Is it haram to write essays for other students?

Yes, writing essays that other students hand in as their own work is haram, whether you're paid or not. It's a form of cheating and deception, and money earned from it isn't clean income. Tutoring, proofreading within the rules and teaching study skills are halal alternatives.

Why it's not allowed

An essay is meant to show what that student knows. When you write it for them, the teacher, the university and future employers are all deceived. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever cheats us is not one of us" (Sahih Muslim 101). You aren't only helping one person cheat; you're helping them gain a grade, and maybe a degree, they didn't earn. See Is it haram to cheat on exams?

What about the money?

"Essay mill" work can pay well, which makes it tempting for students short on cash. But Islam cares about how money is earned, not just how much. Allah says:

وَلَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ "And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly." Quran 2:188

The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah is Good and accepts only what is good (Sahih Muslim 1015). If you've earned money this way in the past, scholars advise repenting and giving that amount away to charity, without expecting reward for it, to clean your wealth.

It's also illegal in some places

In England, the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 made it a criminal offence to provide or advertise contract cheating services for students in further and higher education. Several US states and other countries have similar laws, and students caught submitting bought work can be expelled. So beyond the religious side, you'd be putting yourself and your clients at real risk.

Halal ways to use your writing skills

Tutoring: teach students how to plan, structure and reference their own essays.
Proofreading: fix spelling and grammar where the university's proofreading policy allows it, without rewriting the ideas.
Writing your own content: blogging, copywriting, editing for businesses, or ghostwriting where it's openly accepted, like speeches or company blog posts.
Peer mentoring: many universities pay students to help in writing centres.

The same principle covers AI tools; see Can I use AI to write my school or work assignments as a Muslim?

If you've already done it

Stop taking new orders, make sincere tawbah, and deal with the money as above. Allah forgives those who turn back to Him, and new Muslims start with a clean slate for what came before Islam. See Are all my sins forgiven when I become Muslim?

Key points

Writing essays for others to submit is cheating and deception.
Money earned from it isn't halal income.
It's illegal in England and some other places.
Tutoring, allowed proofreading and honest writing jobs are good alternatives.

Tip: If you're good at essays, ask your university's writing centre or careers service about paid peer-tutor roles. You get the income and the reward of helping people learn.