FFRF sponsors four essay competitions for students. Please see descriptions below to enter correct competition. All four FFRF essay contests offer the same awards:
First Place: $3,000
Second Place: $2,000
Third Place: $1,000
Fourth Place: $750
Fifth Place: $500
Sixth Place: $400
Optional Honorable Mention(s): $200
Thank you acknowledgment: Winners, in addition to their scholarship, will receive a school-year membership in FFRF. That includes a subscription to Freethought Today, FFRF's newspaper published 10 times a year, which will publish winning 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.
William J. Schulz High School Essay Competition
Open to North American high school seniors graduating in spring 2017 who will be attending college in fall 2017.
Topic: "If there was one thing I could tell my family or a believer about why I'm a nonbeliever, this would be it."
Word limit: 350-500 words. Deadline: June 1, 2017. Winners will be announced in July. Please view rules and prompts at online application form.
Apply Here
David Hudak Memorial Freethinking Students of Color High School Essay Competition
Open to North American high school seniors of color graduating in spring 2017 attending college in fall 2017.
Topic: "If there was one thing I could tell my family or a believer about why I'm a nonbeliever of color, this would be it."
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Word limit: 350-500 words. Deadline: June 1, 2017. Winners will be announced in July. Please view rules and prompt (which differs slightly from the William J. Schulz contest above) at online application form.
Apply Here
Michael Hakeem Memorial College Essay Competition
For ongoing North American undergraduate college students to age 25. If you are entering college for the first time in fall 2017, please enter the William J. Schulz Contest for college-bound high school seniors. If you will graduate from college by spring or summer of 2017 you are eligible to enter this contest. If you are an undergraduate student age 25 to 30, you must enter graduate/"older student" contest.
Topic: "My morals do not come from God, they come from . . ."
Word Limit: 450-650 words. Deadline: July 1, 2017. Winners will be announced in August. Please view rules and prompts at online application form.
Apply Here
Brian Bolton Graduate/"Older" Student Essay Contest
Open to North American graduate students up to age 30, or to undergraduate students ages 25-30. You are also eligible to enter this contest if you will graduate by spring or summer of 2017.
Topic: "Why religious liberty shouldn't mean the right to impose your religion on others."
Word limit: 600-750 words. Deadline: July 15, 2017. Winners will be announced in September. Please view rules and prompts at online application form.
