Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award

Contest · 2026Prestige 64/100

The International Emmys' free award for non-US writers under 30: $2,500 and a New York festival trip.

Deadlines & fees

Closed for this cycle

The 2026 competition closed at noon Eastern on 1 July; the winner is announced in October. Entries typically reopen in late April.

Dates and fees checked against the official site 14 Jul 2026.

Key facts

Formats: TV Pilot
Genres: Comedy, Drama
Eligibility: Early-careerEmerging writersNon-professional18+Students eligible
Not open to: Russia
Required materials: Official proof of age (passport, driving licence or photo ID) · One-page resume or biography · Script as PDF with full cover page · Blind copy of the script with only the title and author initials · Summary of the script (100 to 200 words)

Open to non-US citizens aged 18 or over who have not reached 30 by 31 December 2026 (non-US citizens studying or residing in the US may enter). Entrants must be novices: no writing credit on fiction produced for TV or streaming, and the script must never have been sold or optioned. One entry per applicant; every member of a writing team must qualify. Entries from Russia are barred for 2026. Scripts written with significant use of AI tools are ineligible.

Prizes

US$2,500 plus a trip to New York with flights provided by the Academy. The award is presented at the International Emmy World Television Festival on 21 November 2026, with an invitation to the 54th International Emmy Awards Gala on 23 November. Free to enter.

Judging

Submissions are screened for eligibility, then judged on original story, character development, creativity and knowledge of craft. A blue-ribbon panel selects the winner from the finalists, announced in October. Scripts must be stand-alone or pilot episodes of half-hour to one-hour commercial length, in English.