Essay Competition

The Society launched their annual Young Economist of the Year competition in 2007, in association with Tutor2U, the O2 Smarta100 2011 winner online teaching resource business. This prestigious essay writing competition invites students currently studying for A Levels and the International Baccalaureate in all subjects to write on a major current problem or topic of concern. The winner of the Young Economist of the Year wins £1,000, with runners-up each receiving £500.

Students are invited to write an essay of between 1,000 to 2,500 words, on a subject set by the President of the Royal Economic Society, calling on key elements of their A Level or International Baccalaureate courses, examples from the world around them and imaginative discussion. Each year's topic for the essay title will be set in the Spring term and advertised through Tutor2U and the RES website.

The winner of the Young Economist of the Year prize is announced in August each year, with the prize presentation to be made at the RES Annual Public Lecture in London in December. 

2013 Young Economist of the Year essay competition deadlline now extended to 30 June 2013.

The essay topics for this year's competition are:

1. Does the international mobility of talent make it impossible to tax the rich?
2. Should the experience of China silence those who think that democracy is good for growth?
3. Is the UK banking system too concentrated?
4. Should Universities embrace market forces in deciding what to teach and how?
5. Should those who object to Heathrow expansion be ``bought off’’ at taxpayer expense?
6. Must “quantitative easing” end in inflation?

Students up to the age of 19 are invited to write an essay of between 1,000 to 2,500 words on one of the above topics calling on key elements of their A Level or International Baccalaureate courses, examples from the world around them and imaginative discussion. Then upload your essay to our partners Tutor2U using the form on the following link : YE 2013 application form
Deadline for applications has been extended to midnight Sunday 30 June (12.00 GMT).

Applications will be acknowledged by Tutor2U with results to be announced by the Royal Economic Society at the end of the summer.

Any queries should be addressed to Tutor2U http://www.tutor2u.net/contact-tutor2u.html or general queries to the RES office administrator, Amanda Wilman on royaleconsoc@st-andrews.ac.uk. 

Previous Years’ Essay Titles and Competition Winners

From this page, you can link to the Essay titles and Competition  winners and runners-up, their essays and the judges' reports from previous years:

RES Young Economist of the Year 2012 - Calum You  Winning essays

RES Young Economist of the Year 2011 - Mayank Banarjee

RES Young Economist of the Year 2010 - Jessica Hawley

RES Young Economist of the Year 2009 - Tiffany Young

RES Young Economist of the Year 2008 - Promit Anwar and Lizzy Burden