Australian Book Review welcomes entries to the 2026 Calibre Essay Prize, one of the world’s leading prizes for an original non-fiction essay. The prize – now worth a total of AU$10,000 – is open to all essayists writing in English. The winner will receive $5,000. The second prize is worth $3,000 and the third prize is worth $2,000.

We seek essays of between 2,000 and 5,000 words on any subject. We welcome essays of all kinds: personal or political, traditional or experimental.

This year the Calibre Essay Prize is judged by André Dao, Kate Fullagar, and Diane Stubbings. For more information about our judges, click here.

Good luck, and we look forward to receiving your essays!

Note: Please use the online entry form to submit your essay. Click here to find out information about past winners. Before contacting us with queries, see our Frequently Asked Questions and Terms and Conditions.