Deadline: February 1, 2026
Applications are open for the St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition 2026. The St. Gallen Global Essay Competition is a global student essay competition, offering students who study at graduate or postgraduate level around the world the opportunity to apply for participation at the St. Gallen Symposium.
Meet 300 of society’s brightest young minds. Present and debate your ideas with 600 senior leaders. Be inspired by some of the world’s most impressive speakers. Gain a unique and new perspective on this year’s topic. Become a member of a unique global community. Participate in the symposium.
Topic Question: Disruption in Tech + Politics + Demography: What happens when they collide?
Pick a case where at least two of these forces meet, and propose a bold idea to maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks over the long term.
Prizes
- Win prize money of CHF 20,000 split amongst the three winners.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must fulfill all of the following criteria:
- Enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) in any field of study at a regular university.
- Born in 1996 or later.
- Individual work expected, no group work allowed. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest. The idea must be the author’s own.
Application
All sources must be cited and referred to the respective part in the essay. All contributions will be tested for plagiarism. Any auxiliary aids (AI, proofreading, translation service, layout/graphics services, writing and translation programs, etc.) are to be listed in an auxiliary aids directory. All auxiliary aids and resources used must be fully and correctly cited. Failure to acknowledge or reference any aid—whether digital, printed, or otherwise—will result in disqualification. Transparency and academic integrity are mandatory.
Make sure you can provide the following documents:
- Copy of passport or other identification (in English for non-Roman languages)
- Confirmation of matriculation/enrolment from your university which proves your enrollment in a graduate/postgraduate level programme as of 1 February 2026 (download sample document here)
- Your contribution file with no indication of your name in the file name, the file metadata or the file itself
For more information, visit St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition.
