The Tower Poetry competition is the UK's most valuable prize for young poets, and is open to students between 16-18 years of age who are educated in the UK. The competition is judged anonymously by two judges, who are different each year, and Peter McDonald, the current Christopher Tower Student. Each year the theme is chosen with the intention of giving entrants free rein to interpret it as widely as they like.

There have been over 100 competition winners representing 90+ schools over the past 20 years. New schools and colleges take part each year and all entries are welcomed. Eligible winners are invited to attend the next biennial Tower Poetry Summer School; their schools also receive cash prizes.
Poems must be no more than 48 lines.