2026 Student Paper Competition

Overview:

Following paper proposals, students may self-nominate their papers for the Student Paper Competition by submitting full manuscripts by April 30. Three papers will be selected to be part of the conference program through a double-blind review process. This is an earlier deadline than the general conference which requires full paper submissions for accepted abstracts in August. Prize winners will be scheduled for paper presentation slots within the full conference.

Students must submit proposals to the full conference, prior to self-nomination for the student paper competition, by March 15.

Details:

The student paper competition is open to all graduate and law students enrolled during the 2025-2026 school year regardless of their status at the time of the 2026 conference. Co-authors may be other students meeting the same criteria. Papers co-authored with faculty or other non-students are not eligible. Papers should not exceed 15,000 words, including references. Students are encouraged, but not required, to have their submissions endorsed by a faculty member at the student’s institution.

All graduate student paper submissions should be blind to the author's name and affiliation. Please remove any identifying information from your paper prior to submitting it to the contest. Improperly blinded submissions may be rejected. As with the general session papers, student papers previously accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or conference proceeding, in a law review, or as a chapter in a published book are not eligible.

Awards:

First Prize: $1,000
Second Prize: $500
Third Prize: $300

To be eligible for an award, students must attend and present their paper at the conference. Students will be provided feedback on their papers and may be asked to make edits prior to presenting at the conference.

In addition to the prizes above, all award winners also receive complimentary conference registration, travel reimbursement up to $750, and inclusion in a paper session in the conference. If a student paper winner has also been accepted to present a different paper or poster, the student will be asked to present the student paper contest paper and must have a co-author present the other paper or poster. All authors are permitted to present only one paper at TPRC.

The fourth through sixth place submissions will be given the opportunity to present their research during the Poster Session.