RSL Literature Matters Awards for International Students 2023

The RSL Literature Matters Awards aim to reward and enable literary excellence and innovation. Each year, after an open call for proposals, the Awards are given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project.

Priority will be given to proposals which will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or will help generate public discussion about why literature matters.” The project may be a piece/pieces of writing, a publication, an event, or a production.

About Royal Society of Literature (RSL)

The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is a learned society founded in 1820, by King George IV, to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". A charity that represents the voice of literature in the UK, the RSL has about 600 Fellows, elected from among the best writers in any genre currently at work. Additionally, Honorary Fellows are chosen from those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of literature, including publishers, agents, librarians, booksellers or producers. The society is a cultural tenant at London's Somer... read more

RSL Literature Matters Awards

Aim and Benefits of RSL Literature Matters Awards

• A total of £20,000 is available – this will be split across a number of projects, which will be chosen by the judges. The winners will be announced in October 2023.

Requirements for RSL Literature Matters Awards Qualification

• Applicants must be permanent UK residents. They are unable to offer grants to citizens of the UK living abroad.
• The person applying should be a writer or other literary creator with a successful track record to indicate the proposal is likely to succeed. They accept applications from small groups or colloborations/collectives of writers, but not from organisations, this includes publishers, presses, registered charities, CICs and companies.
• Applicants must be 18 or over at the time of application.
• You must be in need of the funding to carry out the proposal and be able to demonstrate thi and how the money would be used.
• Anyone who has received any Royal Society of Literature (RSL) Award or Prize (not including Fellowship) in the last two years may not enter.
• They welcome partnership with organisations but if the project is dependent on their involvement, you must have already confirmed with them that they are willing to collaborate with you.
• Projects will need to be safe, demonstrable and actionable, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. You must show that you have taken this into consideration in your application, ensuring the safety of all participants and feasibility of delivering the project should circumstances change.
• Current members of RSL staff and trustees are not eligible to apply.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Entries should be made via the online form; no email or postal applications will be considered without prior agreement and there is no need to submit any additional documents.

For more details,visit RSL website