About this opportunity
African longform reporting has a direct route into one of Europe's better paying journalism prizes. The True Story Award gives USD 20,000 in each of three categories, Research, Storytelling and Impact, and it reads entries from around the world through regional categories, one of which, World I, exists specifically for Africa and the Middle East.
The work must be a written report published between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026 in a daily or weekly newspaper, a magazine or online, and it must run between 15,000 and 85,000 characters including spaces. Nine languages are accepted as they are, and a text in any other language, including an African one, may be entered in English translation under a regional category.
The True Story Foundation, which runs the festival in Bern, Switzerland, asks an international jury of 45 members from 24 countries to choose 36 submissions. Those authors are invited to Bern to present their work, and the main jury then names the three winners. The
Application timeline
is Saturday 31 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC, and entries after that moment cannot be considered.
What you receive
- USD 20,000 for the winner in each of the three categories, Research, Storytelling and Impact
- Shortlisted authors are invited to the True Story Award ceremony and the True Story Festival in Bern, Switzerland, where they present their work
- A place among the 36 best submissions selected by an international jury of 45 members from 24 countries
- International visibility for longform reporting, with nominated texts published on the foundation website in the original language and in English
- Nominated texts may also appear in German in partner media of the award and the festival
Who can apply
- Journalists from around the world may enter
- The report must have been published between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026 in a daily or weekly newspaper, a magazine or online
- The text must be between 15,000 and 85,000 characters, including spaces
- Entries are accepted in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
- Work in other languages may be submitted in English translation through one of the regional categories: Europe, World I for Africa and the Middle East, or World II for South Asia and Southeast Asia
- Each author may submit only one text, either personally or through their editorial team
- By entering, authors confirm that the text is based on genuinely researched events and meets journalistic standards
Who should not apply
- Republications, book publications and unpublished manuscripts cannot enter
- Visual and audiovisual works are excluded
- Purely factual texts and academic works are not eligible
- Entries submitted after 31 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC cannot be considered
Documents to prepare
- The published report text itself, within the 15,000 to 85,000 character range including spaces
- Proof of the publication date, since the work must fall between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026
- An English translation when the original language is outside the nine accepted languages
How to apply
- Open the entry portal at https://apply.truestoryfestival.org/
- Choose the language of your article, or pick a regional category when submitting an English translation
- Upload the text and confirm that it was published between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026
- Submit before the deadline of 31 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC
- Read the full conditions on the award page at https://truestoryfestival.org/en/award before you enter
Selection process
- An international jury of 45 members from 24 countries reads the entries and selects the 36 best submissions
- The 36 selected authors are invited to the award ceremony and the True Story Festival in Bern, where they present their work
- In a second step the main jury chooses three winners, one in Research, one in Storytelling and one in Impact
- Research is judged on the scope of the research, time invested, data analysis, the difficulty of obtaining information and any risks involved
- Storytelling is judged on structure and composition, the combination of facts and prose, narrative elegance and literary quality in non fiction
- Impact is judged on news value, reader response and potential further consequences in politics, the economy and society
Sources and verification
Related opportunities
- 2027 SADC Media Awards Competition for Journalists
The SADC Secretariat has launched the 2027 SADC Media Awards in photo, print, television and radio journalism. Each category pays US$2,500 to the winner and US$1,000 to the runner up. Entries close 28 February 2027.
Questions applicants ask
What is the prize?
Each of the three category winners receives USD 20,000, and shortlisted authors are invited to the ceremony in Bern, Switzerland.
Which work counts as eligible?
Written reports published between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026 in daily or weekly newspapers, magazines or online.
Can I enter in an African language?
Yes. Work outside the nine listed languages may be submitted in English translation through the World I category, which covers Africa and the Middle East.
How long must the text be?
Between 15,000 and 85,000 characters, including spaces.
When does the call close?
Saturday 31 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC. Late entries cannot be considered.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
