A List of International Open Poetry Competitions with max. Line Counts, Deadlines & Entry Fees
The 40 competitions below are open internationally to adults living anywhere in the world, writing in English. Prizes are for single poems or a group of poems (no full collections or pamphlets). Top prizes are at least 1000 cash in the local currency, many are higher. Max. line counts, rough deadlines and entry fees are all listed, along with links to rules and entry info. Themes are stated where applicable. I'll be updating this list as and when I get new information. If you know a competition that belongs on this list, drop it in a comment.
Are you preparing to submit a poem to a competition? I offer professional critique services to help you polish your poems and get them competition ready. Services start from as little as £25 for a single poem. Find out more.
Need ideas? Try a downloadable short course or set of poetry prompts to get you inspired.
The Bridport Prize for Poetry
No theme
First prize: £5,000
Second prize: £1,000
Third prize: £500
And publication in the prize anthology
Ten Highly Commended prizes: £100 each
Entry fee: £13
Max line count: 42
Deadline typically at the end of May
Cafe Writers Poetry Competition
No theme
1st £1000
2nd £300
3rd £200
Three Commended Prizes of £30
Norfolk Prize £50
Entry fee: £5
Max line count: 40
Deadline typically mid-November
The Moth Poetry Prize
No theme
First Prize €6,000
3 Runner-up Prizes €1,000
8 Commended Prizes €250
Entry fee: €17
No max line count
Deadline typically at the end of December
The Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize
Theme changes annually, see website for up-to-date info
First place: £3,000
Second place: £1,000
Third place: £1,000
Entry fee: £10
Max word limit: 500
Deadline typically end of March
The Rialto Nature & Place Poetry Competition
Theme: nature and place
First Prize £1000
Second Prize £500
Third Prize £250
Entry fee: £7
Max lines: 40
Deadline typically beginning of April
The Poetry London Prize
No theme
First Prize: £5,000
Second Prize: £2,000
Third Prize: £1,000
Winning poems are published in Poetry London magazine
Entry Fee: £10
Max lines: 80
Deadline typically end of June
Rattle Poetry Prize
No theme
First Prize $15,000
Ten finalists $500 and edibility to the $5000 Readers' Choice Award
All winners published in the winter issue of the magazine
Entry fee: a one-year subscription to Rattle (or a one-year extension for subscribers) at the regular $30 rate.
No max line count
Deadline typically mid-July
Mslexia Women's Poetry Competition (single poem)
No theme, women entrants only
First Prize £2,000,
Second Prize £500
Third Prize £250
Plus publication in Mslexia
Entry fee: £12
No max line limit
Deadline typically beginning of December
The National Poetry Competition
No theme
First prize £5,000
Second prize £3,000
Third prize £2,000
Commended prizes £500
Entry: £9
Max lines: 40
Deadline typically end of October
Montreal prize
No theme, this prize runs once every two years
First Prize $20,000 CAD
Entry fee: $25 CAD for a first entry during the early entry period
$28 CAD for a first entry during the later entry period
Max lines: 40
Deadline tyoically mid-May
Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
No theme
TOM HOWARD PRIZE $3,500 for a poem in any style or genre
MARGARET REID PRIZE $3,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style
The top two winners will also receive two-year gift certificates from our co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value)
Honorable Mentions: 10 awards of $500 each (any style)
Top 12 entries published online
Entry Fee: $25
Max lines: 250
Deadline typically beginning of October
The Oxford Poetry Prize
No theme
First Prize £2000
Second Prize £1000
Third Prize £500
Entry fee: £10
Max lines: 60
Deadline typically end of August
Magma Prizes
No theme, Magma holds two poetry competitions each year
The Judge’s Prize
Max lines: 11-50
Editors’ Prize
Max lines: 10
First prizes £1000
Second prize £300
Third prize £150
Rules
Entry fee £5
Deadline typically end of January
Aesthetica Prize
No theme but the award is for experimental or innovative poetry
First Prize £2,500
And:
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology
Two Online Masterclasses from Arvon
One-year print subscription to Granta
One-year digital subscription to Mslexia
Six-Week Online Course from Curtis Brown Creative
A course from the Poetry School
Full membership to The Poetry Society
Full membership to Litopia
One-year Deluxe Subscription to The London Magazine
Max lines: 40
Entry fee: £12
Deadline usually end of August
Ledbury Poetry Competition
No theme
First Prize £1000 and a week’s poetry course with Arvon
Second Prize £500
Third Prize: £250
Winners will be invited to perform their work at Ledbury Poetry Festival 2027.
Max lines: 40
Entry Fee: £6
Deadline usually the end of July
Palette Poetry Ekphrastic Prize
Theme: visual art
First Place $3,000, publication, and an interview in Palette Poetry
Second Place $300 and publication
Third Place $200 and publication
Max lines: up to three poems, totalling no more than 10 pages combined
Entry fee $20
Deadline usually end of August
The Blake Poetry Prize
Theme: faith, spirituality, religion and/or belief. This prize runs biennially.
First Prize $5000 AU
Entry fee: $30
Max lines: 100
Deadline usually mid December
Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
No theme
Note: open to writers worldwide who have not yet published or signed a contract for a book-length work in their entered category (fiction, life writing, or poetry)
First prize £1000
All winners and shortlisted writers will be offered the Chapter and Verse or Free Reads mentoring scheme in partnership with The Literary Consultancy (dependent on eligibility), and a one-year print subscription to Wasafiri.
Rules are made available close to the opening of submissions.
Entry fee: £12
Max lines: no more than 6 pages
The Fish Poetry Prize
No theme
First Prize €1,000
Second and third prizes are an online writing Course online
The top 10 poems will be published in the Fish Anthology
Entry fee: €12
Max lines: 60
Deadline end of March
Jeffrey E. Smith Editors' Prize from The Missouri Review
No theme
First Prize $5,000
Publication in the spring issue
Social media promotion
Entry Fee: $25
Max lines: 6 to12 pages
Deadline usually the beginning of October
The Charles Causley International Poetry Competition
No theme
First prize: £1,000
And a week-long writing residency at Cyprus Well
Second prize: £200
Third prize: £100
All podium winners also receive passes to the Launceston Poetry Festival
Rules will be announced here as they come available
Entry fee: £7.50
Max lines: 40
Deadline typically between early January and Later February
The Peter Porter Poetry Prize
No theme
First prize AU$6,000
Shortlisted poems: AU$1,000
Entry fee: AU$30
Max lines: 60
Deadline usually the end of October
Boulevard Poetry Contest for Emerging Poets
No theme
Note: open only to poets who have not yet published a nationally distributed book of poetry
First prize: $1,000
Publication
A one-year print subscription to Boulevard
Entry fee: $18
No max line limit but only 3 poems must be entered
Deadline typically beginning of June
Lemonlight Prize
No theme
First Prize $2,000
Rules made available here nearer the submission period
Entry fee: $15
No line limit, submit a maximum of 5 poems
Deadline typically the 1st of June
The Winchester Poetry prize
No theme
First Prize £1000
Second Prize £500
Third Prize £250
Entry fee £7
Max lines: 40
Deadline typically end of July
Poetry International Cavafy Prize
No theme
First prize $1000
Entry fee $15
No max line limit
Deadline typically beginning of December
Poetry International Prize
No theme
First Prize $1000
Entry fee $15
No max line limit
Deadline typically end of May
Swamp Pink Prize for Poetry
No theme
First Prize $2000
Entry fee: $20
No line limit, submit 1-3 poems
Deadline typically end of January
Slippery Elm Poetry Prize
No theme
First Prize $1000
Entry fee: $15
No line limit, submit 1-3 poems
Deadline typically beginning of February
Frontier Poetry
No theme
First Prize $5000
Entry fee: $20
No line limit, submit up to 3 poems totalling no more than 12 pages
Deadline typically mid-July
The Iowa Review Awards
No theme
Frist Prize $1,500 and publication in Iowa Review
Entry fee: $20
No line limit, submit up to 10 pages of poetry (one poem or several, but no more than one poem per page)
Deadline end of January
Omnidawn Single Poem Broadside Poetry Contest
No theme
First Prize: $1,000
Publication of the winning poem as a broadside
20 free copies of the broadside
Publication of the winning poem in the Omnidawn newsletter.
Entry Fee: $14
No line limit but the poem should fit on one 8 x 11 page for a broadside. Type size can vary.
The Caterpillar Poetry Prize
Theme: poetry for children aged 7-11
First Prize €1,000
Plus a week at The Moth Retreat
Second Prize €500
Third Prize €250
The winning poems are published in the Irish Times online.
Entry fee €16
No max line limit
Deadline usually end of March
Yeats Poetry Prize
No theme
First Prize $1,000
Second Prize $500
Winners also receive a commemorative wall plaque, a two-year membership in the WB Yeats Society of NY, and their winning poems are published in the judge’s report, which is posted on the society’s website.
Entry fee: $15
Max line length: 60
Deadline usually beginning of February
Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition
No theme
First Prize €2,000
Second Prize €500
Third Prize €250
Ten runners-up €50
Entry fee: €7 per poem
Max lines: 40
Deadline typically end of November
Guernsey International Poetry Competition
No theme.
First Prize £1,000
Entry fee: £5
Max lines: 14
Deadline typically mid-January
Wells Festival of Literature Open Poetry Competition
No theme
First Prize £1,000
Second Prize £500
Third Prize £250
Additional £100 Local-poet Prize
Entry Fee: £8
Maz lines: 40
Deadline typically end of June
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Theme: humour
First Prize $2,000
Second Prize $750
Third Prize $350
Ten honourable mentions $200 each
Entry Fee: free
Max lines: 250
Deadline typically beginning of April
The Moth Nature Writing Prize
Theme: nature
First Prize €1,000 + one week at The Moth Retreat
Second Prize €500
Third Prize €250
Entry fee: €16
Max lines: Up to 4000 words, submit only one poem
Deadline typically end of September
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