Creative Writing programs for high schoolers.
43 programs indexed in creative writing. 23 are free or pay a stipend. 1 prioritize under-resourced or underrepresented students. This page updates whenever we add a new creative writing program.
All creative writing programs
- ModerateMontclair State UniversityAbracadabra: The Magic of Creative Writing
Residential college-level creative-writing intensive.
📍 NJ🎓 Grades 10–12 - Highly SelectiveBoston UniversityAcademic Immersion
Spend three weeks immersing yourself in the study of psychology, business, medicine, or creative writing.
📍 Boston, MA📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveUniversity of PennsylvaniaAcademies in the Arts
Explore your passion for the arts through specialized academies designed for high school students. Programs may include visual arts, performing arts, and creative writing.
📍 Multiple🎓 Eligibility not confirmed - SelectiveThe Adroit JournalAdroit Journal Summer Mentorship
Free online mentorship pairing teen writers with established poets and prose writers.
📍 Online⏱ 6 weeks📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateThe Adroit JournalAdroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program
An online program that pairs established writers with high school students (including graduating seniors) and gap year students interested in learning more about the creative writing processes of drafting, redrafting and editing. The 2026 program will cater to poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The aim of the mentorship program is not formalized instruction, but rather an individualized, flexible, and often informal correspondence. Applicants should possess a firm work ethic and some familiarity with the writing and revision process, should be comfortable with receiving (and giving) commentary and critique, and should be prompt and generous communicators.
📍 Multiple🎓 Eligibility not confirmed - ModerateSt. Paul's SchoolAdvanced Studies Program
Five-week residential academic program restricted to current sophomores and juniors attending New Hampshire public or parochial schools. Students complete a collegiate-level major course plus an intensive writing workshop; recent subjects include engineering, law/governance, molecular biology, studio art and data science.
📍 NH🎓 Grades 10–11 - ModerateBowling Green State UniversityAdventures in Creative Writing
One-week interdisciplinary program in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction incorporating experiences in science, theater and other campus disciplines.
📍 OH🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveNebraska Writers CollectiveAll Writes Reserved Youth Spoken Word Festival
Nebraska and Iowa high-school teams receive free spoken-word instruction throughout the school year and then perform in a multi-round spring youth poetry-slam festival. The 2026 festival ran from preliminary bouts in March through finals on April 28.
📍 NE🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveJapan Cartoonists AssociationAll-Japan Manga Competition (Youth)
Youth-open division of the Japan Cartoonists Association's annual manga award.
📍 Japan (submissions welcome globally)📅 Autumn🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveArkansas State University / Arkansas Department of EducationArkansas Governor's School
A five-week residential program for high-achieving high school students in Arkansas focused on math, science, and the arts.
📍 Russellville, AR⏱ 5 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveBennington CollegeBennington Young Writers Awards
A prestigious creative writing competition for students to win cash prizes and publication.
📍 Online📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateBennington CollegeBennington Young Writers Workshop
One-week residential writing workshop with Bennington faculty.
📍 Bennington, VT⏱ 1 week📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveMississippi Scholastic Press Association / University of MississippiBest of Mississippi Student Media Competition
Students at MSPA-member publications compete for individual and publication awards in newspaper/magazine/site, yearbook, broadcast, and literary-magazine categories. All MSPA contests are free to enter.
📍 MS🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveBlue Marble ReviewBlue Marble Review
Online literary journal of writing and art by teens worldwide.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12 - SelectiveNCSSM-DurhamBlue Mirror
Primarily student-run art and literature journal publishing creative writing and visual work from NCSSM students multiple times each year.
📍 NC🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveBow Seat Ocean Awareness ProgramsBow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
Annual creative contest for teens combining art, writing, film, and music with environmental advocacy.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12 - ModerateKenyon CollegeCamp 4
Selective three-week residential pre-college program combining humanities, natural science, studio art and college-admissions preparation.
📍 OH🎓 Grades 11–12 - ModerateCatapultCatapult High School Writing Workshop
Multi-genre writing workshops for high school students in the creative hub of NYC.
📍 New York, NY⏱ 2 weeks📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveJackson State University Margaret Walker CenterCatherine Coleman Literary Arts, Food, and Social Justice Summer Program
Mississippi high-school writers spend a residential week studying poetry, fiction, screenwriting, Southern foodways, and social-justice history with professional writers. Students completing the program receive a $300 stipend.
📍 MS🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveChapman UniversityChapman University Holocaust Art & Writing Contest
A writing contest for high schoolers exploring the impact of the Holocaust through various creative prompts.
📍 Online📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveConnecticut Office of the State TreasurerCHET Dream Big! Competition
Connecticut students submit an essay, video or artwork addressing their aspirations or how they can help their community, competing for CHET college-savings awards.
📍 CT🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveCalifornia Coastal CommissionClimate Storytelling Contest
Middle- and high-school students communicate their experiences and feelings about climate change through a podcast, photo essay or personal narrative essay.
📍 CA🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveThreeSixty Journalism / University of St. ThomasCollege Essay Workshop
Twin Cities students spend four days developing a polished college or scholarship essay through brainstorming, drafting, professional mentorship, and peer review. Tuition was fully covered in 2026 and completers received a stipend toward transportation and application fees.
📍 MN🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateThe College of New JerseyComics Camp
Explores comics history and theory while students write, illustrate and develop original comics.
📍 NJ🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveCommonwealth FoundationCommonwealth Short Story Prize
Global short-fiction prize open to writers from Commonwealth countries.
📍 Commonwealth countries📅 November🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveNational Society of Colonial Dames in America — OhioCongressional Seminar Essay Contest — Ohio
Ohio students submit an essay on American government/history for a scholarship to attend the Washington Workshops Congressional Seminar.
📍 OH🎓 Eligibility not confirmed - SelectiveDelaware Court of ChanceryCourt of Chancery Legal Art Contest
Students interpret a legal theme through an essay, poem, visual artwork or musical composition. The 2026 theme was "Equity: What Does it Mean to You?"
📍 DE🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveJackson State University Margaret Walker CenterCreative Arts & Scholarly Engagement (CASE) Festival
High-school students submit and present essays, poetry, spoken word, fiction, performing arts, or visual art before audiences of students and professors during this annual interdisciplinary festival.
📍 MS🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveWashington University in St. Louis Pre-College ProgramsCreative Immersion Institute
Two-week residential institute built around intensive creative, college-level work in small classes, combined with college-readiness and academic enrichment. The 2026 fee was $3,985 and need-based scholarships are available.
📍 MO🎓 Grades 9–11 - ModerateJohns Hopkins UniversityCreative Writing
Online college-level creative-writing program offered across all three 2026 sessions.
📍 MD🎓 Grades 10–12 - ModeratePurchase College, SUNYCreative Writing
Intensive fiction, poetry and other creative-writing work; 2026 tuition was approximately $1,200.
📍 NY🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateJacksonville State UniversityCreative Writing — Gamecock Arts & Sciences Program
Participants work on creative-writing forms that include poetry, fiction, play or screen writing, and story development.
📍 AL🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveSC Governor's School for the Arts & HumanitiesCreative Writing — Residential High School
Two-year residential arts high school, creative writing discipline.
📍 SC🎓 Grade 10 - ModerateSC Governor's School for the Arts & HumanitiesCreative Writing — Summer
Summer creative-writing arts program.
📍 SC🎓 Grade 9 - ModerateUniversity of GeorgiaCreative Writing 2: Topics in Creative Writing
Students submit fiction, poetry or other literary work and receive professional-author critique, peer workshops and revision time leading to a class anthology.
📍 GA🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveNorth Dakota State University Department of EnglishCreative Writing Camp
Students develop fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, songwriting and other creative work with university writers and instructors.
📍 ND🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateAuburn UniversityCreative Writing Studio
Students develop fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction through writing workshops, feedback, portfolio development, and exposure to literary publishing.
📍 AL🎓 Grades 10–12 - ModerateSmith CollegeCreative Writing Workshop
Students spend two weeks developing creative writing through an iterative workshop process across multiple forms and genres.
📍 MA🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateUniversity of GeorgiaCreative Writing: Plot and Structure
Students develop story ideas, scenes, dialogue and narrative structure through workshops, peer critique and dedicated writing time.
📍 GA🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveDelaware Theatre CompanyDelaware Young Playwrights Festival
Students develop original plays, receive professional critique and revise their work; finalists participate in workshops leading to a professional public performance.
📍 DE🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateUMBCDigital Storytelling
Students explore digital techniques for creating and communicating stories.
📍 MD🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateUniversity of North Dakota Department of CommunicationDigital Storytelling Summit
Students spend several days reporting, filming and producing multimedia stories while learning journalism and media production from UND faculty and professionals.
📍 ND🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveThe New York TimesDiverse Voices Scholarship Program (for NYT Summer Academy)
Scholarship program offered to provide affordable educational opportunities for qualified applicants to the NYT Summer Academy, fostering diversity, equity, and inclusiveness.
📍 Multiple🎓 Eligibility not confirmed