Honoring the memory of a celebrated poet and a beloved teacher, the Agha Shahid Ali Prize in Poetry is awarded annually and is sponsored by The University of Utah Press and The University of Utah Department of  English. $1,000 Cash Prize and Publication; Reading in The University of  Utah's Guest Writers Series.

 This year's judge is Jennifer Chang.

 

• Manuscripts must be in English and should be between 48 and 100 typed pages.
   
• Manuscripts must be submitted between February 1  through April 15, 2025. Early submissions are encouraged.  
   
• Manuscripts will not be returned.
   
• Submitted poems may have appeared previously in journals or anthologies, although the collection as a whole must be previously unpublished. This includes chapbooks.
   
• The competition is open to poets who have previously published book-length poetry collections, as well as unpublished poets.
   
• Current and former students of The University of Utah and of the finalist judge may not enter. Current and former employees of The University of Utah Press are not eligible for the prize. We support the CLMP Code of Ethics.
   
• Simultaneous submissions are permitted; however, entrants must notify the Press immediately if the collection submitted  is accepted for publication elsewhere during the competition.
   
• All submissions should include a cover letter providing complete contact information, including name, address,  telephone, and email address. Please do not include any identifying information on the title page or on the manuscript itself. This includes acknowledgements.