The GJIA High School Essay Contest is an annual academic essay competition run by the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs (GJIA) at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service. High school students in grades 9–12 (and gap year students not yet enrolled in college) submit essays responding to the annual GJIA print theme on international relations.
Six essay categories:
- Science & Technology
- Human Rights & Development
- Business & Economics
- Conflict & Security
- Society & Culture
- Global Governance
Requirements:
- Maximum 1,500 words
- Double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman
- Hyperlinked citations following GJIA online guidelines
- Submitted via Google Form
The annual prompt examines transitions and power shifts in the international order, encouraging a comparative lens across topics such as soft/hard power evolution, state-society relationships, energy transitions, security, economics, culture, and technology. Deadline is March 1 at 11:59 PM EST each year.