The Fountainhead Essay Contest by the Ayn Rand Institute awards up to $25,000 in prizes to students who write compelling essays engaging with the themes of Rand's novel The Fountainhead. The contest runs in seasonal rounds throughout the year, with first-place seasonal winners advancing to the annual grand prize competition of $25,000. Additional prizes range from $1,000 to $10,000 for seasonal round winners.
Open to middle and high school students worldwide ages 13 and older who are currently enrolled in school. International students are welcome; there are no citizenship or GPA requirements.
Entrants must write a persuasive essay about Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead responding to a provided seasonal prompt. Each seasonal round has its own unique prompt, and top essays from each season compete for an annual grand prize.
Most students miss 2659+ scholarships they actually qualify for — don't be one of them.