How Do You Get a Nobel Prize?

The Nobel Prizes, announced annually in the fall since 1901, cover five different disciplines: chemistry, physics, literature, peace, and physiology/medicine. Additionally, there is an economics prize awarded at the Nobel ceremony (not technically a Nobel prize). That means you’ve got at least five—or six, depending on how picky you are—different opportunities every year to win one of these coveted awards. Of course, so does every other person in the world. There is a shot, though. So what does it take to win?

The announcement of winners comes a full year after the process starts. September the year prior kicks things off and is when you’ll need to be ready, as the Nobel Committee invites more than 6,000 individuals to submit names—maybe your name!—for consideration. As you can’t nominate yourself, you’d best become buddy-buddy with someone who can: the mix includes Nobel laureates (a fancy way of saying past winners), members of the Nobel Committees, holders of chairs in chosen prestigious universities, national governing body members, and other selected notable scientists and leaders in each of the categories.

Don’t fret, though. You have until January 31, about four months later, to make your new best friend, because that’s when submissions are due. The committee then screens nominations—sometimes over 1,000 names—and gets a working list, up to 350 names, depending on the field (physics and economics, for example, have the most, but the peace award list is much tighter). By spring that list gets whittled down to maybe 15 names in all, with the help of expert consultation.

The recommendations are given to the prize-awarding institutions, which determine final selections: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences confers the prizes for physics, chemistry, and economics; the Karolinska Institute confers the prize for physiology or medicine; the Swedish Academy confers the prize for literature; and the Norwegian Nobel Committee confers the prize for peace. Once you’ve secured your victory, keep your calendar clear for a December awards ceremony, where you become an official Nobel laureate and can embrace your cash prize, diploma, and gold medal. Good luck!