Welcome to the entry site
for The Pulitzer Prizes in Books,
Drama and Music!

06/24/2026: The Books portal has reopened for the 2027 cycle (encompassing eligible work published in calendar year 2026). The recommended/non-binding deadline for books published between January 1, 2026 and July 31, 2026 is July 15, 2026; the final deadline for all Books entries (including titles published in the first seven months of the year and the fourth quarter of the year) is October 15, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.

The final deadline for all Books entries in the 2026 cycle was October 15, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Entrants with books published between October 16 and December 31, 2025 must have submitted the most finalized iteration of their work (whether a manuscript copy, galley or complete PDF) by the 2026 competition deadline in October 2025 in order to be considered. Books first published in calendar year 2025 or earlier are no longer eligible.

Pending entrant accounts (which require manual approval from our office for security reasons) have been approved in tandem with the competition opening. (The Drama and Music portals will not reopen until August.) During the 2027 cycle, please allow up to 24 hours for approval during business hours, while accounts registered after 5:30 p.m. Friday generally will be approved beginning the following Monday morning for the duration of the cycle. 

Each spring, Columbia University awards Pulitzer Prizes in eight Books, Drama and Music categories. The winners are chosen by the Pulitzer Prize Board, which seeks to recognize excellence by eligible American writers, playwrights and composers.

For a list with definitions of the eight categories — Drama, Fiction, History, Biography, Memoir, General Nonfiction, Poetry and Music — click here.

All entry forms and fees must be submitted electronically. Paper forms, checks and cash are not accepted.

Recommended deadline for books published between January 1 and July 31, 2026: July 15, 2026. Final deadline for all book entries, including those published in the final quarter of the year: October 15, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Eligibility deadline for Drama and Music consideration: December 31, 2026.

Entry fee: $75 per entry - paid by credit card only (MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover).