oxford essay competition

Academic competitions for schools and colleges

Several colleges and departments of the University of Oxford run competitions which are open to students from schools and colleges.

Preparing an entry for one of these competitions is a valuable experience for academically motivated students, so please do encourage your students to enter. There are also some exciting prizes to be won.

Competitions with up-coming deadlines:

More competitions will be published here throughout the year.

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Julia Wood History Essay Competition

Home → Study Here → Outreach → Essay Competitions → Julia Wood History Essay Competition

The Julia Wood prize is an annual History essay competition named in memory of a St Hugh’s College historian.

The Principal and Fellows of St Hugh’s College, Oxford offer a prize, worth up to £500, for the best historical essay submitted by a pupil who, at the closing date, has been in the Sixth Form of any school or college for a period of not more than two years.

The choice of historical subject is left to candidates. As the below examples suggest, essays which fare well in the competition tend to be specially researched and written for it.

Entries should be 2000 – 4000 words in length, including any material in the footnotes which is additional commentary or content related to your essay. References or citations in footnotes, and your bibliography, are not included in this word count. You are welcome to use whichever style of referencing you prefer. Essays must be submitted in PDF format.

The 2024 competition is now closed. Details of this year’s winning essays can be found to the right of this page.

Details of the 2025 competition will be published in late January/early February 2025.

Please direct any enquiries to [email protected]

2024 Julia Wood Prize Winners

This year, the number of entries to the Julia Wood Prize was 402. The prizes were awarded as follows:

Anna Batstone – Magdalen College School, Oxford (Year 12)

Treasure Trove or Fool’s Gold: To What Extent Can Literature Be Used as a Historical Source?

Alexandra Kochman – Wycombe Abbey, High Wycombe (Year 12)

The Odyssey: How did Polish refugees keep the idea of Poland alive during the Second World War?

Thomas Rowlands – St Leonard’s School, St Andrews (Year 12)

To what extent were the methods used to foster an East German national identity different under the regimes of Ulbricht and Honecker?

Dermot Christmas – St Paul’s School, London (Year 12)

The Pagan Period in Burma: to what extent did it influence Burmese resistance to the British Empire?

Mary-Ellen Dyson – St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School, London (Year 12)

To what extent was Henrietta Maria typical of a medieval woman?

The winners, runners up and a number of others who were highly commended were invited to a celebratory tea in College in September.

St Hugh’s College

Founded in 1886, St Hugh’s is now one of the largest colleges in Oxford. The College was established to offer an Oxford education to women, and it retains a strong sense of its radical tradition and of the importance of opening Oxford up to all who would do well here. St Hugh’s now accepts men and women, and welcomes students from every country and any kind of background.

St Hugh’s has a beautiful setting just to the north of the city centre, with Edwardian buildings and some of the largest college grounds. The College is known as the ‘island site’ because of its tranquil gardens, and it is a restful place to live and work.

St Hugh’s College admits about 11 undergraduates a year to read single Honours History; and a further two or three (in varying combinations) for the Joint Honours Schools of Ancient and Modern History, History and English, History and Modern Languages, and History and Politics.

What we are looking for is the ability to think imaginatively, a willingness to argue, a real interest in ideas, and a commitment to the subject. We have no preference for particular subjects at A-level, International Baccalaureate or other post-16 qualifications. Most candidates will usually have been studying History, but even this is not essential. However, languages (both modern and classical), English Literature, and Economics have, in their different ways, proved useful preparations for the course. We welcome both pre- and post- qualification applications; and we generally admit a few people each year from Scotland, Ireland, and further afield.

St Hugh’s provides excellent facilities for studying History: the library has unusually large and up-to-date holdings in all periods, and there is an active, sometimes rumbustious History Society. We encourage our undergraduates to travel in vacations. In recent years many of our historians have gone on to undertake research in History and related fields; others have got jobs in journalism, television, law, teaching, the Foreign Office, the UN, the City, Brussels, management and management consultancy, publishing, etc. The world has proved to be their oyster, with historical training at St Hugh’s providing them with the essential bit of grit.

More information about studying History at St Hugh’s College is available on our course and admissions pages .

Since the establishment of the Julia Wood History Essay Competition in 1994, 81 school students have been given prizes; many of these people went on to study History at Oxford and St Hugh’s. The names of the winners and their essay titles can be seen below.

Who was Julia Wood?

Julia Wood was an alumna of St Hugh’s College. She was born on 19th December 1938 and studied History and was an Exhibitioner at the College between 1957 and 1960. Tragically, she died in an accident whilst in Australia in 1970. The fund for the Julia Wood Prize was established by the parents and friends of Julia Wood in May 1971.

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The TORCH Humanities and Science Essay Competition

How can musicians use concepts about randomness and order developed by physicists and mathematicians to enrich their compositions? How far is the image showing a patient’s brain scan an aesthetic choice made by the clinician? How can humanities scholars and policy makers help engineers to explore the potential social and cultural impact of their innovations? Is mathematical proof a form of narrative? What can mental health practitioners learn from the arts?

With this competition, we want you to explore the relationship between the humanities and the sciences. We want to examine how new answers can be found – and new research questions can be set – by bringing the disciplines together. To this end, we propose that you write an engaging short essay about a notable scientific moment, invention or discovery and its impact on humanity. 

For example, you could write an essay on the steam turbine, invented by Charles Parsons in 1884, and the Industrial Revolution’s impact upon the arts and culture. You could write about Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray photograph of B-DNA, which was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA. Or, you could write about gunpowder, which was invented in China in the 9th century. It has been a major factor in military technology, and the resulting wars have changed the course of human history.

You might argue that the Humanities and the Sciences are fundamentally different. Alternatively, do they share roots, values, aspirations and a common, contemporary predicament? Persuade us. The most successful essays will be astutely researched and written in a creative and engaging manner.

For inspiration, check out Professor Sally Shuttleworth’s Diseases of Modern Life project, which explores the medical, literary and cultural responses in the Victorian age to the perceived problems of stress and overwork, anticipating many of the preoccupations of our own era. Alternatively, read the blog post Plants, Brain and Imagination by Dr Sarah Watkinson, which outlines a TORCH SciPo event centred around poetry at the Botanic Garden and St Hilda's College, or Dr Jenny Oliver’s wonderful piece on Fungus and fertility in sixteenth-century French poetry: how is a poem like a mushroom?

Categories: 

Entrants must be under 17 years of age (inclusive). 

Entrants may be 18 years or older. 

Please indicate which category you are entering. 

Prizes for each category

First prize = £75

Two runners up will each receive £25 

DEADLINE: 5pm, Tuesday 19th May. 

Rules and regulations: .

1. Your entry must be in English, your own unaided work, and not a translation of another writer. 

2. Your essay must be shorter than 1,500 words . 

3. Please send all entries as a pdf or Word document to [email protected] . Judging is anonymous. Your name and address must not appear on the pieces entered, nor any other marks that could identify you. Please identify yourself in the body of the email, not the attached entry itself. 

4. Maximum two entries per person. 

5. The closing date is 5pm, Tuesday 19th May 2020 . The winning entry, and two runners-up will be notified by 5pm, Friday 12th June 2020 . 

6. TORCH reserves the right to publish the top three entries from each category on our website and social media channels ad infinitum. Authors may also publish their pieces elsewhere. 

7. We will not enter into any correspondence about the winner or entries, nor will we make changes to entries received. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted. The judges’ decisions will be final. Your entry in the competition means you accept these rules.

8. We will abide by good practice in the running of this competition, but cannot be held responsible for circumstances beyond our control such as being unable to access our website services. Prizes may be withheld or altered if we receive no outstanding entries, or insufficient entries.

9. Entry is FREE. No entry form is needed. 

10. Notification of receipt of entry will be by email.

11. Essays cannot be altered or substituted once they have been entered.

12. Entry is taken to be acceptance of these rules.

13. Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. 

14. This essay competition is international and welcomes entrants in English from all countries.

15. Entering or winning the competition does not confer a lasting association of any kind with TORCH.

16. In the body of your email, please indicate which category you apply to.

• OxIQ Summer Courses
• OxIQ Essay - AGES 16+
• OxIQ Essay - Ages 13-15
• Online Courses

The Oxford IQ Academy

Resilient thinking oxford residential courses.

Photo: Team Aristotle before Formal Hall (Brasenose)

Welcome to oxford iq preparatory academy (ages 13-15).

Exclusive to elite students aged 13-15 years old, The Oxford IQ Academy's summer programme offers the experience of a lifetime! You may choose to apply for a space immediately, as we operate on a rolling admissions basis!

Over £500,000.00 in scholarships awarded for 2024 courses in Oxford!

The 2025 oxiq essay contest has begun ages 13-15.

Over £500,000.00 in scholarships awarded to deserving pre-university students to study in Oxford for two weeks!

Mins Minutes

Secs Seconds

It’s a wrap!

The big day may have come and gone, but keep in touch as we’re always up to something new and exciting: [email protected]

ESSAY CONTEST 1ST ROUND DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 15 NOVEMBER!

The oxiq essay 2025 competition - steps, 1) registration form.

  You must register your interest in the contest below and choose one or more Fields of Interest (from which the essay questions will derive) . Also remember to write and attach a one-page Statement of Interest answering the question, "Why do you wish to study on an OxIQ summer course and how will this align with your goals?" 

Completing the Registration Form allows us to send you essay questions, guidance on the contest and the 2025 Prospectus (allow 5-7 business days).

2) INFORMATION PACKAGE (ESSAY QUESTIONS + GUIDANCE + 2025 PROSPECTUS):

You will receive (via your email that you provided) essay questions from which you will choose one. You will also be provided guidance and details for writing the essay. 

Contained in the information set from The Oxford IQ Prep Academy will be dates, costs, and other pertinent information. We award scholarships based on merit, and the selection criteria and amounts of scholarships will be detailed in the information. 

3) SUBMISSION OF THE ESSAY

Upon receipt of the essay guidelines and questions, you will have until 11:59 PM GMT on 15 NOVEMBER 2024 (EXTENSION!) to submit your essay via the Action Button below, or via email [email protected] .

4) NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS

The Oxford IQ Academy will begin making scholarship offers IMMEDIATELY AFTER MARKING PAPERS (USUALLY WITHIN TWO -THREE BUSINESS DAYS)

You will have 14 days after receiving our email with your essay results to decide whether you wish to accept the scholarship (if there is an offer). 

Share the big news with your parents and school!

We encourage you to complete the enrolment forms soon after you receive an offer, as spaces on the course will be scarce.

STEP 1: Register for the 2025 OxIQ Essay Contest

Register below.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

ESSAYS are marked by OxIQ instructors

Each enroled student's essay will receive feedback and a mark. Those obtaining the highest marks will be notified of a scholarship offer and instructions on how to accept the offer.

Oxford IQ Academy

Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

[email protected]

Hours (GMT) - Parents of students are welcome to schedule a Zoom call with one of our faculty.

Step 2: submit your essay, what if i haven't received the essay questions & guidelines, registration issues.

Don't panic, or send us impolite emails! As we receive thousands of registrations over the year, from time-to-time, some registrations fail to make it to our Inbox. We have learned that some schools and countries will block outgoing emails.  Also, your incoming email systems may have pushed our replies to your Junk InBox. 

If you have an issue, reach out to us on the WhatsApp button above in Step 1, or email us at [email protected] . We will send you a form to complete and return and possibly an extension on your essay.

2025 Courses for 13-15 year old scholars - Proposed

Political leadership: law, economics, politics & international relations.

Because many of our students come from the top schools in the world, and aspire to attend the top universities in the world, chances are high that these students will become national and international leaders. This popular course comes from the tradition of PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics). Dreaming of leading change in the world? This is the place to start.

Business Leadership & Entrepreneurship

Whether you want to run a corporation one day, or start your own company, we teach you the essential basics of business, competition, and innovation. In the past, we taught a cohort of students from Argentina how to analyse the 'business of football' with trips to Arsenal Football Club and Chelsea Football Club. You will research a 'problem,' come up with a solution, write and present a business plan in this course.

Global Healthcare & Medicine

This course is a hands-on practical course for students with an interest in pursuing a career in the global healthcare industry. You will learn the business of medicine in the city and university in which the first COVID-19 vaccine was developed (Oxford University and Astra Zeneca). We also add a rigorous medicine component to this course that covers medical technology, biotechnology, and many other aspects of the field.

Creative Writing for Aspiring Novelists and Screenwriters

Do you have dreams of writing a novel, getting it published, and perhaps selling the rights of your story for a Hollywood film or mini-series? Do you believe you are too young to even think about writing a novel? Did you know that the YA (Young Adult) market is the fastest growing genre, and that more and more teenagers are getting published? We get right to the business of writing in this course because we believe every person has a story to tell. We teach you character development, plot and story evolution, pacing, dialogue, and other essential elements of writing. You will develop an outline for a novel in this course.

Archaeology /Applied Landscape Archaeology) - Drone Technology and GIS

A truly cutting edge course taught at the university level. Students learn how to operate drones and interpret Geographic Information Systems in the context of discovering archaeological sites. This course is taught by Oxford archaeologists and you will learn the basics of archaeology and complete a project by the end of the course.

Science & Technology I: Space, Earth Science, Climate Change, Artificial Intelligence, and Big Data.

Space technology is one the fastest growing tech segments in the world as lower costs are enabling a flood of new entrants to build and launch their own satellites. Learn about the space industry, how to position yourself for a career, and the essentials of satellite tech, space architectures, and space diplomacy from a former NASA official.. Technology can be an essential thread through a large variety of professional activities in which you will engage in the adult world. We cover a number of topics and allow students to focus on their areas of interest.

Other Courses on Offer: Architecture, Psychology, English Literature, Classics, and Engineering

These courses will be offered as "electives" on the enrolment forms and the Oxford IQ Preparatory Academy will select one to three of these courses in terms of popularity among students.

How did you spend your summer? Team Aristotle came to Oxford to study, learn, visit sites, and make new friends!

Oxford iq preparatory academy accreditations, the royal society for the prevention of accidents.

At the Oxford IQ Preparatory Academy, we treat your children as if they were our own. We are Affiliate Members of ROSPA and we have strict policies on protection of students, staff, and faculty at all times during our courses.

British Council Accreditation

Through our parent organisation The Oxford Exchange, the Oxford IQ Academy is an education provider working with the British Council for our Oxford summer courses. We require all of our employees and contractors to pass the appropriate British Council's extensive safeguarding training requirements to conduct pre-university preparatory courses.

AEGIS Members

Dbs enhanced certified.

Through The Oxford Exchange (our parent company), we are members of the Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students ( AEGIS ).

We utilise an authorised service of the British Government to run police checks on each and every one of our employees and contractors.

The Oxford Exchange

The Oxford IQ Academy operates under a UK non-profit corporation that designs and manages educational courses for adults and teenagers. The Oxford Exchange: HMRC Corporation Number 13334657.

Copyright © 2024 Oxford IQ Academy - All Rights Reserved.

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THE OXBRIDGE LAUNCHPAd

Your journey starts here.

Welcome to The Oxbridge Launchpad - a platform to propel you to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

And it's completely free.

The help You've Been Looking For

The Oxbridge Launchpad is a non-profit organisation founded and run by two current Oxford and Cambridge university students. 

Our sole mission is to propel the brightest minds to two of the most prestigious institutions in the world.

The Oxbridge admissions process can look incredibly daunting for prospective students, full of obstacles that often seem insurmountable. However, with carefully considered and consistent guidance every step of the way, the process can become a whole lot easier.

What we offer

One-to-one mentoring.

Personal statement reviewing?

Assistance with admissions tests?

Mock interviews?

We've got you covered.

We'll match you up with a current Oxford or Cambridge undergraduate studying your chosen subject and you'll get bespoke, one-to-one mentoring.

ESSAY COMPETITION

Want a  supercurricular project for your personal statement that helps you explore your subject?

You're in luck! ​

Our 2024 essay competition is currently  open for entries  (deadline April 1st), and all entries will receive feedback from current Oxbridge students.

Oxbridge Intelligence

Struggling with choosing what to read or simply keen to learn more about your chosen subject?

Look no further. 

The Oxbridge Intelligence is the first academic newsletter which enables A-level students to critically engage with their subject beyond the A-level curriculum in an accessible and non-intimidating manner.  

APPLICATION WALKTHROUGH

Want to know how to build an Oxbridge personal statement? Interested in seeing what an Oxbridge interview looks like?

You've come to the right place. 

Our Application Walkthrough is teeming with an array of resources to help you out with all aspects of the admissions process. 

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We're already making a social impact

We've hosted free personal statement workshops with 5 00+ state school students in the uk., student satisfaction  with the oxbridge launchpad's mentoring program, % of students who feel very confident  after our personal statement  workshop, % of students who would  highly recommend  the oxbridge launchpad.

Find out more about us and our story

Ready to get Started?

Start your journey with The Oxbridge Launchpad today and A ccelerate to Success. 

Join our team

Empower the next generation of students, from regular mentoring to writing a one-off article.

$25,000 for the best essays on global problems.

Pivotal is an essay competition for high school students with world-class judges and no entry fee.

Get notified for future events and opportunities.

Essay questions that get you closer to changing the world..

Our questions are inspired by research conducted at Oxford University's Global Priorities Institute . We are excited to be partnering with them to judge your essays.

Artificial Intelligence

We will award prizes worth a total of $25,000 for the top three entrants, along with access to the Pivotal Library for the top 50 finalists.

$15,000 — 1st place $7,000 — 2nd place $3,000 — 3rd place

$25,000 in prizes for the best essays.

of the participants will be invited to the Pivotal Circle.

Join the Pivotal Circle, a community of exceptional students.

Up to 10 books

for each finalist (top 50).

You will be able to choose 10 physical books that we'll ship to you for free from the Pivotal Library, a curated collection of books.

Pivotal is a prime opportunity for students to showcase their critical and creative thinking. I expect that it will help set up students on a trajectory to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.

We will notify you when we launch new events and opportunities.

Read our privacy policy .

Enter the Pivotal Essay Contest.