Thea Foundation Creative Writing Scholarship Competition
Offered by Thea Foundation
About this scholarship
The Thea Foundation Creative Writing Scholarship Competition invites Arkansas high-school seniors to submit an original fictional short story, prose work, or poem. Ten scholarships are listed by the Foundation, led by a $10,000 first-place award. Judges include authors and university professors, and the competition is based on writing talent rather than GPA, test scores, or an intention to study creative writing. The award may be taken to an accredited postsecondary institution, with possible matching support at a participating Thea education partner. The current cycle has no assigned theme, so students should submit the work that best reflects their voice and creativity. Entries may not exceed 1,000 words and must be typed, double-spaced, use one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman, contain page numbers and the work’s title, and be converted to PDF. Plagiarism and copyright infringement are prohibited, and only one entry is allowed. The application has two required steps: complete the linked 2027 registration form, then upload the PDF entry and a JPG headshot through the official program page. Current rules restrict eligibility to Arkansas seniors graduating in Spring 2027. The registration and uploads are due January 10, 2027.
Eligibility
- Be an Arkansas high-school senior graduating in Spring 2027
- Attend an eligible public school, private school, or homeschool program
- Submit one original fictional short story, prose work, or poem of no more than 1,000 words
- Follow the required typed, double-spaced, one-inch-margin, 12-point Times New Roman format
- Convert the writing entry to PDF
- Complete the official 2027 registration form
- Upload the entry PDF and a student headshot through the official program page
- Submit every component by January 10, 2027