The Perse School (Singapore) has launched the Singapore edition of its founding school’s Aristotelian Award, bringing the renowned research essay competition from Cambridge, UK to our shores.
Calling all parents of budding scholars and researchers – your children can now participate in the Perse Aristotelian Award, a reputable research essay competition organised by The Perse School, Cambridge.
Originally created as a nationwide competition for Year 9 students in the UK, The Perse School (Singapore) has now launched a Singapore edition of the awards to celebrate the achievements of Professor John Clarke, a Perse Cambridge alumnus who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2025. The Perse Aristotelian Award (Singapore Edition) is open to all Year 9 students (13-14 year-olds) in Singapore, including those in local schools and other non-British curriculum international schools. 25 top essays will be shortlisted in Singapore to compete with entries by UK participants, all of which will be marked by a team of educators from The Perse School in Cambridge.
And what do the winners get? The student with the best essay of each category will win £70 each. Another four essays will be chosen from each category to win the ‘Highly Commendable’ prize worth £20 each.
Keen to join? Here’s what you need to do.
Depending on their interests, students can choose topics from two categories of the Aristotelian Award: arts and humanities; or science. We had a look at this year’s topics, which covers both evergreen and current issues such as the role of AI, biology, ecology, and even theatre.
Students are required to write a 800 to 1,500-word research essay in English based on their chosen topic. As this is a research essay, do include footnotes, bibliography, and references when necessary (these are not included in the final word count).
Pro-tip: According to the Perse, the best essays usually discuss both sides of the arguments before reaching a conclusion. The marking team will also be looking for coherent arguments, as well as the range of sources cited (the Perse recommends a minimum of five credible sources).
All essays should be submitted online by 9 January 2026, and results will be announced in April 2026.
The Perse School (Singapore) continues to strengthen its connection with its Cambridge counterpart
Bringing the Aristotelian Award to Singapore is just one of the many initiatives that The Perse School (Singapore) does to deliver the same quality of education as its founding school to children in Singapore. Both schools maintain a strong connection through shared educational philosophies, and even teacher exchanges.
Through the local edition of the research essay competition, the Perse aims to encourage students in Singapore to explore new ideas bravely, question deeply, and express their discoveries confidently. Just as its Principal Ms. Lynne Oldfield says, “This award embodies the very essence of our Cambridge connection – encouraging young learners in Singapore to think critically, explore widely, and express their ideas with confidence.”
All the best to all participants – we look forward to reading a winning essay from Singapore!
This post is in partnership with The Perse School (Singapore).
