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LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition 2026: Prompts, Rubric, Awards & How to Enter
An independent 2026 guide to the LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition. This page sets out the five essay prompts written by LSE economics professors, the 100-point grading rubric, the grade scale and awards, the 1500-word and citation rules, and the entry and submission dates.
LSESU Essay Competition vs Economics Challenge: Two LSE Competitions, Side-by-Side (2026)
The LSESU Economics Society runs two very different competitions, and students confuse them constantly. The Essay Competition asks for a 1500-word argued essay; the Economics Challenge is a multiple-choice test of about 50 questions. This guide from the official China and Asia editorial desk sets them side by side so you can choose the right one.
What Is the LSESU Economics Essay Competition? A Complete 2026 Guide for International Students
The LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition is a free, global writing competition for high-school students, run annually since 2017, with all five prompts set by LSE Economics Department professors. This guide explains the format, the 100-point rubric, how it differs from the LSESU Economics Challenge, who should enter, and how China-based students apply through Hanlin International Education for the 2026 cycle (1500 words, deadline 1 September 2026).
Why we do not issue participation certificates
The Essay Competition awards four distinction tiers — no participation certificate. The decision is deliberate, and the reasoning matters more than the omission.
The Sen Club at LSE: three Nobel laureates the Society has hosted
The Society flagship Sen Club seminar series has hosted Amartya Sen, Eric Maskin, and Oliver Hart. Each is connected to the analytical traditions that shape what the Essay Competition rubric rewards.
Inside the 100-point rubric: why originality scores 25 and relevance scores 5
The Essay Competition rubric distributes 100 points across six criteria. The weighting is not accidental — it tells you exactly what the judging panel is looking for.
Question 1 deep-dive: Pissarides on workers, monitoring, and the home office
The 2026 Question 1 is set by Sir Christopher Pissarides, 2010 Nobel laureate. It looks like a remote-work preference question — but the rubric rewards the candidate who frames it as a principal-agent problem.
The 2026 LSESU Economics Essay Competition Is Open: How to Enter
The 2026 cycle of the LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition is open — free, with no registration. Five public prompts set by LSE Economics Department professors; deadline 1 September 2026.
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