Submissions for the 2027 Prize
The £25,000 British Academy Book Prize is now open to submissions for books that matter today and can change the way we see the world.
Key dates
Submissions for the British Academy Book Prize are currently open.
The deadline for submissions is 17:00 BST on 30 April 2026.
Before submitting an entry, please carefully read the changes for 2027 and the updated selection and eligibility criteria.
The Prize
The Prize is awarded by the British Academy, the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. Books are selected by a diverse group of specialists including Fellows of the Academy.
A shortlist of six books will be announced, followed by one overall winner. The winner receives a total prize of £25,000, and the shortlisted authors receive £1,000 each.
For translated books, the award will be split 70% to the author and 30% to the translator.
Changes for 2027
We want the British Academy Book Prize to have a greater impact with the public and the shortlist to engage new people. This year we are making two important changes:
- Books need to be directly relevant to the world today
- The winner will be announced in March 2027 (rather than in the autumn)
We are maintaining the same rigour for well-researched, well-written books as in the previous years, and adding that they must explore vital questions about humanity with direct relevance to the world today.
Selection criteria
The British Academy Book Prize rewards outstanding books in the humanities and social sciences that combine original thinking, high-quality research and exceptional storytelling.
Its purpose is to inspire people with a diverse range of authors whose work is essential to understanding humanity and can change how we see today’s world.
Matters: Is this book pertinent to today?
- Books that explore vital questions about humanity with direct relevance to the world now.
- Authors can do this by addressing contemporary debates — or could draw lessons from the past that illuminate current perspectives.
Transformative: Does this book offer original insights?
- Books that offer fresh ideas and new outlooks, encouraging readers to rethink our relationship with our world.
- Authors are thought leaders across the humanities and social sciences who ask bold questions and provide answers in imaginative ways. They challenge assumptions and reveal overlooked connections.
Readable: Will the reading public engage with this book?
- Books that tell powerful stories in a compelling, accessible way, that set out why they should be read.
- Authors who are first-class communicators whose work inspires new audiences and nurtures curiosity and debate.
Research: Is this book thoroughly researched?
- Books that explore complex issues through high-quality research, conveyed with authority and supported by compelling evidence and analysis.
- Authors consider different viewpoints and arguments. They establish nuanced conclusions that make lasting contributions to their subject and beyond.
Eligibility criteria
Main criteria
- Books that meet our selection criteria above, published in English in the UK, for the first time between 1 April 2025 and 30 April 2026 (‘eligibility period’).
- Books that have been first published outside the UK between 1 April 2024 and 30 March 2025 in any language will also be eligible if the date of UK publication is within the eligibility period.
- Books must have a recommended retail price no greater than £30 and be available to purchase at retail bookstores (in-store or online). This is to ensure they are affordable and easily accessible to the book-buying public.
The following types of books are not eligible:
- Fiction, poetry or plays
- Edited volumes (books consisting of chapters authored by different contributors).
- Self-published books
- Books that are only published in e-book or audio format and do not have an accompanying print edition.
- Children’s books
- Illustration or picture books
- Textbooks
- Graphic novels
Who can enter
- Authors can be of any nationality, based anywhere in the world and working in any language.
- Authors may submit their own books, although we recommend submitting through your publisher in the first instance.
- Publishers may nominate up to 10 titles per imprint.
- Previous winning or shortlisted authors can enter, provided the entry is for a different book.
- Authors must be living at the time of submission.
Where there are any doubts about eligibility, the Prize administrator will seek clarity from the publisher.
How to submit
The deadline for submissions is 17:00 BST, Thursday April 30, 2026.
Before making a submission, please ensure you have read and understood the new selection and eligibility criteria.
Books will not be considered unless all three steps are completed.
Step 1 - Complete the entry form
Fill out the online entry form for each book you are submitting.
Step 2 - Send us a PDF of the book
Upload your PDF using the link provided upon completing the entry form.
PDFs must not be password protected but may contain watermarks or copyright notices.
Step 3 - Send us a physical copy of the book
Post to: The British Academy (Book Prize Team), 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH, United Kingdom
Contact us
If you have any questions concerning eligibility, please email our Book Prize Team at [email protected]