PURPOSE
The Julian Corbett Prize is awarded annually by the Academic Trust Funds Committee, on the recommendation of the Institute of Historical Research, to reward original research in the field of modern naval history. It carries a monetary value of £4,000.
ELIGIBILITY
The Prize is open to all researchers in modern naval history, without regard to nationality or academic affiliation. For the purposes of this competition, ‘modern’ is taken to mean the period from the end of the fifth century AD to the present day. ‘Naval history’ is also to be understood in its broadest sense, encompassing not only the history of warfare at sea, but also the social history of naval personnel and their familial and professional networks, as well as matters pertaining to naval administration and technology. No prize will be awarded for work which has already been published, or is being considered for publication, as the work must be eligible for publication in Historical Research. No prize will be awarded for work which has previously received a Julian Corbett Prize or any other prize. Recipients of the Corbett Prize (or runners-up) are not eligible to apply to the Corbett Prize competition again for a period of five years (the 2024 winner can apply again in 2030).
ENTRIES
Prize entries should be written in English and take the form of an essay based on original research. The length must not exceed 15,000 words (including footnotes, but excluding bibliography). Candidates who wish to extract a portion of a larger, unpublished work should take care to present their offering as a discrete essay, with sources and a bibliography.
ASSESSMENT
The selection panel will make its decisions based on:
▪ The author’s skill and control in using sources.
▪ The author’s command of evidence.
▪ The author’s clarity and quality of writing.
▪ Whether the entry makes a clearly defined contribution to the knowledge and understanding of an aspect of naval history.
▪The originality of the entry. If the successful work is published, it shall bear on the title page the words, ‘Awarded the Julian Corbett Prize for Research in Modern Naval History, University of London’, together with the appropriate year. The winning piece will be published in the Institute’s peer-reviewed journal, Historical Research.
APPLICATION FORMAT
• Hard copy applications will be deemed ineligible.
• Applications for which the requested documents are not uploaded will be deemed ineligible.
APPLICATION CONTENTS
As well as completing the online application form, applicants should also upload the following two documents before submitting their application:
1. A prize entry (up to 15,000 words)
2. A one-page academic CV (maximum two-sides of one page or two single-sided sheets), outlining publications, research papers, and other relevant activities. Please note that Corbett Prize applicants DO NOT need to upload a research statement. Reference letters are not required.
IHR Corbett Prize 2025
PURPOSE
The Julian Corbett Prize is awarded annually by the Academic Trust Funds Committee, on the recommendation of the Institute of Historical Research, to reward original research in the field of modern naval history. It carries a monetary value of £4,000.
ELIGIBILITY
The Prize is open to all researchers in modern naval history, without regard to nationality or academic affiliation. For the purposes of this competition, ‘modern’ is taken to mean the period from the end of the fifth century AD to the present day. ‘Naval history’ is also to be understood in its broadest sense, encompassing not only the history of warfare at sea, but also the social history of naval personnel and their familial and professional networks, as well as matters pertaining to naval administration and technology. No prize will be awarded for work which has already been published, or is being considered for publication, as the work must be eligible for publication in Historical Research. No prize will be awarded for work which has previously received a Julian Corbett Prize or any other prize. Recipients of the Corbett Prize (or runners-up) are not eligible to apply to the Corbett Prize competition again for a period of five years (the 2024 winner can apply again in 2030).
ENTRIES
Prize entries should be written in English and take the form of an essay based on original research. The length must not exceed 15,000 words (including footnotes, but excluding bibliography). Candidates who wish to extract a portion of a larger, unpublished work should take care to present their offering as a discrete essay, with sources and a bibliography.
ASSESSMENT
The selection panel will make its decisions based on:
▪ The author’s skill and control in using sources.
▪ The author’s command of evidence.
▪ The author’s clarity and quality of writing.
▪ Whether the entry makes a clearly defined contribution to the knowledge and understanding of an aspect of naval history.
▪The originality of the entry. If the successful work is published, it shall bear on the title page the words, ‘Awarded the Julian Corbett Prize for Research in Modern Naval History, University of London’, together with the appropriate year. The winning piece will be published in the Institute’s peer-reviewed journal, Historical Research.
APPLICATION FORMAT
• Hard copy applications will be deemed ineligible.
• Applications for which the requested documents are not uploaded will be deemed ineligible.
APPLICATION CONTENTS
As well as completing the online application form, applicants should also upload the following two documents before submitting their application:
1. A prize entry (up to 15,000 words)
2. A one-page academic CV (maximum two-sides of one page or two single-sided sheets), outlining publications, research papers, and other relevant activities. Please note that Corbett Prize applicants DO NOT need to upload a research statement. Reference letters are not required.