Policy Idol
Applications for this year’s Policy Idol are open!
Apply by 31 January 2027
Policy Idol is an annual competition open to all current students at King’s, in which participants pitch their policy ideas to an elite panel of leading figures from the worlds of politics, academia.
You can enter by yourself or as part of a team, and on the day you will have just three minutes to present your idea to the judges, who will assess your pitch on the quality of delivery and the evidence and analysis underpinning it.
Organised by the Policy Institute at King’s College London, the competition sees the best ideas selected in a series of heats, with standout pitches from each heat put through to the final. All finalists receive bespoke training in policy analysis and communications, as well as an opportunity to improve their pitch and win cash prizes.
What you can win
There are four cash prizes on offer at the competition:
- Overall winner: £1,000
- Best delivery: £500
- Best analysis: £500
- Audience prize: £250
How to enter
Register by 31 January 2027 and choose your preferred heat. We will email you the details separately.
Apply
Frequently asked questions
Getting started
Policy Idol is your chance to develop your policy ideas, build valuable skills and receive feedback from leading figures in politics, academia and industry. It's an opportunity to make connections, get your ideas noticed and potentially see your proposals developed further – with the chance to win cash prizes.
Watch Sophie's story
No. You should have an idea of the problem you want to tackle and a possible solution, but your pitch does not need to be finalised when you register. You can develop it before your heat.
Use the Apply button above or below to register by 31 January 2027 and select your preferred heat. We will email you the details separately.
Apply
If you need to change your selected heat, email us as soon as possible. We will try to accommodate changes where space is available.
E-mail us
The heats
There are five heats to choose from:
• Tuesday 9 February: 11:00–13:00 or 14:00–16:00
• Wednesday 10 February: 11:00–13:00 or 14:00–16:00
• Thursday 11 February: 11:00–13:00
All heats are in person at the Policy Institute, 5th floor, Melbourne House.
Explain the policy problem, your proposed solution, the evidence behind it and any practical challenges. Judges score analysis and delivery: they want a well-researched idea communicated clearly and persuasively.
Three minutes, followed by questions from the judges. An alarm sounds at three minutes; you may continue for up to 30 seconds but risk losing points. The chair will stop you at three minutes 30 seconds.
No. Slides and props are optional, although a short slide deck is recommended.
Email the following:
• the names, departments and degree programmes of all participants
• a summary of your idea (maximum 150 words)
• your slides, if using them
The submission deadline will be confirmed in your heat instructions.
The final
The strongest pitches from the heats will progress to the final in April 2027. Finalists will receive mandatory expert training on communicating with policymakers in March and have an opportunity to refine their pitches.
The final is a gala event in the Great Hall at King’s College London, where finalists pitch to a live audience and a panel of special guest judges. It is hosted by broadcaster Mark Easton, and previous judges have included Julia Gillard, Jo Johnson, Louise Casey, Trevor Phillips, Bronwen Maddox and David Willetts.
Further questions? Email policy-institute-events@kcl.ac.uk.
Previous finalists and winners
Watch previous finals from 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, and read the finalists’ pitches (pdf) from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.