Disney Entertainment Television Writing Program
Programme · 2026Prestige 82/100
Disney's flagship paid TV writing pipeline toward staffing across Disney Entertainment Television.
Deadlines & fees
Closed for this cycle
The 2027 programme window ran 4 May to 1 June 2026 and is closed. The next application window has not been announced.
Dates and fees checked against the official site 14 Jul 2026.
Key facts
- Formats
- TV Pilot
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Animation, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Family, Fantasy, History, Horror, Music, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Sport, Thriller, War, Western
- Eligibility
- US residents21+
- Open to
- United States
- Required materials
- Application and writing samples per current rules (typically an original pilot or spec)
Must be 21 or over and US-based (the programme runs in Los Angeles). Applications are managed largely via the programme's official channels.
Prizes
A salaried programme with staffing consideration across Disney Entertainment Television, plus mentorship and executive access. Not a cash-prize contest.
Judging
Selection by Disney, with finalist interviews. The twelve-month programme typically begins in February.
The PreList verdict
This is the deep end of the TV programme pipeline. Writers selected for the Disney Entertainment Television Writing Program spend a year as paid contract employees of Disney, developed toward staffing across the company's networks and studios. Alumni staff at a rate no open contest can touch, and there is no entry fee. If you want a TV career and are eligible, this is not really comparable to a contest: it is a job application, and should be treated with that level of preparation.
The honest part: the application asks for more than most writers have ready, including two original live-action pilot scripts, an essay and a staffing pitch. The window is short and unforgiving (the 2027 cycle ran 4 May to 1 June 2026) and the acceptance rate is tiny. This is also a programme for writers ready to be staffed now, not a development space for promising drafts.
The 2027 window is closed. If this is your target, spend the year building the two-pilot portfolio and watch for the next window in spring. Prepared applicants are the only kind this programme accepts.
Dylian Salvatore, Founder of The PreList · Updated 14 Jul 2026
Frequently asked questions
When does the Disney Television Writing Program next open?
The 2027 cycle ran 4 May to 1 June 2026 and is closed. The next window has not been announced; recent cycles have opened in early May.
What does the application require?
Two original live-action pilot scripts, a CV, an essay and a staffing pitch, submitted through Disney's online portal. There is no application fee.
What do participants receive?
Selected writers are contract employees of Disney for one year, paid while being developed toward staffing across Disney Entertainment Television's networks and studios.
Is your script right for Disney Entertainment Television Writing Program?
Upload your screenplay and The PreList scores how well it fits this programme: genre, format, eligibility and readiness, before you spend anything.
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