The University of Sydney offers its students an impressive range of literary prizes that recognize written work (essays, poems and plays). Most prizes are based on academic merit without needing an application; however some awards require students to apply in order to be considered; these could include cash awards or academic record entries.
The Sidney Cox Memorial Prize is an undergraduate student writing award given each year to those whose essays or short stories best meet the high standard set forth by Professor Sidney Cox of Sydney University English Department and embody his high ideals of truthfulness and integrity. These must be submitted in English language with any subject matter permitted as long as writers exhibit high skill, imagination, originality, and unpublished status.
Jafar Panahi won the top prize at the 72nd Sydney Film Festival for his film It Was Just an Accident, presented in an unconventional manner – judges stepping off stage at State Theatre and into the audience to present him with his trophy. Panahi received this recognition mere weeks after winning Cannes’ Palme d’Or prize.
Floodland won the Sustainable Future award of $26,000 (A$40,000). Debutant director Shalom Almond won Documentary Australia prize with Songs Inside, detailing how learning music helped incarcerated women in Sydney get back on their feet after release from prison.
Steven Fraser has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Sol Stetin Prize for Labor History. This prestigious prize, named in honour of its namesake and intended to encourage scholarship that highlights working people’s contributions, honors their memory with this distinction.
The 2024 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize, supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation and Overland, has been announced! Our prize winner will receive $5,0000 as well as having their story published in our autumn issue. In addition, two runners-up will each be presented with $750 awards.
Other prizes and fellowships offered include the Leonardo da Vinci Medal, Melvin Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship, Joan Cahalin Robinson Prize, Sidney Edelstein Prize, Abbot Payson Usher Prize and Bernard S. Finn IEEE History Prize – please check our various prize pages for details about applying.
As part of our ongoing efforts to update prize pages, nominations will soon be open for Sidney Edelstein Prize, Sally Hacker Prize, Eugene S. Ferguson Prize, Joan Cahalin Robinson Prize and Abbot Payson Usher Prizes. Until that happens, see past winners on Sydney Taylor Book Award page; these lists will be refreshed again early May; alternatively follow our twitter feed to stay abreast with news as it happens – please keep your patience as all nominations must be in by 30 June 2025! Thank you for being part of our community! All nominations must be received by 30 June 2025!