A contestant must be a student enrolled for credit in a League for Innovation institution at least one semester of the 2009-2010 academic year. Enrollment must be verified by the local competition coordinator.

Entries must be original works written during the student's enrollment in credit courses at the college. Each entry MUST have the signature of a sponsoring faculty member.

Winning entries from League board member college competitions will, in turn, be entered in the national competition.

The League for Innovation invites each college or district in the League to participate in the Student Literary Competition and submit one entry in each of the following categories:

Poetry, Personal Essay, One Act Play, Short Story