American Academy in Rome

Rome Prize Poster
Overview
General Information
Eligibility
The Selection Process
Deadlines and Fees

Rome Prize Poster

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Overview

Each year, the coveted Rome Prize is awarded to thirty emerging artists and scholars in the early or middle stages of their careers who represent the highest standard of excellence in the arts and humanities.

Fellows are chosen from the following disciplines:

Architecture

Design

Historic Preservation and Conservation

Landscape Architecture

Literature (awarded only by nomination through the American Academy of Arts and Letters)

Musical Composition

Visual Arts

Ancient Studies

Medieval Studies

Renaissance and Early Modern Studies

Modern Italian Studies

Prize recipients are invited to Rome for six months or eleven months to immerse themselves in the Academy community where they will enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to expand their own professional, artistic, or scholarly pursuits, drawing on their colleagues' erudition and experience and on the inestimable resources that Italy, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Academy have to offer.

Rome Prize winners are the core of the Academy's residential community, which also includes Residents and Visiting Artists and Scholars.

Fellows are encouraged to work collegially within and across disciplines in pursuit of their individual artistic and scholarly goals.

The Academy gratefully acknowledges the National Endowment for the Humanities for its support of the Rome Prize competition.

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General Information

Each Rome Prize winner is provided with a stipend, meals, a bedroom with private bath, and a study or studio. Those with children under 18 live in partially subsidized apartments nearby. Winners of 6-month and 11-month fellowships receive stipends of $13,000 and $26,000, respectively. Owing to the fluctuating dollar/euro exchange rate and the high cost of living in Rome, the stipends offered may not cover all expenses. This is especially true for prize winners who come to Rome with spouses, companions and/or children.

Fellowships generally begin at the Academy in early September and end in early August. Winners of the 11-month Rome Prize fellowships may select to depart the Academy after nine months with no reduction to the fellowship stipend.

For Further Information:

info@aarome.org
call 212-751-7200
fax 212-751-7220

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Eligibility

—Applicants for all Rome Prize fellowships, except those applying for the National Endowment for the Humanities post-doctoral fellowship, must be United States citizens at the time of the application.

—U.S citizens and those foreign nationals who have lived in the United States for three years immediately proceeding the application deadline may apply for the NEH post-doctoral fellowships.

—Graduate students in the humanities may apply only for pre-doctoral fellowships.

—Previous winners of the Rome Prize are not eligible to re-apply.

—Undergraduate students are not eligible for Rome Prize fellowships.

Individuals may submit joint applications provided the work is genuinely collaborative in nature as demonstrated by the materials submitted. In the case of joint applications, each individual must meet all eligibility requirements. Joint applications must be submitted in one package. Joint applicants selected as winners will share one prize.

Winners of the Rome Prize may hold other fellowships concurrently, as long as the requirements of such fellowships do not conflict with the Academy's rules. Applicants are required to disclose all fellowships and awards they expect to hold during their proposed residency in Rome, including sabbatical pay. The Academy may make adjustments to the stipends based on other awards held by Rome Prize recipients. Winners may not hold full-time jobs while at the Academy.

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The Selection Process

Each year the Academy's New York office organizes an open national competition to select Rome Prize winners. Jury members, selected annually, are prominent in their respective disciplines and drawn from all regions of the country. The jury convenes from January through March and finalists may be required to come to New York at the Academy's expense for interviews. The Academy's Board of Trustees announces the winners in late April.

The primary criterion for selection is proven excellence in an applicant's achievements and the potential for future development. Jurors will consider the quality of submitted application materials and what interviews reveal about an applicant's past achievements and future goals. The jury may select any candidate it judges to be outstanding in his or her field and is at a point in the individual's career where the Rome Prize experience would be critical to future growth and development.

All other factors being equal, preference will be given to those applicants who have not had extensive prior experience living, studying, and/or working in Rome.

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Deadlines and Fees

—The annual deadline for applications is November 1st. Applications will also be accepted between November 2 and November 15 for an additional fee. (see below for details).

—No applications postmarked after November 15th will be accepted.

—If applying in one field, the fee is $30 if materials are postmarked by November 1st and $60 if postmarked between November 2nd and 15th.

—If applying in two or more fields, the fee is $40 if materials are postmarked by November 1st and $75 if postmarked between November 2nd and 15th.

—There is no application fee for those applying solely for NEH post-doctoral fellowships.

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Launch Online Application
Return of Materials
Arts Guidelines
Humanities Guidelines

Launch Online Application

The deadline for the 2009-2010 Rome Prize competition has passed.

Applications for the 2010-2011 competition will be accepted beginning in mid-August 2010.

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Return of Materials

The Academy does not keep applications on file.

Written materials will not be returned.

Support materials will be returned only if accompanied by self-addressed stamped envelopes. Applicants are responsible for ensuring proper postage is affixed to a correctly-sized return envelope.

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Arts Guidelines

Click here for printable guidelines and instructions for applying.
Arts Guidelines PDF

Architecture/Design*/Landscape Architecture

(*Included in this field: Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Set Design, Urban Design, Urban Planning, and other design related fields.)

Eleven month Rome Prize fellowships are available in architecture and landscape architecture. Six month fellowships intended for mid-career professionals are available in architecture, landscape architecture, and other design fields. Applicants for eleven-month fellowships must hold an accredited degree in the field of application. Applicants for six-month fellowships must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the field of application, and must have at least seven years of professional experience, and must be practicing in the field. Applicants should submit materials that best display their qualifications and experience in their field.

Historic Preservation and Conservation

Applicants may apply for either the six-month or eleven-month Rome Prize fellowships or both. The six-month fellowship is intended for those who may not be able to spend a year in Rome. Candidates are expected to be seasoned professionals, actively engaged in their fields, with enough experience and maturity to give them direction once they arrive in Rome.

These awards are intended for a broad range of individuals who work in the arts and humanities, from the conservation of works of art, to architectural design, to public policy in the management of cities. Applicants are encouraged to submit materials that best express the quality of what they do and how they think.

Jurors review a wide range of materials in this category and should be able to clearly understand not only the candidate's background but the candidate's philosophical approach to his or her work and the professional trajectory he or she is pursuing.

Musical Composition

Applicants for eleven-month Rome Prize fellowships in musical composition must hold a bachelor's degree in music, musical composition, or its equivalent.

Visual Arts

Applicants for eleven-month Rome Prize fellowships in visual arts must demonstrate at least three years of professional commitment and currently be engaged in studio work.

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Humanities Guidelines

Click below for printable guidelines and instructions for applying.
Humanities Guidelines PDF

The Academy accepts pre- and post-doctoral applications for the Rome Prize in the following fields:

Ancient Studies
(through the sixth century)

Medieval Studies
(sixth through 14th centuries)

Renaissance and Early Modern Studies
(14th through 18th centuries)

Modern Italian Studies
(18th century to the present)

The Academy invites proposals in archaeology, history, the history of art and architecture, literature, and musicology. Note that these disciplines are intended to be suggestive, not exclusive.

Any humanistic approach, or combination of approaches to these areas will be given consideration. Comparative projects and projects that cut across the conventional and arbitrary chronological limits listed above are welcome and will be examined by jurors whose areas are involved.

Pre-doctoral Fellowships
The Academy offers 11-month and two-year pre-doctoral fellowships. Eleven-month awards are available in any of the fields listed above. Two-year awards are limited to projects in the history of art and architecture of any period.

Pre-doctoral fellowships are meant to provide scholars with the necessary time to research and complete their doctoral dissertations. Applicants for pre-doctoral fellowships must have fulfilled all pre-dissertation requirements by the application deadline. Applicants for pre-doctoral fellowships are encouraged to consider whether their projects are at a stage and of such a nature that they would benefit more from an eleven-month or two-year fellowship. Selecting one or the other option will have no bearing on the jury's evaluation of the merits of the proposal. Applicants may choose to check both options.

Post-doctoral Fellowships
The Academy offers eleven-month post-doctoral fellowships in the fields listed above. All applicants for post-doctoral fellowships must hold a Ph.D. at the time of application.

There are two types of fellowships: National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships, and Academy fellowships. Applicants for the NEH post-doctoral fellowships must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals who have lived in the U.S. for the three years immediately preceding the application deadline.

Those applying for the NEH fellowships may hold any academic rank or be an independent scholar. The Academy post-doctoral fellowships are intended for scholars at an early stage in their professional careers. Therefore, applicants must have received their Ph.D.s within the prior seven years.

Those applying for Academy fellowships may be assistant professors, associate professors (appointed within the prior two years), or independent scholars.

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What is offered if I win a Rome Prize fellowship?

Prize recipients are invited to Rome for six months or eleven months to immerse themselves in the Academy community where they will enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to expand their own professional, artistic, or scholarly pursuits, drawing on their colleagues' erudition and experience and on the inestimable resources that Italy, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Academy have to offer.

Each Rome Prize winner is provided with a stipend, meals, a bedroom with private bath, and a study or studio. Those with children under 18 live in partially subsidized apartments nearby. Winners of 6-month and 11-month fellowships receive stipends of $13,000 and $26,000, respectively.

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How long is the fellowship?

Rome Prize fellowships vary depending on the category. While most Rome Prize fellowships are eleven-months, fellowships in the Design category are six-months and we do offer two-year fellowships for pre-doctoral candidates in the Humanities. We also offer applicants in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Historic Preservation and Conservation a choice of either six- or eleven-month fellowships. Please see the program guidelines for more details.

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Is the fellowship open to all?

No, applicants for Rome Prize fellowships must be United States citizens at the time of application, except for those applying for the NEH post-doctoral fellowship in the Humanities (Ancient Studies, Medieval Studies, Renaissance and Early Modern Studies, and/or Modern Italian Studies). U.S. citizens and those foreign nationals who have lived in the U.S. for the three years immediately preceding the application deadline may apply for the NEH post-doctoral fellowships. Additionally, undergraduate students are not eligible for Rome Prize fellowships and previous winners of the Rome Prize are not eligible to re-apply.

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Is there a fee for applying?

Yes, applications submitted and/or postmarked on or before November 1, 2009 require a $30 application fee. Applications submitted and/or postmarked from November 2 through November 15 require a $60 application fee. Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked on or before November 1, must submit a $40 application fee. Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked from November 2 through November 15, must submit a $75 application fee.

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May I submit more than one application?

Applicants may submit applications to multiple categories for an additional fee (see below). The applicant must complete separate application forms for each category. Applicants may not submit more than one application in any one category (i.e. do not submit separate applications for sculpture and painting, only one Visual Arts application will be accepted).

Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked on or before November 1, must submit a $40 application fee. Applicants applying in more than one field, whose application is postmarked from November 2 through November 15, must submit a $75 application fee.

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Is the fellowship open to applicants who work collaboratively?

Yes, collaborating artists/scholars may submit joint applications provided that the work is genuinely collaborative in nature as demonstrated by the materials submitted. In the case of joint applications, each individual must meet all eligibility requirements. Joint applications must be submitted in one package. Joint applicants selected as winners will share one prize.

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How much is the stipend?

Winners of 6-month and 11-month fellowships receive stipends of $13,000 and $26,000, respectively.

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Is housing and board included in the fellowship?

Each Rome Prize winner will be provided with a bedroom with a private bath and a study or studio in which to work. Rome Prize winners are also provided with meals 6-days/week. Rome Prize winners accompanied by a spouse/companion will be given a double room and meals for the companion will be offered at a subsidized rate. Those accompanied by children are housed in subsidized apartments on the Academy's grounds. Meals for children will also be offered at a subsidized rate.

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Is travel to Rome provided?

Applicants are required to pay for their own travel to Rome. The Rome Prize winner will receive his/her first stipend payment 4 to 6 weeks before the Academy opens. This payment is substantially larger than subsequent payments to help with the costs of travel.

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Is health insurance included?

No, and the Academy requires each Rome Prize winner and accompanying persons to have health insurance coverage and hospitalization insurance, including major medical. Proof of insurance must be provided before the residency begins.

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May I bring my pet?

No, pets are NOT allowed at the American Academy in Rome. Anyone inadvertently arriving with a pet will be asked to find outside kennel accommodations.

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Are the academy buildings handicapped accessible?

While not all of the Academy's facilities are handicapped accessible, much of the McKim Mead and White building is accessible including some of the living spaces.

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May I work while in Rome?

Rome Prize Winners may not hold full-time jobs while at the Academy. The Academy recognizes in some instances a winner may find it necessary to supplement his/her income with other awards, or that s/he may be commissioned to complete scholarly or artistic work while in Rome. Winners of the Rome Prize may hold other fellowships concurrently, as long as the requirements do not conflict with the Academy's rules. Applicants are required to disclose all fellowships and awards they expect to hold during their proposed residency in Rome, including sabbatical pay. The Academy may make adjustments to its stipends based on other awards held by Rome Prize recipients.

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Is speaking Italian a requirement?

No, speaking Italian is not required for application to the Rome Prize. However, if you receive the Rome Prize, life in Rome will be much simpler if you come to Italy with at least the basics of the language. The Academy provides a subsidized intensive Italian course to Rome Prize Winners shortly after their arrival.

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When is the deadline?

The deadline for applying is 1 November 2009. We do offer an extended deadline of 15 November 2009 for an additional fee. All online information must be submitted by 11:59 PM on 15 November, and all physical materials must be postmarked by 15 November.

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Do you accept late applications?

We offer an extended deadline until 15 November 2009 for an additional fee. No application materials postmarked after 15 November will be accepted.

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What is the schedule of the fellowship residency?

Eleven-month fellowships generally begin at the Academy in early-September and end at the beginning of August. Winners of six-month fellowships may choose to begin in early-September and end in early-March or begin in early-February and end in early-August.

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Should the project proposal be related to Rome?

In the case of scholars, preference will be given to applicants for whom research time in Italy, and especially in the city of Rome, is essential, and who have not had extensive prior experience there. For artists, a demonstration of a need to be in Rome, or Italy, is NOT necessary. However jurors tend to respond positively to proposals of projects that would clearly benefit from time in Rome, Italy, and/or Europe.

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Should the material submitted for review be related to Rome?

Material submitted for review does not need to be related to Rome. The primary criterion for the Rome Prize is excellence. Applicants should send examples of their strongest recent work.

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When do you notify the applicants?

All applicants will be notified by mid-March 2010.

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If not selected, can I apply again?

Yes, we encourage applicants to apply again if not selected. Academy juries change every year, and a previous application in no way compromises an applicant's chances of winning a future fellowship. Many Rome Prize Fellows have applied more than once before being selected.

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