The Julia Wood History Essay Prize is an annual history essay competition run by St Hugh's College, University of Oxford. The concluded 2026 rules accepted Sixth Form-equivalent students internationally and eligible gap-year students who had not progressed beyond that level. Students write an original historical essay of 2,000-4,000 words on a topic of their own choosing. The competition values original, enterprising topics and independent historical thinking; standard homework essays are unlikely to succeed. Up to £600 in prize money is awarded, often split between multiple candidates, with commendations given to further strong entries. In 2025, 707 essays were submitted. The official page has published the 2026 results; next-cycle dates and terms are not yet available.
Checked November 4, 2026 against the dedicated Julia Wood page and official Sixth Form FAQ. The FAQ still identifies the 2026 round and verifies July 22 at 2 p.m. BST, educational eligibility, and word limit. The announcement concerns publication of 2027 details in late January or early February; it does not confirm an application opening. No 2027 deadline, opening date, fee, or next-cycle eligibility is asserted.