FFRF Student Scholarship Essay 2020 Contests

FFRF sponsors five essay competitions. Deadlines vary, see details below.

2020 CORNELIUS VANDERBROEK MEMORIAL ESSAY COMPETITION
FOR LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS

First Place Prize: $4,000
Second Place Award: $3,000
Third Place Award: $2,000
Optional Honorable Mention(s): $500

All eligible entrants will receive a full 1-year complimentary student membership in FFRF, which includes a digital version of 10 issues of Freethought Today, FFRF's newspaper (publishes winning student essays).

THIS YEAR'S TOPIC: "Are 'No Aid' Clauses Constitutional?"

PROMPT: The Supreme Court will decide an important case involving the separation of state and church during the 2019-2020 term. In Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the court will address whether a decision by the Montana Supreme Court prohibiting state aid for tuition at religious schools based on the state constitution's "No Aid" clause violates the Free Exercise Clause. Many other states have similar "No Aid" clauses that prohibit taxpayer money from going to religious schools. Please write an essay exploring one legal argument defending the constitutionality of Montana's "No Aid" provision, or rebutting one argument that the clause is unconstitutional. There is no need to recount the facts of the case.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to all ongoing law school students attending a North American law school. You remain eligible to enter this contest if you will graduate from law school by spring or summer of 2020. You are not eligible to enter if you will be starting law school for the first time in the fall of 2020.

WORD LIMIT: 1,500 words (not including footnotes).

DEADLINE: Fill out application and submit your essay no later than midnight, March 15, 2020. You will be notified by early summer if you win.

• 2020 William J. Schulz Memorial Essay Contest for College-Bound High School Seniors. More information coming soon.
• 2020 Michael Hakeem Memorial Essay Contest for Ongoing College Students. More information coming soon.
• 2020 David Hudak Memorial Essay Contest For Freethinking Students Of Color. More information coming soon.
• 2020 Brian Bolton Essay Contest for Graduate/"Older" Students (To Age 30). More information coming soon.
• 2020 Debut Freedom From Religion Foundation Essay Contest For Law School Students. More information coming soon.

APPLY HERE.

FFRF Student Scholarship Essay 2019 Contests

• 2019 William J. Schulz Memorial Essay Contest for College-Bound High School Seniors. (Closed. View winners.)
• 2019 Michael Hakeem Memorial Essay Contest for Ongoing College Students (Closed. View winners.)
• 2019 David Hudak Memorial Essay Contest For Freethinking Students Of Color (Closed. View winners.)
• 2019 Brian Bolton Essay Contest for Graduate/"Older" Students (To Age 30) (Closed. View winners.) 
• 2019 Cornelius Vanderbroek Memorial Essay Competition for Law School Students (Closed. Winners announced soon.)
• 2019 FFRF Forward Freethought College Scholarship

Thank you acknowledgment: All eligible entrants will receive a full 1-year complimentary student membership, which includes a digital version of 10 issues of Freethought Today, FFRF's newspaper (publishes winning student essays). All other eligible entrants will be offered the choice of a student FFRF membership and Freethought Today subscription, or a freethought book or product.