Journalism
For work published in print or online by a United States-based news organization with a regular publication schedule in 2025.
Deadline: January 26, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time
Journalism Submission Guidelines, Requirements and FAQs
Technical Requirements for 2026 Journalism Entries
Full List of Entry Questions (Updated for 2026)
The Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism are awarded in fifteen categories. Entries may be made by any individual based on material coming from a United States newspaper, magazine or news site (now including the sites of broadcast news organizations in most categories) that publishes regularly during the calendar year and that adheres to the highest journalistic principles. United States residency is not a prerequisite for the Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism.
Examples of acceptable PDFs
Adapted from past entries, these examples illustrate readability. The Washington Post example also demonstrates how the original play of the story can be shown before it is reformatted into a one-column-wide PDF. The ProPublica example shows how a news site's text story should be reformatted, in this case as a one-column-wide PDF.
- One column format: Washington Post
- Two column format: Associated Press
- Online entry format: ProPublica
Books, Drama and Music
REMINDER: The URL for the Books, Drama and Music entry site is bdmentrysite.pulitzer.org.
01/08/2026: The Books, Drama and Music portals have closed for the 2026 cycle (encompassing eligible work premiered or released in calendar year 2025). Following the May 4, 2026 announcement of the 2026 winners and nominated finalists, the Books, Drama and Music entry site will begin to reopen for the 2027 cycle (encompassing work published or premiered in calendar year 2026) in June 2026. The Books portal will open at that time, while the Drama and Music portals will open discretely during the summer.
The Books portal closed for the 2026 cycle in mid-October 2025. The recommended/non-binding deadline for books published between January and July was August 8, 2025; the final deadline for all Books entries (including titles published in the first half of the year) was October 15, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Prospective entrants with eligible books scheduled for publication 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 October 15 deadline in order to be considered. Books first published in calendar year 2024 (including those published in the fourth quarter following the 2025 competition deadline in October 2024) or earlier are no longer eligible; likewise, books first published in 2025 may not be entered in the 2027 cycle.
Please note that while prospective entrants may continue to register, entry accounts (which now require manual approval from our office for security reasons) initiated henceforth on the Books, Drama and Music entry site will not be approved until shortly before the Books portal opening in June 2026.
Books
Amended recommended deadline (for books published between January 1, 2026 and July 31, 2026): July 2026 (precise date TBD)
Final deadline (encompassing all eligible titles published in 2026, including the fourth quarter of the year): October 15, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time
Books Submissions Frequently Asked Questions, Guidelines and Requirements (updated 02/25/2026)
Drama
Music
The Pulitzer Prize in Music is awarded "for distinguished musical composition by an American that has had its first performance or recording in the United States during the year." Entries should reflect current creative activity.
Works that receive their U.S. premiere between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 are eligible. Either a public performance or the public release of a recording may constitute a premiere. If an entry consists solely of a recording, the work should be first performed and recorded not earlier than two years prior to its public release date.