Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition 2026 (Cambridge Re:Think / CCIR)
Cambridge Re:Think (CCIR)
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Want to challenge your thinking and be read by university scholars? Enter the Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition 2026—write on politics, philosophy, history, science or ethics, sharpen critical writing, and earn recognised feedback via double‑blind review. Free, international entry.
The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition 2026 is an international essay competition for secondary-school students, organised by Cambridge Re:Think (CCIR). The competition runs in two age divisions (Junior, ages 11-3; Senior, ages 14-8) and invites students to respond to thought-provoking prompts across politics, philosophy, history, science and ethics.
Submissions undergo a double-blind review by an international panel of scholars and professors. Entry is free and open to students worldwide who have not commenced undergraduate study. Winners and shortlisted entrants receive digital certificates; prize winners receive cash awards, CCIR Academy scholarships, and invitations to an Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at King’s College, University of Cambridge on 31 July 2026 (winners attend free).
The competition emphasises academic integrity: essays must be original, sole-authored, submitted as anonymised PDFs, follow MLA 8 citation, and the use of AI writing assistance is prohibited. To apply, registrants create a participant account and submit a single essay addressing one of the provided prompts via the competition submission portal within the submission window.
The competition also offers free monthly online writing workshops and an Official Essay Guide to help entrants prepare.
Dr Barry C. Barish (keynote speaker at the Award Ceremony, 31 July 2026)
Digital Certificate of Participation for all successful submissions; digital award certificates and CCIR Academy scholarship awards for prize winners.
15 Jan 2026
10 May 2026
2026 competition (submission window)
Location
- Open to students aged 11 to 18 who have not yet commenced undergraduate studies at time of submission
- Students worldwide from diverse educational backgrounds are eligible
- Each essay must be the participant's original work; sole authorship required
- Use of AI tools for assistance is strictly prohibited; plagiarism will result in disqualification
- Participants must provide the email of an adult academic referee (teacher or counsellor) for verification and outcome notification
Entry to the competition is free. Award Ceremony dinner is free for prize recipients. Honourable Mention recipients and additional accompanying attendees may purchase dinner tickets at 195 GBP per person.
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