Governor-General's Prize

The Governor-General's Prize is CEFA's flagship national constitutional essay competition for undergraduate university students. Conducted under the patronage of the Governor-General of Australia as Patron-in-Chief of CEFA, the Prize is designed to encourage deeper engagement with Australia's Constitution, democratic institutions and system of government. The competition attracts entries from leading universities across the country.

All entries are submitted through the CEFA website and collated by CEFA's National Office in Ultimo, Sydney, with a specific administrator dedicated to this task. Entries are distributed to preliminary round judges.

Questions are set by the CEFA Board on important topics for contemporary issues of debate, such as those faced by governments and parliaments. Final judging is chaired by a Justice of the High Court of Australia (opens in a new tab) and supported by a distinguished panel of constitutional scholars, academics and community leaders.

A particular highlight of the program is the opportunity afforded to finalists to attend Government House, where they are recognised at a ceremony hosted by the Governor-General. For many students, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, providing national recognition for their achievement. In some years, the prize monies have been distributed across the winner and the highly commended, as this is at the discretion of the Final Judging Panel.

The Prize has been conducted annually since 2004, apart from the disruptions of COVID-19. Many winners have gone on to outstanding further achievements and careers. The combination of High Court involvement, Governor-General recognition and participation from Australia's leading universities makes the Prize one of Australia's most prestigious civics and constitutional education initiatives.