Entry Guidelines for The Laurel Prize
Submissions for the 2025 Laurel Prize are open and will close at midnight BST, 1 May 2025
Prizes
This year there are five prizes:
First Prize will win £5,000.
Four additional finalists will receive £1,000 each.
Entries and Eligibility
Terms and Conditions
1) Collections of poetry must be submitted by the publisher.
2) Entries are open to all poets writing in the English language anywhere in the world.
3) 4 copies of each publication submitted must be sent to – Isy Mead, Poetry School Laurel Prize, Somerset House Exchange, Strand, London WC2R 1LA and 1 digital copy to [email protected].
4) All entries must have been published in English between 1 June 2024 and 1 May 2025. Translations from other languages are not eligible.
5) Entries from individual poets of their own work will not be accepted. This includes self-published collections, or collections that the poet has paid to have published.
6) Up to 6 books can be entered per publisher. All books should have clear resonance with the founding principles of the Laurel Prize, which can be found on Laurel Prize for Poetry in Association with Poetry School (scroll down and read Simon’s Quote).
7) Collections may be submitted in bound proof form if the final book is not available before the submission deadline, along with a digital copy of the manuscript.
8) Pamphlets are not eligible for the Laurel Prize. All collections should be more than 40 pages.
9) All works entered for the Laurel Prizes will also be considered for use by the Prize. This is a non-profit venture and it is therefore a condition of entry that publishers allow poems to be reproduced without payment of a fee, but with appropriate acknowledgements on our website, in our newsletter, in associated publications and on social media channels.
10) Anthologies or collections of works by more than one author are not eligible. Books aimed specifically at children are not eligible. Poems or collections of poetry must be written in English.
11) Work submitted on behalf of an author who is deceased at the date of publication of the work is not eligible.
12) Shortlisted and winning poets will be expected to be available for publicity around the awards and where possible to attend the ceremony. Poets may also be recorded at the ceremony or for promotion of the Prizes. The Prize will not pay international travel expenses.
13) Publishers must share with The Laurel Prize contact details of the shortlisted poets within a week of request.
14) Please check the date and eligibility guidelines carefully. Any work that does not meet the rules will be disqualified. The Laurel Prize’s decision on the eligibility of an entry is final and binding.
15) No collection of poetry entered for The Laurel Prize will be returned.
16) Shortlisted and longlisted winners will be contacted via the publisher ahead of public announcements. The publisher and author will honour any embargoed news as directed by The Poetry School.
17) All entries must be accompanied by one application form per publication submission using this form.
18) Payment for entries @ £25 per publication (not per copy of book), to be paid by bank transfer to:
The Poetry School,
Sort Code: 40-52-40
Account Number: 00016797
For payments from outside of the UK, please use our SWIFT/BIC/IBAN details accordingly:
Correspondent (SWIFT/BIC code): MIDLGB22XXX
Correspondent banker’s name and address: HSBC, City Corporate Banking Centre, 60 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4N 4TR
Beneficiary bank SWIFT: CAFBGB21XXX
IBAN: GB22CAFB40524000016797
Beneficiary’s bank name and address:
CAF Bank, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
If you are unable to make a bank transfer for any other reason, please email [email protected] with [email protected] copied in.
If you have questions about the guidelines, please contact Jasmine Ward, [email protected].