Independent Schools Victoria’s Student Poetry Competition invites students to explore language, voice and creativity through the art of poetry.
Poetry gives young people a space to reflect, question and provide a platform for them to make meaning of the world around them. Whether through written or performance form, students can experiment with rhythm, structure and imagery to communicate their thoughts, stories and emotions.
Now in its sixth year, the Student Poetry Competition is open to all Victorian students from Foundation to Year 12 across all sectors.
- Student Poetry Competition entries open on Thursday 1 May 2025.
- Entries close on Friday 29 August 2025.
- Shortlisted and winning poems will be announced and published on our Arts Learning Festival website on Thursday 16 October 2025.
- To enter the Student Poetry Competition, you must be a Foundation to Year 12 student currently enrolled in a Victorian school.
- Poems submitted must be original works created by individual students, class projects or family collaborations.
- Poems submitted must not exceed 60 lines.
- Students may enter as many poems as they like.
- Foundation – Year 2
- Year 3 – Year 4
- Year 5 – Year 6
- Year 7 – Year 8
- Year 9 – Year 10
- Year 11
- Year 12
- Poems submitted must not infringe upon anyone’s copyright. Poems deemed to be works of plagiarism will be disqualified
- Any music used in the performance poem must either be accessed through royalty-free sources or be original music created by the student. The copyright source must be provided in the submission form.
- Copyright of the poem, written or performed, remains with the student.
- All poems will be judged by a panel from ISV, including guest judges.
- We will only be disclosing de-identified information to our external judging panel, so entries are judged anonymously.
- A prize will be awarded to the winning poem of each category.
- Judging decisions are final.
If you check the yes box in our submission form, you give ISV and its partners permission to publish your poem on our Arts Learning Festival website, and share snippets of your poem on our social media channels and external communications. Surnames of students will not be published on social media.
ISV understands the importance of, and is committed to, protecting the privacy of personal information for Student Poetry Competition entrants. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Contact us at artslearningfestival@is.vic.edu.au, or call ISV on (03) 9825 7200.