The Philosophy and Literature Essay Prize has been sponsored since its inception by Andy Charman, who works as a senior business analyst in the financial sector. Andy was a student in the Philosophy Department between 1984 and 1987, and his degree course marked the beginning of his lifelong engagement with Philosophy and Literature. Andy has continued to take an interest in the Essay Prize and the subsequent careers of the winners.

The competition is open to current BA and PhD students in Philosophy and Literature, and MA students in Philosophy and the Arts, at Warwick, and to those who have finished their Warwick Phil/Lit or MA Phil Arts degrees within the past five years. Essay submissions should be between 2,500 and 5,000 words, and must demonstrate a clear personal commitment to the subject, rather than scholarly prerequisites. Entries are considered anonymously by a panel of judges. The deadline for the 2018 submissions will be announced shortly.