Juried literary
Cundill History Prize
McGill University
In short
The Cundill History Prize is administered by McGill University in Montreal for a nonfiction history book published in English, and it is open to authors anywhere in the world, including translations into English. Historians, publishers, and reviewers follow it, and the prize carries US$75,000 for the winner and US$10,000 for each of two finalists. Only publishers may submit, up to four titles per imprint, with no entry fee. Ask your editor in the autumn whether your book is one of the four; self-published books are not eligible.
This cycle closedChecked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Every label is a fact from the official rules, never a judgment about whether the award is worth entering. How we describe awards.
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The Cundill History Prize, administered by McGill University in Montreal, is an international prize for a work of nonfiction history published in English. The winner receives US$75,000 and two finalists receive US$10,000 each; for translated books, the author receives 80 percent and the translator 20 percent.
Only publishers may submit, with a limit of four titles per imprint. Submissions are fully digital: the publisher uploads a PDF of the book in the entry form, and physical copies are not sent at the submission stage. There is no entry fee listed. Authors may live anywhere in the world, and translations into English are welcome.
Self-published books, edited collections, co-authored works, textbooks, instruction guides, and posthumously published works are not eligible. For the 2026 prize the window covered books first published in English between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, with submissions open January 5 to February 27, 2026. The next submission window opens in January 2027.
Why it may matter
The Cundill carries unusually large cash prizes for an English-language history book and accepts authors from any country, including works translated into English. Each imprint gets only four submissions, so ask the publisher in the fall whether your book is being considered for a slot.
2026 cycle: 2026 Cundill History Prize
- Eligible publication dates
- May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026
- Entries open
- January 5, 2026Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Final deadline
- February 27, 2026 (passed)Checked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Deadline note
- Submissions ran from Monday, January 5 to Friday, February 27, 2026
- Entry fee
- No entry fee is listedChecked September 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Results
- Longlist and shortlist announced through the summer and early autumn; winner announced in October 2026
- Notes
- Last posted cycle; the 2027 window opens in January 2027
Worth knowing
Our reading, not a rule the organization published. We judge an award on the rubric in how we describe awards.
The 2026 cycle is closed and the winner is announced in October 2026. The 2027 window opens in January 2027; as of September 16, 2026 the submission page (cundillprize.com/submit (opens in a new tab)) said only that submissions reopen in January 2027, with no dates or eligibility window for that cycle, so confirm them before assuming a book published in spring 2026 or later qualifies.
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 16, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.
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