In honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, any town or area across the UK will have the opportunity to apply for city status.
39 places have done just that, including eight in Scotland.
Applications have rolled in over the last few weeks, with the decision on who makes the cut being made in spring of 2022
The announcements will take place in June 2022.
This year marks the first time that places in British overseas territories and crown dependencies have been able to apply.
What does city status mean?
Becoming a city can bring benefits to many places, giving them a greater tourism profile and bringing in more revenue for the area.
There is no minimum population for city status. Instead the decision is made by the Queen on the advice of government ministers.
It used to be associated with having a cathedral, but that is no longer a requirement.
As a result, a wide range of places and towns are applying for city status this year.
Here are all the Scottish towns throwing their hats in the ring.
Applications have rolled in over the last few weeks, with the decision on who makes the cut being made in spring of 2022