Contest entry form template
Take entries for a judged art, photo or writing competition: the work itself, its category and age group, and the promises judges rely on.
22 questions · about 5 min · logic · file upload · e-signature
- No sign-up to start
- Unlimited responses on Free
Category
Age on [cut-off date]
About you
Full name, as it should appear on a certificate
Phone
School and year
Your entry
Title of your entry
Upload your entry
A photo or scan of the work. JPG, PNG or PDF, up to 10 MB.
Click or drop a file here
images, PDF · up to 10 MB
Medium or materials
Size, if it is a physical piece
Tell us about your work
Up to 100 words.
Did you use AI or other software to make this entry?
Agreements
Original work
Display and publication
Contest rules
If you win, may we use your name and photo in publicity?
Signature
Teacher or sponsor’s name and email
What you get back
Every response lands in your results the moment it is sent. Turn on email notifications and each one arrives like this, and the same answers become a row in your spreadsheet.
From PulseFormCreator
Subject New response to Contest entry
- Category
- Photography
- Age on [cut-off date]
- 13 to 17
- Full name, as it should appear on a certificate
- Aiyana Brooks
- aiyana.brooks@example.com
- School and year
- Glenmore High School, Year 9
- Title of your entry
- Low Tide, Late Light
and 9 more answers
| submitted_at | Category | Age on [cut-off date] | Full name, as it should appear on a certificate | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-22T09:41:00.000Z | Photography | 13 to 17 | Aiyana Brooks | aiyana.brooks@example.com |
The first 6 of 37 columns. Export to CSV or Excel, or send each response to Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, Slack or a webhook as it arrives, all on the free plan. The answers above are made up.
What this form asks, and why
| Question | Why it is there |
|---|---|
| Category Required | Judges score within a category, so it comes first. |
| Age on [cut-off date] Required | Eligibility and division in one answer. |
| Full name, as it should appear on a certificate Required | Spelled as it should appear on a certificate. |
| Email Required | Results and prize contact. |
| Phone | Optional, for reaching a winner quickly. |
| School and year | School contests group and notify by school. |
| Title of your entry Required | For the judges’ sheet and the exhibition label. |
| Upload your entry Required | The online version of taping the work to the back of the form. |
| Medium or materials | Judges compare technique within a medium. |
| Size, if it is a physical piece | Optional, for hanging and for returning physical work. |
| Tell us about your work | A short artist’s statement, capped at a hundred words. |
| Did you use AI or other software to make this entry? Required | Contests now set rules about AI, so the answer is on record before judging. |
| Describe what the software did Required Only when “Did you use AI or other software to make this entry?” is Yes, to generate part of it | Shown only when software generated part of the work. |
| Original work Required | The one statement judges rely on. |
| Display and publication Required | A licence to show and publish the work. The entrant keeps the copyright. |
| Contest rules Required | Deadlines, one entry each, and the judges’ decision is final. Link yours. |
| If you win, may we use your name and photo in publicity? Required | Separate from the entry licence, so a winner can say no to having their photo used. |
| Signature Required | Confirms the statements above. |
| Parent or guardian’s name Required Only when “Age on [cut-off date]” is 5 to 8, 9 to 12 or 13 to 17 | For contacting a child entrant and for consent. |
| Parent or guardian’s email Required Only when “Age on [cut-off date]” is 5 to 8, 9 to 12 or 13 to 17 | Where results for a child entrant go. |
| Parent or guardian signature Required Only when “Age on [cut-off date]” is 5 to 8, 9 to 12 or 13 to 17 | A child’s entry and licence need an adult’s agreement. |
| Teacher or sponsor’s name and email | Optional here. Some contests send certificates through the teacher. |
What we left out
- Postal address. Paper entries went by post. Ask winners for an address after judging.
- Tax or Social Security numbers. Only winners of larger prizes may need one, for tax reporting. Collect it from them, never on the entry.
- Date of birth. Age on your cut-off date answers the eligibility question with less data. Ask winners for proof if your rules need it.
How the form changes as people answer
Most people see a shorter form. These questions and screens only appear when an answer calls for them.
-
When “Did you use AI or other software to make this entry?” is Yes, to generate part of it
shows “Describe what the software did”
-
When “Age on [cut-off date]” is 5 to 8, 9 to 12 or 13 to 17
shows “Parent or guardian”, “Parent or guardian’s name”, “Parent or guardian’s email”, “Parent or guardian signature”
Make it yours
-
One link per school or club
Add ?group=Riverside Primary to the link each school or club shares. The name is saved with each entry, so you can sort entries by group before judging.
-
One entry per person, closed on time
Prevent duplicates is set to the email question, and a repeat is asked to email you, since siblings may share one address. Set your deadline under Settings → Schedule.
-
Turn away generated work
If your rules ban generative AI, add a rule that ends the form when someone picks “Yes, to generate part of it”, on a thank-you screen that explains why.
Good practice and the law
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by country and state, so check anything important where you operate.
- US
A transfer of copyright is valid only in a signed writing. Word the rights box as a licence to show and publish, as this one is. 17 U.S.C. § 204
- UK
Paid entry plus prizes decided by chance is a lottery, so a paid-entry contest needs real judging. Gambling Act 2005, s 14
Questions about this template
Can I use it for a giveaway or a prize draw?
It is built for judged entries. A draw has different rules, and with paid entry it can count as a lottery.
How big can an uploaded entry be?
Up to 10 MB per file on the free plan, which suits a phone photo or a scanned page. Ask for a link for video.
Do adult entrants see the parent questions?
No. They appear only for the under-18 age groups. The school preset shows them to everyone.
Can I run a writing competition with it?
Pick “Writing” above the preview: poem, short story or essay, a word count, and uploads as PDF or Word.
Which form do you need?
The contest entry form is one of the registration & event forms. If it is not quite the job, one of these may be.
- Audition form template
When people perform live for a panel instead of sending finished work.
- Scholarship application form template
When you judge the applicant’s record and need, not one piece of work.
- Event registration form template
For the people coming to the exhibition or awards night.
Start with the contest entry form template
Open it in the editor, set your categories and age groups, and link your rules.
Updated 22 September 2026.