Writing prizes

* The closing date for all writing prizes is Sunday 1st March 2020 at 5pm.

* Entries will open on Monday 3rd February 2020. Information on how to submit entries will be posted on this page during January 2020.

* Every entrant must meet the eligibility requirements for the prize. By entering, you agree that your eligibility will be verified. Entries will be withdrawn from consideration if the entrant cannot prove eligibility.

* The decision of the judge is final. The judge reserves the right not to award a prize.

* No work which has previously been published, broadcast, or accepted for publication, including online (this includes publication on blogs or social media), is eligible.

* Copyright will remain with the competitor but the University of Edinburgh reserves the right to arrange the first publication as it sees fit.

* Submission of work implies the entrant's acceptance of the conditions set out above.

* All entrants will be notified by the beginning of April 2020.

* A list of frequently asked questions can be found at the bottom of this page.

This prize, estimated value £900, is awarded to a matriculated student of the University of Aberdeen or the University of Edinburgh.

The theme for 2020 is “rent” (any meaning or interpretation of the word is acceptable).

Candidates must use any recognised verse form other than free verse, and submit a poem/series of poems totalling no more than 80 lines. The title is not included in the line count. Prose, including prose poems, is not eligible.

Past winners

This prize, estimated value £1,500, is awarded annually for a prose or verse composition in Lowland Scots vernacular to a matriculated student of the University of Edinburgh, or to a graduate of the University of Edinburgh of less than three years’ standing.

Competitors must include a statement about the particular dialect in which their composition is written; accuracy in the use of the chosen dialect will be a factor in determining the award (along with the literary and imaginative interest of the composition).

Entries may be in either poetry or prose (fiction). Poetry submissions must be no more than 80 lines; prose submissions must be no longer than 3000 words. The title is not included in the line/word count.

I am honoured to have won the Sloan Prize for 2019. I was surprised, and indeed overwhelmed, when I received the news, and it truly means a lot to me. I think it is amazing that the award celebrates literature in various lowland dialects, and gives significant value to the languages that we learn growing up, and speak in our everyday lives.

This prize was established in memory of Lewis Edwards, who died while a student of English Literature at the University of Edinburgh. It is open to any matriculated undergraduate student of the University.

The award, approximate value £1400, is offered for a composition in English verse (including free verse) or prose (fiction). Poetry submissions must be no more than 80 lines; prose (fiction) submissions must be no longer than 3000 words. The title is not included in the line/word count.

Can I enter more than one prize?

You may enter every prize you are eligible for. If you’re eligible for all three, then you can enter all three.

How many pieces can I enter?

You may enter one piece per prize. (If your entry is a string of smaller pieces, such as a sonnet sequence or multiple haiku, they will be considered as a single entry.)

Can I enter the same piece for multiple prizes?

Yes. Each prize will be judged separately.  

What are the eligibility requirements?

For any prize which uses “current student” as a criteria, you must be a matriculated student on the day of the prize submission deadline (21 February 2020) and you must not be on a leave of absence. “Graduate of three years’ standing” means you must be within three years of the date of your degree was conferred. Entrants may be asked to provide evidence of student status and/or degree date. If they cannot provide this, the entry will be withdrawn from consideration. No one will be considered to have won a prize unless their eligibility is confirmed.

How do I submit my entry?

Please check back in January 2020 for this information.

Who will judge the prizes?

The overall judge will be the University of Edinburgh’s writer in residence, Tracey S. Rosenberg. (For this reason, she cannot provide feedback on work being submitted for a prize.) She may be assisted by members of Edinburgh University staff.

If I win, how will I receive my prize money?

You’ll be contacted and asked to provide banking details to the finance team. Prize money will likely be deposited into your bank account by BACS.

Will we learn who’s been shortlisted, or only the winner?

Shortlists may be announced. Only the winners will receive prize money.

Will there be a ceremony for the winners?

There have been prize ceremonies in the past, so it is very likely! 

What if I have other questions?

Email Tracey S. Rosenberg