Writing Civics and social science Scholarships and challenges
Profile in Courage Essay Contest
John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Write about an elected official who took a politically courageous stand, for a $10,000 first prize.
Run by John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Key facts
- Eligible grades
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United States high school students in grades 9 to 12 at public, private, parochial or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence or GED programme in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia or the US territories; and US citizens attending schools overseas.
Source, checked 2026-09-02
- Eligible ages
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Under twenty, for entrants in a correspondence or GED programme.
The age limit is stated only for the correspondence/GED route; grade 9 to 12 students are covered by the grade rule.Source, checked 2026-09-02
- Individual or team
- Individual
- Where it runs
- Online · United States
- Entry cost
- FreeNo entry fee is described.
- Registration deadline
- The 2027 contest deadline is 11 January 2027 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Winners are notified by email and telephone by 30 April. 124 days leftThe Foundation is not responsible for late, misdirected, ineligible or incomplete submissions.
- Competition dates
- The contest opens on 1 September and closes in January, with winners notified by 30 April and the award ceremony in May.
- Difficulty
- CompetitiveSerious preparation over a season. Advancing past the first round separates prepared students from unprepared ones.
- Prizes
- First place $10,000; second place $3,000; three finalists $1,000 each; fifteen students receive honorable mentions. The top five winners and honorable mention recipients also receive a hardcover copy of Profiles in Courage.First place receives $10,000 and an invitation to the Profile in Courage Award ceremony. Second place and finalists receive smaller cash awards. Nominating teachers of winners also receive a grant. Confirm current amounts on the official site.
What Profile in Courage Essay Contest is
The Profile in Courage Essay Contest asks students to write about an act of political courage by a United States elected official who served during or after 1917. Essays must be between 700 and 1,000 words with a full source citation list, and are judged on the quality of research and the strength of argument. The first prize is $10,000, which makes it one of the highest-value free writing competitions open to high school students.
How the competition works
An essay of 700 to 1,000 words, excluding citations and bibliography, describing and analysing an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1917. At least five varied sources are required, such as government documents, letters, newspaper articles, books or personal interviews. Judging is content 55 percent and presentation 45 percent. A nominating teacher must review the essay.
Eligibility notes
Open to United States high school students including home-schooled students, and to United States citizens attending school abroad. Check the current rules for full eligibility.
How to register
- Choose a United States elected official who served during or after 1917 and took a politically courageous stand.
- Research properly. At least five varied sources are required and the bibliography is judged.
- Write 700 to 1,000 words. The limit is tight, so the essay must argue rather than narrate.
- Submit online before the January deadline, with your nominating teacher's details if required.
What skills you need
- Historical research
- Source evaluation
- Argumentative writing
- Citation
- Concision
Recommended resources
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Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Rules, word limits, eligibility, deadlines and past winning essays.
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Past winning essays
Published free by the Kennedy Library. The clearest guide to what the judges reward.
Past problems and materials
Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.
- Archive of winning essays
Free and extensive, going back many years.
Frequently asked questions
Who can I write about?
A United States elected official who served during or after 1917 and made a politically courageous decision, meaning one that risked their career or popularity. Officials at any level, including local, are eligible.
How long should the essay be?
Between 700 and 1,000 words, plus a bibliography of at least five varied sources which does not count toward the limit. Both the length rule and the source requirement are enforced.
Reviews, tips and resources from other students
Posts are public. Do not share your full name, school, address or contact details.
Something out of date?
If a deadline, fee or eligibility rule on this page no longer matches the official site, flag it and it goes into the review queue.
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