2026 Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship

The 2026 Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship is currently open to prospective applicants.

Apply to 2026 Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship

The 2026 Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship is currently open to prospective applicants. The fellowship is organized by the Africa Institute, Global Studies University in honour of Tejumola Olaniyan, a literary critic, to celebrate and support literary voices engaged in the creative expression of Africa and its diaspora in all forms and genres.

The fellowship invites applications from creative writers, including novelists, short story writers, playwrights, poets, and scriptwriters whose work relates to Africa and the African diaspora for a grant of 50,000 AED in total for the duration of the fellowship. 

The grant is inclusive of accommodation, a return airfare ticket, visa and the monthly stipend of 10,000 AED per month per fellow.

Also Read: Writing Competitions 2026: Poetry, Short Story, Essay

Benefits and Review Process for the 2026 Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship

• The proposed project may be in Arabic or English, though other languages will also be considered. 
• To complete their work, recipients will be invited to Sharjah, UAE, for a three-month residency. Typically, the cohort begins in the fall of each year.
• Recipients will have the opportunity to publish their texts through The Africa Institute’s publications program.
• Projects relating to theatre and film scripts can also be published as texts or receive support in facilitating productions. 
• The project could be new or a work-in-progress and should be feasible for completion within the timeframe of the residency.

All applications will be reviewed by The Africa Institute through a committee of faculty and fellows.

• Three recipients will be chosen based on the quality of their proposal and the demonstrated feasibility of completion within the timeframe of the residency.

Eligibility Criteria and Preferred Requirements 

• The fellowship is open to both emerging and established creative writers
• Applicants must be actively working on a major literary project (novel, memoir, essays, poetry, film script, or full-length play)
• Applicants must have at least one published work (book, journal, or significant online platform)Strong record of creative literary excellence (awards, fellowships, recognition)
• Substantial creative portfolio
• Work related to Africa and the African diaspora
• Innovative approaches to storytelling, form, or language
• Work that contributes to critical literary culture, scholarship, or public discourse

Application Requirements for the 2026 Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship

• CV/résumé of the applicant
• A one-page cover letter explaining motivation for applying to this residency (single-space, font 12)
• A two-page project statement (single-space, font 12) which may include: Project description, Significance of the project, Proposed timeline for completing the project and Introduction of the writing sample (or sample creative work) and its relation to the proposed project
• One published writing sample or a sample of creative work

How to Apply & Deadlines

Applications for the programs will now be submitted through an online application platform. Please do not send applications via email. Each attachment should not exceed 3 MB.

To start new application 

To continue existing application 

Deadline: Sunday, March 1, 2026.

The official information page.