The National Uehiro Oxford Essay Prize in Practical Ethics is an annual competition held in the autumn/spring each year. It is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in UK universities, and the 2025/6 competition is now open for entries.
Students are invited to enter by submitting an essay of up to 2000 words on any topic relevant to practical ethics. Practical ethics is concerned with what we should do in any given situation. It reflects on personal, professional, policy, and social choices and structures and holds them up to scrutiny. It may balance or prioritise different values and interests.
Two undergraduate papers and two graduate papers will be shortlisted from those submitted to go forward to a public presentation and discussion in March 2026, where the winner of each category will be selected. The deadline for entries is noon on Monday 19th January 2026.
The winner from each category will receive a prize of £500, and the runner up £200. Revised versions of the two winning essays will be considered for publication in the Journal of Practical Ethics. For more information on how to enter please see the competition page on our website.