The Hope Prize

The Hope Prize welcomes submissions from writers worldwide on the themes of hope, courage, and resilience. You don’t need a publishing history or a degree in Creative Writing (although it’s great if you have one!). You just need a compelling story and the skill and courage to tell it well, and in your own voice.

Submissions can be fiction or nonfiction and must be between 2,000 and 5,000 words. The Hope Prize particularly encourages emerging and unpublished writers to submit their work. Entrants from across the world can apply.

The winning entry will receive a prize of $10,000 AUD. Second and third-place prizes are $2,000 AUD and $1,000 AUD, respectively. There is a submission fee of $30 AUD. All shortlisted writers will be published in the 2025 Hope Prize Anthology.

Submissions for the Hope Prize must be made by 31 October 2025.

The Voices We Need Program also provides a limited number of fee-free places to Hope Prize applicants who are directly affected by war, conflict, occupation, forced migration, statelessness, entrenched poverty, and systemic barriers.

The deadline for applications to the Voices We Need Program is 10 October 2025.

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Enquiries about submissions should be directed to the Hope Prize. Please always refer to their website for complete details and information. 

Please note, this call is run by the Hope Prize, not the Commonwealth Foundation.