Penguin Random House U.S. Creative Writing Awards
Penguin Random House’s U.S. Creative Writing Awards offer college scholarships to public-school high-school seniors planning to start college in fall 2027. The company runs the competition with We Need Diverse Books and opens it to applicants nationwide, including Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories. It is not a contest open to every age or school level. The 2027 cycle adds a graphic-novel award honoring Marjane Satrapi, with a $10,000 first prize. The competition also inc
About Penguin Random House U.S. Creative Writing Awards
Penguin Random House’s U.S. Creative Writing Awards offer college scholarships to public-school high-school seniors planning to start college in fall 2027. The company runs the competition with We Need Diverse Books and opens it to applicants nationwide, including Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories. It is not a contest open to every age or school level.
The 2027 cycle adds a graphic-novel award honoring Marjane Satrapi, with a $10,000 first prize. The competition also includes creative-writing categories with awards up to $10,000; check the application portal for the work each category accepts, authorship rules, and required files. Penguin Random House lists the new graphic-novel prize among seven awards and also describes an additional first-place prize for the top entrant from the New York City area. The funder states that six U.S. seniors receive awards up to $10,000; use the application portal to confirm how each award category is counted.
Applications are open and close January 15, 2027, or when the first 1,000 applications are received, whichever comes first. That cap makes waiting until the final day risky. Eligibility requires senior status at a U.S. public high school and plans to attend college in fall 2027. Students at private schools or below senior year should look for other programs.
Penguin Random House says the competition seeks writing with a strong, clear voice. Check in advance whether each category accepts a novel, short story, poem, or graphic novel and whether the form calls for additional materials. Keep copies of the work and submission confirmation; the award is competitive and should not be counted as guaranteed income when calculating a college bill. For application questions, use the Scholarship America link on the official page.
Who it serves and what it can cover: Penguin Random House’s U.S. Creative Writing Awards offer college scholarships to public-school high-school seniors planning to start college in fall 2027. The company runs the competition with We Need Diverse Books and opens it to applicants nationwide, including Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories. It is not a contest open to every age or school level. The 2027 cycle adds a graphic-novel award honoring Marjane Satrapi, with a $10,000 first prize. The competition also includes creative-writing categories with awards up to $10,000; check the application portal for the work each category accepts, authorship rules, and required files. Penguin Random House lists the new graphic-novel prize among seven awards and also describes an additional first-place prize for the top entrant from the New York City area. The funder states that six U.S. seniors receive awards up to $10,000; use the application portal to confirm how each award category is counted.
How to apply or get help: Applications are open and close January 15, 2027, or when the first 1,000 applications are received, whichever comes first. That cap makes waiting until the final day risky. Eligibility requires senior status at a U.S. public high school and plans to attend college in fall 2027. Students at private schools or below senior year should look for other programs. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.
College scholarship and financial-aid program