HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST
Overview
The Yale Foreign Policy Initiative's High School Essay Contest is designed to give high school students a chance to demonstrate their robust knowledge about foreign affairs to the Yale community and beyond. Winning essays will be published on an international forum, showcased on the YFPI website and Instagram, and receive a cash prize. Yale students and faculty thoroughly review the entries and select essays that are the most sophisticated, original, and forward-thinking on today's global issues. Submissions from all countries and grade levels are welcome.
The entry form for the 2026 contest is now closed.
Past winners:
2026 Results
This year's contest received applications from 9 different countries spanning 3 continents and all high school grade levels. The following students have been recognized for their exceptional essays:
First Place: Vy-Van Lamy, from Singapore
Vy-Van is a senior at Tanglin Trust School in Singapore, with a particular interest in public policy and economics. Vy-Van publishes monthly articles across two economics magazines, and recently wrote a research paper on semiconductor trade policy in Vietnam. Vy-Van especially enjoys writing essays and has received recognition in several essay competitions, including the Sigwick Prize, FOBISIA Social Sciences, the John Locke essay competition, and more. Outside of economics and writing, Vy-Van is interested in international affairs, sustainability, and soccer.
Check out Vy-Van's essay here!
Second Place: Faheem Moonda, from the United States
Faheem is a senior at Canfield High School in Northeast Ohio. Faheem competes in speech and debate (with a focus on international politics), plays tennis and chess, watches debates and soccer, loves to travel, and reads classic literature.
Check out Faheem's essay here!
Third Place: Tab Huang, from Canada
Tab Huang is a junior at Hillfield Strathallan College in Ontario, Canada. Tab's interests include Model UN, where he has both staffed and competed in conferences in Canada, the US, and abroad. Tab also enjoy hackathons, where he can work with his friends to create innovative projects and meet like-minded people.
Check out Tab's essay here!