About

The Bennington Young Writers Awards accepts submissions in three categories — poetry (1–3 poems), fiction (short story or excerpt), and nonfiction (personal or academic essay) — all capped at 1,500 words total and written in English. Entry is free, open to US and international students in grades 9–12, and requires a sponsoring high school teacher to review and approve the submission before it is considered. Students may submit in only one category and only once per year. Winners are announced in spring, with entries published on the Bennington College website.

The competition carries genuine weight for two reasons. First, Bennington's literary legacy — twelve Pulitzer Prize winners, three US poet laureates, four MacArthur Fellows among its alumni — gives the judges' imprimatur real credibility in literary and admissions circles. Second, the scholarship stakes are substantial: winners who enroll at Bennington receive full-tuition scholarships worth more than $60,000 per year for four years, and finalists receive $25,000 annually. For a student not targeting Bennington, the cash prize and credential still stand independently.

The Bennington Young Writers Awards is the right competition for any serious high school writer with a polished, submission-ready piece — the low barrier to entry and the weight of the Bennington name make it one of the highest-value writing competitions a student can enter.