeners.
Summer Reading Contest
Contest Dates: June 6 to August 15, 2025
Every week for 10 weeks we ask, "What got your attention in The Times recently?" You answer in writing or video.
Weekly Current Events Conversation
Contest Dates: All school year
Respond to our daily writing prompts. Each week we publish a selection of student comments.
Location(s)
- Remote
Schedule
- Year-round
Cost/Compensation
- Free
Eligibility Requirements
- All contests are open to students around the world ages 13 to 19 who are in middle school or high school. College students cannot submit entries.
- Students ages 19 or under who have completed high school but are taking a gap year or are otherwise not enrolled in college can participate.
- The children and stepchildren of New York Times employees are not eligible to enter these contests, nor are students who live in the same household as those employees.
- Students’ entries must be original and fundamentally their own. An entry must not be published elsewhere at the time of submission, including in a school newspaper, on a radio station’s website or in a literary magazine.
Deadline
Deadlines vary by contest, see the full schedule here.
Application or Entry Requirements
- On the day each contest begins, New York Times will add a link here so students and teachers can submit entries. All contests except Summer Reading begin and end on Wednesdays.
- Students can enter as many contests as they want, but they can submit only one entry per contest. (The Summer Reading Contest, however, offers a fresh opportunity to submit each week for 10 weeks).
Notifications of Decisions
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
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The New York Times (NYT) is one of the most highly circulated and well-recognized newspapers in the world. Founded in 1851 and based in New York City, The Times is published daily in print and digital formats, and its website is one of the most-read news sources around the world. The Times now also releases a free weekday podcast called The Daily. Its long history of in-depth reporting and investigative journalism includes breaking major stories such as the Watergate scandal and the Pentagon Papers. NYT is the recipient of the most Pulitzer Prizes of any news organization and has a significant influence on American politics.
