Fellowships

Applications open mid-October and will close mid-December

Each year, five fellowships, including accommodation, all meals, travel expenses and manuscript consultations, are awarded to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers from anywhere in Australia.

Closes September

This prestigious four-week international residency in Cove Park, Scotland, generously supported by the Bridge Awards Foundation, is open to Varuna alumni.

Closes October 31

New England Writers’ Centre welcome manuscripts at any stage of development from writers living in the Federal Electorate of New England.

Closes October

This prestigious two-month international residency in Shanghai, China runs from 1 September 2020 to 31 October 2020. Alumni from Western Sydney University and Alumni from Varuna, the National Writers’ House, are invited to apply.

Closes March 25

This four-week international exchange fellowship with the extraordinary Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Annaghmakerrig, Ireland, is awarded to a member of the Varuna Alumni once a year.

Closes March 31

The Denmark Arts Varuna Writer’s Fellowship is for writers in the Great Southern Region of WA or Shire of Manjimup.

Closes 13 April

This prestigious literary journal awards up to five week-long residencies at Varuna each year, open to Contributors Circle members.

Applications open 2 March and close 30 April

Held in partnership with Kill Your Darlings this Fellowship offers a week-long fellowship for the shortlisted writers in our 2020 Unpublished Manuscript Award.

Applications open 16 March and close 14 May 2020

Held in partnership with Affirm Press, these publishing intensive mentorships provide a unique opportunity for three or four writers developing exceptional new work. The genre for 2020 is YA manuscripts and middle-grade fiction (9+) with sci-fi and fantasy themes.

Closes 29 May

This opportunity for a one-week residency, including travel subsidy and manuscript consultation, is open to Writers SA members who are emerging writers and poets under the age of 35 who live in South Australia.

Closes 18 June

In partnership with independent press Scribe Publications, three fellowships are awarded annually, with writers invited to participate in an intensive residency with Scribe editors.

Closes 5 July

Writing NSW awards two one-week Varuna residencies to members of Writing NSW for manuscripts, plays or poem collections ready for the next stage of development. One of the two fellowships is reserved for a writer under the age of 30.

Closes 16 July

WestWords and Varuna have once again partnered for the WestWords Varuna Western Sydney Residential Program offering four emerging writers from diverse backgrounds from Western Sydney the opportunity of a six-day residency at Varuna, The Writers’ House in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

Closes 29 July

Each year, Varuna awards 24 fellowships to emerging and established writers across Australia, including several flagship fellowships of three weeks. This is Varuna’s most prestigious award, having run since 1991.

Closes 29 July

Offered in partnership with the Australian Society of Authors, and generously supported by the Ray Koppe bequest, this is one of the Varuna flagship fellowships and is offered to a writer under the age of 35 who is as yet unpublished.

Closes 29 July

Offered in partnership with the Henry Handel Richardson Society, this award promotes the life and legacy of Henry Handel Richardson.

Applications open 14 July and close 31 August 2020.

This program is presented in partnership with the Northern Territory Government through Arts NT.

Closes 10 August

These residencies are awarded to recipients of The Wheeler Centre’s Next Chapter program, where ten outstanding writers are provided with a year’s mentorship and $15,000 to develop their work.