The R.A. Butler Prize for essays in Politics and International Studies is a competition that can be entered by students in Year 12 or the Lower 6th. Candidates are invited to submit an essay of 2,000 - 4,000 words on a topic to be chosen from a list of general questions found in the additional link section at the bottom of this page.
It's worth considering the use of examples in your essays: the best essays often use a diverse selection of contemporary, historical or literary examples. We encourage you to provide references to your sources of information, and to include a bibliography at the end of the essay. The word limit does not include the bibliography. Please include your name on the document and save the file as "Surname, First name".
Prizes:
- First Place: £600 - to be shared equally with your school
- Second place: £400 - to be shared equally with your school
The school or college's portion of the prize to be issued in the form of book tokens, and the winners will be invited to the College to meet some of the teaching staff.
The Prize is jointly organised by Trinity College Cambridge and Cambridge University's Department of Politics and International Studies.