Essay Competition
FTL invites submissions to its annual essay competition
This year’s competition is now open! It is free to enter, and is open to all students in Year 12. Essays should be 1500 words or fewer. The deadline is 15 February 2026, with the winners announced in March. Authors of the top three essays will receive a scholarship to FTL 2026 and cash prize.
First Prize: £1000 scholarship & £100 cash
Second Prize: £500 scholarship & £75 cash
Third Prize: £250 scholarship & £50 cash
Means-tested bursaries may also be available for prizewinners.
Essay questions
Society
1. If “brain fingerprinting” proves to be reliable, should it be admissible in court?
2. Should health data be treated as personal property or as a public good?
Economy
3. Should the UK Government introduce a “robot tax”?
4. Is climate change an unsolvable collective action problem?
Humanity
5. Who should own space?
6. What, if anything, is bad about “Google Zero'“?
Competition Now Open!
Submit your entry using the buton below. The competition will close on15 February 2026.
