Back

The Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest


Name: Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest

Award Amount: $1,000 per recipient (five winners)

Information and Eligibility:
The Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest invites high-school juniors and seniors (or home-schooled students aged 16-18) to write an essay on one of five topics relating to a selected classic literary work (announced each year). Each winner receives a $1,000 scholarship and the winner’s school or public library receives a Signet Classics Library.
Eligibility criteria include:

  • Academic Level: High school junior or senior (or home-schooled equivalent) attending a high school in the U.S. or D.C. or a U.S. home-schooled student aged 16-18.
  • Residency/Enrollment: Applicant must reside in the United States (including D.C.) and be enrolled full-time in a qualifying high school or home-school program.
  • Entry Procedure: An essay must be submitted by the student’s English teacher (on behalf of the student) or by a parent/guardian for home-schooled students. Each teacher may typically submit up to two entries (one junior and one senior) or per guidelines.

Application Requirements:

  • Essay on one of the five listed topics for this year’s selected book (length often 2-3 double-spaced pages).
  • Cover letter appended to the essay copies that includes: student’s full name, grade, address, email, phone; school name; teacher’s name and contact info (or parent/guardian info for home-schooled).
  • For home-schooled students: separate certification that the student is eligible, with parent/guardian contact details and indication of home-school status.
  • Multiple copies of submission (for example four copies) mailed to the designated contest address by the deadline.

Selection Criteria:

  • Quality and originality of written essay—depth of literary analysis, clarity of argument, voice and style.
  • Adherence to topic and guidelines, correct formatting, and submission completeness.
  • Academic level and readiness—winners are juniors or seniors prepared to pursue higher education and demonstrate strong critical thinking.

Additional Details:

  • There are five (5) winners each year, each receiving a $1,000 scholarship check plus a Signet Classics Library for the winner’s school or public library.
  • The selected book changes annually (e.g., recent selections included Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain).

Deadline:

  • April

Apply Now

View Scholarship Data

Request to Update or Remove This Scholarship. The CollegeWhale ID number for this Scholarship is #17408. This Scholarship was added in November 2025 and last reviewed by a member of our staff on November, 2025.

We are a human curated site and want our scholarship database as accurate and up-to-date as possible. We appreciate your help in notifying us of any incorrect or out of date information pertaining to this scholarship!

This Scholarship is tagged with the following criteria: April / English / Literature

Scholarship Categorization

April Scholarships English Scholarships Literature Scholarships

Compare Top Scholarships (CollegeWhale FastFind™)

The CollegeWhale Scholarship FastFind™ immediately surfaces similar scholarships based on this scholarship’s details. Sort by award amount, deadline month, or estimated effort to quickly identify strong college scholarship funding opportunities.

Multi Million Dollar Scholarship Database.

No downloads, no registrations, and no personal information required. The CollegeWhale.com Easiest Scholarship Search Ever gives you fast and easy access to one of the largest online scholarship databases. Get matched with TONS of college scholarships in just a few simple clicks. Scholarship money for college made simple, period.


Find More Scholarships
Scholarship Database