Enter the Student Times Writing Competition
Every student city has a story.
The café where ideas are born over late‑night coffee. The residence corridor that feels like home. The lecture halls where futures take shape. The streets, parks, taxis, Wi‑Fi hotspots and innovation hubs that quietly define daily student life.
Now is your chance to tell that story — and to tell it powerfully.
The Student Times Writing Competition is calling on students across colleges and universities to showcase what makes their student city a true destination for learning, opportunity and student life.
The Theme
My Student City!
A Destination for Learning, Opportunity and Student Life
This is not just another essay competition. It is a challenge to think like a journalist and write like a marketer. Imagine you are pitching your college or university town to a prospective student deciding where to study. Why should they choose your city above all others?
Your task is to craft a compelling feature article that captures the spirit, strengths and future potential of your student environment. Show us what makes your campus and surrounding community stand out.
Is it affordability? The cost of accommodation, transport and food?
Is it lifestyle — the culture, sports, arts and nightlife?
Is it mobility — easy access to public transport, walkable streets, cycling routes?
Is it digital connectivity — strong Wi‑Fi, innovation hubs, creative spaces?
Is it opportunity — internships, entrepreneurship, part‑time work and industry links?
Is it safety and support — a campus where students feel secure and empowered?
We want you to paint the full picture. Capture the energy. Define the identity. Sell the experience.
Who Should Enter?
This competition is ideal for students in media, journalism, communications, public relations and marketing. But powerful storytelling is not confined to one discipline. If you have a strong voice, sharp insight and a passion for writing, you are encouraged to enter — regardless of your field of study.
What’s in It for You?
The rewards go beyond recognition.
Winning articles will be published in Student Times and featured as part of a Student Cities promotional series showcasing the region’s most compelling student destinations.
Selected winners will also receive an invitation to attend and present at the Gauteng Student Cities Indaba, placing their work before leaders in education, media and urban development.
There is more. Outstanding contributors may be considered for freelance journalist opportunities with Student Times, gain access to training and mentorship within the Student Times media team, and receive free membership to the Student Times Press Club for 2026/2027.
This is your opportunity to gain real‑world media exposure, build your portfolio and step into the professional storytelling space.
Why Your Voice Matters
Student cities are more than places to study. They are ecosystems that shape futures and fuel local economies. The stories students tell about their environments influence how those spaces are perceived, improved and invested in.
By participating in this competition, you are not just writing an article — you are helping define how your student city is seen by the world.
You are shaping a narrative of opportunity, inclusion, innovation and growth.
The Time Is Now
Research your city. Walk its streets. Interview fellow students. Visit the local spots that define its character. Then write with clarity, confidence and conviction.
Tell us why your student city is not just a place to earn a qualification — but a destination to build a future.
Submit your entry and let your story travel beyond campus walls.
For media enquiries and competition details, contact:
Student Cities Competition
Email: media@studentcitiesindaba.org
Tel: +27 (0)63 524 5097 or (0)82 972 6595
Your city has a story.
Now tell it.
