Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford - Conington Prizes

Conington Prizes

For an outstanding doctoral thesis in the Department of Classical Philology at the University of Oxford, you will receive a one-off cash prize of about 1,170 EUR (£1,000). The prize is awarded jointly by the Department of Classical Philology and the Department of Philosophy at the University of Oxford. It is named after the classical scholar John Conington. The topic rotates annually between three areas: ancient history, religion, art and archaeology; ancient philosophy and the history of ideas; and classical literature, textual criticism and philology.

Who can apply

• Degree: You have written a doctoral thesis (DPhil) and submitted it for examination at Oxford. A version revised for publication does not count, but the corrected version that you submit does.
• Where you study: For Oxford only. You are a graduate or a current member of the University.
• Field: Your dissertation is relevant to the specialism on offer this year (see the rotation above).
• Career stage: You are at postdoctoral level or an equivalent level and have obtained a degree from the University of Oxford following an examination.
• Timing since starting: 6 to 17 years have passed since you first enrolled at Oxford. If you obtained your first degree at another university, the period is 2 to 13 years.
• Language: Your dissertation is written in English or Latin.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• Once only: You cannot win the prize twice.

How to apply

Please send an email to the Department of Classical Philology, stating the title of your dissertation. They will then let you know how to submit it to the examiners. The deadline is at the end of May (29 May in 2026).

How realistic are your chances?

This prize is very narrowly defined. Each year, only doctoral theses from Oxford in a specific area of Classical Philology may be submitted, so the pool of candidates is small. If your DPhil thesis clearly fits the theme for that year and you meet the entry requirements, your prospects are really good. However, the examiners set the bar high and may even decide not to award the prize at all if no thesis is deemed convincing enough.