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Trinity Short Story Competition

Why a Short Story Competition?

Literary legacy is woven deeply into the fabric of Trinity College Dublin. From Jonathan Swift to Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde to Bram Stoker, Trinity has long been a home for literary innovation. Today, we extend this tradition through the Trinity Short Story Competition.

This competition celebrates creativity and originality, offering alumni a platform to contribute to the ongoing dialogue of global literature. With its invaluable manuscript collections and the renowned MPhil in Irish Writing program, Trinity remains a hub for literary excellence. Situated in Dublin, a UNESCO City of Literature, the college continues to inspire writers worldwide—and now, we invite you to be part of that story.

Competition Overview

This December, we will issue a call for submissions. Stories can explore any theme, but must adhere to a maximum word count of 1,800 words. After the January deadline, entries will be reviewed by the Alumni Relations team, with a shortlist of ten sent to the School of English and our appointed judge.

  • Winner: Published in Trinity Today
  • Runners-up: Featured online
  • Additional Opportunity: Depending on the number and quality of submissions, we may publish an anthology showcasing the best entries.

Key Dates

  • 1 December 2025 - Call for submissions announced
  • 21 January 2026 - Submission deadline (5pm GMT)
  • February 2026 - Review period and shortlist selection
  • 1 March 2026 - Final ten sent to School of English
  • 1 April 2026 - Winner and runners-up announced
  • September 2026 - Winning story published in Trinity Today

How to Enter

Submit your original, fictional, unpublished short story in English, following these guidelines:

  • Format: PDF, Times New Roman, double-spaced
  • Word Count: Maximum 1,800 words
  • Cover Page: Title and word count only (no personal details)
  • Submission: Email your entry to shortstorycompetition@tcd.ie with your name, contact details, course, and year of graduation in the email body. Attach your story as a single PDF document.

Limit: One entry per person.
Fee: Free to enter.
Eligibility: Open to all, no age limit.

Terms & Conditions

  • To enter, submit an original, fictional, unpublished short story, written in English with a maximum of 1,800 words in PDF format. Font must be Times New Roman and text double spaced.
  • All entries must be entirely human-created. Use of AI tools in any part of the writing process is strictly prohibited.
  • On the cover page of the short story, please include the Title and word count. Do not include the authors name or contact details. This will be sent separately when submitting your story by email. 
  • There is a limit of one entry per person. 
  • There is no fee to enter. 
  • There is no age limit, and the competition is open to all alumni. 
  • Submissions will be judged on literary merit, originality and readability.
  • Once selected, the winner will be contacted by email.
  • Copyright remains with the author, but Trinity Development & Alumni reserves the right to be the first to publish or arrange an anthology of selected works from submissions.
  • The winner and finalists grant Trinity Development & Alumni the right to use their short story in electronic form or in print for the specific purpose of promoting the work of the writer, Trinity Development & Alumni and Trinity College without restriction in any media.
  • By submitting an entry, participants grant the organisers the right to edit the work for clarity, length, or style without altering its core meaning. This work will be done in collaboration with the writer. 
  • Submission of a written piece implies the author’s acceptance of the rules and conditions.
  • The deadline is 5pm on Wednesday, 21 January, 2026, with the winner announced in May.

Submitting Entries

To enter, please email shortstorycompetition@tcd.ie with your name, contact details, course and year of graduation along with the title of your story. Please attach a PDF document which includes a cover page displaying only the Title of your short story and the wordcount, and the short story itself. This should all be in one document. Please do not include any personal information on the short story attachment for your submission. 

Failure to adhere to the above rules will result in your submission being ineligible for consideration.