Looking for online publishers, poetry contests or magazines for submissions is quite a monotonous and tiresome process in itself, let alone the chances of finding relevant info. But not anymore!
Here you’ll find monthly updated poetry contests and submission portals that’ll help you grow as beginners and support your writing career at the same time. Every contest is provided with all the information you need to know before submitting to it. Poets from all nationalities can take part in the poetry contests without worrying about submission fee. So, go writers!
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Poetry Contests:
For beginners, here’s what you might need before publishing your work:
1. The Louis Anderson and Vicent Martinez World Citizenship Award
Deadline: April 15, 2025
Submission Requirements: the award is for youth 13 to 25 yrs of age working with people of diverse socio-economic, religious, ethnic, or national backgrounds to build bridges of friendship and advance the consciousness of common humanity.
All nationalities can participate. Individual applications will not be accepted.
Only teams of three or more are eligible to apply.
Prize: $ 1500
2. SPELLBINDER
Deadline: open
Submission Requirements: They do not consider previously published or self-published submissions. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.
Translations are acceptable and should be accompanied by a copy of the original text.
Maximum of 40 lines per poem.
Maximum of 2 poems are accepted.
Prize: £3 honorarium and Publication.
3. Southern Poetry Review
Deadline: open.
Submission requirements: welcomes previously unpublished poetry submissions from all nationalities. submissions are limited to five poems (1 file), and should not exceed ten pages.
Prize: Publication
4. Rattle’s Ekphrastic Challenge
Deadline: Jan 31, 2025 10:30 AM (New challenge every month)
Submission requirements: The poem should be specifically based on the picture of the month. Rattle does not accept work that has been predominantly generated by artificial intelligence. All submissions are automatically considered for the annual Neil Postman Award for Metaphor, a $2,000 prize judged by the editors.
Theme: Art Inspiring Poetry
Prize: two winners—one chosen by the artist and the other by Rattle’s editor—will receive online publication and $100 each.
5. Atlanta Review Submissions
Deadline: March 1st,2025
Submission requirements: no more than five unpublished poems (7 pages total, max) per submission. Only one submission per submission period. Simultaneous Submissionsare accepted.
There is a submission cap of 150 submissions for this reading period.
Prize:
- Publication
6. Sonnet Award for Undergraduates
Deadline: February 17, 2025
Open to Undergraduate student poets only who are enrolled in a United States College or University.
Submission requirement : Limit of Three poems per Category. The sonnets should be unpublished and original work of the poet.
Prize: $1,000
7. 2024 “I Matter” Contest
Deadline: open
Submission requirement: Each entry must be original poetry solely created by students. The topic of the contest is :Black Lives Matter.The contest is open to students in grades K to 12.The contest is open to residents of the United States, as well as to international students.
Prize: $500
8. The Alexandrian Review
Deadline: January 31, 2025
Theme: Breaking the Silence: Be Loud.
Submission requirements: Applicants must be 10-20 years old. Submissions must be in English or Spanish. Poetry submissions cannot exceed 80 lines. They accept simultaneous submissions.
Prize: publication
9. Villanelle Award for Undergraduates
Deadline: February 17, 2025
Submission requirements: Limit of Three poems per Category. Welcomes unpublished, original villanelles only. Open to Undergraduate student poets only who are enrolled in a United States College or University.
Prize : $1,000.
10. Seedlings Micro Poetry
Deadline: open
Submission requirements: Open to simultaneous submissions. Entries in English only. Original work accepted only.
Word limit: 20 words or less
Prize: Publication
11. Poetry London Submission
Deadline: open
Submission requirements: They do not print previously published work. Both electronic and postal submissions are welcome. Work should be original work of the
Prize: £30 per poem
12. Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Deadline: April 1, 2025.
Submission requirements: Open to all nationalities except Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US govern ment restrictions). Only one poem is accepted. No age restrictions. Length limit: 250 lines maximum.
Theme : Humor poems
Prize $3,750
13. Blue Mountain Greeting Card Prize
Deadline: open
Submission requirements: Contemporary prose or poetry written from personal experience that reflects the thoughts and feelings people today want to communicate to one another, but don’t always know how to put into words.
The poem length does not matter. Both long and short pieces anywhere from 50 to 300 words are accepted.
Payment: $300 per poem for the worldwide, exclusive rights to publish it on a greeting card and other products, and $50 per poem for one-time use in a book.
Submission requirements: Annual competition is open to Undergraduate student poets who are enrolled in a United States College or University. Limit of Three poems per Category. Unpublished, original poems composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms are accepted. The poems should be written in Spanish and translations of English poems to Spanish.
14. The Malahat Review
Deadline: open
Submission requirements: They do not publish any kinds of already published work whether offline or online. Simultaneous submission accepted. They accept 3 to 5 poems (up to 10 pages max).
Payment: CAD$70 per published page plus a one-year print subscription and two copies of the issue in which your work appears.
15. Eurydice Lit
Deadline: not mentioned
If you are interested in more poetry contests, you can go through our Paid Poetry contests list.
Submission requirements: Submitters must be between 11-24 years of age to be eligible for consideration.
Accepts simultaneous submissions. No more than 80 lines per poem. Up to 3 poems per submission.
Prize: $5.00 USD as a minor monetary compensation
16. Rhina P. Espaillat Award for Undergraduates
Open to Undergraduate student poets who are enrolled in a United States College or University.
Deadline: February 17, 2025
Submission requirements: Limit of Three poems per Category. The prize celebrates original poems written in Spanish with the English translation and translations of English poems to Spanish.
Payment: $1000
17. The Split Lip Magazine
Deadline: open on in selected months i.e. January, March, May, August, September, November.
Submission requirements: They are looking for ‘First-time electronic publication rights’ meaning fresh work that’s not published anywhere. They accept simultaneous submissions with one submission per writer at a time.
Payment: $75 per author for poems along with payment for print is $ 5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2contributor copies.
18. Palette Poetry
Deadline: open.
Submission requirements: Submissions are open internationally, to any poet writing in English. They accept simultaneous submissions. Submission must be no more than 5 poems and must not exceed 10 pages. They do not accept multiple submissions.
Payment: $50 per poem, up to $150.
19. Laureate Prize
Deadline: Sat, Feb 1, 2025 1:30 PM
ALL FEES ARE WAIVED FOR BIPOC IDENTIFYING WRITERS.
Submission requirements: Full length books should be between 50-80 pages. Books centered around a unifying theme will be given preference. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.
Payment: $500 and 20 copies of their book.
20. Iris N. Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award
Deadline: February 17, 2025
Submission requirements: unpublished, original poems are only accepted. Poems should be composed in the traditional modes of meter and rhyme. Limit of Three poems per Category.
Open to Undergraduate student poets only who are enrolled in a United States College or University.
Prize: First prize ($1,500), and a runner-up prize ($500).
21. Existere – Journal
Deadline: not mentioned
Submission requirements:
Simultaneous submissions are welcome. Please submit 5 pieces or less per person. Submitter must live in Canada. The submitter needs to be 18 years of age or older. Only previously unpublished work will be considered.
Payment: $100 per accepted submission, along with a complimentary copy of the Existere issue your work will be featured in.
22. Myong Cha Son Haiku Award
Deadline: February 17, 2025
Submission requirements: Annual competition is open to Undergraduate student poets who are enrolled in a United States College or University. Limit of Three poems per Category. Unpublished, original haiku composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms are accepted.
Payment: $1,000 and $500
23. Ninth Letter
Deadline: Sat, Mar 1, 2025 11:30 AM
Submission requirements: They do not accept previously published work, including self-published work. Simultaneous submissions are welcome. Submit 3-5 poems (max. 8 pages) at a time.
A limited number of fee waivers are available for writers for whom the submission fee would present undue financial hardship. Send a short email to ninthletter9@gmail.com to request a fee waiver. No proof of income or other sensitive information is required.
Prize: $25 per poem and two complementary copies of the issue in which the work appears.
24. 2025 National Summer Poetry Contest
Deadline: July 31, 2025
Submission requirements: All work must be original. Entries should not have been previously published. Simultaneous submissions are NOT ALLOWED. One poem per entry accepted. Poems must be 48 lines or less.Any topic or style will be considered.
Payments: $3500 will be awarded in cash and other prizes.
25. Metachrosis Magazine
Deadline: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (5:31pm)
Submission requirements: submit only on published work. In few the 50 word biography. 150 to 200 word cover letter is accepted. Word counts and John drops are flexible. Send a maximum of three poems under 40 lines. All forms of poetry are accepted.
Prize: publication
26. Frontier Poetry Magazine
Deadline: always open
Guidelines: Submissions are open to new and emerging poets only. All submissions must be no more than ten pages and no more than five poems. Multiple submissions are NOT allowed.
Payment: $50 per poem.
27. The MacGuffin Submission
Deadline: Open
Guidelines: Do not accept work that has been previously published. Accept simultaneous submissions. Do not consider translations.
Payment: Publication
28. Poetry London Submissions
Deadline: Open
Guidelines: submit up to six poems. Particularly keen to read poems in translation, especially translations from endangered languages.
Payment: £30 per poem
29. Paterson Poetry Prize
Deadline: February 1, 2025
Guidelines: A book of poems, 48 pages or more in length should be submitted.
Payment: $2,000
30. Moonday Mag Submission
Deadline: open
Guidelines: Up to 5 poems not exceeding 10 pages collectively. Welcomes simultaneous submissions and previously published work.
Payment: publication + prize nomination
31. Harbor Review Submission
Deadline: Sat, Feb 1, 2025 1:30 PM
Guidelines: The prize is awarded once a year for a micro chapbook. People of color and marginalized folks are encouraged to apply.
Micro chapbooks should be exactly 10 poems long. Simultaneous submissions are permitted. Do not accept translations.
Payment: $200 and publication of their micro chapbook online at Harbor Review.
32. Prairie Schooner
Deadline: Fri, May 2, 2025 10:30 AM
Guidelines: Do not prefer to read simultaneous submissions. Do not consider work that has been previously published. 5-7 poems are accepted.
Payment: publication
33. Texas Review Press
Deadline: March 1, 2025
Guidelines: Open to any poet born in Virginia, currently residing in Virginia, or who has lived in Virginia for five consecutive years at any point, who has not yet published a full-length collection of poetry.
Welcome poetry of any style/form. Translations are not eligible. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. Submitters must be 18+ years of age.
Prize: Winner will receive a standard royalty contract, and 10 copies of the published book.
34. The Ampersand Review
Deadline: January 31st, 2025.
Guidelines: literary works in any genre or form, and from writers of all backgrounds and identities. Multiple submissions are not considered. Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Poetry submissions should not exceed five poems.
Prize: $50 per poem/page to a maximum of $100.
35. Wildscape Literary journal
Deadline: Saturday, February 15, 2025 11:59 PM EST
Guidelines: Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Do not accept previously published work. Up to 5 poems. Each poem must be two pages or shorter.
36. Room Submissions
Deadline: open as of November 15, 2024 till approximately 4-6 weeks, and will close once the submission limit is reached.
Guidelines: Accepts up to 5 poems. Accept simultaneous submissions.
Prize: publication
Different submission portals for Canadian and international poets.
37. American Literary Review General Subs.
Deadline: Fri, May 2, 2025 10:30 AM
To request a fee-waived submission, email americanliteraryreview@gmail.com.
Guidelines: include up to 5 poems per submission. There is no word or page limit. Do not submit more than once per reading period. Poetry submitted for publication in the American Literary Review must be accompanied by a cover letter
The poetry submission portal will close if they receive 300 submissions before the reading period ends.
Prize: publication
38. Grain magazine
Deadline: Mon, Jun 16, 2025 10:30 AM
Free for Canadian poets. They are able to offer a limited number of fee waivers to those writers for whom the reading fee is prohibitive;
Email grainmag@skwriter.com to inquire about fee waivers and before submitting your work.
Guidelines: Individual poems, sequences, or suites up to a maximum of 6 pages. Include a cover letter. All work must be original, and human-generated, from start to finish. We do not accept submissions of any kind that were written, developed, or assisted by AI tools such as ChatGPT.
Prize: $50 per page to a maximum of $250, plus 2 copies of the issue
39. American Literary Review
Deadline: open
Guidelines: poetry under 1000 words. For poetry, the lyric is important: a prose poem should not have dead music.
Prize: publication
40. Zhagaram Literary Magazine
Deadline: 31 January 2025
Guidelines: Submit up to 3 poems. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. submit only once per submission period in one category.
Prize: publication
41. The Fiddlehead’s regular submission
Deadline: Tue, Apr 1, 2025 12:30 PM
Open only to Canadian poets.
Guidelines: submit no more than 6 poems per submission and no more than 12 pages total. No more than one poem on a page.
Prize: $65 CAD per published page, plus two complimentary copies of the issue
42. Clepsydra Literary Magazine
Deadline: Tue, Mar 4, 2025 10:30 AM
Guidelines: Up to five poems are allowed. They only accept unpublished works. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.
Prize: publication
43. The Shore
Deadline: March 1, 2025
Guidelines: submit upto 3-5 poems per submission. A cover letter and third-person bio has to be included. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.
Prize: publication
44. Ette Review
Deadline: January 31, 2025
Guidelines: send two prose poems. Total submission word count should not exceed 1,000 words. Include a short bio. Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Only submit once per submission period.
Prize: publication
45. Prototype 7
Deadline: Sun, Feb 2, 2025 5:30 AM
Guidelines: open to all and free from formal guidelines or restrictions. They welcome poetry, prose, visual work and experiments in between. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.
Prize: publication
46. Abyss
Deadline: 31 January 2025
Guidelines: they accept poetry submissions of up to five poems. Combined, these must not exceed one hundred lines.
Prize: publication
47. The Expressionists
Deadline: February 2, 2024
Guidelines: One person may send upto 5 submissions per category and may submit across category, too. accept any and all kinds of writeups, including but not limited to, poetry, prose, prose poetry, haiku, creative non-fiction, essays, short stories, and journal entries.
Prize: publication
48. The Ivy Magazine
Deadline: 15th Jan 2025
Guidelines: submission must be unpublished and not plagiarised. Submission should be in English, or with an accurate translation. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.
Prize: publication
49. Seaford Review
Deadline: 31 January 2025
Guidelines: simultaneous submissions are accepted. Only unpublished work to be submitted. Open to all nationalities.
Prize: publication
50. Last Leaves Magazine
Deadline: January 31st, 2025
Guidelines: They do not accept AI-generated contest. Send up to 3 poems (no more than 10 pages). Simultaneous submissions are accepted. They not accept previously published work.
Prize: publication
51. Empty House Press
Deadline: January 31, 2025
Guidelines: Feel free to send us 1-3 poems per submission. Welcome simultaneous submissions. Do not accept multiple submissions. Prefer previously unpublished work.
Prize: publication
38 thoughts on “50+ Free Poetry Contests to enter in 2025”
Great blog!
Thanks Paul
Great to be of help!
I want to know more about poetry contests
Hey!
Sure. You can contact us at contact@poetrymama.com for all your queries.
How I join this contest
Hey Suhana
Every contest is provided with a link where you can check all the requirements and submit to that specific one!
This is most helpful. Thanks so much!
Hey Hassan Usman
Great to hear that! It’ll be updated once any contest expires.
Keep in touch!
Thanks
Hi, why are the contests showing expired?
Hey Susan Mack
Writing contests have deadlines, so if any deadline has been met, an ‘expired ‘ tag comes along so you would know before clicking!
Our list has been updated, so there are no more expired ones!
Go writer!
I’m from Ghana and I have the interest to write the poems.
How do I submit my work?
Hey Ana-am Timothy Atanga
If you are eager to submit your poetry for contests, click on any provided links above and you’ll be able to find the required procedure for that specific contest.
Do remember, every contest has different requirements.
Hope Poetrymama was of help.
Thanks for contacting.
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Hey Stratton
It’s great to be of help. We at Poetrymama, highly appreciate your incorporating us!
Thank you for reviewing our work!
سلام ، سایت خیلی عالی دارید
I have been writing poetry for years now and never published any of my poems nor submitted them into any contests for fear that I could somehow lose all my rights because I don’t have a patent what do you suggest
Hey Grover!
Before submitting to any contest, we suggest you go through their guidelines first. Most of the contests provide all rights of the publication to its writer. Only publishing rights and distribution rights lie with the contest holder.
But, in case you don’t feel secure in doing so, we suggest you to submit your work to well known magazines. In that way, you’ll have all rights to yourself with additional payment from the magazine.
I got the rocks in my hand
Ain’t telling me what standing and shoot it
When I got passion I’m act as fool with it
I might cross you up fake one way
Turn around and hit you when ball went away
Thank you for a very informative and helpful article/blog.
Stay tuned for new season of contests!
Most of my poems are personal for people that ask me to write for special occasions. Do the people have to give permission to use their names? I also write inspirational poems. How can I get more information and submit some of my writing? Thank You.
Yes Doborah, you have to ask if you can include any personal info in your poems whether name/residence/parentage.
We’ll soon update our contests to next upcoming poetry season. You can always come back n check if any particular contest applies for you.
I just stumbled on your article, thanks for this. I will try it out
Also, we’ve kept a free subscription to notification option available so that you’ll be able to know when there’s any new update on the site!
Thanks for a great compilation!
Great blog — very helpful! Thank you ….
Thanks for compilation. It s really worthwhile, But I am unable to pay Entry Fee to “The National Poetry Foundation” for
my poetry submitted due to : No Clear for/advise/Account No. and 2ndly, unable to be member of Poetry Soup (for members only) as no clear advise/format there.
However, Thanks again for this work enabling us to go through it.
With regards,
Sukhendu Parui
No worries Sukhendu! We’ll put more of the contests that are easy to access.
Hi Jaezlan.
Thank you for your useful information.
I’m looking for International contests with these conditions:
1-free entry
2-Not limited to English, but Including other languages
necessarily Persian(Farsi).
3-Including poetry or/and short story.
But except ICPD Kazakhstan, I did not find one. Where can I find a contest with above conditions?
With great amount of love,
REZA
Hey Reza
We haven’t yet added contests outside english language but surely we’ll do in future.
For now, contact us on our e-mail i.e contact@poetrymama.com. We’ll help you find suitable contests.
Regards
Very useful information indeed. Thank you so much.
We’ll update our list for the new season soon!
Hello, I am writing from Nigeria. I am 73 years old with a huge interest in poetry. Kindly let me know how to submit my works for fair contests with my eights protected. Thanks
Hey there!
All you have to do is click on the links provided above, fill out their submission form and add your cover letter (if asked) and finally attach your work for the contest. All the above links are of recognized literature magazines which provides all rights to the writer.
Hello, my name is (Hussein Payam Hazim) I am from Iraqi Kurdistan. I will send you my poem to take part in the competition at the festival. I’ll be glad to participate. My poem is about women’s problems due to men.
I think it would be unique for a foreigner to attend your festival.
We encourage you to participate in upcoming contests although we are currently not hosting any poetry festival.
So good to read up here. Thankyou🙏🏼