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Best Poetry Contests for 2026

Updated July 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.

  1. 1
    Winning Writers

    Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

    Winning Writers is offering the Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest with separate categories for contemporary and traditional/rhyming poetry, accepting published and unpublished work from poets at any career stage

    $3,500 first prize per category ($12,000 total)Deadline: Oct 1, 2026Entry fee: $25
  2. 2
    Texas Review Press

    X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize

    Texas Review Press is offering publication of a full-length poetry collection and a residency at Vermont Studio Center for poets, with recent judges including Diane Seuss, Richard Blanco, Kimiko Hahn, Kazim Ali, and Maggie Smith

    $10,000 + publication + residencyDeadline: Sep 30, 2026Free to enter
  3. 3
    Changes

    Changes – The Changes Book Prize

    Changes is accepting submissions for The Changes Book Prize recognizing outstanding poetry collections

    10,000Deadline: Oct 1, 2026Entry fee: Free
  4. 4
    Otago University Press

    Kathleen Grattan Poetry Award

    Otago University Press 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…

    NZ$10,000Deadline: Jul 31, 2027Free to enter
  5. 5
    TRP: The University Press of SHSU

    The X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize

    TRP: The University Press of SHSU is offering The X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize, which provides a book contract with advance, a residency fellowship at Vermont Studio Center, and 10 copies of the published book for poets at any career stage submitting…

    $10,000 advance + Vermont Studio Center residency fellowshipDeadline: Sep 30, 2026Entry fee: $28.00
  6. 6
    Granum Foundation

    Granum Foundation – Granum Foundation Prize; Granum Foundation Translation Prize

    Granum Foundation is accepting submissions for the Granum Foundation Prize and Granum Foundation Translation Prize, recognizing excellence in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translation with no entry fee

    5,000Deadline: Aug 1, 2026Entry fee: Free
  7. 7
    Aesthetica Magazine

    Aesthetica Magazine – Creative Writing Award

    Aesthetica Magazine is accepting submissions for their Creative Writing Award, recognizing excellence in fiction and poetry

    £5,000 total (£2,500/category)Deadline: Aug 31, 2026Entry fee: Entry Fee
  8. 8
    University of Arkansas Press

    University of Arkansas Press – Miller Williams Poetry Prize

    University of Arkansas Press is accepting poetry submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Prize

    $5,000 + publicationDeadline: Sep 30, 2026Entry fee: Entry Fee
  9. 9
    Dzanc Books

    Dzanc Books – Prize for Fiction; Short Story Collection Competition; Poetry Prize

    Dzanc Books is accepting submissions across fiction and poetry for their Prize for Fiction, Short Story Collection Competition, and Poetry Prize

    5,000Deadline: Oct 1, 2026Entry fee: $25.00
  10. 10
    The Missouri Review

    Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize — $5,000 in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

    The Missouri Review is accepting submissions for their Jeffrey E.

    $5,000 per category (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)Deadline: Oct 1, 2026Entry fee: $25 (includes one-year digital subscription; $30 all-access option)
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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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