Americans United Student Contest — Essay Category
Offered by Americans United for Separation of Church and State
- Award
- $500 – $1,500
- Deadline
- Level
- National
Who can apply
- Year in school
- hs junior, hs senior, college freshman, college sophomore, college junior, college senior
Conditions worth reading twice
Open to high school students and to undergraduate students attending any 2- or 4-year college or university, including trade and technical schools. Must live in the United States (fifty states, DC, and US territories). Must be currently enrolled — a young person not currently in school is not eligible. No age limit. AU employees, board members, and their immediate families are excluded. Essay must be 750 to 1,000 words, must include citations (any citation format accepted), must be the student's original writing, and AI-generated work is prohibited and results in disqualification (all submissions are reviewed for AI use). Participants may submit one essay and/or one video; students entering both categories are eligible to win in both.
Essay prompt
Recorded from the provider's application. Read the prompt before you write anything — most rejected essays answer a different question.
- From the Declaration of Independence to the signing of the Constitution, why did the Founders work to protect religious freedom and the separation of church and state? Why is the fight for religious freedom and the separation of church and state still relevant today, and why is this issue important to you?
How to apply
Applications are handled by the provider, not by ScholarDuck. Check the deadline on their page before you start — deadlines move, and ours is only as fresh as our last check.
Common questions
When is the Americans United Student Contest — Essay Category deadline?
October 5, 2026. That is the date ScholarDuck recorded from Americans United for Separation of Church and State's own page. Providers move deadlines without notice, so confirm it on Americans United for Separation of Church and State's page before you plan around it.
How much is the Americans United Student Contest — Essay Category worth?
Awards range from $500 to $1,500. Americans United for Separation of Church and State describes it as: Separate prize tracks for high school essay and college essay. Each track: First Place $1,500, Second Place $1,000, Third Place $500. Sponsor notes: "this is a scholarship opportunity for current students but the prize money does not need to be spent on academic expenses." Additional equal prizes exist for the separate video category (not recorded here). This is the figure listed on the page ScholarDuck checked, not an estimate of what any one applicant receives.
Does the Americans United Student Contest — Essay Category application require an essay?
ScholarDuck recorded 1 essay prompt on Americans United for Separation of Church and State's application. It reads: From the Declaration of Independence to the signing of the Constitution, why did the Founders work to protect religious freedom and the separation of church and state? Why is the fight for religious freedom and the separation of church and state still relevant today, and why is this issue important to you?. That is what we captured rather than their full instructions, so confirm on their page — and read the prompt itself before you write anything, because most rejected essays answer a different question.
Who is eligible for the Americans United Student Contest — Essay Category?
Year in school: hs junior, hs senior, college freshman, college sophomore, college junior, college senior. Those are the eligibility facts ScholarDuck recorded from Americans United for Separation of Church and State's page — a summary of what they publish, not their complete rules. Read their own page before you apply.
How do I apply for the Americans United Student Contest — Essay Category?
Through Americans United for Separation of Church and State. ScholarDuck does not accept or forward applications. This page links to the Americans United for Separation of Church and State page ScholarDuck checked, which is where their instructions live; open it, confirm the deadline and requirements there, and apply directly with them.
Writing the essay is the slow part
ScholarDuck matches you against the whole catalogue for free, then helps you adapt essays you have already written instead of starting each one from a blank page. See what you qualify for in four questions — no account needed.