The Berlin Prize is a semester-long residential fellowship run by the American Academy in Berlin for scholars, writers, journalists, filmmakers, and public-policy professionals. Around two dozen fellows join an interdisciplinary community at or near the Hans Arnhold Center each year.
Fellows pursue independent projects, build connections with German institutions, and present their work through public events in and around Berlin. The open competition covers the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism, and public policy; mathematics and natural-science proposals are not accepted.
Benefits & funding
- A $5,000 monthly stipend for the four-month residency.
- Roundtrip airfare.
- A private furnished apartment at or near the Hans Arnhold Center.
- Partial board, in-house library access, and professional networking opportunities.
- The stipend is taxable income; fellows may receive it directly or through their home institution, which may not deduct overhead.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be US citizens or US permanent residents; any limited periods spent outside the United States must be explained.
- Emerging scholars should hold a PhD, have a strong peer-reviewed publication record beyond the dissertation, and propose work that has advanced substantially beyond the dissertation project.
- Applicants in fields such as journalism, filmmaking, or public policy must show a significant publication or production record.
- Fiction and nonfiction writers must have published at least one book with a reputable press by the application date.
- Mathematics and natural-science projects are ineligible. Visual artists and composers are considered only through separate nomination-based competitions.
- Previous Berlin Prize recipients cannot normally apply again; previously unsuccessful applicants may reapply.
- Collaborative-project applicants must submit separate applications for individual review.
Can you apply?
Open to all applicants
No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.
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Application process
- 1Create or access an account in the American Academy in Berlin’s SlideRoom portal and complete its forms in English.
- 2Upload a 1,500–1,750-word project proposal with a bibliography of no more than one page as one PDF, a CV of no more than 10 pages, and two writing samples totaling no more than 60 pages.
- 3Enter the names and contact details of three referees so the portal can request their English-language letters.
- 4Submit the application by September 25, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time or 6:00 p.m. Central European Time; referees must submit letters by October 2 at the same times.
Program timeline
Application deadline.
September 25, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CET
Recommendation-letter deadline.
October 2, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CET
Applicants receive decisions by email.
Late March 2027
May 2027
The Academy announces the 2027–28 fellows.
Fall-semester residency.
Mid-August to mid-December 2027
Spring-semester residency.
Late January to late May 2028