Please note that 2026 will be the final year of the Dedman Essay Competition.
Find the prompt for the 2026 Dedman Essay Competition below. Submissions are due by May 1, 2026. Winners will be notified by July 1.
The essay itself is limited to 4,000 characters (approx. 750-800 words). Judges will review and score essays based on a number of factors, including:
- Adherence to the prompt
- Originality and creativity
- Grammar and mechanics
- Organization and presentation
- Ability to inspire and evoke emotion
Please keep all 5 judging criteria in mind when writing and submitting your essay.
AI-generated responses will be flagged and removed from consideration.
2026 PROMPT
The portal to submit the application is available at this link.
Compassion can be understood as fellow-feeling, sympathy, or even participation in the suffering of another. It is a form of social engagement that has generally taken presence and proximity for granted, but how does the experience of compassion change when much of our communication and social exchange has moved online? Can you experience true compassion without physical closeness and/or direct exchange?
Feel free to answer either (or both) of the questions above and to draw on personal experience in your response.
WINNING ESSAYS
Winning essays will receive a certificate from the program along with one of the following cash award prizes:
- First place
- Second Place
- Third Place
- Honorable mention #1
- Honorable mention #2
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$250
$250
RULES
- Only sophomores and juniors currently enrolled in a public or private high school in Texas are eligible to apply
- Essays must be the original work of student entrants
- Winning students must submit documentation from their high schools showing their enrollment status
- Each student is allowed only one entry in the competition per year
- Essay forms must be fully completed using the link above for submission to be valid for the competition
- Winners must agree to submit and allow brief biographical information to be posted on the Dedman Distinguished Scholars Essay Competition website and in other materials
- Winners will be required to create a UT EID and submit a payment address with the University.
- Winners do not have to attend UT Austin in order to receive their funds. The cash awards can be used for any school.
Students can also review the Writing Resources page to find information about how to craft an effective essay. The resources listed on that page are commonly provided to students at UT Austin to help them write effectively at the college level. Winning essays are expected to be written at that level as well, so all entrants should review and make use of the information provided when crafting their essays.
For questions about the competition, please contact us at dedmanessay@gmail.com.