Please do get in touch/add a comment below if I have missed any competitions which can be added to the list. And good luck to anyone entering!
Oxford Classics and Byzantine Studies Creative Writing Competition
Deadline: not yet announced. Should be advertised soon here: https://clasoutreach.web.ox.ac.uk/competitions
Newnham College, Cambridge: Woolf Prize, Classics Prize, Archaeology Prize
Details here: https://newn.cam.ac.uk/study-here/access-and-outreach/events-and-programmes
nb. girls only.
Woolf: not available yet
Classics: not available yet
Essay Masterclass: 9th Feb Deadline https://newn.cam.ac.uk/study-here/access-and-outreach/events-and-programmes/essay-writing-masterclass-programme-2026
St John’s College, Oxford: Classics and Ancient History Essay Competition
Details here: https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/access-and-outreach/our-programmes-sjc/subject-exploration-days/classics-essay-competition-2026/
Deadline: 22nd Feb 2026
Omnibus and Sam Hood Translation Prize
Details here: https://classicalassociation.org/competition/omnibus-competitions/
Deadline: Details not yet announced
Minds Underground Classical essay prize
Details here: https://www.mindsunderground.com/classics-competition
Deadline: 3rd April 2026
Gladstone Memorial Essay Prize, ICS
Details: https://classicalassociation.org/events/2026-gladstone-memorial-essay-prizes/
Deadline: 7th July 2026
St Hugh’s College, Oxford Mary Renault Prize
Details here: https://www.st-hughs.ox.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/outreach/mary-renault-prize/
Deadline: 22nd July 2026
ARLT Reading competition
Details here: https://www.arlt.co.uk/event-posts/arlt-reading-competition-2026/
Deadline: 27th February 2026
Lytham St Anne’s Branch Classics Competition
Details here: https://lsaclassics.com/classics-competition-2/
Deadline: 23rd February 2026
UCL Greek and Latin Essay Competition
Watch this space
Trinity College, Cambridge Linguistics Essay Competition
Not available yet
Last year’s details here: https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/essay-prizes/linguistics/
Last year’s deadline: 2nd August 2021
Trinity College, Cambridge, Robson History Prize
Not available yet
Last year’s details here: https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/essay-prizes/history/
Gonville and Caius, Cambridge Linguistics Challenge
watch this space
Gonville and Caius, Cambridge History essay prize
watch this space
Girton College, Cambridge Humanities Essay Competition
Details here: https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/humanities-writing-competition
Deadline: 20th March 2026
Peterhouse, Cambridge Vellacott History Essay Prize
watch this space: no details yet
Corpus Christi, Cambridge Essay Competition
Watch this space: last ran in 2022
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Classics essay Competition
Details here: https://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-10/Classics%20Questions%202026.pdf
Deadline: 27th February 2026
Gilbert Murray Essay Competition
Scottish pupils only
Details: https://www.classicsglasgow.co.uk/news
Deadline: 1st May 2026
Julia Wood History Prize, St Hugh’s College Oxford
Deadline: 22nd July 2026
Massolit Video Essay Competition
Details: https://massolit.io/competition
Deadline: 26th June
ad astra per mundum 