To be eligible for a Nobel Prize , a candidate must be nominated by a qualified person. The Nobel Prize Nominations made by persons not belonging to any of these categories will be disregarded. Suggestions for prize winners are to reach the Nobel Committee before 1 February to be taken into account for the year s prize. A nomination should be accompanied by a motivation, although this is not obligatory.
Nominations are subject to complete secrecy.
In its work in choosing a Nobel Prize winner the Swedish Academy is assisted by a Nobel Committee comprising four to five Academy members, elected for three-year periods. The Committee s task is to prepare discussions on candidates by registering, collecting and presenting nominations, to commission various studies, and finally for each of the committee members to issue a recommendation to the Academy in advance of the decision on a winner. About 350 suggestions arrive each year. The same names often occur in several nominating letters and the number of persons nominated is usually about 200. Since nominations have to be renewed every year to be valid, it often happens that the same names are put forward time after time, until the nominee either wins the prize or dies or the sponsors give up.