The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition Terms and Conditions

Please read this before submitting your entry   

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Meaning of abbreviations and words used: 

• RCS: Royal Commonwealth Society  

• QCWC or Competition: The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition  

• AI generated content: content partially or wholly generated by using Artificial Intelligence/AI 

• Entry Form: the official Royal Commonwealth Society entry form found at this link: Entry Form 

• Plagiarism: the practice of taking or copying someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. 

• Submission: Your written piece which includes typed worked on a tablet, phone or computer. 

 

Terms and Conditions  

1. The Competition is open to nationals or residents of all Commonwealth countries and territories. 

 

2. Entries must be written in English. 

 

3. Entrants to the Competition must be under 18 years old or younger on the deadline of 30 April 2026. 

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4. Uploaded entries must not include the entrant’s personal details (e.g., name, age, school, etc.). This information is to be entered solely on the official online form, and NOT as part of your written submission.  

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5. Unless you are submitting a piece of writing in which illustrations are an integral part, for instance a comic, do not include illustrations in your entry.  Further, as the competition is a writing competition, please be aware that the written content will be the main focus of our judges. Images will not be rewarded within the mark scheme.    

 

6. Entries must adhere to the maximum word count of 1,000 words.  Exceeding the word limit will result in automatic disqualification. There is no minimum word count and submissions will be judged on the quality, not quantity, of writing. Longer entries will not automatically score higher than shorter entries. All references, bibliographies and footnotes will be included in your word count.  

 

7. Participants may only enter one submission each. Please carefully check, proofread, and edit your writing before submitting the final version. Ensure that all supplementary information on the Entry Form is filled in correctly (name, contact details, etc.) We will not be able to change the entry after submission.  

 

8. You must obtain the consent of your Parent/guardian before entering the Competition. Please tick the correct box on the entry form to confirm you have obtained appropriate consent.  Additionally, please input your Parent/guardian’s contact details in the appropriate box on the Entry Form. Parental consent will be confirmed prior to awarding prizes. 

 

9. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you are found to have plagiarised the work of another individual or there is AI Generated content, you may be disqualified. Every year a number of students are disqualified for this reason.  The final version submitted for the Competition must be the entrant's own work and cannot be excessively corrected or improved by any another person or AI. 

 

10. Wholly or partly AI generated work is not accepted in the Competition, and the RCS has complete discretion in making the decision about the use of AI to disqualify an entry or recommend that an entry is marked down.  
 

11. By entering the Competition, you agree that your personal details (e.g. full name, contact details, school, entry, etc.) will be retained by the Royal Commonwealth Society in line with its Privacy Policy and may be shared with Royal Commonwealth Society partners for the purpose of delivering the competition, and its other charitable purposes. See our Privacy Policy for more information. Please note: QCWC Winners will have their full names, schools, entries and photographs displayed on the RCS website and social media channels. 
 

12. Entries can only be uploaded online as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) or a PDF (.pdf). The online platform does not accept Google Docs (.gdoc), Pages (.pages) or other word processor formats. If we are unable to find or open your entry file (either through an incorrect format, it being encrypted and requiring a password to open, or due to an upload error), your entry may not be entered into the Competition or may be disqualified. 

 

13. All entries must be written on, and relevant to, one of the listed questions.  

 

14. All online entries must be submitted before 30 April 11:59 British Summer Time (BST)   

 

15. All entrants retain the copyright rights that they have for the entries they submit, but by entering The Queen's Commonwealth Writing  Competition, each contestant consents to the use of his/her/their name and/or pieces, or parts of them, in any advertisements, educational materials, research, media and promotional materials or fundraising activities carried out or produced by the Royal Commonwealth Society, and its authorised partners, without further notice or compensation. The RCS can publish or decline to publish, use or decline to use, any submitted pieces at the RCS’s sole discretion. 

 

16. The RCS retains the right to change the Competition prizes in any way it deems necessary, without notice.  The RCS has the right to withdraw/withhold prizes for any reason. This includes, but is not limited to, a failure to meet eligibility requirements, AI generated content, Plagiarism, entering without relevant permissions/consents, or an inability to confirm identity. 

 

17. The RCS commits to only publish content that is appropriate for a wide and diverse audience (in line with our own policies). Entrants are encouraged to consider this in relation to their use of language when entering the competition. 

 

18. The RCS retains the right to alter, amend and/or update these terms and conditions at any point in time. 

Important Reminder 

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All certificates are generated online and issued electronically by the RCS. We do not send any certificates by post. Certificates will only be issued once judging is complete in late 2026.