President's Awards for Best Master's Thesis and Best Undergraduate Essay (ACLA)

About this program

The American Comparative Literature Association awards two President's Awards—the Presidential Master's Prize and the Presidential Undergraduate Prize—to recognize the best master's thesis and undergraduate essay in comparative literature, judged for theoretical rigor, comparative breadth, and clarity (work crossing linguistic boundaries is especially valued). Winners receive cash ($500 for the master's prize, $250 for the undergraduate prize), a certificate, complimentary Annual Meeting registration, and economy-class roundtrip airfare plus hotel accommodations to attend the meeting. Departments or programs may nominate one student per category, regardless of actual departmental affiliation, and the project must be completed by July 1, 2026. Nominations require a one- to two-page endorsement and must be submitted via the acla.org nomination form by August 31, 2026; email applications are not accepted.