The prize is free to enter and open to any citizen of a Commonwealth country aged 18 and over. It is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000–5,000 words).
Submissions should be made via the online entry form, which is available via the link above. The eligibility requirements and entry rules can be found here.
Writers have until 11.59pm GMT on 1 November 2025 to enter their story.
An international judging panel will select a shortlist of around twenty-five stories, from which five regional winners are chosen. One of the regional winners is then selected as the overall winner, who receives £5,000. The regional winners will receive £2,500. All five regional winning stories will be published on
Scroll down to find out more about the 2026 judging panel, read answers to frequently asked questions about the prize, including who can enter, how stories are judged and what languages we accept.
