AWP Prize for Undergrad Lit Mags

Formerly the National Program Directors’ Prize, the AWP Prize for Undergrad Lit Mags is awarded annually to one outstanding undergraduate-led journal and two runners-up. The prize celebrates the work of undergraduate student writers and editors, including exceptional content, cohesive design, and innovation.

2026 Winner

First Place

Cover of r2: The Rice Review, Issue 1, Volume 21

r2: The Rice Review, Volume 21

Rice University

“This issue is a copious arrangement of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, award winners, and three (wow!) interviews with acclaimed authors. The staff tastefully paired each timely, poignant text with a vibrant, full-bleed image, and intentional design elements throughout the issue (such as running footers) organize the content without visually distracting the reader. Over-the-top professionalism in the forms of pull quotes and content warnings establish this sophisticated square-shaped journal as a leader in the pack of undergrad mags.” —Marianne Kunkel

2026 Runners-Up

Second Place

Cover of Underground, Issue 16.1

 

Underground, Issue 16.1

Georgia State University

Third Place

Cover of Catch Magazine, Volume 57, No. 2

 

Catch Magazine, Volume 57, No. 2

Knox College

2026 Judge

Headshot of Marianne Kunkel

Marianne Kunkel is the author of Hillary, Made Up (Stephen F. Austin State University Press) and The Laughing Game (Finishing Line Press), two anthologies, and many poems, including one in The Best American Poetry 2025. She is associate professor of English at Johnson County Community College, coeditor of Kansas City Review, and president of Whispering Prairie Press. She holds an MFA in poetry from the University of Florida and a PhD in English from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she was managing editor of Prairie Schooner.

 

Undergraduate literary magazines, both print and online, published from January 1 through December 31 of the year preceding the award, are eligible for consideration for the that award cycle. For example, any magazine published during the 2025 calendar year that meets the eligibility requirements may be submitted for the 2026 award. Magazines must be edited and staffed (including leadership roles) primarily by undergraduate students and must publish at least 50% undergraduate writing (i.e., 50% of the titles included in the magazine must be authored by writers who were undergraduate students at the time of submission to the journal).

AWP academic program members may submit one issue for free. Nonmember programs must pay a $15 entry fee. Programs that house multiple undergrad lit mags may submit multiple issues, but they must pay the $15 fee for each entry beyond the one free entry allotted to member programs.

Any issue that has previously been submitted to the contest is not eligible for resubmission.

 

Each entry should be accompanied by a brief cover letter (two hundred to three hundred words) that describes your editorial and/or design process. Please emphasize the role undergraduates play in your magazine and highlight anything else notable about your publication.

The submission form will also include fields to add contact information; please provide the most up-to-date information possible. If your primary contact is graduating, is leaving the program, or may otherwise be unavailable, please provide at least one backup contact, such as a faculty advisor.

We do not accept submissions via email or snail mail; entries can be uploaded via our online submission portal from February 1 to 28 annually. For print journals, please upload a complete PDF version of your magazine. For online journals, please include a URL or PDF so we may view your magazine. If you need more information to grant viewing access to the judge, please email [email protected].

The winning magazine receives a $1,000 cash award, the first runner-up receives $500, and the second runner-up receives $250. All three winners will be posted on our website, announced on social media, and acknowledged at the AWP Awards Celebration during the annual AWP Conference & Bookfair the following year (i.e., 2025 winners will be recognized at #AWP26), and the first-place winner will receive a blurb from the judge and a feature in The Writer’s Chronicle. Prize money is sent directly to the winning magazines.

Previous Winners

2024 was the first year the prizes were awarded under the title “AWP Prize for Undergrad Lit Mags.” All previous awards were given under the title “National Program Directors’ Prize.”

2025 Winners

Selected by Ọna Anosike

First Place

Estuary, Volume 16
Savannah State University

Second Place

r2: The Rice Review, Volume 20
Rice University

Third Place

The Yale Journal of Literary Translation, Issue 15
Yale University

2024 Winners

Selected by Erin Slaughter

First Place

Palatine Hill Review, Edition 50, “growing pains”
Lewis & Clark College

Second Place

Driftwood, Volume 43
 Point Loma Nazarene University

Third Place

B222, Issue 2, Fall 2023
Sheridan College

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