Frequently Asked Questions
常見問題
A. Eligibility & Submission 參賽資格及提交方式
1. Who may enter the competition? 誰可參賽？
Forms 4–5 / Grades 10–11 / Years 11–12 students currently studying in Hong Kong. 現於香港就讀之中四及中五學生（或同等年級：Grades 10–11 / Years 11–12）。
2. How many entries may I submit? 每位參賽者可提交多少篇作品？
Each participant may submit one entry only, in either English or Chinese. Multiple submissions will result in disqualification.
每位參賽者只可提交一篇中或英文作品。如提交多於一篇作品，參賽資格將被取消。
3. Can teachers submit entries on behalf of a class or group? 老師可否代表班級或學校提交作品？
Yes. To support class-based or whole-school participation, teachers may submit student entries on behalf of their class or school by completing the official submission spreadsheet and emailing it to essay.competition@polyu.edu.hk on or before the submission deadline.
Alternatively, students may submit their fables individually via the online submission form.
為方便班級或全校參與，老師可使用指定的提交試算表，填妥後於截止日期或之前電郵至 essay.competition@polyu.edu.hk，代學生提交作品。
學生亦可選擇自行透過網上提交表格遞交作品。
4. What is the submission deadline? 何時截稿？
Entries must be submitted via the online form by 17 April 2026, 11:59 PM (HKT). Late submissions will not be accepted.
請於香港時間 2026年4月17日晚上 11:59 前透過網上表格提交作品，恕未能接受逾期投稿。
5. What should I do if I encounter technical issues during submission? 投稿期間遇到技術問題，應如何處理？
Please email essay.competition@polyu.edu.hk before the deadline, with screenshots if possible. Late submissions cannot be accepted under any circumstances.
投稿期間若遇到技術問題，請於截止日期前電郵至 essay.competition@polyu.edu.hk ，附上文稿及相關截圖，恕未能接受逾期投稿。
6. Can I revise my entry after submission? 提交後可否修改作品或個人資料？
No. Once submitted, entries cannot be edited, replaced, or withdrawn. Please review the information carefully before submission.
不可以。已投稿件及個人資料均不得修改、替換或撤回，投稿時請先再三核對填報內容。
B. Essay Format & Rules 作品格式及規則
7. What are the word limits? 字數限制是多少？
English: maximum 300 words
Chinese: 350 characters, including punctuation.
英文： 上限 300字；中文：上限 350字，標點符號計算在內。
8. May I use AI tools when editing my work? 可否使用人工智能工具編輯作品？
Yes. Limited use of AI tools is permitted for editing, language support, or idea development. However, the creation must clearly reflect the student’s personal voice and ideas. Entries found to be substantially AI-generated will be disqualified.
可以。參賽者可有限度使用 AI工具協助潤飾、修改或構思作品，惟作品必須清楚展現學生個人風格與思像。如作品被判定為主要由AI生成，獲奬資格會被取消。
9. Can I read winning entries from previous years for reference? 我可以參考往屆得獎作品嗎?？
Selected winning essays from the 2025 Competition are available here. Last year’s theme was “AI and Me”, which is different from this year’s theme, “Fables for the AI Era." You are welcome to read these essays to gain a general sense of writing quality, creativity, and originality. However, submissions should respond specifically to the current year’s theme and should not imitate the content, structure, or ideas of previous winning entries.
可以。2025 年比賽的部分得獎作品已於此處公開。請留意，去年的主題為「AI 與我」，與今年的主題「給 AI 世代寫的寓言故事」並不相同。你可參考往屆作品以了解寫作水準、創意表現及評審期望，但本屆作品必須回應今年的主題，亦不應模仿過往得獎作品的內容、結構或觀點。
10. How will the originality of my submission be assessed? 作品的原創性將如何評核？
We assess originality by considering whether the submission shows your own ideas, voice, and creative choices—for example, a distinctive plot, perspective, characters, setting, or moral. You may write an original fable or reinterpret a classic with a contemporary twist. However, the work should not be highly similar to other competition entries, nor should it appear substantially AI-generated. Submissions that fail to meet these requirements may be disqualified.
我們會從作品是否展現你自己的想法、聲音與創作取向來評核原創性，例如：獨特的情節、觀點、角色設定、背景安排或寓意。你可以提交原創寓言，亦可改寫經典寓言並加入當代視角，作品不應與其他參賽作品高度相似，亦不應主要由AI生成，違者可能會被取消資格。
C. Awards & Judging 獎項及評審
11. How is the School Award determined? 學校獎項如何評定？
The school submitting the highest number of valid entries will receive the HK$5,000 “AI Development Grant”. In the event of a tie, priority will be given to the school with higher average judging scores.
提交有效作品數量最多的學校將獲得 港幣 5,000元「AI發展基金」。若出現並列情況，奬項將頒發給平均分數較高的學校。
12. Who will receive certificates? 是否所有參賽者皆可獲大會頒發證書？
Certificates will be awarded to Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Merit Award recipients only. Certificates of Participation will be issued to eligible participants who have met the basic requirements for a qualified essay.
金、銀、銅獎及優異獎得主將獲頒證書。符合資格的參賽者若達到合格論文的基本要求，將獲發參賽證書。
13. When and how will the results be announced? 比賽結果何時及如何公佈？
Results were announced on the competition website on 10 June 2026. Award recipients have been notified via their schools. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award recipients will be invited to attend the Award Presentation Ceremony, scheduled for September 2026 (to be announced), where they will be formally recognised for their achievements. Formal invitations will be issued as soon as the ceremony arrangements are finalised.
比賽結果已於2026年6月10日在比賽網站上公佈。得獎者該透過其所屬學校獲得通知。金、銀、銅獎得主將獲邀出席預定於2026年9月舉行的頒獎典禮（詳情待公佈），屆時將正式表揚他們的優異成就。正式的邀請函將於頒獎典禮安排確定後盡快發出。
14. Will feedback be provided for submitted entries? 參賽者會收到評語嗎？
Due to the large number of submissions, individual feedback cannot be provided.
由於投稿數量眾多，恕未能提供個別評語。
15. May teachers supervise the writing process? 老師可否提供指導？
Yes. Teachers may supervise the student in the writing process. Please indicate the name of the supervising school teacher in the submission form.
可以。老師可督導學生完成創作，投稿時請註明督導老師姓名。
16. Will winning essays be published? 得獎作品會否公開發佈？
Yes. Selected winning essays may be published in print and/or electronically on University platforms, such as the competition website.
部分得獎作品或會以印刷及／或電子形式於大學平台（例如比賽網站）公開發佈。
17. Who owns the copyright of submitted works? 作品版權屬於誰？
Copyright of the submitted work remains with the student author. By submitting an entry, participants grant the organizer the right to reproduce, publish, and circulate the work for educational and promotional purposes, with appropriate attribution.
作品版權仍屬學生作者所有。投稿即表示參賽者同意主辦單位在註明作者身份的情況下，為教育及推廣用途刊印、發佈及展示作品。
D. Enquiries 查詢
18. How do I contact the organizing team? 大會聯絡方法為何？
Please email essay.competition@polyu.edu.hk, stating your name, school and contact method. We normally reply within five working days.
請電郵至 essay.competition@polyu.edu.hk，並註明姓名、學校名稱及聯絡方法。我們一般會於五個工作天內回覆。