Apply for a Fellowship

Founded in 1994, the American Academy in Berlin is a private, independent, nonprofit institute for advanced study in the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, journalism, and public policy. The Academy seeks to enhance the cultural and intellectual ties between the United States and Germany.

Each year, the Academy welcomes roughly two dozen fellows to the Hans Arnhold Center, a historic lakeside villa located in the Wannsee district of Berlin. We also invite a small number of Distinguished Visitors and guest speakers for shorter stays of one to four weeks. The Academy’s diverse public programming includes lectures, readings, and presentations by fellows-in-residence, Distinguished Visitors, and guest speakers. For a complete roster of past fellows and Distinguished Visitors, please visit the alumni section of our website.

The Academy is in a unique position to support fellows in establishing or expanding existing professional networks in and beyond Berlin. Each semester, fellows interact with local peers and partner institutions within the Academy’s well-established network, forging meaningful transatlantic connections. Fellows engage German audiences through lectures, readings, and performances, which form the core of the Academy’s public program.

The Berlin Prize is the American Academy’s flagship fellowship program. Fellowship benefits include round-trip airfare, accommodation at or near the Hans Arnhold Center, partial board, and a stipend of $5,000 per month. Berlin Prize recipients reside at the Academy during the entire term of the award—generally one academic semester—and present their work at two public events. The Academy supports Berlin Prize fellows through residential community-building, professional networking, targeted media outreach, and access to in-house library services.

Fellows may receive their stipends directly or via their home institutions. The Academy does not withhold for taxes, but stipends are taxable income. Fellows will be issued IRS Form 1099. If the stipend is paid to the fellow’s home institution, institutional overhead/indirect costs may not be charged or deducted from the stipend.

The Academy welcomes applications from a broad range of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, law, journalism, and various areas of public policy. Berlin Prize recipients include both established and emerging scholars, writers, artists, journalists, and policy experts who wish to engage in independent study in an interdisciplinary residential community. Emerging scholars should hold a PhD and a strong record of peer-reviewed work beyond the dissertation. The Academy will not consider projects that have not advanced significantly beyond the candidate’s dissertation project. Independent scholars who satisfy the general eligibility requirements are welcome to apply.

Applicants working in most other fields—such as journalism, filmmaking, or public policy—must have a significant record of publication or production. Writers of fiction and nonfiction must have published at least one book with a reputable press at the time of application.

Please note that we do not accept project proposals in mathematics or the natural sciences, and that we select artists, composers, and poets through invitation-only competitions.

Fellowships are restricted to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. Candidates must explain any limited periods spent outside the United States, such as sabbaticals or foreign assignments. American expatriates are not eligible to apply.

While project proposals need not focus on topics related to Germany, candidates should explain how their projects would benefit from a residency in Berlin.

The Academy accepts proposals for collaborative projects. Candidates who wish to pursue a joint project must submit separate applications. External reviewers will consider the merits of each candidate alongside their joint project.

Previously unsuccessful candidates are welcome to reapply. We strongly encourage re-applicants to update their application materials and revise their project proposals substantially. A number of Academy fellows have applied more than once before selection.

Individuals who have already received a Berlin Prize are not eligible to apply for another, except under exceptional circumstances.

If you are uncertain as to your eligibility, please contact the Academy’s Fellows Selection team at apply@americanacademy.de.

The American Academy invites composers, artists, and poets via separate, nomination-based competitions. Only nominated candidates are eligible to apply for consideration.

Fellows reside in private, furnished apartments, with en suite kitchenettes, at or near the Hans Arnhold Center, a historic villa on the shores of Lake Wannsee. The Wannsee commuter rail station is a short walk away from the Hans Arnhold Center. Trains reach downtown Berlin in ten to twenty minutes.