Student Essay Competition 2026

The Student Essay Competition 2026 invites bachelor’s and master’s students at Swedish universities to submit essays or theses addressing the interlinkages between human rights, peace, security and/or sustainable development, with this year’s theme being freedom. Submissions should be in English and formatted as a PDF. A jury of experts will assess entries and select a winner who will receive a diploma, a domestic train ticket and an entrance ticket to the 2026 Swedish Forum for Human Rights.

Diploma, domestic train ticket, entrance ticket to the 2026 Swedish Forum for Human Rights (Forum takes place 2026-11-25 to 2026-11-26).

The author must be (or have been when writing the essay) enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s programme at a Swedish university; a certificate of enrolment for autumn semester 2025 or spring semester 2026 must be attached.

Submit the essay as a PDF by email titled “Essay Submission 2026” and attach a certificate of enrolment; send to info@humanrights.se.