Do you want your words to cross borders, touch hearts, and win international recognition? Then the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2026 is exactly what you need. 

This opportunity is for writers from all over the Commonwealth to showcase their talent on a global platform. This prize is more than just an award; it is a celebration of storytelling, creativity and the rich diversity of voices from around the world.

Last year, Faria Basher from Bangladesh won the Asia regional award for her short story An Eye and a Leg, becoming the first Bangladeshi writer to achieve this honour. Her work was a darkly humorous and surreal take on the expiring South Asian woman. Through her work, she demonstrated the power of local culture with a touch of macabre. 

Could it be you next year? Could your story be the one that inspires readers across continents? If so, then this is what you need to know: 

The 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize opens for submissions on 1 September 2025, closing on 1 November 2025. It is open to any citizen of a Commonwealth country aged 18 or over. 

Your story must be unpublished in any print or online publication, except on your personal websites. The word count should be between 2,000 and 5,000. The genre is pretty flexible. As long as it is a short story, you can write literary fiction, romance, historical fiction, science fiction, speculative fiction, crime or any other type of short story.

The stories can be submitted in the following languages – Bengali, Chinese, Creole, English, French, Greek, Malay, Mattese, Portuguese, Samaon, Swahili, Tamil and Turkish. If your story is translated into English, the translator will also receive additional prize money. So, no need to worry if your English is not good but writing is. Go on and submit your story in Bengali.

The submission process is simple. Entries are made via the online entry form, which will be available on the Commonwealth Short Story Prize website from 1 September 2025. 

After the submission, the stories are read by a team of dedicated readers and assessed by an international judging panel. Around twenty five stories are shortlisted, from which five regional winners are chosen. One of these regional winners is then selected as the overall winner.

Winners receive significant recognition. The overall winner receives £5,000, while the regional winners receive £2,500 each. Their stories are published online by Granta and in a special print collection by Paper + Ink. If your story is translated into English and wins, the translator receives an additional £750. And if you have any questions about your submission, you can email them to [email protected].

Key dates to remember:

• Submission from 1 September to 1 November 2025
• The shortlist will be revealed in April 2026
• Regional winners will be announced in May 2026
• The overall winner will be announced in June 2026, and so will the award ceremony.

If you are a writer, the opportunities are abundant. This is the perfect opportunity for you to let your story be heard, to let your talent be celebrated and let your culture shine.

Therefore, do not wait. Start writing, submit, and let your story shine.