The University English Book Prize

About the Prize

University English honours scholars in English Studies by awarding its Book Prize for Outstanding First Manuscript at the UE Spring Conference and AGM every year, followed by a published short list. Nominations for the Book Prize bring together books that demonstrate academic rigour and original and high-quality research. The Book Prize is short listed and judged by the UE Executive Committee. The award date normally corresponds with the publication date. The University English Book Prize 2025 is now open for nominations of first books published in the period January to December 2025.

Details including eligibility criteria are available below with the nomination form.

• Eligible books must be single-authored and a first book-length publication. This includes monographs, scholarly editions, and textbooks in one of the two disciplines of Literature in English and English Language and Linguistics Studies. Creative Writing, translations and bibliographies are not eligible.
• Eligible books can be considered if nominated by a UE member (this includes self-nomination) and membership fees are up to date. Submissions are also eligible by UE member institutions on behalf of individuals where the majority of the research was undertaken. In all cases, membership fees need to be up to date.
• Nominations are made via the nomination form on this page, which includes the email address to which it should be sent.
• Submissions are to be made in PDF/e-book form and submitted electronically by the publisher or by the nominee. Only in exceptional circumstances will we accept hard copy submissions, and this must be by prior arrangement.
• Eligibility is determined by the date of publication given on the title page or title verso.

We are pleased to receive nominations for the next UE Book Prize as outlined above by the submission date of Monday 5th January 2026.

Click here to download the book prize entry form January-December 2025