The World Handwriting Contest is currently accepting applications to support participants of all ages from around the world to showcase their handwriting skills in a global competition.
The deadline for entries is Tuesday 30th June 2026.
The World Handwriting Contest focuses on two primary categories within each age group:
1. Functional Handwriting and Artistic Handwriting – Functional Handwriting emphasizes legibility, speed, and fluency without artistic effect and is further divided into cursive, which joins 50 percent or more of its letters, and manuscript printing, which joins fewer than half of its letters, and
2. Artistic Handwriting – this involves the use of a monoline or calligraphy marker, pen, or brush, incorporating decorative strokes, flourishes, shading, hairlines, and thick and thin strokes to create an artistic effect.
The contest awards 1st and 2nd prizes in each of the categories and subcategories. Prize-winners’ names and writing samples are announced and posted on the website and social media platforms by October 2026. Winners’ names and handwriting samples are displayed on the website for a full year. Lifetime Winners’ names and winning samples are permanently added to the Triple Crown Lifetime Winners’ page.
Anyone in the world, of any age, may enter the contest. The team of judges will evaluate each entry within one of the following age groups:
o Children (age 7 and under);
o Pre-Teens (ages 8 through 12);
o Teens (ages 13 through 19);
o Adults (ages 20 through 64), and
o Seniors (age 65 and over).
Entries must follow specific paper and formatting requirements. Participants must use lined or unlined paper sized 8 1/2 x 11 inches or A4. The written quote must fit on the front side of one sheet of paper, with at least a half-inch margin on all sides. Accepted writing instruments include ballpoint pens, fountain pens, felt or fiber tip markers, or calligraphy pens and brushes, and the same instrument must be used throughout the entry. Only black ink is permitted on white or light-colored paper without preprinted pictures or decorations.
Required information must be written on the reverse side of the entry or included in the email text when submitting a scanned copy. Entrants must provide their full name, full address, age as of Wednesday 1st July 2026, phone number, and email address. Students must also provide their school’s name, address, phone number, and email address, as schools will be notified if a student wins.
Participants are encouraged to submit only their best work. Rough drafts should not be sent. If a mistake occurs, entrants must start over and should not erase, cross out, white out, or cover errors, as visible corrections will count more heavily against the entry than the original errors.
Online entries must include a scan of the writing sample at 600 dpi or greater, submitted as a gif, jpg, jpeg, png, or pdf file. All electronic entries must be sent by Tuesday 30th June 2026. All entries become the property of the contest and will not be returned.
To keep the competition open to the greatest possible number of entrants and winners, only one entry per year is permitted. Past winners may enter; however, entrants who have won three prizes are asked to refrain from entering future contests.
The decision of the judges is final. Entries are evaluated based on legibility, fluency, competence, and spelling. Judges assess how easily they can read the writing, the smoothness and flow of the script, layout and margins, spacing, consistency, accuracy of the quote, neatness, and adherence to the rules.
Entries will be disqualified if they misspell the first word in the assigned quotation, repeat that misspelling within the quote, or misspell the author’s name. Other misspellings will result in significant point deductions.
For further information and details about how to enter the contest, please visit the Handwriting Repair website.
