Carnegie English Essay Contest
Direct application
$2,500/year
Eligibility
School
Lake Forest College
Major
English Literature
Education level
Undergraduate
About this scholarship
Admitted Lake Forest College first-year students planning to major in English on the literature or creative writing track may compete in the Carnegie English Essay Contest.
Winners receive $2,500 per year, renewable for up to four years. Multiple winners are selected each year.
Submit a 500 to 1,000 word essay answering one prompt: "Why write?" or "Why study literature?" Enroll at Lake Forest and declare an English major to claim the award.
Essay questions
What else to submit
- A 500-to-1,000-word essay submitted as a PDF or Word document
- Applicant must choose and answer ONLY ONE of the two prompts
- Essay must be between 500 and 1,000 words
- Submit as a PDF or Word document
- Must be admitted to Lake Forest College for Fall 2026 as a first-year student
- Must plan to major in the literature or creative writing track of the English major
- Deadline: March 1, 2026
- Award: $2,500 annually
- Answer only one prompt: “Why write?” or “Why study literature?”
- Declare an English major to claim the award.