Inaugural cycle, 2026–27
The National Undergraduate Literary Translation Award
Translate your favorite texts into English. Open to U.S. undergraduates in 10 source languages. Two $500 top prizes; $1,800 awarded in all.
Submissions open October 15, 2026.
Join the interest list(opens a Google Form in a new tab)Read the guidelines
Join the list to be notified about important updates and deadlines, including changes to submission opening and closing dates.
Key datesInaugural cycle, 2026–27
- Submissions open
- Submission deadline11:59 p.m. ET
- Finalists contacted
- Winners notified
- Online ceremony
Key information
Who can enter
Enrolled U.S. undergraduates, 18 or older at the time of submission. All majors and years.
10 source languages
Translated into English. The list is limited to languages in which we have experienced judges.
Please write to us with inquiries about other languages.
Free to enter
Just one quick form — drop in your source text and translation to enter.
Read anonymously
Identifying details are removed before your translation reaches a judge, so the work is read on its own terms.
The honors
Two awards — Prose and Poetry — each with its own winner.
NULTA Prose Award
$500
NULTA Prose Award Winner
$250
Distinguished Finalist
$50×3
Special Recognition
NULTA Poetry Award
$500
NULTA Poetry Award Winner
$250
Distinguished Finalist
$50×3
Special Recognition
Read for us
We are recruiting faculty and translators to evaluate anonymized entries. The commitment is 1–3 entries — about 60–90 minutes total — across the January–April 2027 reading period.