Since 2020
Academic Writing Contest
Who We Are
The Harvard International Review is a quarterly magazine offering insight on international affairs from the perspectives of scholars, leaders, and policymakers. Since our founding in 1979, we've set out to bridge the worlds of academia and policy through outstanding writing and editorial selection.
The quality of our content is unparalleled. Each issue of the Harvard International Review includes exclusive interviews and editorials by leading international figures along with expert staff analysis of critical international issues. We have featured commentary by 43 Presidents and Prime Ministers, 4 Secretaries-General, 4 Nobel Economics Prize laureates, and 7 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
The Contest
Inspired by our growing high school readership around the world, we have run the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest since 2020 to encourage and highlight outstanding middle and high school writing on topics related to international affairs.
As of Spring 2026, we now offer two contest divisions. Our traditional high school contest focuses on writing short-form articles on relevant and nuanced topics in international affairs. However, we now offer a new division for 7th and 8th graders with a different topic. More information about this format can be found below.
Junior Contest Format
Participants in the junior contest format (7th–8th graders) will submit a short-form article on a topic closely related to international affairs. Each submission will be read and scored by the Harvard International Review.
A number of contestants will be selected as finalists, who are invited to participate in a virtual HIR Defense Day. At the Defense Day, students will have the opportunity to give a 15-minute presentation and oral defense to Harvard International Review judges.
Participants will write about the following theme:
Inventions that Changed How We Live
All participants must adhere to the submission guidelines for the senior contest. This includes – but is not limited to — adhering to the style guide, word limit, and AI policy.
Senior Contest Format
Participants in the senior contest format (9th–12th graders) will submit a short-form article on a topic in international affairs. Each submission will be read and scored by the Harvard International Review.
A number of contestants will be selected as finalists, who are invited to participate in a virtual HIR Defense Day. At the Defense Day, students will have the opportunity to give a 15-minute presentation and oral defense to Harvard International Review judges.
Participants will have a choice of three different themes and must note which prompt they have chosen at the top of their submissions.
- Theme A: Global Culture in the Digital Era
- Theme B: Security in a Multipolar World
- Theme C: Technology, Innovation, and Power
Contestants may choose either topic above when writing the article.
Submission Guidelines
All submissions must adhere to the following requirements, as outlined in the Submission Guide below.
- Content
- Articles should address a topic related to international affairs today. Potential categories include (but are not limited to): Agriculture, Business, Cybersecurity, Defense, Education, Employment & Immigration, Energy & Environment, Finance & Economy, Public Health, Science & Technology, Space, Trade, and Transportation. Articles should examine the theme from a global perspective rather than focusing on the United States.
- Length
- Articles should be at least 800 words but not exceed 1,200 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, or authorship declaration).
- Writing Style
- Submissions should present an analytically backed perspective on an under-appreciated global topic.
- AI Policy
- The usage of ChatGPT and other AI tools and software is strictly prohibited. Judges will be running all articles through multiple AI checkers, and articles that receive high AI generation scores across multiple checkers will be disqualified. Additionally, judges during the Defense Day will be conducting even more careful review and assessment during the interview stage to ensure authenticity of work.
Excellent contest submissions will aim to present a topic holistically from a balanced perspective. Evidence and nuance are critical. Submissions should be well-researched, well-informed, and formal in style and prose.
The HIR does not accept op-eds, otherwise known as editorials or opinion pieces for its competition. Articles are expected to have a thesis but should not have an agenda. Submissions should also not be merely a collection of facts.
As a journalist organization, we ask that submissions follow AP Style's newest edition. We also ask that submissions are culturally sensitive, fact-checked, and respectful.
Examples of pieces that would be considered excellent submissions are below.
- Citation and Sources
- All factual claims must be backed by a citation from a reliable source. All ideas that are not your own must be properly attributed. Citations should be made via hyperlinks. Non-digital sources are welcome but must be cited properly as per AP Style. See the examples above for examples of using hyperlinks for citations.
- Resubmission Policy
- Contestants have the option to resubmit their articles; however, the new submission must explore a different theme from the originally submitted article within the same contest year.
Contest Dates
There are three distinct submission cycles for the 2026 Contest.
Please note that contestants are requested to register and pay before becoming eligible to submit their articles prior to the submission deadline.
Admissions are done on a rolling basis! Capacity is limited.
Spring 2026
- Article Submission Deadline
- May 31, 2026
- HIR Defense Day
- July 11, 2026
Summer 2026
- Article Submission Deadline
- August 24, 2026
- HIR Defense Day
- October 5, 2026
Fall 2026 / Winter 2026
- Article Submission Deadline
- January 2, 2027
- HIR Defense Day
- February 5, 2027
Contest Prizes
All submissions will receive a score from the Harvard International Review based on the Evaluation Rubric described in the Submission Guide. Contestants that receive a passing score without qualifying for a HIR Defense Day will receive individual prizes. Finalists will be eligible for the following Gold/Silver/Bronze medals based on their scores and performance in the HIR Defense Day.
- Commendation Prize
- HIR Certificate
- Outstanding Writing Content / Style Prize
- HIR Certificate
- High Commendation Prize
- HIR Certificate
- Bronze Medal
- HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top 20 percent)
- Silver Medal
- HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top 10 percent)
- Gold Medal
- HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top 3 percent)
All scoring and prize decisions are final. The contest will not be able to provide additional detail beyond the scores provided by HIR graders. All contestants who manage to submit their articles will receive a certificate of completion.
Contest Eligibility
United States
Students are eligible if they are in grades seven through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.
International
Students in countries outside of the United States (grades 7–12) are also welcome to submit. Submissions are expected to be written in English and with traditional American spelling. For more information on submissions in your country, please contact contest@hir.harvard.edu.