
On this page you’ll find the rules, eligibility criteria, deadlines and submissions process for entering the International Booker Prize
The International Booker Prize is awarded annually to the author and translator of the best – in the opinion of the judges – eligible work of long-form fiction or collection of short stories written by an author of any nationality and translated into English, and published in the UK and/or Ireland.
Only publishers based in the UK and/or Ireland can submit entries to the prize. Authors, translators and agents are not permitted to enter the prizes directly.
Submissions for the International Booker Prize 2026 are now open. Eligible works are those published between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026.
You can download the rules below. The rules have changed this year so please read them carefully before submitting any titles.
The Booker Prize Foundation has updated the submissions quota, which is explained on page 3 of the rules.
Any imprints that have more than three books to submit to the prize may nominate an unrestricted number of additional works as call-ins.
To assist the judges with the volume of reading required, this year the submissions have opened earlier (Tuesday, 24 June) and the deadlines have been moved forward.
Thank you for your assistance in meeting the new deadlines – if you anticipate any issues in doing so, please contact [email protected]
2025 winners Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi holding their International Booker Prize trophies
© David Parry for the Booker Prize FoundationPlease send submissions to the Booker Prize Foundation as soon as they are available and do not wait until the deadlines.
Submissions
Call-in nominations
Any imprints that have more than three books to submit to the prize, may nominate an unrestricted number of additional works as call-ins. All call-in nomination forms, justification letters, first chapters and full PDFs must be submitted by Thursday, 23 October 2025. If no text is available at the time of call-in, it should be sent as soon as it is available.
Longlist announcement: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Shortlist announcement: Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Winner announcement and ceremony: May 2026
Please contact the Booker Prize Foundation: [email protected]