To encourage undergraduate interest in economic issues, Viral V. Acharya, President of the International Atlantic Economic Society, and N. Gregory Mankiw, Vice President of the International Atlantic Economic Society, cordially invite students to compete in the IAES Annual Best Undergraduate Paper Award (BUPA) competition in October 2026. The IAES strives to recognize and reward outstanding research conducted by undergraduate students worldwide. Each year, four finalists are selected to present their research orally.
Submissions welcome beginning on 15 January 2026!
The Winner Receives
$1000
A handsome commemorative plaque recognizing their accomplishment
Complimentary publication of the paper in the Atlantic Economic Journal.
All finalists will receive $100, a commemorative plaque, and are invited to publish an 800 word summary of their research in the Atlantic Economic Journal.
Dr. Gary Clayton
Best Undergraduate Paper Award Competition Founder
Northern Kentucky University-U.S.A.
“I can’t you how glad I am that we decided to start BUPA over 20 years ago!”
For all BUPA inquiries, please email journals@iaes.org. BUPA emails sent to any other email address may not be answered expediently.
Guidelines for Submission
To be considered for the 2026 Best Undergraduate Paper Award competition, all entries must follow the guidelines below.
1. Format of the Paper
The paper must conform to The AEJ manuscript style instructions, and:
1) must be 10 – 20 pages in length including the Blinded Manuscript Title page and tables/figures- submitted in MS Word format, PDF and LaTeX files are NOT acceptable.
2) the Blinded Manuscript Title page must contain the Paper’s Title, 250 word maximum abstract, JEL numbers, and the paper’s keywords. It may not contain any further information.
3) the Separate Title page (not part of the 10-20 pages) must include: (a) full name of student; (b) affiliation; (c) email address; and (d) phone number.
4) papers not following these guidelines will be rejected.
2. Where Do I Submit My Paper?
Please submit the paper to journals@iaes.org by 16 June 2026 with the subject line: “Best Undergraduate Paper Competition – Last Name of Student”.
DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR PAPER TO EDITORIAL MANAGER. ONLY THE 4 FINALISTS WILL BE INVITED TO SUBMIT THEIR PAPERS TO EDITORIAL MANAGER AFTER THE ORAL PRESENTATIONS AND SELECTION OF THE WINNER.
3. Additional Requirements
Include a letter from the student’s Faculty Mentor certifying:
A. That the paper was written while the author was an undergraduate.
B. If the student has already graduated from the undergraduate program, that the degree was conferred within the past academic year.
C. That the paper has not already been published or submitted for publication elsewhere.
D. Ordinarily, the letter would confirm that the department will sponsor the student’s potential hotel and travel costs if the student is selected as a finalist. However, due to the fact that the Finalists will present their papers virtually this year, there will be no hotel and travel costs, making this unnecessary.
Selection of Finalists
1. Up to four finalists will be notified of their selection. Finalists will be required to make a formal presentation on Saturday 10 October 2026.
2. Finalists will be judged on both presentation and content. A panel of judges will announce the winning paper after the presentations.