Minds Underground Economics Essay Competition

4000-699-898

50+ countries globally participating

Over 12000 exceptional students submit annually

4 major economics research directions

Endorsed by Colleges of Cambridge and Oxford

Eligibility: 15–18 years old | Requirement: 1,000–1,500 words English essay | Registration Deadline: March 29th, 2027

4

Research directions

Mathematical Economics

Behavioural Economics

International Economics

Environmental Economics

Introduction

The MU Economics Essay Competition, organized by Minds Underground (MU). It is officially recommended by the Balliol college, University of Oxford, and Homerton college, University of Cambridge, and is designed to empower young people worldwide to examine global issues through the lens of economics. The competition encourages students to develop critical and independent insights, while fostering a lasting passion for the subject.

Covering key subfields—including international economics, mathematical economics, behavioural economics, and environmental economics—the competition offers high school students a unique opportunity to sharpen their reasoning, analytical, and communication skills.

With over 12,000 participants from more than 50 countries, the MU Essay Competition has grown into one of the most distinguished academic events in its field. Participation not only strengthens students’ intellectual abilities, but also enhances their academic profiles, interview performance, and university applications.

Exceptional participants may be invited to the Economics Camp hosted at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, for outstanding high school students worldwide. Taught by experienced economics professors and scholars, participants delve into undergraduate-level courses including macroeconomics, microeconomics and global economic trend analysis.

All attendees shall deliver an individual presentation at the end of the program to fully apply what they have learned, with comments given by Cambridge professors and fellow participants. Students finishing all courses and presentations will obtain an official completion certificate issued by St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, boosting their university admission competitiveness.


Participating Nations and Regions

Oxbridge Recommendation

Homerton College, University of Cambridge:

Homerton College, known for its emphasis on social sciences, lists the MU Essay Competition among its recommended activities.

Balliol College, University of Oxford：

As one of Oxford’s oldest colleges, Balliol listed MU Essay Competition in the official recommended activity

Information

2026–2027
MU
Economics
Essay
Competition

■ How to Participate
Online submission. Choose a topic from the list and write an essay.

■ Topic Selection
MU would set different topics around current important issues annually. For 2026–2027, MU focuses on four major economics subfields, and adopts open-ended questions to encourage critical analysis from multiple angles (e.g., theory, data, policy). Originality and reasoning matter more than format.

■ Essay Requirements

  • English, 1,000–1,500 words (References are not included in the word count).
  • Harvard referencing style.
  • 1 author per essay.

■ Eligibility：15–18 years old

■ Registration Deadline：March 29th, 2027
The organizing committee will dynamically assess the registration number. If the upper limit for review is reached before the deadline, the registration channel will be closed in advance. Therefore, it is recommended that students sign up as early as possible to ensure their qualification for the competition.

■ Submission deadline：April 3rd, 2027

Essay Topics

 
Mathematical Economics
Behavioural Economics
International Economics
Environmental Economics

Mathematical Economics

Mathematical economics helps us understand economic behaviors and market mechanisms in reality through model construction and quantitative analysis. The following topics include "free" product, non-priced market, and economic model, encouraging students to conduct in-depth thinking by applying game theory, utility functions, and modeling. It is suitable for students who are interested in mathematics, economics, data analysis, or those who hope to enter fields such as finance, technology, and policy study in the future. Whether it is algorithmic trading, risk modeling or financial behavior analysis, mathematical economics is an important foundation for building a rational worldview.

Topic 1: When does a “free” product become too expensive?

Hints: Model attention, data, or time as costs. Consider platform economics, utility trade-offs, and hidden pricing. Can you formalise the idea of “paying with something other than money”?

Topic 2: Can a market exist without prices? Design one.

Hints: Think about allocation through queues, algorithms, reputation, or social norms. What replaces price signals? Would it be efficient or stable?

Topic 3: If you could rewrite one assumption in a standard economic model, which would you change and why?

Hints: Perfect rationality? Complete markets? Information? Explore how altering a single assumption reshapes predictions.

Behavioural Economics

Behavioural economics focuses on the decision-making patterns of human beings under the influence of limited rationality, emotions and psychological biases, revealing why people in the real world often consume, invest or make judgments "irrationally". The following topics encourage students to explore the deep logic behind economic behaviour from the perspectives of consumer bias, expectations, and signalling. This field is widely applied in marketing, business behaviour research, policy design, etc., and is an important tool for understanding human behaviour and formulating effective strategies. It is suitable for students who are interested in the intersection of human nature, social phenomena and economic decision-making, especially for those who hope to pursue careers in business, public administration and psychology in the future.

Topic 1: Are emotions a market failure or a market feature?

Hints: Consider fear, joy, status, guilt. Do markets exploit emotions, correct them, or depend on them? Link to advertising, finance, or consumer behaviour.

Topic 2: If an algorithm makes economic decisions for you, who is responsible for the outcome?

Hints: Consider how individuals delegate decisions, how trust and incentives shape behaviour, and whether this changes our understanding of rationality.

Topic 3: Can you design a policy that makes people happier without increasing their income?

Hints: Think about behavioural nudges, social comparison, expectations, time use, or mental health. How would you measure success?

International Economics

International economics studies trade, capital flows, monetary policy among countries, helping us understand the interweaving of economy and politics in the era of globalization. The following topics focus on key issues such as globalization, weak currency and state competition for citiziens, encouraging students to comprehensively analyze policies, technologies, geopolitics, and market mechanisms. International Economics is widely applied in fields such as international finance, transnational policy, and global market analysis. It is suitable for students who hope to engage in international economics research, international financial investment, international relations or economic policy research in the future.

Topic 1: Is globalisation reversible, or has the world passed a point of no return?

Hints: Supply chains, geopolitics, digital trade, and institutions. What would “deglobalisation” actually look like in practice?

Topic 2: Who really benefits from a weak currency?

Hints: Go beyond exports. Consider inequality, consumers vs producers, inflation, and political incentives.

Topic 3: If countries competed for citizens instead of capital, how would the global economy change?

Hints: Think about migration policy, taxation, public goods, and “voting with your feet”

Environmental Economics

Environmental economics focuses on sustainable development under limited resources and ecological pressure. And it suggests the application of economic tools to analyze environmental value, externalities and policy effects. In an era of intensifying ecological crises, this discipline is becoming increasingly crucial. The following topics focus on issues such as climate policy, pollution issues and environmentally damaging behaviors guiding students to think about how to use economic models and policies to address climate challenges and ecological imbalances. This field is widely applied in areas such as green finance, environmental policies, and corporate sustainable strategies. It is suitable for students who are interested in nature, social responsibility, and systemic issues and are willing to propose innovative solutions from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Topic 1: Would future generations choose the same climate policies we do today?

Hints: Discount rates, intergenerational equity, uncertainty, and political incentives. Can we represent future preferences?

Topic 2: Is pollution a failure of markets, governments, or imagination?

Hints: Externalities, regulation limits, and innovation. Could entirely new systems outperform current approaches?

Topic 3: Should environmentally harmful behaviour be taxed, banned, or socially stigmatised?

Hints: Compare economic incentives vs cultural change. Which is most effective and why?

Grading Criteria

1Understanding of the Question and Relevance (Score out of 15)

15：Sophisticated and precise understanding of the question; all arguments highly relevant.
12：Clear understanding with a strong focus on the question.
9：Generally relevant, but may miss subtle nuances or overgeneralise.
6：Partial misunderstanding or limited engagement with the core of the question.
3：Major misinterpretation or deviation from the question.

2Knowledge and Use of Economic Concepts (Score out of 20)

20：Demonstrates deep and accurate understanding of relevant economic ideas; goes well beyond the syllabus.
16：Strong command of appropriate theories and terminology, applied effectively.
12：Satisfactory knowledge with some inaccuracies or lack of depth.
8：Limited or patchy understanding; may misuse terms or apply concepts weakly.
4：Minimal understanding of economic content.

3Analysis and Argumentation (Score out of 20)

20：Excellent critical thinking and structured argumentation; alternative viewpoints evaluated.
16：Strong reasoning with logical development and clear line of argument.
12：Some analysis, but occasionally descriptive or unbalanced.
8：Basic or underdeveloped reasoning.
4：Disorganised or unsupported claims; lacks coherence.

4Originality and Independent Thought (Score out of 10)

10：Highly original argument, fresh perspective, or novel application of ideas.
8：Some unique insights or creative approach.
6：Mostly conventional with limited original input.
4：Repetitive or derivative.
2：No independent thought evident.

5Use of Evidence and Examples (Score out of 15)

15：Evidence is specific, relevant, and deeply integrated into the argument.
12：Good use of examples to support points.
9：Some relevant evidence, but not always effectively used.
6：Weak, generic, or poorly explained examples.
3：No meaningful use of evidence.

6Structure, Clarity, and Communication (Score out of 10)

10：Excellent structure and flow; ideas are clearly and elegantly expressed.
8：Well-organised and mostly clear.
6：Adequate clarity and structure; some repetition or awkward phrasing.
4：Hard to follow; inconsistent flow.
2：Disorganised and unclear.

7Technical and Logical Presentation of Argument (Score out of 5)

5：Argument develops with strong internal logic and technical clarity.
4：Mostly logical and well-explained.
3：Some confusion in how ideas link together.
2：Reasoning is unclear or weak.
1：Little logical structure.

8Referencing and Academic Style (Score out of 5)

5：Fully accurate referencing with consistent academic tone and formality.
4：Minor referencing errors; clear academic intent.
3：Referencing attempted but inconsistent or incomplete.
2：Poor or unclear referencing.
1：No referencing included.

Awards

The essay awards will be announced in May 2027, with outstanding winners invited to the Economics Camp hosted at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, for outstanding high school students worldwide. Taught by experienced economics professors and scholars, participants delve into undergraduate-level courses including macroeconomics, microeconomics and global economic trend analysis. All attendees shall deliver an individual presentation at the end of the program to fully apply what they have learned, with comments given by Cambridge professors and fellow participants. Students finishing all courses and presentations will obtain an official completion certificate issued by St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, boosting their university admission competitiveness.


Winner


Runner Up


Highly Commended


Commended

MU Oxford Economics Camp

Eligibility：Prize winners
Date：July 2026

Challenge Sessions

Modeling Challenge
Under the guidance of an economics mentor, students will learn how to construct and apply economic models to real-world issues (such as the carbon tax mechanism, technological unemployment, etc.). Participants will develop quantitative analysis or models and explain them using relevant theories and real-life data. Students compete individually or in teams of up to three. The projects will be assessed based on rigor, rationality, the variable selection, and the feasibility of the model.

Argumentation Challenge
Since strong arguments are essential in essay writing, this challenge focuses on helping students build clear, persuasive arguments. The mentor will guide students in using economic theories to support their reasoning, defend positions, and express ideas academically. Students will draw a prompt randomly, and will have 30 minutes to prepare, and deliver a 5-minute individual speech followed by a 2-minute Q&A session.

Debate Challenge
Students will form teams of four to engage in structured debates on controversial economic topics, considering various perspectives—macro, micro, and behavioral economics. Judging will focus on quality of evidence, logical flow, expression, and rebuttal skills. This challenge aims to sharpen critical thinking, teamwork and rapid response abilities.

Presentation Challenge
Drawing on all previous activities and knowledge gained, students will revise and present their essays to a panel explaining their research methods and findings. And students compete for the honor of "MU Oxford Economics Global Championship".
Students who win awards in the final presentation of the MU Oxford Economics Global Challenge will have the opportunity to publish their essay on international journals for free, allowing their research results to be displayed and recognized on a broader international platform, and further enhancing their academic influence and future development potential.

Academic sessions & Cultural experience

Academic sessions

Economics Lectures

Economics lectures would be given by an economics lecturer or industry experts, deeply analyzing the research methods and practical significance of a complex economic issue, and enable students to understand how a true economist thinks about problems, analyzes models and constructs viewpoints.

Oxbridge application workshop

Specially designed for students who are determined to apply for an economics major at Oxford or Cambridge. It provides in-depth explanations on the course structure, interview format, credit requirements and preparation suggestions related to the admission of economics.

Cultural experience

Formal dinner

Take part in a traditional Cambridge formal dinner—an iconic part of college life. Dressed in formal attire, students will enjoy fine dining, and thoughtful conversation in a historic setting.

Accommodation at Oxford

Stay in the historic college dormitories of the University of Oxford, and immerse yourself in the academic and cultural atmosphere.

FAQs

1. What materials will be provided?
After successful registration, the organizing committee will send a confirmation letter via email, which includes submission instructions, academic writing guidelines and reference materials, to help students understand the requirements, master the structure and writing methods of the paper, and complete the submission.
2. Can AI tools be used to write papers?
No. Before the review, the organizing committee will conduct AI detection and plagiarism checking on all papers. Please ensure the originality of the content and viewpoints. We encourage students to think independently and express their own opinions. Plagiarism or reliance on AI-generated content is strictly prohibited. Any paper found to have violated the rules will be disqualified from the review process, and the assessment fee will not be refunded.
3. What are the formatting requirements for the paper?
Citations and references must comply with the Harvard referencing style. Use legible fonts like Times New Roman or Arial in size 12 for the main body. (Refer to the attachments in your registration confirmation email for full details.)

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