Penguin Random House Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Penguin Random House

With a deep-rooted commitment to fostering the future generation of writers and readers, and a dedication to amplifying diverse narratives, Penguin Random House has been a stalwart supporter of these ideals for three decades. This commitment is manifested in the Creative Writing Awards, a program that, in 2019, formed a groundbreaking alliance with the national advocacy organization, We Need Diverse Books. Through this initiative, five public high school seniors across the U.S. will be awarded college scholarships of up to $10,000 each by Penguin Random House.

Many winners of the Creative Writing Awards have gone on to establish successful and award-winning careers as authors. Since its inception in 1993, the program has granted over $2.9 million to public high school students for their original works in poetry, memoir/personal essay, fiction/drama, and spoken-word compositions. This flagship program continues to inspire and honor hundreds of young writers annually.

Eligibility Criteria

Those applying for the Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards Program in collaboration with We Need Diverse Books must meet the following criteria:

• Be a current senior at a public high school in the United States, set to graduate in the Spring of 2024
• Be 21 years old or younger
• Intend to enroll in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved vocational-technical school in Fall 2024
• Submit one original literary composition in English in one of the following genres: poetry, spoken word, fiction/drama, personal essay/memoir, or book bans prompt.
  • All entries must be typed, double-spaced, with a minimum 12 point font size, and should not exceed 10 pages.
  • All multi-page submissions must be numbered with a page number and total number of pages (e.g., 1/3, 2/3, 3/3).
  • A minimum of four pages is suggested for the fiction/drama genre.
  • Spoken word entries must include a typed entry along with an audio format file sent via email.
  • Each student is allowed to submit and have considered only one entry.
  • Entries for the Freedom of Expression category must be written on the provided topic.

Book bans are increasingly prevalent in America, fueled by new laws and regulations that restrict the types of books accessible to young people. Books by and/or about LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities are disproportionately affected. Penguin Random House and We Need Diverse Books firmly believe in the transformative power of books, and that everyone should be able to see themselves represented in literature.

Freedom of Expression Prompt: For our 2023 Creative Writing Award, in response to these book bans and assaults on free expression, we are honoring the influence of books and stories. Share with us how a banned book has impacted your life and why.

Award Details

The awards will be allocated as follows:

• $10,000 Maya Angelou Award for Spoken Word
• $10,000 Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry
• $10,000 for Fiction/Drama
• $10,000 Michelle Obama Award for Memoir
• $10,000 Freedom of Expression award for book bans prompt
• One hundred (100) Honorable Mention recipients will receive a “Creativity Kit” gift from Penguin Random House.
• In acknowledgment of the Creative Writing Awards' historical focus on New York City and our longstanding collaboration with local schools, we will also present an additional first-place prize of $10,000 to the top entrant from the NYC area.