The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, an international program that identifies and nurtures talented new screenwriters, will now exclusively partner with global university programs, screenwriting labs and filmmaker programs to select Nicholl fellows. Each partner will vet and submit scripts for consideration for an Academy Nicholl Fellowship, and The Black List will serve as a portal for public submissions. All scripts submitted by partners will be read and reviewed by Academy members.
[Updated: 03/31/2025]
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named four individuals and one writing team as winners of the 2024 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. The winning writers were selected from among more than 5,500 submissions representing 80 countries.
[Updated: 10/01/2024]
With less than a month until their final May 1st deadline, the Nicholl Fellowships has recieved more than 4,200 submissions. In a new rule for 2024, a maximum number of 5,500 entries will be accepted.
[Updated: 04/02/2024]
Five individuals have been selected as winners of the 2023 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. Each individual will receive a $35,000 prize and mentorship from an Academy member throughout their fellowship year. They also will be featured at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and Live Read on April 25 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater, where an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the 2023 winning scripts.
[Updated: 03/06/2024]
With less than two months until their final May 1st deadline, the Nicholl Fellowships has recieved just about half of the 5,500 submissions they will accept this year. In a new rule for 2024, a maximum number of 5,500 entries will be accepted.
[Updated: 03/05/2024]
The 2024 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition is now open to submissions. For the first time this year a maximum of 5,500 submissions will be accepted, one per writer or writing team.
[Updated: 02/06/2024]
Four individuals and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2022 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. Each individual and writing team will receive a $35,000 prize and mentorship from an Academy member throughout their fellowship year. They also will be featured at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and Live Read on November 9 at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, where an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the winning scripts.
[Updated: 09/30/2022]
Five individuals have been selected as winners of the 2020 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. The fellows will each receive a $35,000 prize and be highlighted at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards and Virtual Table Read on Thursday, December 3, where an ensemble of actors will read selected scenes from the winning scripts.
[Updated: 09/30/2020]
The ten finalists for this year's Nicholl Fellowships have been announced.
[Updated: 09/14/2020]
The 2019 Nicholl Fellowships finalists are (listed alphabetically by author): Aaron Chung, "Princess Vietnam",
Gary Patent, "Cosmonaut",
Jack Zafran, "Justice, Justice",
Joel Sinensky, "The Lie Factory",
Karen McDermott, "Lullabies of La Jaula",
Lynn Esta Goldman, "On the Wing",
Matthew Fantaci, "Scandalous!",
Paul Ashton, "Slater Berricks is a Dead Man",
Renee Pillai, "Boy with Kite",
Sean Malcolm, "Mother",
Toy Styles, "Concrete Beach", and
Walker McKnight, "Street Rat Allie Punches Her Ticket."
[Updated: 09/08/2019]
The Motion Picture Academy's Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is now accepting submissions. Early deadline in March 7, 2019, with a $45 entry fee.
[Updated: 02/05/2019]
Three individuals and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2018 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. The fellows will each receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Awards Presentation & Live Read on Thursday, November 8, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
[Updated: 09/19/2018]
Eleven individual screenwriters and one writing team have been shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. The Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee will meet later this month to select up to five winners to receive year-long fellowships. A total of 6,915 scripts were submitted for this year’s competition.
[Updated: 09/13/2016]
Five individuals have been selected as winners of the 2015 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. The Academy is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the global competition which aims to identify and encourage talented new screenwriters.
[Updated: 09/28/2015]
Three individual writers and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2014 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition.
[Updated: 10/03/2014]
Loglines have been announced for the 2014 Nicholl finalists.
[Updated: 09/25/2014]
Finalists have been announced for the 2014 Academy Nicholl Fellowships In Screenwriting.
[Updated: 09/23/2014]
Four individual writers and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. 
Each winner will receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at an awards presentation on Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. For the first time, the event will also feature a live read of selected scenes from the fellows' winning scripts.
[Updated: 10/22/2013]
Nine individual screenwriters and one writing team have been selected as finalists for the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $35,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 09/27/2013]
Several past Nicholl fellows have recently added to their achievements. Destin Cretton directed "Short Term 12" from his fellowship-winning screenplay; the film will premiere in competition at South by Southwest® next month. Creighton Rothenberger co-wrote "Olympus Has Fallen," which opened recently with Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman and Angela Bassett.
[Updated: 03/29/2013]
Five writers have been selected as winners of the 2012 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Each writer will receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 8.
[Updated: 10/24/2012]
Ten finalists, consisting of nine individual screenwriters and one writing team, have been selected for the 2012 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $35,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 10/04/2012]
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition has received a record 7,197 entries for 2012, up from last year's record of 6,730. The Academy will award up to five fellowships of $35,000 each in November.
[Updated: 05/17/2012]
The regular deadline to submit entries for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Nicholl Fellowships is Tuesday, May 1, 2012.
[Updated: 04/27/2012]
Seven writers have been selected as winners for the 26th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/18/2011]
by Barri Evins
Greg Beal has been the director of the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting since 1989. Those of us privileged to know Greg are well aware of the enormous integrity he brings to every aspect of the contest, from application to awards ceremony, his ceaseless striving to improve the competition experience and the extra effort he puts into personally encouraging writers. I've heard from many writers how much it meant to them to receive Greg's handwritten postscript to their official semi or quarterfinalist letter letting them know how close they came to the next level and encouraging them to keep at it. Greg's empathy is no accident; he understands what it means to be in your shoes. Once a screenwriter himself, Greg won a WGA East fellowship and went on to write several scripts on assignment.
[Updated: 02/03/2011]
Five writers have been selected as winners of the 25th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 4.
[Updated: 10/21/2010]
Ten writers have been selected as finalists for the 25th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy's Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 09/30/2010]
Six writers have been selected as winners of the 24th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer or writing team will receive a prestigious $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 12.
[Updated: 10/29/2009]
Eleven writers have been selected as finalists for the 24th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy's Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 10/09/2009]
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is now accepting entries for the 2009 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. As many as five $30,000 fellowships will be awarded through the program later this year.
[Updated: 03/24/2009]
Six new screenwriters have been selected as winners in the 23rd Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer or writing team will receive a prestigious $30,000 prize.
[Updated: 11/11/2008]
Thirteen writers have been selected as finalists for the 23rd annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy's Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 10/14/2008]
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is
now accepting entries for the 2008 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in
Screenwriting competition.
[Updated: 03/04/2008]
Seven new screenwriters have been selected as recipients of the 22nd Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 11/05/2007]
Ten scripts have been selected as finalists for the 22nd annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/05/2007]
Six new screenwriters, two who wrote collaboratively, have been selected as recipients of the 21st Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer or writing team will receive the first installment of the prestigious fellowship’s $30,000 prize money at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 16.
[Updated: 10/27/2006]
James V. Simpson, whose script "Armored" was announced last week as a finalist in the Nicholl Fellowship Competition, has sold the project Screen Gems, where it will be produced by Buckaroo Entertainment executives Sam Raimi and Josh Donen, and Dan Farah of Farah Films.
[Updated: 10/13/2006]
Ten scripts have been selected as finalists for the 21st annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The scripts will now be read and judged by the Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 10/06/2006]
Six new screenwriters, two who wrote collaboratively, have been selected as recipients of the 20th anniversary Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 11/03/2005]
Ten scripts have been selected as finalists for the 20th anniversary Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The scripts will now be read and judged by the Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 10/20/2005]
Six new screenwriters, two of whom wrote collaboratively, have been selected as recipients of the 2004 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/29/2004]
Ten scripts have been selected as finalists for the 2004 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/14/2004]
Six new screenwriters, two of whom wrote collaboratively, have been selected as recipients of the 2003 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/30/2003]
Ten scripts have been selected as finalists for the 2003 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The scripts will now be read and judged by the Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 10/17/2003]
The Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has received 6,045 entries this year, topping last year's entries by one.
[Updated: 06/19/2003]
[Updated: 11/08/2002]
Of the 6,044 entrants in the 2002 Nicholl Fellowships competition, 300 advanced to the quarterfinals. Of those 300, 129 entrants advanced to the semifinals. Of those 129, 10 entrants advanced to the finals.
[Updated: 11/08/2002]
Five new writers have been selected to receive the 2002 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/28/2002]
Ten finalists have been selected for the 2002 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The scripts will now be read and judged by the Nicholl Committee, which may select as many as five of the writers to each receive one of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.
[Updated: 10/11/2002]
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting program is underway and applications are now available. As many as five $30,000 fellowships will be awarded through the program later this year.
[Updated: 02/20/2002]
Here are the 118 Nicholl entries that reached and remained at the semifinal level.
[Updated: 11/29/2001]
Here are the 156 Nicholl entries that reached and remained at the quarterfinal level.
[Updated: 11/29/2001]
Five new writers have been selected to receive the 2001 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/29/2001]
Eleven finalists have been selected for the 2001 Don and Gee
Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences.
[Updated: 10/18/2001]
Several more MovieBytes subscribers have been identified among the quarterfinalists for the Nicholl Fellowships, which this year attracted more than 5,000 entries.
[Updated: 08/15/2001]
MovieBytes readers Brendan Foley, Doug Solter, Zoje Stage, and James Morganelli have been named quarterfinalists in this years Nicholl Fellowships.
[Updated: 08/09/2001]
The Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting has received almost 5,500 entries this year, shattering the previous record of 4,446 set in 1998.
[Updated: 06/12/2001]
The 20001 Nicholl Fellowships deadline is May 1st.
[Updated: 04/20/2001]
[Updated: 10/23/2000]
[Updated: 10/05/2000]
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Show Less News
An interview with screenwriter Ken Kristensen regarding the Nicholl Fellowships Writing Competition. [Updated: 12/03/2008]
An interview with screenwriter James Foley regarding the Nicholl Fellowships Writing Competition. [Updated: 06/17/2008]
