The Oxford Review of Books (ORB) is a cultural magazine based at Oxford University. It was founded in Spring 2017, and publishes one issue every Oxford term, three per year. The ORB is now published in association with Stanford University. 

POETRY

 Poetry submissions are open approximately three weeks before the Oxford term starts. Anyone is welcome to submit within this window. The ORB does not tend to publish poems over 30 lines, and welcomes submissions of 3-4 poems. Please submit as a Word file and include a third-person bio to orbpoetry@gmail.com.

The Oxford Review of Books is now accepting poetry submissions for our Spring 2026 Issue! To
submit your entry, please email us at orbpoetry@gmail.com by midnight on the night of Friday 21
November.
One of our editors will email you regarding the outcome of the competition by Saturday 29
November.
Who can enter the competition?
Anyone! We welcome submissions from current and former Oxford students but also accept submissions
from writers across the globe. As a student-run and edited publication, we’re unable to pay our winners at this
current moment.
What are we looking for?
The ORB is about fresh thinking and quality writing first and foremost. We strongly recommend that you
read previous entries, published on our website, to get a sense of what a successful submission might look
like.
How many pieces will you publish?
We typically publish four to six poems in our print issue.
Is there a theme?
The Spring 2025 Issue has a guiding theme as outlined in the pitch guidelines which can be found here. While
submissions related to the theme are encouraged, they are not required. As mentioned above, we are driven
by a commitment to quality and rigor.
What format should my submission be in?
Please submit only Word documents or PDFs. Google Docs are not accepted.
Is there a word limit or a limit on the number of entries?
Submissions should be a maximum of 30 lines. There is a maximum of five entries per person. Submitting
more work does not increase the odds we accept one of your pieces for publication.

Can I submit previously published writing and/or are you open to simultaneous submissions?
We do not accept submissions that have been previously published elsewhere. While we do allow
simultaneous submissions, if your piece is accepted elsewhere, please inform us immediately as we will need
to withdraw it from consideration.
Can I submit to your website instead of the print issue?
Yes! The digital edition of the ORB is open for submissions throughout the term, and you can send all
submissions for the website to either theorbdigital@gmail.com and orbpoetry@gmail.com. If you would like
to be considered for digital publication, please specify that in your email.