Undergraduate Archival Research Project Prize
Northwestern University Libraries and the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections & University Archives announces the next cycle of Undergraduate Archival Research Project Prizes, cash prizes awarded to the best scholarly work using primary sources that present a significant and well-researched analysis on a historical topic. The projects will be judged on their clarity of focus, originality of argument and historical analysis, relevancy and comprehension of applied primary sources, and contribution to their related field of study.
Submission categories for 2026:
- Short form: Project length must be between 800-2,000 words, not including bibliography
- Long form: Project length must be between 2,001-5,000 words, not including bibliography
Learn about the 2025 Undergraduate Archival Research Project Prize winners.
Research Project Submission Eligibility
- Submitter must be a current Northwestern University undergraduate at any class level and in any discipline (humanities, sciences, social sciences) with valid NetID; multi-authored projects are eligible
- Submitter must complete submission form below
- Submitter may submit one unique project per category
- Submission must include a 300-500-word cover letter as PDF file describing the applicant's research process and the extent to which they engaged with selected materials to develop their project
- Submission must include a PDF file of the project (must be complete and include a bibliography)
- Project topic is open, but research query must be historical in nature and significantly answered and informed by primary source research
- Any type of primary source research (including research with sources online or those found in databases) is considered eligible for this year’s submission; does not have to use McCormick Library or Northwestern-held collections, but a third prize will be awarded for those that do
- Project length must match submission category: short form requires 800-2,000 words; long form requires 2,001-5,000 words (bibliography is not included in word count for either category)
Prizes
Three cash prizes will be awarded to the winning submission.
- Best Short Form: $1,000
- Best Long Form: $1,000
- Best Use of McCormick Library Collections (short or long form): $1,500
Please note: Prizes and award payments are taxable income to US residents. Taxability of prize and award payments for non-residents is dependent on country of tax residency. See more.
Timeline
- Deadline for submissions is April 20, 2026 11:59PM Central
- Workshops on primary source research writing will launch in Winter Quarter 2026—check back here for details
- Questions should be directed to specialcollections@northwestern.edu
- Students can contact specialcollections@northwestern.edu by March 27, 2026 to request an in-person consultation about their work and eligibility
- Prizes announced and awarded June/July 2026
Questions?
Questions can be directed to specialcollections@northwestern.edu. Please contact specialcollections@northwestern.edu by March 27, 2025 to request a consultation.
Submission Form
Note: You will be prompted to log in with your campus email.