Young Journalist's Award
Orwell Society/NUJ
Young Journalist’s Award 2026
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Winners can be found in the left-hand column
(May 2026)
Open for Entries (Now Closed)
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Are you a young journalist or aspiring journalist aged between 18 and 25, a full-time resident in the UK, studying for a journalism or adjacent qualification, or already starting out on your journalism career, who would like to win a prestigious award that significantly enhances your developing CV and professional reputation?
If so, you are encouraged to enter the Orwell Society/NUJ Young Journalist’s Award 2026. This annual, UK-wide competition offers a cash prize for each winner of the two categories: columns and reviews. In addition, each winner will receive an appropriate NUJ membership. The runner-up in each category will also receive a prize from the Orwell Society. Moreover, the winners and runners-up will receive a one-year free Orwell Society membership.
Globally renowned George Orwell was one of the foremost writers of the twentieth century. Not only was he the author of such literary classics as Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, but his oeuvre also includes some of the best journalism in the English language. Famously, he was also a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the photo of his membership card has been reproduced for publications on his life and works. The image appears on this page, expressly to promote the Young Journalist’s Award, with the kind permission of The Orwell Estate and UCL Library, Special Collections.
The Young Journalist’s Award supports Orwell’s legacy and is also a golden opportunity for up-and-coming journalists to boost their portfolios, CVs, profiles and industry networks. You are eligible to enter if you are:
• an enrolled student (i.e. a vocational trainee or an undergraduate or postgraduate) at a UK further or higher education institution; or
• currently employed or self-employed as a journalist in the UK;
• a full-time resident in the UK; and
• aged between 18 and 25 on the entry deadline date in 2026.
After checking the judging criteria** below, entrants must complete the Application Form including the upload of their two pieces of work for submission by 12:00 midnight on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
Entrants have a choice of two categories:
• an arts review on a subject of your choice (e.g. book, film, play, music album, art exhibition, etc) of no fewer than 600 and no more than 700 words. Your review should include a headline, an indication of the target audience and publication, and the total word count.
• OR a column on a political or social justice issue of your choice of no fewer than 600 and no more than 700 words. Your column should include a headline, an indication of the target audience and publication, and the total word count.
• PLUS, in both categories, a critical reflection of no fewer than 250 and no more than 300 words, on how your review or column is shaped and informed by Orwell’s influence. You should explain which aspects of Orwell’s life and works have had an important bearing on your piece.
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Click here to read about our judges 2026.
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Entrants are encouraged to read examples of Orwell’s writing before entering the competition. The following reading list offers an enlightening and useful starting point:
Politics and the English Language (Horizon – 1944)
Inside the Whale (Inside the Whale – 1940)
Future of a Ruined Germany (The Observer – 1945)
Bertrand Russell, Power: A New Social Analysis (The Adelphi – 1939)
The Sporting Spirit – (Tribune – 1945)
You and the Atom Bomb (Tribune – 1945)
The Politics of Starvation (Tribune – 1946)
T.S. Eliot, Notes Towards the Definition of Culture (The Observer – 1948)
Wilde’s Utopia (The Observer – 1948)
Some Thoughts on the Common Toad (Tribune – 1946)
Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf (New English Weekly – 1940)
Confessions of a Book Reviewer (Tribune – 1946)
You can easily access most of these and further examples of Orwell’s writing via The Orwell Foundation’s website here:
Guide to Resources | The Orwell Foundation
Entrants are also encouraged to read works about Orwell. This list on the Orwell Society website offers plenty of informative and insightful material:
Bibliography – The Orwell Society
Moreover, entrants are encouraged to read specifically about Orwell the journalist. The following two accounts by judging panel Chair, Dr Jaron Murphy of Bournemouth University, constitute an illuminating and helpful starting point:
Murphy, Jaron. “Chapter 6: Orwell the Journalist”. 2025. The Oxford Handbook of George Orwell. Nathan Waddell (ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp80-99.
Murphy, Jaron. “A New Introduction”. 2022. Homage to Catalonia [1938, George Orwell]. London: Flame Tree Publishing, pp.10-29.
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Last year’s winning entries can be read here.
The judges will not provide feedback to entrants, except to the winners and runners-up. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. All entries are anonymised for judging.
The Orwell Society reserves the right to first publication, and subsequent publication permissions, of the entries of the winners and runners-up. In consideration of their one-year free membership of the Orwell Society, the winners and runners-up will undertake agreed ambassadorial and promotional roles for the Society during that year.
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Submission Rules:
All entries should be submitted in a Microsoft Word file (not PDF or other) format. The review or column should be presented in 12pt Times Roman, double spaced – with each page numbered.
Use of Generative AI tools is not permitted. No Generative AI content whatsoever is allowed within your submission which should be entirely your own work and therefore an authentic representation of your individual effort.
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** JUDGING CRITERIA
1. Subject Knowledge (20%) — Demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the chosen subject. Attention to details which are both valid and relevant such as key terms, concepts, theories, events, people, texts, contexts and information. Depth and range of background awareness and comprehension of issues pertinent to the topic indicated by judicious incorporation of facts, quotes, definitions and explanations.
2. Intellectual Skills (20%) — Ability to articulate a clear and compelling position through cogent and coherent argumentation. Analysis and evaluation rather than mere description. Questioning and critical thinking rather than assumptions and platitudes. Overall command and synthesis of ideas and reasoning.
3. Evidential Skills (20%) — Substantiation of points and arguments by reference to relevant examples. Marshalling of evidence to illustrate and illuminate. Credible sources and research underpinnings rather than dubious claims, unsupported opinion, factual errors and/or misinformation.
4. Writing Skills (20%) — Standard of language usage (including grammar, punctuation, spelling and diction) as well as writing style (including expression, clarity, fluency and power). Structure supporting logical and methodical progression. Adherence to the specified word count and form of journalism. Overall level of readiness of copy for publication.
5. Overall Cohesion (20%) — The judges will be particularly attentive to three key qualities: 1) originality, 2) emergence of a clear and unique voice, 3) indications of Orwell’s influence.
OUTCOMES RANGE
Exceptional: 80%+
Excellent: 70-79%
Very good: 60-69%
Good: 50-59%
Basic: 40-49%
Insufficient: 0-39%
Click Here to fill in Application Form for the Young Journalist Prize
The 2025 Orwell Society/NUJ Young Journalists Award is now closed.
Details of the winners and runners-up will be seen in the side column.
Details of the 2026 Award and how to apply will be published later in 2025.
Are you a young journalist, full-time resident in the UK, studying for a journalism qualification or starting out on your journalism career, who would like to win a prestigious award that significantly enhances your developing CV?
If so, enter The Orwell Society/NUJ Young Journalists Award 2025, which offers a cash prize for each winner of the two categories: columns and reviews. In addition, each winner will receive an NUJ membership. The runner-up in each category will also receive a prize. Winners and runners-up will also receive a one year free membership of The Orwell Society.
George Orwell was one of the foremost writers of the twentieth century. Not only was he the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, his oeuvre includes some of the greatest journalism of all time. Famously, he was also a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the photo of his membership card has been reproduced for publications on his life and works. The image appears on this page, expressly to promote the Young Journalists Award, with the kind permission of The Orwell Estate and UCL Library, Special Collections.
The prestigious, UK-wide Young Journalists Award supports Orwell’s legacy and is also a great opportunity for up-and-coming journalists to boost their portfolios, CVs, profiles and industry networks.
You are eligible to enter if you are:
• a student journalist (i.e. a university undergraduate, post-graduate or a vocational trainee) or
• currently employed or self-employed as a journalist
• and in both cases, your date of birth falls in or after 1995 and you are a full-time resident in the UK.
Please show us why you should be declared the winner by completing the two tasks below.
After checking our judging criteria** we ask you to complete the form below by 12:00 midnight on Monday 24th March, 2025:-
• an arts review on a subject of your choice (e.g. book, film, play, art exhibition, etc) of no fewer than 600 and no more than 700 words. Your review should include a headline and an indication of the target audience/publication.
• OR a column on a political subject of your choice of no fewer than 600 and no more than 700 words. Your column should include a headline and an indication of the target audience/publication.*
• a reflection of no fewer than 250 and no more than 300 words, on how your review or column is informed by Orwell’s influence. You should explain which aspects of Orwell’s life and works have had an important bearing on your piece.
The judging panel will consist of:
Click here to read about our judges 2025
We would strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with examples of Orwell’s writing before entering this competition. The following preliminary reading list, consisting of 13 examples, offers a useful starting point:
Politics and the English Language (Horizon – 1944)
Inside the Whale (Inside the Whale – 1940)
Future of a Ruined Germany (The Observer – 1945)
Bertrand Russell, Power: A New Social Analysis (The Adelphi – 1939)
The Sporting Spirit – (Tribune – 1945)
You and the Atom Bomb (Tribune – 1945)
The Politics of Starvation (Tribune – 1946)
T.S. Eliot, Notes Towards the Definition of Culture (The Observer – 1948)
Wilde’s Utopia (The Observer – 1948)
Some Thoughts on the Common Toad (Tribune – 1946)
Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf (New English Weekly – 1940)
Confessions of a Book Reviewer (Tribune – 1946)
Homage to Catalonia (New 2022 Flame Tree Publishing edition with an introduction by Murphy, Dr. J.)
You can easily access most of these and further examples of Orwell’s writing at The Orwell Foundation’s website here:
Guide to Resources | The Orwell Foundation
Last year’s winning entries can be seen here:
Winners of 2024 Orwell Society & NUJ Awards For Young Journalists
The judges will not provide feedback to entrants, except to the winners and runners-up. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. All entries are anonymised for judging.
The Orwell Society reserves the right to first publication, and subsequent publication permissions, of the entries of the winners and runners-up. In consideration of the years’ free membership of The Orwell Society, the winners and runners-up will undertake agreed ambassadorial and promotional roles for The Orwell Society during that year.
Submission Rules:
All submissions should be in a Word file (not PDF). The two tasks should be presented in 12 pt Times Roman double spaced – with each page numbered and each one should end with a word count.
JUDGING CRITERIA
1. Subject Knowledge (20%) — Demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the chosen subject. Attention to details which are both valid and relevant such as terms, concepts, theories, events, people, texts, contexts and information. Depth and range of background awareness and comprehension of issues pertinent to the topic indicated by judicious incorporation of facts, quotes, definitions and explanations.
2. Intellectual Skills (20%) — Ability to articulate a clear and compelling position through cogent and coherent argumentation. Analysis and evaluation rather than mere description. Questioning and critical thinking rather than assumptions and platitudes. Overall command and synthesis of ideas and reasoning.
3. Evidential Skills (20%) — Substantiation of points and arguments by reference to relevant examples. Marshalling of evidence to illustrate and illuminate. Credible sources and research underpinnings rather than dubious claims and unsupported opinion.
4. Writing Skills (20%) — Standard of language usage (including grammar, punctuation, spelling and diction) as well as writing style (including expression, clarity, fluency and power). Structure supporting logical and methodical progression. Adherence to the specified word count and form of journalism.
5. Overall Cohesion (20%) — The judges will be particularly attentive to four key qualities: 1) originality, 2) emergence of a clear and unique voice, 3) indications of Orwell’s influence, and 4) readiness for publication.
OUTCOMES RANGE
Exceptional: 80%+
Excellent: 70-79%
Very good: 60-69%
Good: 50-59%
Basic: 40-49%
Insufficient: 0-39%
Click Here to fill in Application Form for the Young Journalist Prize