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Adroit Prizes

The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose

A respected literary prize for secondary students, judged by working writers, with free entry available.

Run by The Adroit Journal

Official website Reviews and tips

Key facts

Eligible grades
All secondary and undergraduate students, including students who graduated a semester early.
The Adroit Journal does not publish numbered grade ranges. Undergraduates compete alongside high school students for the same two prizes.
Source, checked 2026-09-02
Recommended preparation
A portfolio of poetry or prose ready for outside judging
Why: Secondary and undergraduate students compete for the same two prizes and are judged against one another, so entries are read alongside college-level work.
Based on the standard of work the organiser describes.
The organiser publishes this as part of how you qualify or enter, so it is a real condition rather than our suggestion.
Eligible ages
Not confirmed. This organiser may set eligibility by grade rather than age. We do not convert one into the other.
No age limits are published.
Individual or team
Individual
Where it runs
Online · International
Entry cost
A non-refundable submission fee of $15 per submission.Financial assistance is available via a downloadable form on the Adroit Prizes page. Because students may make up to ten separate submissions, the cost can multiply; budget per submission, not per student.
Registration deadline
Set locally, not published as a single national date 2027 dates not published. For reference, the 2026 window ran 1 April to 1 May 2026, extended to 12 May 2026. Third-party listings quoting a 15 May deadline or a $13 fee are out of date.
Competition dates
Spring reading period, winners announced in the summer.
Difficulty
CompetitiveSerious preparation over a season. Advancing past the first round separates prepared students from unprepared ones.
Prizes
Two winners, one for poetry and one for prose, each awarded $200. Winners' and runners-up's work is featured in The Adroit Journal, and runners-up and finalists receive a copy of their genre judge's latest book.Winners receive publication in The Adroit Journal and a cash award. The recognition and publication are the substantive prize.

What Adroit Prizes is

The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose recognise secondary and undergraduate students, with winners and finalists published in The Adroit Journal. Judging is by established writers rather than teachers, which is unusual for a student prize and is why placement carries real weight in literary circles. Entry has historically been free or low cost with fee waivers available.

How the competition works

Each poetry submission may include up to five poems, maximum ten pages single-spaced. Each prose submission may include up to three works of fiction or creative nonfiction with a combined limit of 3,500 words; excerpts are acceptable. A student may make up to five separate poetry submissions and up to five separate prose submissions, ten in total. Simultaneous submissions to other contests and publications are allowed if disclosed in the cover letter, and work previously recognised by other organisations or featured in campus-wide publications is eligible. If work is accepted elsewhere, notify Adroit promptly through Submittable.

Eligibility notes

Open internationally to students currently enrolled in secondary school or as undergraduates. Check the current year's exact eligibility.

Is Adroit Prizes right for you?

Experience needed
Some. This is a literary prize judged by working writers, and the standard reflects that.
Time commitment
Whatever your writing practice requires, plus a careful selection and revision pass.
What you actually do
You submit finished poems or prose and wait. There is no event, no presentation, and no feedback beyond the result.

A good fit if

  • You write seriously and read contemporary literary magazines
  • You want recognition from working writers rather than educators
  • You want publication rather than a trophy

Probably not for you if

  • Students who have not read much contemporary poetry or prose, since the journal has a distinct aesthetic

Compare this against competitions matched to you

Common mistakes

  • Submitting without reading the journal. Literary magazines have aesthetics, and submissions that ignore them rarely place.
  • Sending recent work instead of best work. Revision matters more than freshness.
  • Not requesting a fee waiver when cost is a barrier, when one is available.

How to register

  1. Read recent issues of the journal, which are free online, to understand what it publishes.
  2. Prepare your strongest work rather than the most recent. Submissions are limited in number.
  3. Submit during the spring reading period through the journal's submission system.
  4. Request a fee waiver if cost is a barrier; the journal has offered them.

Register on the official site

What skills you need

  • Poetry or prose craft
  • Revision
  • Reading contemporary literary work
  • Selecting your own best work

Recommended resources

Past problems and materials

Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to enter?

The Adroit Journal has offered free entry and fee waivers for its student prizes. Confirm the current year's arrangement on the journal's site, and request a waiver if cost would otherwise stop you entering.

How do I know what they want?

Read the journal. It is free online, and its published work is the clearest possible statement of what its editors respond to. Submitting without reading it is the most common mistake.

Reviews, tips and resources from other students

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