Prizes

The Prizes Program at UC Berkeley is a primary forum for rewarding creative expression and scholarly achievement by Cal's finest students. Winners receive both distinction and a cash prize which is coordinated with the winner's financial aid package, if any. Prize competitions are open to students of any major. Successful, even prominent artists and poets in our society, found that winning an award at Berkeley was a pivotal experience in the direction of their artistic careers. Prizes are administered under the direction of the Academic Senate Committee on Prizes.

The general deadline for all contests is the last Friday in November.

Category

Amount Application Process
Folklore    

Steager Folklore

$50 Demonstrate originality, excellence and importance to the field of folklore
Greek/ Latin Translation    
Richardson Latin Translation $2,000 - $500 Translate a classical English passage into Ciceronian Latin
Rosenmeyer Greek Composition Prize $500 Translate an English passage into classical Greek style
Jewish Studies    
Goor Prize in Jewish Studies $475 Write an essay
De Lorenzo Prize in Music Composition $5,000 Create a musical composition
Poetry    
American Academy of Poets $100 Write a poem
Cook Prize in Poetry $300 Write a poem
Crothers Prize in Literary Composition

$1,000 maximum

Write a story or play
Eisner Poetry

$2.000

Create a collection of poetry
Irving Prize for American Wit and Humor $750 Write an anecdote, story, poem, drawing, or play illustrative of American wit and humor
Rosenberg Lyric Poetry $250 Create a lyric poem
Yang Memorial Poetry Prize   Write a poem
Political Science    

Bennett Prize in Political Science


$1,000


Write an essay

Prose    
Crothers Prize in Literary Composition $1,000 Write a story or play
Eisner Prose $2,000 Create a prose submission consisting of a substantial volume of work
Lili Fabilli Eric Hoffer Essay $3,000 Write an essay
Irving Prize for American Wit and Humor $750 Write an anecdote, story, poem, drawing, or play illustrative of American wit and humor
Shrout Short Story Prize $400 maximum Write a short story