True Story Award 2027 for Journalists

Applications are open for the True Story Award 2027, an international journalism award recognising outstanding written reportage from journalists around the world. The award celebrates journalism that demonstrates strong research, exceptional storytelling and meaningful societal impact. Journalists whose work has been published in newspapers, magazines or online publications during the eligible period are invited to submit their reports for consideration.

The True Story Award brings together journalists from different countries and language communities to share their work and engage in discussions about important stories and the role of journalism in society. The award is presented in connection with the True Story Festival in Bern, Switzerland, where nominated journalists and the wider festival community have opportunities to exchange ideas and perspectives.

The 2027 edition recognises excellence across three categories: Research, Storytelling and Impact. Each category winner will receive US$20,000, giving selected journalists an opportunity to gain international recognition for their reporting and the issues their work brings to public attention.

About the Opportunity

The True Story Award is an international prize for written journalism that combines credible reporting with compelling presentation and relevance to society. Rather than focusing exclusively on breaking news or the number of readers reached, the award considers the depth of investigation, quality of writing and potential influence of a report.

The award is presented in three distinct categories. Applicants must select the category in which they would like their report to be evaluated. Although a strong submission may demonstrate qualities across all three categories, the applicant should identify the area that best represents the report's principal strength.

The selection process involves an international jury that evaluates submissions from different countries and language regions. Selected journalists are nominated for the award and invited to Bern for the True Story Festival, scheduled to take place from June 3 to June 7, 2027. The main jury selects the three category winners from the nominated reports.

Award Categories

• Research: Recognises outstanding investigative work, including the scope of the research, time invested, data analysis, difficulty in obtaining information and risks encountered during reporting.

• Storytelling: Recognises exceptional writing, including structure, composition, the integration of facts and narrative, linguistic quality and literary strength in nonfiction reporting.

• Impact: Recognises the societal significance of a report, considering its news value, audience response and potential consequences for politics, the economy or society.

Opportunity Benefits

• US$20,000 cash prize for each of the three category winners.

• International recognition for outstanding journalistic work.

• Opportunity to have a report evaluated by an international jury of journalism, publishing, education and literary professionals.

• Potential nomination for the True Story Award 2027.

• Invitation to Bern, Switzerland, for selected journalists attending the award ceremony and True Story Festival.

• Opportunities to exchange experiences with journalists from different countries and language communities.

• Greater visibility for important investigations, human stories and reporting on issues affecting society.

• Opportunity to contribute to international discussions about journalism, storytelling and the social relevance of reported work.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should review the following requirements before preparing a submission.

• Open to journalists from around the world.

• The submitted report must have been published between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026.

• Eligible publication formats include daily or weekly newspapers, magazines and online publications.

• The submission must be a written journalistic report based on researched events and adhere to recognised journalistic standards.

• Each author may submit only one text.

• Entries may be submitted by the author or by the editorial team responsible for the publication.

• Reports must meet the award's language and submission requirements.

• Applicants must select one of the three award categories for evaluation.

Required Application Materials

Applicants should prepare a report that meets the award's content, length and publication requirements.

• One eligible written report published within the specified period.

• A report between 15,000 and 85,000 characters, including spaces.

• The original publication details for the submitted report.

• The preferred category for evaluation: Research, Storytelling or Impact.

• An online submission completed through the official application platform.

The award does not accept unpublished manuscripts, book publications, visual works, audiovisual productions, purely factual texts or academic works. Applicants should ensure their submission is a journalistic feature or report that meets the competition's standards.

Selection Criteria

Submissions are assessed according to the category selected by the applicant and the quality of the journalism presented.

Research quality

The jury considers the breadth and depth of the investigation, the effort invested in gathering information, the use of data, the difficulty of obtaining evidence and any risks associated with the reporting.

Writing and storytelling

The jury examines the structure and composition of the report, how facts are integrated into the narrative, the clarity and elegance of the writing, and the quality of the nonfiction presentation.

Societal impact

The jury considers the relevance of the report, its newsworthiness, the response it generates among readers and its potential to influence public debate or developments in politics, the economy and society.

Reports that combine strong research, engaging writing and wider social relevance may demonstrate strengths across several areas, although each submission is evaluated in the category selected by the applicant.

How to Apply

Interested journalists can follow these steps to submit an entry for the True Story Award 2027.

1. Review the official eligibility rules. Visit the True Story Award website and confirm that your report meets the publication dates, length requirements and other submission conditions.
2. Choose an eligible report. Select a written journalistic feature published between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026, in an eligible newspaper, magazine or online publication.
3. Select an award category. Decide whether Research, Storytelling or Impact best reflects the report's main strength.
4. Check the language requirements. Entries can be submitted in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. The official call also provides regional submission routes for eligible English translations of work originally written in other languages. Consult the current rules for the accepted language and regional arrangements.
5. Complete the online application. Submit the report through the official application platform. Authors may submit their own work, or an editorial team may submit a report on their behalf.
6. Submit before the deadline. Ensure that the completed entry reaches the organisers by October 31, 2026, at 12:00 noon UTC. Late submissions cannot be considered.
7. Review the publication permissions. If a report is nominated, the author grants the True Story Foundation permission to publish it on the foundation's website in its original language and in English. The terms also provide for publication in German through partner media outlets of the award and festival.