The Royal Commonwealth Society has a rich history of nurturing the creative talents of young people around the Commonwealth through our competitions. We endeavour to promote literacy, expression and creativity among young people by celebrating excellence and imagination.
For 131 years, the Commonwealth Essay Competition has inspired thousands of young writers from all over the world. Run by the RCS, this international schools’ writing contest – the world’s oldest and largest – is a highly regarded and popular international education project. In 2013, over 11,000 young people from 55 Commonwealth countries and territories took part.
Open to all Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and under, the Essay Competition offers young people the opportunity to make their voice heard on a global platform and engage with issues important to them. Every year, judges are impressed with the extremely high standard of entry as participants compete with their peers from every corner of the Commonwealth. For many bright and ambitious students, this is the ultimate competition!