FAQs

The Nobel Prize was set up when businessman and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel died and left the majority of his fortune to the establishment of prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. His will stated that the prizes should be awarded to “those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.” 

The Nobel Prize categories are physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace – these were laid out in the will of Alfred Nobel. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) established the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. 

The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 and they have been awarded annually since then. There have been years in that time when the Nobel Prizes have not been awarded - mostly during World War I (1914-1918) and II (1939-1945). 

When Alfred Nobel died leaving the majority of his fortune to the establishment of the Nobel Prize he stated that the money should be converted into a fund and invested in “safe securities.” Today the interest earned on that money is used to fund the Nobel Prizes. 

The word “laureate” refers to being signified by the laurel wreath. In ancient Greece, laurel wreaths were awarded to victors as a sign of honour. Put that together with the Nobel Prize and we get “Nobel Prize laureate”. 

A Nobel Prize can be shared by up to three individuals, or in the case of the peace prize, it can also be awarded to an organisation. The rule that a prize can only be awarded to three people comes from the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, which is responsible for fulfilling the intentions of Nobel’s will. It specifically states: “In no case may a prize amount be divided between more than three persons.” 

No, a Nobel Prize cannot be awarded posthumously. However, since 1974, if the recipient dies after the prize has been announced they can still be awarded it. Previously, a person could be awarded a prize posthumously if they had already been nominated before 1 February of the same year, which was true of Erik Axel Karlfeldt (Nobel Prize in Literature 1931) and Dag Hammarskjöld (Nobel Peace Prize, 1961). Following the 2011 announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, it was discovered that one of the medicine laureates, Ralph Steinman, had passed away three days earlier. The Board of the Nobel Foundation examined the statutes, and came to the conclusion that Ralph Steinman should continue to remain a Nobel Prize laureate, as the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet had announced the 2011 Nobel Prize laureates in physiology or medicine without knowing of his death. 

The Nobel Foundation does not disclose addresses to Nobel Prize laureates out of courtesy. Please contact the institution, organisation or university to which the Nobel Prize laureate was affiliated at the time of the award. For literature laureates please contact their publishing house. Alternatively you may be able to contact some laureates via social media. 

In his last will and testament, Alfred Nobel specifically designated the institutions responsible for the prizes he wished to be established.

• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for the Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry
• Karolinska Institutet (now The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet) for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• The Swedish Academy for the Nobel Prize in Literature
• A committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel was instituted in 1968, on the tercentenary of the bank. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences was given the task of selecting the  economic sciences laureates. It has been awarded since 1969 according to the same principles as the Nobel Prizes.

In order to become a Nobel Prize laureate you must first be nominated for a prize by an eligible nominator. Self-nomination is not allowed. Except for the Nobel Peace Prize, nomination is by invitation only and nominators must fulfil the criteria set out by the awarding institutions.
Eligible nominations are then considered by the prize awarders, who make the final decision as to who will receive a Nobel Prize.
To find out who can be a nominator in each prize category, see the links below. 

Only people who fulfil the criteria set out by the prize awarding institutions are allowed to nominate candidates for the Nobel Prize. To find out who can be a nominator in each prize category, see the links below.

No, it is not possible to nominate someone for a posthumous Nobel Prize.

The Nobel Day – which takes place on 10 December every year – marks the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death and is the day that the Nobel Prizes are presented to Nobel Prize laureates.