King's College London

Entries are welcomed from students in Year 12 or 13 (or equivalent). Students may be studying for their A-levels, International Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers or an equivalent qualification.

All participants will be invited to a workshop and prize-giving event at King’s in March 2026.

Winners will receive a book token and have their work published in one of the department’s four student magazines:

• Des Nouvelles, Héloise? – French
• Jargon – Comparative Literature
• Königspost – German
• Sobremesa – Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan

Prizes will also be awarded to runners-up.

Comparative Literature

English is full of words borrowed from other languages. We invite you to write an essay about one of your favourites. Is it a loanword like ‘avatar’ or ‘robot’, or a calque like ‘paper tiger’ or ’earworm’…?

You may do this this however you like: by bringing in anything from etymology and literature, to popular media or your own experiences.

Write an essay of 500-550 words in English, and send it to Dr Caterina Domeneghini (with your name, school, and contact details).

Deadline: 23 February 2026

French

A symbol of national unity and cultural identity, the French language occupies a central place in society. Does it really promote cohesion or does it exclude certain communities?

You are invited to submit 400-500 words of either academic or creative writing in French on this topic. You may illustrate your text with drawings or photos if you wish.

Your entry should be sent in Word or PDF format to kclfrenchnewsletter@gmail.com with your name, the name of your school, and your school year. Please put ‘Concours 2025-2026’ in the subject line of the e-mail.

Deadline: 23 February 2026

German

2026 marks the 125th anniversary of the Wuppertal Schwebebahn, the world’s oldest suspended railway. Hailed as a feat of engineering when it was first built, the Schwebebahn quickly became a potent symbol of technological innovation and modernity.

We invite you to imagine that you are one of the very first passengers to ride on the Schwebebahn. Write an account in German of your experience of the journey in a format of your choice (e.g. newspaper article, letter, diary entry, creative piece etc.). Think about who you might be as a passenger, why you are riding the Schwebebahn, and how this informs your account of the journey.

Entries should be 400-450 words in length and written in German. The topic may be addressed from any angle. Entries will be judged on the basis of both content and language.

Entries should be submitted by e-mail to Dr Catherine Smale, together with this entry form.

Deadline: 23 February 2026

Spanish and Portuguese

For Spanish, entrants are invited to consider: What will a Spanish or Latin American city be like in 100 years?

For Portuguese, entrants are invited to consider: What will a Portuguese-speaking city be like in 100 years?

Write a text in which you explore what society, culture, traditions and festivals, customs, landscapes, people, or technology will be like a century from now.

Entries should be 400-450 words in length and written in Spanish or Portuguese. The topic may be addressed from any angle; your submission may take the form of a creative piece of writing, or you may choose another creative form (e.g. a comic, a poem, etc.). Entries will be judged on the basis of both content and language.

Entries should be submitted by e-mail, together with this entry form, to:

Dr Raquel Fernández-Sánchez for Spanish.

Dr Alexandra Lourenço Dias for Portuguese.

Deadline: 23 February 2026