Literary Prizes

Previously known as 'Prize Compositions', Literary Prizes have a long history at the University of Sydney with many of them dating from bequests left to the University at the beginning of the last century, bringing a sense of tradition to the awards.

The Scholarships & Prizes Office accepts entries from June until late August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet. The exact closing date will be specified on this form, which can be downloaded from the Current Scholarship Opportunities page of our website during the application period each year.

Adrian Consett Stephen Memorial Prize

Beauchamp Prizes

Earle Page Constitutional Prize

Frederick Lloyd Memorial Prize

H.M. Moran Prize

Henry Lawson Prize for Poetry

Henry Lawson Prize for Prose

Ignaz Friedman Memorial Prize

John Elliott Medal

Nicholson Medal

Robert A. Dallen Prize

Venour V. Nathan Prize

Wenthworth Medal

Established in 1944 by a bequest of £100 from Emilie A.C. Stephen. Awarded annually to an undergraduate for a short story or play following recommendation from the Professors of English for the best entry.

Eligibility: This competition is lilmited to undergraduates only.
Value: $190
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

No topic is prescribed for this prize.

Founded in 1901 by a gift of £625 from his Excellency the Right Honourable William Lygon, Earl Beauchamp, KCMG, Governor of New South Wales., This composition prize is awarded for the best essays on (i) some literary subject, and (ii) some historical subject.

Eligibility: This prize is open to all currently enrolled students and graduates who are of not more than two years’ standing from the date of their graduation.
Value: $3,500
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

To be considered for the literary prize write an essay on some literary subject. The essay should be 5,000 - 7,500 words in length, and appropriate for publication in an academic journal.

To be considered for the historical prize write an essay on some historical subject. The essay should be 5,000 - 7,500 words in length, and appropriate for publication in an academic journal.

Founded in 1936 by a gift of £100 from the Right Honourable Earle Page, MB ChM, MHR, then Minister for Commerce, to stimulate the interest in national policy by the establishment of a prize for an essay on constitutional problems generally.

Eligibility: The competition is open to all currently enrolled students and graduates who are of not more than two years’ standing from the date of their graduation.
Value: $350
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

Topic for 2008: 'The realities of twenty first century life in Australia leave no place for the states and state governments set up in 1901. They should be abolished to make way for up to date governance arrangements that reflect Australia's current needs.' Discuss.

Founded in 1906 by a gift of £110 from the subscribers to a memorial of Frederick Lloyd, BA, assistant lecturer in classics for twelve years in the University. The prize is awarded annually for a Latin essay on a specified subject. Maximum word limit of 3,000 words.

Eligibility: The competition is limited to third or fourth year students in the Faculty of Arts.
Value: $1,500
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

Topic for 2008: “The world of Roman comedy is limited and little emphasis is placed on characterisation.” If this is so, how does a Plautine comedy come to life?

Established in 1945 by a gift of £250 from Dr H.M. Moran, for an annual essay prize.

Eligibility: Open to undergraduates only.
Value: $1,250
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

The topic shall be of the candidate’s own choice, within the field of the history of science and medicine in Australia. The essay should be 2,000 - 2,500 words in length.

Established in 1936 by a gift of £845 from subscribers to the memorial of Henry Lawson, Australian poet and prose-writer, to provide for a ‘Henry Lawson Prize for Poetry’.

Eligibility: The competition is open to undergraduates who have no graduate status in any faculty.
Value: $1,350
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

This prize is awarded annually for English verse. The composition need not be of great length, though sustained quality will receive due credit. No topic is prescribed.

Established in 1936 by a gift of £845 from subscribers to the memorial of Henry Lawson, Australian poet and prose-writer, to provide for a ‘Henry Lawson Prize for Prose’.

Eligibility: The competition is open to undergraduates who have no graduate status in any faculty.
Value: $1,350
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

This prize is awarded annually for an original composition on an Australian theme. Compositions should take the form of a short story or descriptive sketch and need not be of great length, though sustained quality will receive due credit.

Founded in 1953 as a memorial to Ignaz Friedman, distinguished Polish pianist. Awarded annually to an undergraduate of the University for a musical composition of ten to fifteen minutes’ duration for a small group of instruments and/or voice at the discretion of the composer, provided always that a work of sufficient merit is submitted.

Eligibility: Open to undergraduates only.
Value: $180
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

In 1866, the sum of £200 was set aside by the Senate for the purpose of permanently founding a medal to be called the ‘Nicholson Medal’ in honour of Sir Charles Nicholson, Bt, MD Edin. Hon. DCL Oxf. Hon. LLD Camb., Provost 1854-59, Chancellor 1860-61, to provide an annual prize for Latin verse. Awarded annually, on the recommendation of the Professor of Classics, for either:

• translation of a set piece into Latin verse
• translation of a set piece of Latin verse into English verse
• an essay on a prescribed topic in the field of Latin poetry, which may be a regular essay set for a Senior course in Latin

Eligibility: The competition is open to all currently enrolled students and graduates who are of not more than two years’ standing from the date of their graduation.
Value: $1,500
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

Maximum word limit of 3,000 words.

Topic for 2008: Servius tells us that Virgil composed the Aeneid in order to imitate Homer and to praise Augustus: to what extent did he get it right or wrong?

Awarded annually for an essay treating the influence of the Bible on later cultures and literature.

Eligibility: The competition is limited to third and fourth year students in the Faculty of Arts or graduates in Arts who are of not more than two years’ standing from the date of their graduation.
Value: $1,500
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

To be considered for the Robert A. Dallen Prize, write on an aspect of the influence of the Bible on later culture and literature. The essay should be about 4,000 words in length, and appropriate for publication in a scholarly journal.

Founded in 1922 by a gift of £500 from Venour V. Nathan to establish an annual prize of £25 for Australian history, to continue a prize previously awarded annually by Mr Nathan.

Eligibility: The competition is open to all currently enrolled students and graduates who are of not more than two years’ standing from the date of their graduation.
How much: Two awards may be made each year.
One for the best essay from a student currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree.
One for the best essay from a student currently enrolled in a postgraduate degree or a graduate of not more than two years standing from the date of their graduation.
Value: $2500
Application due: Late August. Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.
How to apply: The Scholarships and Prizes Office accepts applications for Literary Prizes from beginning June - end August each year. All entries must be accompanied by the Literary Prizes Cover Sheet.

The prize is awarded for the best essay on some part of Australian history. The essay must be based on a critical examination of the original sources of information and should be about 5,000 words in length.

Established in 2008 by Mrs Angelika Elliott, this medal is named in memory of Dr John Elliott. After battling cancer of the blood, in January 2007 Dr Elliott travelled to Zurich to make use of the assisted suicide service legally available in Switzerland. Dr Elliot’s most important aim the last days and months of his life was to be “free” as he put it. Free from pain, free in control and self-determination and free from the suffering he felt was being experienced by those around him.

Eligibility: The competition for the medal is open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled at the University of Sydney, except for previous winners of the John Elliott Medal.
Value: $9,500 plus medal
Application due: Please check the Current Scholarship Opportunities page for exact dates.

ENTRIES CLOSED FOR 2008

Please click here for detailed information on the Wentworth Medal.

ENTRIES CLOSED FOR 2008