The Sargeson Prize short story competition is now open for 2025 submissions.

Submission Guidelines

• The Open Division is open to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents aged 18 and over who are writing in English.
• New Zealanders living overseas are eligible to enter, and published and unpublished writers.
• Entries must be single stories, original, unpublished and no more than 5000 words.
• The Secondary Schools Division is open to students enrolled at a New Zealand secondary school or home-schooled students, aged between 16 and 18 years.
• Entries must be single stories, original, unpublished and no more than 3000 words.

Judge: Elizabeth Knox CNZM, DLitt Hons is the author of thirteen novels, three novellas, and a collection of essays.

Entry fee: Free to enter

Prizes for Open Division: First Prize: $15,000, Second Prize: $1,000, Third Prize: $500, and the winning stories will be published by Newsroom in its literary section.

Prizes for Secondary Division: First Prize: $2,000, Second Prize: $1,000, Third Prize: $500, and the winning stories will be published by Newsroom in its literary section.

Deadline: 30 June 2025

All details, all submissions via their website.