FeaturedConfirm dates
Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Commonwealth Foundation
Typical close 31 Jan 2027
Deadline
31 January 2027
Entry fee
Free
Region
Commonwealth
Age
18+
Length
Typically 2,000–5,000 words
Short story18+Free to enter
The prize
£5,000 overall; regional winners (historically £2,500)
Who can enter
Citizens of Commonwealth countries. Unpublished short fiction. Regional winners plus an overall winner.
About
The leading free prize for unpublished short fiction from the Commonwealth, with regional winners from Africa, Asia, Canada & Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The 2027 prize was postponed; entries are expected in January 2027. Confirm on the Foundation site.
Dates follow the typical annual cycle. Confirm current deadlines on the official site before preparing an entry.