Win £5,000 in the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2026
Applications are now open for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2026. Writers from Commonwealth countries can send in unpublished stories before 1 November 2025. The prize offers cash awards and international recognition, read on for full details.
The Commonwealth Short Story Prize has returned for the 2026 edition. It is one of the few contests that invites writers from across the Commonwealth, no matter how small their town or how quiet their publishing scene. Started in 2012, it quickly became a magnet for unheard voices. Each year, thousands of entries arrive, anywhere between six to seven thousand stories, from almost every one of the 54 Commonwealth countries.
The focus is on unpublished fiction. The organisers want fresh voices, those who may have little access to publishing houses, those writing from the edge of maps or from places that rarely get a hearing.
Behind it all is Commonwealth Writers, the cultural arm of the Commonwealth Foundation, which connects storytellers and lets personal stories travel far beyond their borders.
Prize structure of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Here is what is on offer:
- Five winners, one from each region of the Commonwealth.
- Each regional winner receives £2,500.
- From those five, one overall winner is chosen and awarded £5,000.
- All five winning stories will be published by Granta, a highly regarded literary magazine.
That is the heart of it, money plus reach, a push for both recognition and readership.
Who can enter the Commonwealth Short Story Prize
The rules are clear but worth spelling out:
- You must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country or a stateless person currently living in one.
- Dual citizens are judged in the region where they live permanently.
- You must be 18 years or older on 1 November 2025.
- Previous overall winners cannot enter again. Writers who have won the regional prize three times are also excluded.
- Staff of the Commonwealth Foundation cannot take part.
- The story must be unpublished and stay unpublished in any language until at least 1 May 2026.
- If the story has won or been shortlisted elsewhere but has not been published, it is still eligible.
In the end, the ruling of the prize chair on eligibility is final, no back-and-forth after that.
Regions covered in the Commonwealth Short Story Prize
The prize spreads across five main regions:
- Africa: from Nigeria to Rwanda, South Africa to Sierra Leone, and others, including overseas territories like Saint Helena.
- Asia: countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Bangladesh.
- Canada and Europe: includes Canada, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, and Malta.
- Caribbean: covers Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, and more islands.
- Pacific: from Australia and New Zealand to Fiji, Samoa, and smaller islands like Tuvalu.
It is broad, touching writers across continents and oceans.
Deadline for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize
The last moment to submit is 11.59 pm GMT on 1 November 2025. That is the cut-off. Late entries will not count, so best not to gamble with the date.
How to submit to the Commonwealth Short Story Prize
The steps are simple:
- Prepare your unpublished story.
- Make sure it fits the rules on length and originality.
- Head to the Commonwealth Short Story Prize entry page and submit online.
No fee is charged, the door is wide open.
Why this matters
The prize is not just about cash. It is about voices that might never have been heard outside their street, their village, or their town. For some, this is the stage where their words take flight. For others, it is the start of a writing life. Either way, the prize has become a signal to new writers that their work has value.
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