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Screenwriting contest calendar

Screenplay competitions and fellowships

Screenwriting Contests 2026

Deadlines, entry fees and prizes for the screenwriting contests and fellowships writers ask about most, each checked against the contest's own site. When the next dates are not out yet, we say so instead of guessing.

Contests and fellowships by deadline

17 of 42 shown

Closed this cycle

Why most contests are not worth the fee

In August 2024 Coverage Ink counted 857 screenwriting contests taking entries on FilmFreeway. 648 of them were film festival writing contests, which their guide says generally have almost no value. A festival award rarely gets your pages to a manager or producer. Pay for contests with named judges, winners who went on to get read or hired, and prizes that are more than the host's own services.

Questions writers ask

Are screenwriting contests worth it?

Some are. The ones worth paying for have named judges, a record of winners getting read by managers or producers, and prizes that are more than a bundle of the host's own services. A placement is a reason for someone to open your script, not a sale. Pick a few that fit your script and skip the rest.

What are the best screenwriting contests?

The Academy Nicholl Fellowships, Austin Film Festival, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, Final Draft Big Break, Script Pipeline and the Sundance Screenwriters Lab are the names industry readers recognize most. For TV writers, the studio programs (NBCUniversal Launch, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros.) carry real weight, but they open briefly and are very competitive.

How much do screenwriting contests cost to enter?

Most feature contests charge between $40 and $100 per script, and fees rise as each deadline passes, so the earliest deadline is the cheapest. Studio TV writing programs are usually free. Paid notes are almost always an extra charge on top of the entry fee.

What is the Nicholl Fellowship?

The Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It awards up to five $35,000 fellowships a year to writers who have not earned more than a set amount from screenwriting. Entries now go through partner portals, and the fee depends on which portal you use.

Are there free screenplay competitions?

Yes, but most free options are studio TV writing programs and fellowships rather than contests. They usually ask for a pilot or spec plus personal statements. A few festivals waive fees for specific groups, so check each official site.

What happened to Coverfly?

Coverfly closed on August 1, 2025. Its contest listings and the Red List ranking went with it, which is why this list links straight to each contest's own site instead of a middleman.

How do you keep these dates accurate?

Every contest here was checked against its official site, and each card shows the date it was last verified with a link to the page we used. When a contest has not announced its next dates, we say so instead of guessing.

Coverfly, ScreenCraft, WeScreenplay and The Script Lab all shut down in 2025. Read where to find screenplay contests now, and what happened to ScreenCraft, WeScreenplay and The Script Lab.

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