Minds Underground™ Essay Competitions

Explore university-level ideas and compete against students from around the world in one of the UK's leading academic essay competitions.

Entries for the 2027 Minds Underground™ Essay Competitions will open in late 2026, with questions released in November–December

Minds Underground Essay Competition 2026 Results

Thank you to all students who took part in this year’s competition. We were incredibly impressed by the standard of submissions and the intellectual curiosity shown across all age groups and subject areas.

Why enter the Minds Underground Essay Competition?

The Minds Underground™ Essay Competitions are designed to encourage ambitious students to think beyond the school curriculum, engage with complex ideas, and develop the analytical and communication skills valued by top universities. Open to students aged 8–18 worldwide, these subject-specific competitions provide a platform to explore new academic interests, from STEM and Medicine to the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law.

Each entry is an opportunity to undertake independent research, strengthen critical thinking, and demonstrate intellectual curiosity - key traits for successful university applicants.

Young Minds Prizes

A chance for our younger students (aged 14 & under) to explore beyond the curriculum in answer to contemporary questions and debates.

Senior Prizes

Hone writing skills, explore your interests beyond the school curriculum and gain a great talking-point on your university application. Competitions are aimed at Year 12, but open to younger applicants.

View our Competition Guidelines

Engineering Innovation Challenge - Design a Wearable!

STEM Essay Competitions (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Maths)

Each subject competition has its own dedicated submission form - please make sure to submit your essay using the correct form for each subject you enter.

You may enter more than one competition, but each entry must be submitted separately. All competitions are open worldwide to students aged 8–18 (those who are 14 & Under should apply to the Young Minds Competition).

How to Enter

Can I enter more than one Minds Underground competition?

Students may submit 1 entry per subject category. Students are permitted to enter more than one subject competition

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the competitions open to international students?

Absolutely - all Minds Underground Essay Competitions are global, and we welcome submissions from students aged 8–18 anywhere in the world.

How long should my essay be?

Each competition page lists its own word limit (typically 1,000–1,500 words). View the submission guidelines for more details.

Can international students enter?

Yes. Our essay competitions are open to UK and international students. However, essays must be written in English.

Can I use AI?

Entrants may use AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity) only for background research or idea exploration. However, we encourage original research via e.g. reputable journals, books etc!

The essay itself must be entirely the student’s own original writing. Use of AI-generated phrasing, arguments, or structure within the essay is not permitted and may result in disqualification.

How are essays judged?

Essays will be judged on:

Originality and depth of thought
Clarity and sophistication of written expression
Coherence and structure of argument
Evidence of wider reading and research
Awareness of real-world, ethical, or interdisciplinary dimensions

How can I submit my essay?

Submit essays as PDF or Microsoft Word files. Please do not submit via Google Docs as we often cannot access this.

How should I reference texts in my essay?

References must be in Harvard Referencing Style and included in the word count. A bibliography will not be included in the word count.

Can I enter multiple subjects?

Yes! Students are permitted to enter more than one subject competition.

When are results released?

Winners, runners-up & highly commended entrants will be notified by email. We will notify all entrants of results a few weeks after the submission deadline.

What will winners receive?

Winners will receive prizes and tailored resources to support future university applications.