Classics Essay Competition 2026
This competition is open to all students currently studying at a UK School or College in Year 12 (Lower Sixth) or equivalent, whether or not they are currently studying a Classical or Ancient subject. Each student may submit one essay (only) of up to 2,000 words on any of the following four questions:
1 Literature: 'Does ancient literature ever treat the natural world as any more than a supply of resources? '
2 History: ‘What was the biggest impact of the natural world on the course of Greek and/or Roman history?’
3 Art and Archaeology: ‘Discuss the role of natural landscapes in the production and experience of ancient art.’
4 Philosophy: ‘What, if anything, can we learn about ethics from the study of nature? ’
Prizes Awarded
A £100 book token will be awarded to the best essay in each category and an additional £75 book token to the overall winner. A further £75 book token will be awarded to the best essay submitted by a pupil who has not previously studied a Classical or Ancient subject. All applicants will receive a certificate of entry.
Visit St John's - Subject Exploration Day
Students who submit an entry to the Classics Essay Competition are invited to apply to our Classics and Ancient History Subject Exploration Day on the 22rd April 2026. This is a chance to visit St John's College and sample lectures delivered by our resident tutors.
How Do I Apply?
All essays should:
- Be word-processed with double-spaced lines.
- Include ONLY your initials and date of birth in your header or footer
(to allow anonymous marking). - Attached as a PDF
- Be submitted by 4pm on Sunday 22nd February 2026 by email to access@sjc.ox.ac.uk, stating ‘Classics Essay Competition: [First Name] [Surname] Question [Number]’ in the subject line.
A virtual cover sheet should be completed here.
Advice and Guidance
The competition gives students currently studying any subjects at a UK School or College, in Year 12 or equivalent, an opportunity to write an essay on the classical world. The organizers are interested in providing an occasion for independent research, to encourage curiosity and reflection in those who have studied the ancient world before and those who have not.
The essay titles have been chosen to take account of research interests of our tutors and to encourage the widest possible approach to investigation of the ancient world.
All primary texts can be considered in translation or in the original language. Where either primary or secondary sources have been used they should be acknowledged with full references given.
All essays should:
- Be word-processed with double-spaced lines, and saved in a PDF format.
- Include ONLY your initials and date of birth in your header or footer (to allow anonymous marking).
- Be no more than 2000 words in length. The word limit includes footnotes, but not the bibliography.
- All primary texts can be considered in translation or in the original language.
- Where either primary or secondary sources have been used they should be acknowledged with full references given.
Need help getting started?
If you would like some suggestions on where to get started with your research, these resources may be a good place to start:
Essay Competition Reports
For information regarding previous years' reports, which highlight the strengths of the winning essays, please click on the year below
2020-21 Winners report here
2021-22 Winners report here
2022-23 Winners report here
2023-24 Winners report here
2024-25 Winners report here
