The BBC National Short Story Award ($15,000)

£15,000 prize for writers

The BBC National Short Story Award 2026 with Cambridge University is now open for submissions. Organized by the BBC in partnership with Cambridge University, the prestigious award celebrates excellence in short fiction and offers a £15,000 prize for the winning story.

Four additional shortlisted writers will each receive £600, and BBC Radio 4 will broadcast their stories. Also, BBC will publish winning stories in an anthology.

If you’re a writer with a strong publication record and a compelling story to tell, this competition offers a major platform for recognition.

Prize

• £15,000 for the winning short story
• £600 for each of four shortlisted writers
• Shortlisted stories will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4
• Shortlisted stories will also be published in an anthology

Entry Dates

• Submissions open: 9:00 AM (GMT), Wednesday 14 January 2026
• Deadline: 9:00 AM (GMT), Monday 16 March 2026

Eligibility Requirements for the BBC National Short Story of Award

Writers must meet the following criteria to enter:

• Must be British nationals or UK residents, including the Isle of Man and Channel Islands
• Must be 18 years or older by the submission deadline
• Must have a prior record of publication in creative writing in the UK

Eligible prior publications include:

• Books published by an established UK publisher
• Work published in recognized newspapers, magazines, or journals
• Work broadcast by a UK national broadcaster

The following do not qualify as prior publication:

• Self-published work
• Personal blogs or websites
• Writing published on community platforms
• Work pending publication

Submission Guidelines for the BBC National Short Story Award

Authors must follow these formatting and submission requirements:

• Maximum word count: 8,000 words
• Language: English (or Welsh/Gaelic with translation)
• One entry per author
• Manuscript must be:
  • Typed
  • Double-spaced
  • 12-point font (any style)
  • Without page numbers
  • Without the author’s name in the document

Include a front page containing:

• Title of the story
• Word count

The story must be saved as a PDF file with the story title as the filename.

Story Eligibility

Submitted stories must:

• Be original and entirely the author’s work
• Not have been previously submitted to earlier editions of the award
• Be unpublished, or first published on or after 1 January 2025
• Be suitable for broadcast on BBC Radio 4

The award does not allow the use of generative AI tools in the creation or development of submissions.

Judging Process

Entries go through several stages of evaluation:

1. Initial screening by expert readers
2. A longlist of around 50 stories is created
3. Judges review the longlisted entries
4. Five stories are shortlisted
5. Judges select the winning story from the shortlist

Judging focuses on:

• Quality of prose
• Narrative voice
• Originality

Announcement Dates

• Shortlist announcement: Expected 10 September 2026
• Winner announcement: Expected 29 September 2026

How to Submit

Writers must complete the official entry form and upload their story through the BBC submission portal.

Tips for Strengthening Your Submission

See this guide on understanding sentence rephrasing in creative writing.

These five tips on holding attention in a short story can help writers keep readers invested from beginning to end.