Best Poetry Contests for 2026
Updated November 2026 · Top 10 · Ranked automatically from live listings
This list ranks the best poetry contests currently open to entries — single-poem prizes, chapbook competitions, and full collection awards — ordered by prize size with free-to-enter contests ranked ahead of fee-based ones. Deadlines and entry fees are shown on every entry, and closed contests drop off automatically.
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2027 organization hidden — members only Poetry Prize (International)
The organization is awarding the organization Poetry Prize annually for first-edition poetry collections written in or translated into English by living poets from any country, with winners announced at the organization Poetry Prize Readings held in Canada…
$130,000 top prizeOpen · closes Dec 18Free to enter - 2
organization hidden — members only Prize for Poetry
The organization is offering the organization Prize for Poetry, awarding a substantial cash prize to one winner plus finalist awards, for poets who have not published a single-author book with a major publisher, with manuscripts-in-progress judged by editors…
$25,000Open · closes Jan 31, 2027Entry fee: from $30 - 3
Al and Eurithe organization hidden — members only Poetry Prize 2027
The Al and Eurithe the organization A-the organization Association is offering the Al and Eurithe the organization Poetry Prize, a $10,000 award for an outstanding book of poetry published in 2026 by an established Canadian poet with at least five…
$10,000 prizeOpen · closes Nov 24Free to enter - 4
2027 organization hidden — members only Rilke Prize
The organization is awarding the organization Rilke Prize to a mid-career poet for a poetry collection published in the preceding year, with the winner also receiving a reading and book signing at the organization in Fall 2027, open to poets who have…
$10,000Open · closes Nov 30Free to enter - 5
2027 RBC Bronwen Wallace Awards - Poetry
The organization awards the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for poetry to an unpublished or emerging Canadian poet, with the winner receiving a top prize and finalists receiving smaller honours, open only to Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have no…
$10,000Open · closes Dec 1Free to enter - 6
Kathleen Grattan Poetry Award
The organization is offering the Kathleen Grattan Poetry Award, a biennial prize for book-length poetry collections by New Zealand or South Pacific citizens or permanent residents, with a year's subscription to Landfall Tauraka included for the winning…
$10,000 NZDOpen · closes Jul 31, 2027Free to enter - 7
2027 Nossrat Yassini Poetry Prize
The Nossrat Yassini Poetry Prize, housed and managed by the University of New Hampshire's English Department, honours a first book by a US poet published in the previous calendar year with the winner receiving a headline reading at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry…
$10,000 + moreOpen · closes Dec 4Entry fee: $50 - 8
2027 OCM organization hidden — members only Prize for Caribbean Literature
The organization is offering the OCM the organization Prize for Caribbean Literature, recognizing literary books for adults in poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction by Caribbean writers, with a US$10,000 overall winner award presented at the festival in…
$10,000 top prizeOpen · closes Jan 4, 2027Entry fee: $50 - 9
Judith Wright Poetry Prize (non-subscribers)
The organization is offering cash prizes and publication through the Judith Wright Poetry Prize for New and Emerging Poets, supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, with all three winning poems published in the organization.
$6,000/ $2,000/ $1,000 AUDOpen · closes Dec 4Entry fee: $20 - 10
The organization hidden — members only Prize 2027 — Books of Fiction, Literary Nonfiction and Poetry
The organization is accepting entries for The organization Prize 2027, a national book prize honoring a full-length fiction, literary nonfiction, or poetry book first published in the United States in English during 2026, with the author receiving a…
$7,500Open · closes Nov 30Entry fee: $85
How this list works
This ranking is recomputed automatically from CozyJobs' live opportunity data — no editorial picks. Larger awards rank first, free-to-enter programs rank ahead of fee-based ones at the same award level, and the soonest deadlines break ties. Opportunities past their deadline drop off automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How much can you win in poetry contests?+
Single-poem prizes typically run $500–$5,000; chapbook and first-book prizes $1,000–$10,000 plus publication. The most prestigious awards matter beyond the money — a major prize or shortlist opens doors with journals, presses, and fellowships.
Should I enter poetry contests with entry fees?+
A $15–$25 fee is standard for prizes run by journals and presses (it funds the award, and often includes a subscription or copy of the winning book). Weigh fee against prize and prestige; free contests rank first on this list at the same award level.
How is this list ranked and how often does it update?+
Rankings are recomputed automatically from live data: larger awards first, then free-to-enter programs, then the soonest upcoming deadlines. Closed or past-deadline opportunities drop off automatically, so every entry is open at the time you're reading.
Does CozyJobs list opportunities with entry fees?+
Yes, contests and residencies with modest entry fees are included when the award justifies it, and each listing shows the fee up front. Free-to-enter opportunities are ranked ahead of fee-based ones at the same award level.
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