Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship 2026 (£18,000 in Grant)

Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship 2026

The Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship 2026 are open to anyone writing in the English language who was born in Africa, or both of whose parents were born in Africa to receive a grant of £18,000 in other to write while simultaneously earning a living.

It is no news that it can be difficult for writers, before they become established, that is why the Miles Morland Foundation has made this Writing Scholarship available to help writers to write while simultaneously earning a living. To help meet this need, the foundation annually awards a grant of £18,000, paid monthly over the course of twelve months with the aim being to allow each Scholar the time to produce the first draft of a completed book. The Scholarships are open to anyone writing in the English language who was born in Africa, or both of whose parents were born in Africa.

The Foundation was set up by Miles Morland in 2013, after a career investing in Africa via two companies he created, Blakeney Management and DPI (Development Partners International). The Miles Morland Foundation aims to support entities in Africa which enable Africans to get their voices heard. It is particularly interested in supporting African writing and African literature.

SEE MORE: Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2026 at McGill University

Qualifications

To qualify for the Scholarship a candidate must submit an excerpt from a piece of work of between 2,000 – 5,000 words, written in English that has been published and offered for sale
You must send clear evidence that the piece you upload as part of your application has been both published AND offered for sale.
Your submission will be evaluated by a panel of readers and judges set up by the MMF. The work submitted will be judged purely on literary merit. It is not the purpose of the Scholarships to support academic or scientific research, or works of special interest such as religious or political writings. Submissions or proposals of this nature do not qualify.
Scholars during the year of their Scholarship must write. They will be asked to submit by email at least 10,000 new words every month until they have finished their book, or their Scholarship term has ended. If the first draft of the book is completed before the year is up, payments will continue while the Scholar edits and refines their work.

Grant

Scholars will receive a grant of £18,000, paid monthly over the course of twelve months. Scholars writing non-fiction, who require additional research time, could receive an additional grant, paid over a period of up to eighteen months.

Submission Requirements

Before proceeding with your application submission, kindly enclose all six things on the checklist below:

Your signed attestation stating that AI has not been used in any way in the composition or preparation of your submission or book proposal (signed with your full name).
A submission of between 2,000 to 5,000 words as a Word document of work that has been published and offered for sale.
Proof of publication and proof of sale.
A description of between 400 – 1,000 words about the new book you intend to write.
A scan of an official document showing that you, or both of your parents, were born in Africa.
A brief bio of between 200 – 300 words.