The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition 2026
Closing date: Thu 19 Feb 2026
The Tower Poetry Competition offers the UK’s most valuable prize for young poets. The competition is free to enter and it is open to students between 16 and 18 years of age who are educated in the UK.
First prize, £5,000, second prize of £3,000, and a third prize of £1,500. Along with these, there will be ten runners up, who will each receive £500. The top three winners will also be offered a place on the Tower Poetry Summer School.
Judged by Fiona Benson, Matthew Hollis, and the Christopher Tower Student, Dr Anna Nickerson.
