Eligibility
- Who can apply for a KR Fellowship?
Any writer who has completed an MFA or PhD degree by August 15th, 2012. - I’m not a U.S. Citizen. Can I still apply?
Yes, but all applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. - Is there an age limit for applicants?
No. - I don’t have a graduate degree in creative writing, but I have many publications and awards. May I apply for a fellowship?
No. To be eligible for a KR fellowship applicants must have completed an MFA in creative writing or PhD in creative writing, English literature, or comparative literature by August 15th, 2012. - May I apply for a fellowship if I have an MA in creative writing?
No. - What kind of teaching experience is required?
Applicants must have professional teaching experience in creative writing and/or literature at the undergraduate level.
Application Process
- What is the application deadline?
Applications must be submitted no later than December 1, 2011 in order to be considered. - Is there an application fee?
No. - Is publication required for submission of an application?
Publication is not required, but the strongest candidates will be those with the strongest records of publication. - Do I need to send letters of recommendation or transcripts?
Applications must include three letters of recommendation, one of which should directly address the applicant’s teaching ability. Applications must also include unofficial transcripts from all graduate programs, along with a curriculum vitae and a project statement. - Do my letters of recommendation need to come from professors or teachers who know my writing?
Because the selection committee will evaluate your writing, your references do not necessarily need to speak to your writing. One of your references must speak to your teaching ability, and the other two should provide character references and give the selection committee an idea of your potential to work with the students, faculty and staff at The Kenyon Review and Kenyon College, and to successfully fulfill the requirements of the fellowship. - How should my references submit letters of recommendation?
Letters of recommendation should be submitted electronically. When you fill out an online application, you will be asked for the names and email addresses of your references. Once your application has been submitted, your references will be emailed with instructions about how to upload letters of recommendation to your application. If for some reason one of your references is unable to upload a letter of recommendation to your application, please contact Tory Weber at webert@kenyon.edu or 740-427-5391. - How do I use a dossier service to send letters of recommendation?
When you fill out an online application, you will be asked for the names and email addresses of your references. If you are using a dossier service, for each entry you should enter the name of a reference and the email address of your dossier service. This means you will enter three different reference names, but each name might have the same email address (that of the dossier service). - Why haven’t my references been contacted yet?
Your references will only be contacted once your application has been completed and submitted. When your application is submitted, you will see a page that indicates you have successfully submitted your application, along with a confirmation number. If your references still haven’t been contacted after you have submitted your application and received a confirmation number, please contact Tory Weber at webert@kenyon.edu or 740-427-5391. - May I submit a writing sample that is slightly longer than 15 pages?
No. Additional material beyond 15 pages will not be read. - May I send additional material, substitute another writing sample, or otherwise update my application at a later date?
No. We cannot change or add information to your application, writing sample, curriculum vitae, or project statement once we have received it. - For the writing sample, can I submit work that has been previously published?
Yes. - Can I submit creative nonfiction, memoir, or a screenplay that I have written?
Yes. - I write both poetry and fiction, can I apply to both categories in the same year?
Yes. - How do I know that you received my application?
You will receive a confirmation number when your application is successfully submitted. If you do not receive a confirmation number, please contact us.
Selection Process
- How are applicants chosen for the fellowship?
Fellows are chosen based on the achievement and promise of their written work, on the strength of the recommendations, and on their teaching experience and ability. - Who is on the selection committee?
Editors and members of the staff of The Kenyon Review and faculty of Kenyon College. - What does the selection committee look for in the writing sample?
Significant achievement and long term potential as demonstrated in the style, skill, and ambition of the writing sample. - What does the selection committee look for in the project statement, and how long should this statement be?
A project that is ambitious and could be completed or significantly developed in a two-year period. Project statements should be no longer than a single page. - When and how will you let me know your decision?
The selection committee will notify applicants in early February, 2012. Finalists will be interviewed at the AWP Conference in Chicago February 29th-March 3rd, 2012. The final four candidates will come to Kenyon College in April for a campus visit. Final decisions will be made in May and Fellows will arrive at Kenyon on August 15th, 2012. - If selected, can I defer my admission?
No. Fellowships may not be postponed. - If I am not selected, can I apply again?
Yes. Because we are currently only accepting two fellows every two years, we will be turning down many talented and qualified candidates and we encourage those candidates to reapply. - Can you give me feedback and tell me why I wasn’t selected for a fellowship?
No. Due to the volume of applications we will be receiving, we cannot comment on individual applications.
Responsibilities and Expectations
- What will be expected of me as a fellow?
The primary expectation is that you will undertake a significant writing project and fulfill the goals you have laid out in your project statement. You will attend regular individual meetings with faculty mentors who will assist you as you write and revise your manuscript. Fellows are also expected to teach one semester-long class per year in the English Department of Kenyon College, contingent upon departmental needs. In non-teaching semesters, fellows will spend approximately 15 hours per week assisting in creative and editorial projects for The Kenyon Review and KROnline. Fellows will also assist in The Kenyon Review Summer Programs. - Is residency required?
Yes. Fellows are required to live in the local community in order to attend workshops, readings and other public events, and to contribute to The Kenyon Review, the English Department, and the broader cultural life at Kenyon. - Can I keep my full-time job and/or pursue another degree during the fellowship period?
No. This fellowship is a full-time academic commitment and is not to be pursued concurrently with another full-time job or degree program. - When does the fellowship begin and end?
The fellowship begins on August 15th, 2012 and ends on August 14th, 2014. - Do I get any kind of degree by completing the fellowship?
No. - Am I guaranteed a teaching position during my fellowship?
It is expected that fellows will teach one semester-long class per year in the English Department of Kenyon College, but these positions cannot be absolutely guaranteed because departmental needs may shift. The fellowship stipend will not be affected by teaching status. Fellows may also have opportunities to teach in The Kenyon Review Summer Program workshops. - In what ways will the fellows assist The Kenyon Review and KROnline?
Fellows will work on a variety of creative and editorial projects for both The Kenyon Review and KROnline. While the nature of these projects will depend on the needs of the magazine and the interests and skills of each fellow, contributions may include reading submissions, assisting with programs and reading series, working with The Kenyon Review’s student associates and interns, and developing new initiatives.
Financial Information
- How much is the fellowship?
Fellows will receive a $32,500 yearly stipend, plus health benefits. - Is it possible to live on the fellowship?
Yes. Fellows are expected to devote these two years to developing as writers, teachers, and editors, so the stipend is intended to fully support the fellows for those two years. - Will housing be provided?
At this time, housing is not provided. There are many inexpensive rental opportunities in and around Gambier, Ohio, and we will keep fellows aware of these options. - Is there an opportunity for me to teach additional classes or in any other way supplement my income?
Opportunities for additional teaching may exist, but are dependent upon the curricular needs of the English Department and The Kenyon Review Summer Programs.
Contact Information
For questions or more information contact:
Tory Weber
Associate Director of Programs and Fellowships
The Kenyon Review
Finn House
Gambier, OH 43022
740-427-5391
webert@kenyon.edu
