HIR Academic Writing Contest 2026-27

A warning upfront: this one involves a registration fee.

The Harvard International Review runs its writing contest in three cycles a year, and the Fall/Winter round closes on 2 January 2027 with a virtual Defense Day on 5 February. Senior entrants in grades 9 to 12 (UK Years 10 to 13) submit an 800 to 1,200 word article on one of three set themes, currently Global Culture in the Digital Era, Security in a Multipolar World, and Technology, Innovation and Power. The economics route runs through the topic categories rather than the themes: Finance and Economy, Trade, and Employment and Immigration are all fair game. Two things to warn students about, namely the registration fee and a flat ban on AI that judges actively check for. Enrichment rather than spec work, and best suited to a confident Year 13 who can write to AP style and cite properly. Link here