Top 10 Poetry Competitions for High School Students in 2025–2026

Each year, thousands of high school students across the U.S. submit poems to national writing competitions. Winning or even participating in top poetry competitions can boost your college application, for universities value national writing awards as signs of dedication and talent.

These competitions can especially improve your chances of being accepted at the best creative writing schools like the University of Iowa and Columbia University, since they prove your ability to express yourself creatively with words.

Here, we’ll look into the top 10 best poetry competitions for high school students in 2025–2026 and what makes each one stand out.

• What Are the Best Poetry Competitions for High School Students?
• Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
• YoungArts National Arts Competition
• The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose
• Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers
• National Student Poets
• River of Words
• National Youth Poet Laureate
• Poetry Out Loud
• Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest
• JUST POETRY!!! The National Poetry Quarterly
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are the Best Poetry Competitions for High School Students?

According to the National Endowment for the Arts, students who engage in writing and poetry programs perform better in reading and critical thinking tasks than those who don’t. You learn to craft words carefully, which sharpens problem-solving and deepens your love for language. These contests also offer real-world perks: many provide scholarships, mentor guidance, and nods from colleges that value your talent.​

Below is a summary of the top 10 poetry competitions for high school students in 2025–2026:

Let’s discuss each competition one by one.

1. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

• Dates: January 28, 2026 (Regional); March 25, 2026 (National); June 9–June 11, 2026 (National Awards Week)
• Location: National (U.S., territories, Canada).
• Prizes: Up to $12,500 scholarships, trips to NYC for ceremonies, exhibitions, and portfolio reviews; Gold and Silver Keys lead to national medals and advanced opportunities.​

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has been celebrating teen creativity since 1923. If you’re in grades 7–12 (or 13+ and homeschooled), this competition is for you. Every year, over 110,000 students submit their work, including thousands of poems.

Here’s how it works: you submit your original poems online through your local affiliate. Judges evaluate your voice, craft, and impact—first at the regional level, then nationally if you advance.

Through the process, you’ll sharpen your editing skills and learn to transform rough drafts into polished poems. Past winners say the experience builds real confidence, especially when writing about challenging topics.

Gold Medalists spend a week in NYC with mentorship from professional authors and artists, plus networking opportunities with other young creatives. Famous alumni include writers like Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, and Amanda Gorman.

If you want to learn about the competition in detail, read our comprehensive blog about the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

2. YoungArts National Arts Competition

• Dates: Summer 2026 (TBA)
• Location: National (U.S.)
• Prizes: Cash awards between $250 and $10,000; finalists receive all-expenses-paid YoungArts Week with mentorship, masterclasses, and performances; priority for U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts​

The YoungArts National Arts Competition discovers and supports artists ages 15–18 or in grades 10–12. It targets serious emerging creators in poetry and other disciplines.​

Submit 3–5 original poems (up to 10 pages total) online. Work must be in English with translations if needed. You refine your craft through portfolio review and learn professional presentation, and winners gain feedback to strengthen their voice and technique.​

Finalists attend YoungArts Week for one-on-one coaching, workshops, and live readings. Selected works may also be published in an anthology. Top winners are considered for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts program, one of the highest honors available to young artists in the country.

Check out our full YoungArts Writing Competition Guide for tips on standing out.

3. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose

• Dates: Expected October 2026.
• Location: International
• Prizes: Cash prize of $200 for winners in poetry and prose; publication in The Adroit Journal; runners-up and finalists receive judges’ books.​

The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose recognize high school writers with exceptional craft. If you’re in grades 9–12 and serious about your writing, this one’s worth your attention.

You can submit up to four original poems (300 lines total max) online through Submittable. Just make sure your work hasn’t been published anywhere before. Judges, often past winners themselves, look for strong voices, vivid imagery, and creative innovation.

Winners become part of a community of young poets who are actually getting published. Past judges include major poets like Ocean Vuong and Ada Limón.

The prize is open to high school students worldwide. It’s also completely free to enter.

Colleges recognize these prizes as professional-level publications, which can strengthen your application. For entry tips, check out our Adroit Prizes Guide.

4. Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

• Dates: November 1–30, 2025; Winners announced March 2026
• Location: National (U.S.)
• Prizes: Publication in The Kenyon Review; finalists published online with honors; winner receives a full scholarship to a Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers is a respected national poetry competition for high school sophomores and juniors. Established in 2007, the prize recognizes exceptional poetic craft and voice while honoring Patricia Grodd’s commitment to poetry education.

Applicants may submit one unpublished poem in English in eligible file formats like PDF and Word documents through Submittable. Simultaneous submissions are not allowed, and there is no entry fee. Submissions are evaluated by judges affiliated with The Kenyon Review, with emphasis on originality, craft, and voice.

The winning poem and runners-up are published in The Kenyon Review, a credential that carries significant weight with college admissions officers. The winner also receives a workshop scholarship offering professional-level feedback, while finalists gain national publication recognition.

Eligibility is limited to U.S. high school students in 10th or 11th grade. If you want to learn more about this competition, check out our full guide for Patricia Grodd.

5. National Student Poets Program

• Dates: Expected October 2026 (based on 2025 announcement)
• Location: National (U.S.)​
• Prizes: Named National Student Poet (top 5 honors); $5,000 academic award; serve as a poetry ambassador with readings and workshops.

The National Student Poets Program is the highest honor for youth poets in the country, specifically for students in grades 10–11. Only five winners are selected each year to represent different U.S. regions as literary ambassadors.

First, submit your poetry to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. If you’re in grades 10–11 and win a Gold Key, you’ll be nominated for the National Student Poets Program, which involves an additional portfolio and video review.

Through this program, you’ll develop your performance skills and learn how to make an impact in your community. Winners lead poetry workshops at libraries and schools, which builds both your leadership abilities and your craft.

Selected poets serve for one year, participating in events and gaining national recognition and publication opportunities.

It’s important to note that this program is only open to U.S. students in grades 10–11, and there’s no direct application. You have to earn your way in by winning a Gold Key at Scholastic’s regional or national level first.

6. River of Words

• Dates: TBA
• Location: International (Global)
• Prizes: Grand Prize, Runner-Up, Second Runner-Up per category. ~50 finalists published; specialty prizes like the International and Shasta Bioregion

The River of Words contest inspires environmental poetry for young writers ages 5–19. If you’re in high school, you’ll enter Category IV (grades 9–12, ages 14–19).

You can submit up to five original poems (32 lines max each) online through Jotform. Poems must be in English or Spanish, with no personal info in your files. If you’re under 18, an adult needs to submit on your behalf.

This contest encourages you to connect what you observe in nature with creative expression. It’s a great way to build your environmental literacy while strengthening your poetry skills. Winners and finalists get published recognition, and the contest especially values work that explores watersheds and water-related themes.

7. National Youth Poet Laureate

• Dates: May 2026​
• Location: National (U.S.)
• Prizes: $1,000 cash prize; Title of National Youth Poet Laureate; performances at the Library of Congress, Kennedy Center. Year-long ambassadorship

The National Youth Poet Laureate Program celebrates young poets ages 14–18 who combine strong writing with civic engagement. Run by Urban Word, the program selects one national winner from regional youth poet laureates across the country.

Here, you must first win a local or city Youth Poet Laureate title. Then you can submit a portfolio—including your poems, resume, and civic work—for the national competition. Five finalists are chosen to perform their work before a panel of judges.

The National Youth Poet Laureate serves for one year, participating in national events, media appearances, and community projects. You’ll also build connections that can last throughout your life.

8. Poetry Out Loud

• Dates: Early 2026 (State Finals); April 27–29, 2026 (Nationals)​
• Location: National (U.S.)
• Prizes: $20,000 First place, $10,000 Second place, $5,000 Third place at Nationals; State winners advance with cash and recognition

Poetry Out Loud is a recitation contest for students in grades 9–12. You memorize and perform published poems from the official America 250 Anthology.

The competition starts in your classroom or school-wide contests, then moves through regional and state levels. At finals, you perform three poems and get judged on presence, voice, interpretation, understanding, performance, and accuracy.

The contest is open to enrolled U.S. students in grades 9–12 (some 8th graders are eligible if they’re in high school classes). Your school registers through state coordinators, and it’s completely free to enter.

9. Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

• Dates: November 1–30, 2025; March 2026 (Winners announced)
• Location: National (U.S.)​
• Prizes: (First place) $350 cash, publication in Cargoes, renewable $5,000 scholarship at Hollins (up to $20,000 total), free Hollinsummer tuition/housing; (Second place) Publication in Cargoes, renewable $1,000 scholarship (up to $4,000 total), $500 Hollinsummer scholarship

The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest at Hollins University recognizes outstanding poetry by high school sophomore and junior women and nonbinary students, and has been running since 1963. It is designed for young writers who want both publication and scholarship support tied to a women-centered liberal arts college.​

You submit 1–2 unpublished poems online in a standard Word document with 12-point Times New Roman font; work may have received school-level recognition but not prior publication. A Hollins judging panel reviews submissions for originality, imagery, and control of language.​

Winners are published in Cargoes, Hollins’ literary journal. This gives you an early publication credit that you can include on your activities list and writing resume.

10. JUST POETRY!!! The National Poetry Quarterly

• Dates: Quarterly
• Location: National (U.S.)
• Prizes: $100-$500 scholarship prize

JUST POETRY!!! The National Poetry Quarterly is a free national contest focused only on high school poets. You submit one original, unpublished poem of 20 lines or fewer, and you can enter either by email or U.S. mail with all required contact and school details.

To join, you must send in one or more poems following their line limits and formatting rules, and judges select winners and finalists for each quarterly issue. Because it runs four times a year, you get multiple chances to revise and try again.

However, note that only one entry per poet is allowed in any 90-day period, which works out to one poem per quarter. Each quarterly deadline ties to a specific issue of American High School Poets, JUST POETRY!!!, the National Poetry Quarterly, and all winning poems in that cycle, appearing in the matching Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer anthology.

Entries are judged in-house by educators and poets on creativity, originality, imagery, artistic quality, and mastery of poetic expression, with no required theme or style. Winners receive scholarship funds (held until college enrollment is verified), a free copy of the issue their poem appears in, and full copyright ownership of their work remains with them.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the best poetry competitions for high school students?

The top ones include Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, YoungArts, and Poetry Out Loud. They offer scholarships, publications, and college recognition for grades 9–12.​

2. How do poetry contests boost college applications?

National wins like National Student Poets or Princeton’s Milberg Prize signal talent to admissions officers at schools like Princeton and Hollins.​

3. Are these competitions free to enter?

Most are free, like Poetry Out Loud and River of Words. Some charge small fees (Adroit $15, YoungArts $35) with waivers available.​

4. Who qualifies for high school poetry prizes?

Typically grades 9–12 or ages 14–18, U.S. residents or international for some (Princeton, River of Words). Check specifics like grade limits for Grodd Prize (10th–11th).​

5. When do most 2026 poetry contests open?

Most open in fall with deadlines through early winter.

Takeaways

• The best poetry competitions for high school students build your craft, voice, and confidence through submission, feedback, and performance.​
• These poetry contests offer cash prizes up to $12,500, scholarships, publication in top journals, and mentorship from pros like Princeton faculty.​
• Standouts like Scholastic, YoungArts, and Poetry Out Loud provide national recognition that signals dedication to colleges.​
• Ready to excel in the best poetry competitions for high school students and strengthen your college apps? Our Writing Competitions Program can help you stand out.