On 13 June 1878, with Commander Alfred Thayer Mahan as acting Chair, the Naval Institute adopted rules for the first essay contest — the General Prize Essay Contest. This contest continues to this day.

Currently, the Naval Institute sponsors 14 essay contests.

Current Essay Contests

Essay Contests
2020 General Prize Essay Contest

2020 General Prize Essay Contest

Funded by Andrew and Barbara Taylor
Deadline
The National Defense Strategy says we have to pursue "urgent change at significant scale." Do we have the right culture to embrace it?
2020 Information Warfare Essay Contest

2020 Information Warfare Essay Contest

Sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton
Deadline
The Nation’s adversaries and competitors are proving to be formidable in the digital battlespace—using online platforms, social media, malicious code, disinformation, and cyberattacks to undermine...

Current Photo Contests

Essay Contest Archives

Anchoring Sea Enterprise Essay Contest
CNO Naval History Essay Contest
Coast Guard Essay Contest
Commander William Earl Fannin Class of 1945 Capstone Essay Contest
Cutting Edge of Technology Essay Contest
Cyber Essay Contest
Diversity & Inclusion
Education and Training Essay Contest
Emerging & Disruptive Technologies Essay Contest
Enlisted Prize Essay Contest
Faces of the Naval Academy Essay Contest
Fiction Essay Contest
General Prize Essay Contest
Global Defense Burden Essay Contest
Information Dominance Essay Contest
Information Warfare Essay Contest
Innovation and Risk Essay Contest
International Navies Essay Contest
Leadership Essay Contest
Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune Writing Award
Marine Corps Essay Contest
Midshipmen and Cadets Essay Contest
Naval and Maritime Photo Contest
Naval Aviation Essay Contest
Naval History Essay Contest
Naval Intelligence Essay Contest
Naval Mine Warfare Essay Contest
Naval Reserve Essay Contest
NPS Foundation/U.S. Naval Institute Annual Essay Contest Award
Reserve Forces Essay Contest
Robotics Essay Contest
Submarine and Antisubmarine Warfare Essay Contest
The Principles of War Essay Contest
Unmanned Maritime Systems Essay Contest
Warfighting Essay Contest