Currently 3 active prizes and awards open to applicants in the US, across AI, arts, film, journalism, research, tech and cross-disciplinary practice. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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The American Academy in Berlin is an independent, nonprofit institute for advanced study in the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and public policy, whose primary mission is to strengthen the cultural and intellectual ties between the United States and Germany. Each year, after a rigorous selection process, the Academy awards roughly two dozen semester-long Berlin Prize fellowships to individuals who demonstrate excellence in their fields. DISCIPLINES: applications are welcome across the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism and various areas of public policy. The Academy generally encourages projects addressing pressing issues of the day, specifically naming democracy, security, technology and society (especially AI), energy including climate, and global order. Dedicated fellowships also support projects in Jewish studies, German studies, and public health and biotechnology. Project proposals need not focus on Germany, but candidates should explain how a residency in Berlin would enhance their work. NOT ACCEPTED: proposals in mathematics or the natural sciences. NOTE FOR ARTISTS: visual artists and composers are invited through separate, nomination-based competitions, so there is no open application route for them here. ELIGIBILITY: fellowships are restricted to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. Both emerging and established figures are eligible. PhD holders qualify as emerging scholars with a strong record of peer-reviewed work beyond the dissertation; candidates in non-academic fields such as journalism, filmmaking and policy need a significant record of publication or production; fiction and nonfiction writers must have published at least one book with a reputable press. WHAT FELLOWS DO: fellows present their work to audiences in and around Berlin through lectures, readings, public discussions, performances and film screenings, and should be willing to engage with relevant German institutions, organizations and the media; these activities are integral to the Academy's mission of fostering transatlantic dialogue. APPLICATION MATERIALS: a project proposal of 1,500 to 1,750 words plus a one-page bibliography; a curriculum vitae of up to 10 pages; two writing samples totalling no more than 60 pages; and three letters of recommendation, which are due 2 October 2026. DEADLINE: Friday 25 September 2026 at 12:00 noon Eastern Time (18:00 Central European Time). TIMELINE: all candidates are notified of the competition outcome by email in late March 2027; the 2027-28 Berlin Prize recipients are announced in May 2027.
The 15th annual First Look Project from Script Pipeline searches for higher-concept material across six categories: feature screenplays in Action and Sci-Fi, Comedy, Drama, and Horror and Thriller, plus hour and half-hour original TV pilots. Unlike Script Pipeline's Screenwriting and TV Writing contests, entries are judged on both writing ability and market potential, in addition to originality of concept; a script that still needs refining can win if the story could stand out in the current landscape, as the aim is a first look at the next buzzworthy specs before they hit the market. GUIDELINES: screenplays must be feature length; genres without a listed category go to the closest one (Fantasy, Western or Adventure under Action and Sci-Fi; Crime and Mystery under Thriller). TV pilots run roughly 30 to 60 pages, all genres accepted including animation and genre hybrids. The script must not be under an option or shopping agreement at the time of entry, and the same script cannot compete in multiple categories. CIRCULATION: Script Pipeline's industry relationships (Bellevue Productions, LBI Entertainment, Hungry Man, Alibi Management and others) have led to writers signed, specs sold and films produced. Regular deadline 30 September 2026; late deadline 15 October; extended deadline 30 October. Winners announced 15 December 2026.
The J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards, given jointly by Columbia Journalism School and the Nieman Foundation at Harvard, are open for 2027 submissions. Two annual awards of USD 25,000 each help writers complete a book-length work of narrative nonfiction on a topic of American political or social concern; books on science, technology and media accountability have won in past years. Applicants need a fully executed contract with a US-based publisher for the book in progress. There is no entry fee for the Work-in-Progress awards; note that the Lukas Book Prize and the Mark Lynton History Prize run on the same portal with the same deadline but carry a USD 75 entry fee. TO APPLY: submit via the Columbia Journalism Awards Submittable portal. DEADLINE: 3 December 2026, 11:59 PM ET.