Essay Contest

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to encourage the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers.

Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: 

• High School: students and home-schooled students enrolled at the high school level during the contest year

• College/University: students enrolled in at least six credit hours of course work at a junior college, college, or university during the contest year

• Graduate School: students enrolled during the contest year in at least three credit hours of graduate course work at a college or university leading to an advanced degree 

Membership in JASNA is not required to enter the contest.

2026 Contest Topic and Details

Men and Boys in Jane Austen’s Novels

In Austen’s novels, we usually see the world through her heroines’ eyes. For the 2026 contest, we invited students to shift their focus and examine her male characters. They were asked to choose two or more of her heroes, villains, friends, enemies, relatives, comic figures, young boys, etc. Essays could explore their similarities and/or differences, whether their characters change during the novel, their relationships with their siblings, how men tend to treat women, or focus on another area.

High School Students could choose two or more characters from one of Austen's novels or from two or more of her books.

Undergraduate Students were asked to choose characters from at least two novels.

Graduate Students were also required to choose characters from at least two novels. In addition to the suggested areas of exploration included in the topic description, students could also discuss how Austen’s portrayal of men changes (or does it?) from her early works to her last and unfinished. Other topics were also welcome.

Collage illustrations by A. Wallis Mills for Jane Austen's novels, 1908-1910

Submissions

The submission deadline for the 2026 contest was June 1, 2026. Come back this fall for the 2027 Essay Contest topic and rules; we will begin accepting submissions in February 2027.

Essay Contest Awards

JASNA awards scholarships to winners in each of the three divisions: 

• First Place:  $1,000 scholarship, plus free registration and two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s upcoming Annual General Meeting. (Transportation to the conference is not provided.)
• Second Place:  $500 scholarship
• Third Place:  $250 scholarship 

Winners also receive one year of membership in JASNA, publication of their essays on this website, and a set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen's novels.
 

Questions?

Please review the Essay Contest FAQs. If you have any questions, please contact Meg Levin at essay-contest@jasna.org. Use “JASNA Essay Contest” in your subject line.