Student Paper Competitions

This list contains links to relevant paper competitions, mostly for undergraduate students and law students. If you need a course syllabus or letter of recommendation to accompany your paper, please email me with at least 2-3 weeks notice.

UW Madison Paper/Scholarship Awards
Access the WISH hub for scholarships
Department of Sociology Scholarships (due Spring)
Department of History (applications open February to March)
Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy (due in April)
Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowship (due February)
Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (due August, 1st or 2nd year students only)
Wisconsin Idea Fellowships
Student Research Grants (Graduate Students)

Consortium for Undergraduate Law & Justice Programs Undergraduate Student Paper Award in Interdisciplinary Legal Studies
Paper must have been completed in the past year of the competition; cash award; faculty nomination required
Deadline: April

Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society Undergraduate Class Paper and Honors Thesis (Undergraduate)
Must be nominated by the Pi Sigma Alpha chapter, cash prize and encouragement for publication submission
Deadline: June 1st (yearly)

American Psychology-Law Society Award for Best Undergraduate Paper (Undergraduate)
Maximum 25 pages, mentor support letter required
Deadline: June 30th (every year)

LGBTQ+ Bar Michael Greenberg Writing Competition (Undergraduate & Law/Graduate)
Winning paper is considered for publication in the Tulane Journal of Law & Sexuality and invited to the Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair in July.
Deadline: Spring 2024

American Bar Association Writing Competitions for Young Lawyers & Law Students (Law/Graduates)
Awards are focused by themes including Criminal Justice, Maritime Law, Armed Forces Law, Taxation. Some awards are given to J.D. teams.
Deadline: varies per competition; year-round

National Association of Women Lawyers: Selma Moidel Smith Writing Competition (Law Students)
Prompt-based, 15 pages maximum
Deadline: February 1st (every year)

Albiston Prize in Gender, Law & Justice, (Law Students)
30-50 page manuscript that critically examines the intersection of gender with one or more axes of subordination, including, race, class, sexuality, disability, etc. Must have been enrolled in law school during the Spring semester of that year.
Deadline: unclear

Sarah Weddington Writing Prize (Law Students)
Paper on reproductive rights; yearly prompt posted. Presumption of publication in the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice. Cash prizes for top 3 winners.
Deadline: unclear

Fitch Law Partners LLP Scholarships (Law Students)
500-word minimum essays responding to provided prompts, must be accepted and enrolling in law school or a 1L during the year of competition. Transcript required and statement of why this scholarship is desired.
Deadline: May 2024

Association for Political and Legal Anthropology Graduate Student Paper Prize (Graduate/Law)
Must be in MA, JD, PhD program, papers must center on the analysis of political/legal institutions. Cash prize, no more than 8,000 words
Deadline: July 31st, 2023

American Constitution Society Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition (Law Students)
Must be a member of ACS; winning paper receives $3000 with two runners up.
Deadline: Spring

For more, see the Chicago-Kent Law Library list of scholarships.