Woolf Essay Prize
- Organization: Newnham College, University of Cambridge
- Type: Competition
- Location: Global
- Deadline: June 8, 2026
- Age: Year 12 students
- Funding: No Funding
The Woolf Essay Prize is run by Newnham College at the University of Cambridge, inspired by Virginia Woolf's 1928 address to the Newnham Arts Society that became A Room of One's Own. The competition invites women in Year 12 (or equivalent) worldwide to write on themes of women in society, culture, and education while building research and writing skills for university-level study. What you get: ➤ Winning entries published on the Newnham College website ➤ Recognition from one of Cambridge's leading women's colleges ➤ Development of independent research and academic writing skills ➤ An entry route into Newnham's wider access and outreach programmes ➤ No fee to enter What you'll do: ➤ Read the information and questions document for the year's essay question ➤ Write an original essay responding to the set question, without AI assistance ➤ Submit your essay through the online form before the deadline ➤ Provide details for equalities monitoring and programme evaluation Newnham was founded in 1871 as one of the first Cambridge colleges for women and remains a women's college today. The prize sits inside the college's access programme, and past entrants often go on to apply to Cambridge for undergraduate study. AI-generated content is not permitted and flagged entries are disqualified.
