Please review the following information carefully. If you don’t see your question answered here, please contact us.
FOR ALL FELLOWSHIP APPLICANTS:
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Having a contract with a publisher is not required (though being awarded a Leon Levy or Sloan fellowship often eventuates in a book contract).
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The idea is to exclude from the pool of recommenders anyone with a vested financial interest in the biography under consideration. Thus colleagues, mentors and fellow writers are typically called on to testify about an applicant's strengths.
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There are on average around 110 applications for four regular biography fellowships and one Sloan fellowship. Many of the applicants have a significant record of publications.
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Feedback on applications is not offered. NB: most successful applicants are accepted after applying two or three times.
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Yes. While the Leon Levy Center for Biography strives to support first-time biographers in the process of writing their first biographies, mid-career and senior biographers are also supported.
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Yes. If the subject of a biography is a scientist then applicants may apply for both the regular and the Sloan fellowship.
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Yes. However, the letters must be resubmitted directly by the recommender. It is also recommended that the letters be updated to reflect any progress made since their original submission.
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Yes, biographies of more than one subject are eligible.
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Currently biographies only are being offered fellowships.
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The writing sample is probably the most important element of the application, though in the end the letters of recommendation play a significant role too.
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No weight is given to the biographical period. Biographies of subjects who lived in any era qualify.
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Typically in early April.
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The link provided by Submittable when you register to be apply for the fellowship will allow you to check on your application.
SPECIFICALLY FOR INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP APPLICANTS:
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Yes, writers of any and all nationalities are eligible.
FOR RECOMMENDERS:
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The link provided by Submittable when you register to be a recommender will allow you to check to be sure your letter has been received by the application.
FOR ACCEPTED FELLOWS:
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Fellows are normally required to attend monthly seminars in person at the Graduate Center on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. When circumstances require, seminars and public events may also be conducted via Zoom.
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Healthcare is not a part of the fellowship package.
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Yes, writers affiliated with a college or university often arrange leaves-of-absence that include keeping their benefits during the fellowship year.
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Yes. Fellows are given full library privileges at the Graduate Center, including access to a range of major data bases and borrowing privileges within the CUNY consortium.
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Yes. Each Fellow is assigned a graduate-student research assistant who works 7. 5 hours per week during the academic year, September – May.
