Name: The Fountainhead Essay Contest Scholarship
Award Amount: $10,000
Information And Eligibility:
The Fountainhead Essay Contest Scholarship is one of the most well-known literary scholarship competitions for high school students. Open to 11th and 12th graders worldwide, the contest awards over $40,000 in total prizes, making it an excellent opportunity for strong writers and critical thinkers.
The top prize is $10,000, with additional awards including five second-place prizes of $2,000, ten third-place prizes of $1,000, forty-five finalist awards of $100, and 175 semifinalist awards of $50. There is no formal application process—students simply submit an essay responding to one of the prompts based on Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead.
Essays are judged on both style and content. Submissions must demonstrate clarity, strong reasoning, originality, and a deep understanding of the philosophical themes explored in The Fountainhead. All essays undergo a four-round blind judging process administered by the Ayn Rand Institute, with judges selected for their knowledge of Ayn Rand’s work.
Eligibility Requirements:
Application Requirements:
Selection Criteria:
Deadline: April
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Request to Update or Remove This Scholarship. The CollegeWhale ID number for this Scholarship is #11801. This Scholarship was added in August 2010 and last reviewed by a member of our staff on December, 2025.
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This Scholarship is tagged with the following criteria: April / High School
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