MacDowell Fellowship
Fellowship · 2027Prestige 85/100
A private studio, a bed and three meals a day in New Hampshire for up to eight weeks. Screenwriters explicitly eligible.
Deadlines & fees
- Application deadlineNext deadline
Dates and fees checked against the official site 8 Aug 2026.
Key facts
- Formats
- Feature
- Eligibility
- Open worldwide
- Required materials
- Full screenplay as a PDF, in English · One-page summary of the same screenplay · Optional video sample from the same or a different project (no trailers, reels, teasers, pitch decks or mood boards) · Project proposal describing what you hope to accomplish during the residency · List of professional achievements in an artistic field
Open to emerging and established artists worldwide, with no nationality or residency requirement. Applicants may not be enrolled in a degree-seeking programme during the residency season applied for, though doctoral candidates who have completed all coursework may apply. One application every 24 months, in one discipline only. Screenwriters apply under Film/Video. All text-based work samples must be submitted in English. No guests, family or partners can be accommodated.
Prizes
No prize as such. Fellows receive a private studio, accommodation and three prepared meals a day for two to eight weeks at no cost. On top of that, accepted fellows may apply for a need-based stipend of up to 1,500 US dollars, intended to cover rent, utilities, childcare, equipment or replaced income, and for need-based reimbursement of domestic or international travel to Peterborough. Both are discretionary and assessed on demonstrated need, so a fellow without demonstrated need may receive no cash at all.
Judging
Fellows are selected by anonymous admissions panels of distinguished professionals in each discipline, who serve for up to three years on a rotating cycle. No panellists are named, by design. The sole criterion is artistic excellence, which MacDowell defines in deliberately pluralistic terms. Approximately 4,000 artists apply each year and on average one in every 20 applicants is offered a residency. Applicants are notified roughly two and a half months after the deadline, so end of November for this window. Reference letters are currently suspended as a requirement, having been identified as a barrier to applying.
The PreList verdict
MacDowell gives you a private studio, a bed and three meals a day on 450 wooded acres in New Hampshire, for anything from two to eight weeks, and asks for nothing back. There is no instruction, no notes, no showcase and no programme of any kind: their own guidance says the intention is that artists work independently without assistance. Screenwriters are explicitly eligible, listed under Film/Video alongside animators and documentary makers rather than under Literature, and you submit a full screenplay as your work sample. Around 300 fellowships are awarded a year.
The honest part: this buys you time, not access. Nobody reads your script for you, nobody introduces you to anyone, and there is no industry component whatsoever. Roughly one in twenty applicants is offered a residency, and the panels are anonymous by design, so there is no judge list to study and no angle to play. The stipend is up to 1,500 US dollars and strictly need-based, which means a fellow without demonstrated financial need may receive nothing beyond the residency itself. Anyone enrolled on a degree course is ineligible.
Apply if the thing standing between you and a finished draft is not notes or contacts but four uninterrupted weeks with your meals cooked for you. It costs 30 US dollars to apply, with a hardship waiver you must request after starting but before submitting your application. Applications for the spring and summer 2027 residencies open on 17 August 2026 and close on 10 September, with decisions at the end of November. You may apply once every 24 months, in one discipline only, so choose your moment.
Dylian Salvatore, Founder of The PreList · Updated 7 Sept 2026
Frequently asked questions
Can screenwriters really apply to MacDowell?
Yes. MacDowell names screenwriters explicitly within its Film/Video discipline, alongside animators, documentary makers and feature filmmakers, and publishes a screenwriting-specific work sample requirement: a full screenplay in English plus a one-page summary.
What does it cost?
Thirty US dollars to apply, with a hardship waiver available if you request it after starting but before submitting your application. Once you are accepted there is no cost at all: the studio, your accommodation and three meals a day are included.
Is there any money on top of the residency?
A need-based stipend of up to 1,500 US dollars and need-based travel reimbursement, both applied for only after you have been accepted. Neither is guaranteed, and both are assessed on demonstrated financial need.
What are my chances?
MacDowell publishes both halves of that question: around 4,000 artists apply each year, and on average one in every 20 applicants is offered a residency. The rate varies by discipline and application period.
Is your script right for MacDowell Fellowship?
Upload your screenplay and The PreList scores how well it fits this fellowship: genre, format, eligibility and readiness, before you spend anything.
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