EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest
Offered by National Academy of Engineering · Free to apply
Each year the National Academy of Engineering posts a single engineering-themed prompt and invites students to answer it in writing; the most recent edition asked entrants to run the engineering design process to create a work of art and explain it in a written statement. First place in each grade band wins $1,000, with $750 for second and $500 for third, and every entrant receives feedback from the judges. Grades 3 through 12 may enter, including homeschooled and international students, and prior cash winners cannot enter again in the same grade category. The prompt is published in September and submissions close February 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET, with finalists notified by email by May 1. Everything must go inside the online form, because judges do not follow external links.
How hard is the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~9,500 students
- Payoff per hour of work
- $0 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
- Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Open to high school freshmen, high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors
- Recent cycles ask for original artwork plus a written artist's statement tied to the annual engineering theme
- Prior winners who received a cash prize may not enter again in the same grade category
- Employees of the National Academies and their households or immediate families are not eligible
- Also open to grades 3-8, with separate elementary, middle, and high school categories
- International and homeschooled students may enter; choose the category matching your equivalent U.S. grade placement
- One submission per student, entered entirely within the online submission form (external links are not judged)
What the application takes
- Essay required. The prompt centers on passion for the field.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is February 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 1 each year. Applications open September.
- Prompt published and entries open
- September 2026
- Submissions close
- February 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET
- Finalists notified by email
- By May 1, 2027
Does your student actually qualify?
See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
Common questions about the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest
How much is the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest worth?
The EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest awards $500-$1,000 per grade category.
When is the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest deadline?
The current deadline is February 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 1 each year. Applications open September.
When do EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest applications open?
Applications open September, and close February 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Who is eligible for the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest?
Key requirements: Open to high school freshmen, high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors.
Does the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest require an essay?
Yes. The application requires an essay. Expect to spend about 5 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~9,500 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants. At 5 hrs of work, that is about $0 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest free to apply?
Yes. The EngineerGirl / EngineerTeen Writing Contest is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
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Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.