Prompt release
Late May 2026
Five prompts released.
Competition
LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition 2026
An economics essay competition from LSESU Economics Society with five professor-set prompts, a published rubric and blind judging.
Last verified: 26 Jun 2026Reviewed by:Succeed Editorial
Competition
LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition 2026
An economics essay competition from LSESU Economics Society with five professor-set prompts, a published rubric and blind judging.
Last verified: 26 Jun 2026Reviewed by:Succeed Editorial
Key facts
Current status
Open now
Eligibility
Grades 9-12 worldwide
Age range / Year group
Grades 9-12
Location / Region
Online / worldwide
Cost
Free
Prize highlight
£100 Champion prize
Entry format
1500-word essay
TL;DR
The LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition asks students to answer one of five professor-set economics prompts in a concise academic essay.
Entries are judged blind against a published 100-point rubric covering originality, economic theory, evidence, critical analysis, structure, citations and relevance.
It suits students who enjoy independent reading, policy arguments and using evidence to make a clear economic case.
What is the LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition 2026?
The LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition 2026 is a pre-university economics writing competition hosted by LSESU Economics Society in partnership with ASEEDER Education. The prompt set is created by LSE Economics Department professors and covers labour, policy, technology, inequality and climate-related economics.
Candidates choose one prompt and write a compact academic essay in English. The student experience is independent and research-led: reading around a live economic question, building a thesis, citing credible sources and submitting a final piece for blind rubric-based assessment.
Why Succeed highlights this
The competition is deliberately accessible, with no nationality restriction, no school nomination and no prior economics requirement.
The prompts are set by named LSE Economics Department professors, giving the essay questions real academic provenance.
The marking rubric is published in advance, so students can prepare against clear criteria rather than guessing what judges value.
Blind marking, double-marking and top-tier moderation make the judging process more transparent than many informal essay contests.
The integrity rules are explicit: plagiarism and AI-generated content are screened and can lead to disqualification.
Who should consider this?
Best for
Secondary-school students who want a serious economics writing challenge and can build an evidence-led argument around one focused question.
Not ideal if
You need detailed feedback, a guaranteed certificate, a team project, or cannot submit one polished English essay.
Is it worth it?
For a student with a genuine interest in economics, this is worth considering because the task is academically focused and the rubric rewards the same habits universities value: argument, evidence, theory and evaluation. It is especially useful if the essay becomes part of a wider subject-development story, not just a line on an activities list.
The limitation is that recognition is selective and no participation certificate is issued. Students who only want a quick credential may be disappointed; the stronger return comes from doing the reading, writing a better argument and reflecting on the process afterwards.
Effort and preparation
Effort level
High for an essay competition.
Best started
Six to ten weeks before 1 September.
Main challenge
Turning one prompt into a precise, evidenced thesis.
Typical preparation
Choose the prompt where you can build the clearest evidence base, not the one that sounds most impressive.
Create a short reading list of academic, institutional and credible data sources before drafting.
Use the 100-point rubric as a revision checklist for thesis, theory, evidence, counterargument, structure and citations.
Proofread formatting, file naming and references before requesting the submission link.
Useful if
You want to test economics writing before university applications.
What you actually do
You produce one focused economics essay in response to a professor-set prompt. The process is closer to a short academic paper than a school opinion piece: choose a question, research it, argue clearly and cite properly.
Step-by-step process
- 1
Read the five 2026 prompts and choose exactly one question.
- 2
Build a thesis and gather credible economic evidence before drafting.
- 3
Write the essay in English within the published word limit.
- 4
Check formatting, references, file name and anonymity rules.
- 5
Message the organisers on WhatsApp for the official submission link.
- 6
Upload the final file and keep confirmation of receipt.
Key dates and deadlines
Past
Registration opens
1 June 2026
Informational opening date.
Writing window
June-July 2026
Recommended drafting and revision period.
ASEEDER review
14 August 2026
Structural review request cutoff.
Submission deadline
1 September 2026, 23:59 GMT+1
Late entries are not accepted.
Results released
October/November 2026
Award tiers and scores are released.
Certificates sent
Within a week after results
Certificates and gift cards follow results.
| Milestone | Date | Timezone | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Prompt release | Late May 2026 | Local | Past | |
Registration opens | 1 June 2026 | Local | Past | |
Writing window | June-July 2026 | Local | Active | Save deadline |
ASEEDER review | 14 August 2026 | Local | Upcoming | Save deadline |
Submission deadline | 1 September 2026, 23:59 GMT+1 | Local | Upcoming | Save deadline |
Results released | October/November 2026 | Local | Upcoming | Save deadline |
Certificates sent | Within a week after results | Local | Upcoming | Save deadline |
Eligibility and requirements
Grades 9-12 or equivalent
UK Years 10-13 accepted
Worldwide applicants eligible
No nationality restriction
No school nomination required
No prior economics required
Individual submissions only
One essay per candidate
English-language essay required
Cost, funding, and what's included
Entry fee
Free — No registration or submission fee.
What's included
Five public prompts, Official 100-point rubric, Recommended reading materials, Submission support via WhatsApp
How to enter
- 1
Choose one of the five published 2026 prompt questions.
- 2
Write up to 1500 words in English, excluding references.
- 3
Format the essay with Times New Roman 12pt, 1.5 spacing and page numbers.
- 4
Use Harvard referencing, or another accepted style consistently.
- 5
Message the organisers on WhatsApp when the final essay is ready.
- 6
Upload the final file through the official submission link before the deadline.
Save this competition in Succeed, keep the deadline visible, and track your progress before you submit.
Start your entry checklistCompetition prompts / questions
Choose one question from your selected subject area. Succeed shows a small preview here, but always check the current competition instructions before writing.
Q1.Evidence shows workers like working from home one day a week but dislike monitoring devices
Q2.what should a firm do to motivate workers while ensuring value during working hours?
Submission requirements
A single essay is the whole entry, so formatting, originality and file naming matter.
Maximum 1500 words, excluding references
English only
One essay on one prompt
PDF or Word accepted
Times New Roman 12pt
1.5 line spacing
Page numbers throughout
Harvard references preferred
Filename: NAME+QUESTION X
No name, school or country in body
Original work; no AI-generated text
One submission only
Prizes & recognition
Overall Champion
One winner receives a certificate co-signed by the LSESU EconSoc President and LSE Economics Department Head.
Question Winner
Five winners receive certificates co-signed by the LSESU President and prompt-setting LSE professor.
Top 3 per question
Fifteen winners receive certificates co-signed by the LSESU President and prompt-setting professor.
High Distinction
Top 5% receive a certificate signed by the LSESU EconSoc President and Cambridge economics programme eligibility.
What this may help with
Academic honours sections when a distinction tier is earned.
What it does not guarantee
University admission, a Cambridge degree pathway, individual essay feedback or a participation certificate.
Judging criteria
- 25% - Argument and originality
- 20% - Economic theory
- 15% - Evidence and examples
- 15% - Critical analysis
- 10% - Structure and clarity
- 10% - Citation and sources
- 5% - Relevance to prompt
How to stand out
- Start with a precise thesis that directly answers the chosen question.
- Use economic theory to explain the mechanism, not just decorate the essay with terms.
- Bring in credible empirical evidence, such as academic papers, official statistics or institutional reports.
- Address the strongest counterargument before the judge has to raise it.
- Keep the structure tight enough that every paragraph advances the argument.
- Check citations, formatting and file naming so technical errors do not distract from the essay.
Frequently asked questions
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Save this competition in Succeed to compare it with other essay prizes, deadlines and entry formats in one place.
Compare with other competitionsSources & verification
Source types reviewed
- The 2026 LSESU Economics Essay Competition Is Open: How to Enter - LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition
- Michael Gmeiner - LSE
- John Van Reenen - LSE
- Silvana Tenreyro - LSE
- Ricardo Reis - LSE
- Sir Christopher Pissarides - LSE
- Economics - LSE Students' Union
- LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition - LSESU Economics Society Economics Challenge
- Competitions - LSESU Economics Society
- 2026 Essay Comp - Recommended Reading - Google Drive
- Economics
- Preparation Resources - LSESU Economics Essay Competition 2026
- Awards - LSESU Economics Essay Competition 2026 (4 tiers + Cambridge)
- FAQ - LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition 2026 Common Questions
- Competition Rules - LSESU Economics Essay Competition 2026 Format & Rubric
- How to Enter — 2026 LSESU Economics Essay Competition
- 【Submission Link】2026 LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition
- LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition - LSESU Economics Society Economics Challenge
- Competitions – LSESU Economics Society
- Official source URL
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What we verified (on 26 Jun 2026)
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Award tiers checked
Submission process checked
Integrity rules checked
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