Essay Contest

Perfect for brands, nonprofits, schools, and content platforms looking to run scholarship essay contests, creative writing challenges, or short story submissions online.

Participants submit their essays directly via the embedded widget. You can review submissions, download files, and pick winners manually or randomly. Boost reach by adding actions like following you on social media or referring friends for bonus entries.

Template Features

• Accept essay submissions via file upload (PDF, Word, or text)
• Add bonus entry actions such as follows, visits, and referrals
• Optional entry fields like name, grade, or school for student competitions
• Display a thank you message after submission
• Fully responsive and embeddable on any site or hosted on Gleam

This template is ideal for high school students, bloggers, educators, and literary magazines that want to manage essay submissions with ease.

Benefits of Hosting an Essay Competition

Whether you are running a scholarship essay contest or a creative writing competition, Gleam makes the process seamless:

• Collect entries in a secure, GDPR-compliant environment
• Build your email list or social media following with extra entry actions
• Promote creativity and critical thinking among your target audience
• Encourage viral reach by awarding bonus entries for referrals
• Offer cash prizes, recognition, or publication in a literary magazine

This is a great opportunity to engage young people, grow your brand, and support talented writers.

Who Should Use This Template

• Educational platforms running school or college essay competitions
• Scholarship programs looking to gather personal essay submissions
• Nonprofits and brands running themed contests around social issues or awareness
• Content marketers seeking authentic stories from customers or niche communities
• Literary organisations looking to collect submissions for short story or poetry contests
• Institutions promoting students to write competitions to scholarships.

If your audience includes students, writers, or readers, this is an excellent way to generate interest while collecting high-quality content. Using this Template will make easier for contestants writing contest essays and submit them.

Submission Guidelines (Example)

You can adjust these inside your campaign description:

• Theme: "The Power of Creativity" or “How I Define Success”
• Word Count: 500–1000 words
• Format: PDF, DOCX, or TXT
• Eligibility: Open to students aged 14–21
• Deadline: August 30, 2025
• Prizes: $250 gift card + featured publication + honorable mentions

Integration Support

This contest template supports:

• File uploads via Upload Action
• Bonus entries using Viral Share
• Newsletter signups to grow your email list
• Instagram visits and Facebook actions

You can also export your entrants to CRM or email platforms using our integrations.

Official Gleam Documentation

• Upload File Action
• Run Online Sweepstakes Guide
• How to Add Newsletter Signup
• Custom Fields & Entry Requirements
• Gleam Campaign Installation

Frequently Asked Questions