Application Deadline: 30th April, 2026
LOCATION: England
The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition 2026 is now open for submissions. The theme for this year’s competition is Common Ground: Better Together!
The theme for the 2026 Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition, Common Ground: Better Together, invites young writers to explore what unites individuals and communities across the Commonwealth and how collaboration and connection enable progress.
Enter the competition by 30th April!
ELIGIBILITY:
The competition is open to nationals or residents of all Commonwealth countries and territories.
Entries must be written in English.
Entrants to the competition must be under 18 years old or younger on the deadline of 30 April 2026.
Uploaded entries must not include the entrant’s personal details (e.g., name, age, school, etc.). This information is to be entered solely on the official online form, and NOT as part of your written submission.
Unless you are submitting a piece of writing in which illustrations are an integral part, for instance a comic, do not include illustrations in your entry. Further, as the competition is a writing competition, please be aware that the written content will be the main focus of our judges. Images will not be rewarded within the mark scheme.
Entries must adhere to the maximum word count of 1,000 words. Exceeding the word limit will result in automatic disqualification. There is no minimum word count and submissions will be judged on the quality, not quantity, of writing. Longer entries will not automatically score higher than shorter entries. All references, bibliographies and footnotes will be included in your word count.
Participants may only enter one submission each. Please carefully check, proofread, and edit your writing before submitting the final version. Ensure that all supplementary information on the Entry Form is filled in correctly (name, contact details, etc.) We will not be able to change the entry after submission.
You must obtain the consent of your Parent/guardian before entering the Competition. Please tick the correct box on the entry form to confirm you have obtained appropriate consent. Additionally, please input your Parent/guardian’s contact details in the appropriate box on the Entry Form. Parental consent will be confirmed prior to awarding prizes.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you are found to have plagiarised the work of another individual or there is AI Generated content, you may be disqualified. Every year a number of students are disqualified for this reason. The final version submitted for the Competition must be the entrant’s own work and cannot be excessively corrected or improved by any another person or AI.
Wholly or partly AI generated work is not accepted in the Competition, and the RCS has complete discretion in making the decision about the use of AI to disqualify an entry or recommend that an entry be marked down.
BENEFIT:
All successful entries will receive a Certificate of Participation, and a number of entries will receive Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards for excellence in writing.
REGIONAL WINNERS: This year the competition will have regional winners. A winner will be selected from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific. From these, one overall winner will be selected, and all five will be invited to London for Winners Week and an award ceremony at a Royal Palace!
